helloooo! I am currently deciding between the residential college at the University of Michigan and Wellesley College. as I am out-of-state (delaware represent!!), they’ve come out to be approximately equal from a financial perspective, so that’s a nonissue.
in essence:
I’m looking to study social science (probably english) so I can go anywhere!! i’m a little intimidated by wellesley’s stress culture; i’m ready to work hard but I want to have a fun and fulfilling experience over the next four :") the rc at umich seems like a great way to access the benefits of a liberal arts school with the resources of an excellent research university. at the same time, wellesley’s classes would be smaller and more opportunities would be available to me as an undergrad.
as you can tell, I am highly conflicted!! I’ve seen both campuses and still am not sure which is a better ‘fit.’ any insight is great appreciated
Congrats. Wow. What a tough choice. But there is one to be found, I believe.
you’ve defined your choices and concerns pretty well. They are both tremendous academically.
However, the fun factor you are looking for is a differentiator. Michigan with the built in activities (to help to break up the work) and bonding that is available with all the Big Ten sports etc- heavily tilts my recommendation towards Michigan and Ann Arbor.
There are lots of students at Michigan who have never been to a football game in Ann Arbor or anywhere else. So noobody is going to say you have to be a rah-rah sports fan to thrive there. But, if you grew up thinking of college in a traditional sense, with football games & frat parties etc.,then as beautiful as Wellesley is (& it is truly stunning), you will miss out on some imortant parts of your college experience…though Wellesley students sometimes get some of the frat parties in conjunction with other Boston-area colleges. Also, having male students around would seem like something you’d know if you wanted.
I don’t know much about Wellesley but in considering your options remember that at UM you will likely be in some large introductory classes but your classes will get much smaller in your later years there. My S had upper level math and lit classes with less than 20 students. Some of my D’s friends were in the residential college and had a great experience. Tough but great choice, congrats!
Michigan is probably the safer choice because you are in a residential college. You can make a big school small, but you cannot make a small school big = seems to apply in your situation.
Also, it should be clear as to whether or not you prefer a single sex environment / school.
Agree with @PurpleTitan – they are two excellent but very very different choices. One environment should “speak to you” more than the other. Nobody here (people who don’t know/never met you) can determine which school would be your personal better fit.
Wellesley was the “bridesmade” in D1s college decision. I think it’s a great school.
I did not like some aspects of the social situation there though- eg busing to MIT fat parties, campus seemed drained on weekends with everyone frittering into Boston… And it did seem academically intense.
There will be tons of activities available to you at Wellesley, probably more actually. Many consider Boston the ultimate college town, and there are buses going there frequently to/from campus, IIRC.
But Boston isn’t next door either, it’s like 1/2 hour IIRC.
Wellesley is very well regarded, IMO. When I was working in IB, my company recruited there.
I’ve spent some time visiting Michigan too, more recently, very different environment. Classic campus-centered school in college town.
It is huge. And the buildings and campus feel reminded me of a state u. Which of course it is.
Another option: a hybrid:
You could start at the place that will be “better” initially, and then see how it goes.
My D2 attended an LAC for 1.5 years, then transferred to a university.
It worked out great for her.
“Best of both worlds”: smaller classes for underclassman intro courses, larger course selection as an upperclassman at the U, for when she got into her major & upperclassman electives.
That wasn’t her plan all along, it just worked out that way. Doesn’t mean it can’t be your plan. You’re never stuck in the place that you matriculate to. You can always transfer down the line. If you think that would be better, at that time. It’s an option.
The wild card is, I don’t know what this “residential college” gets you, I know nothing about it.
True enough, for instance the other school of interest here, U Michigan, accepted 39% of transfer applicants last year if I did my math correctly. But this number may include community college transfers that may have an “inside track”, and LSA may be tougher than the aggregate, I have no idea.
Thanks for all the responses, everyone! I visited Michigan this week and loved the bustling energy of the campus. The vibrancy of the student body & Ann Arbor combined with the navigability of the residential college is pretty hard to beat. That said, I think I would have better academic opportunities at Wellesley. And I’ll definitely go to grad school, so Michigan will be on the table for that. Just conflicted – do I pick social scene over academics? It is hard to pass up an opportunity like Wellesley, but I feel like I’d be happier at Mich. Then again, I’d be more comfortable in a women’s environment. Any last-ditch advice?
One thing I learned via my D’s college experience (at Michigan) is that there’s no way to know in advance what opportunities will present themselves. She had opportunities at Michigan that could not have been known when she was a senior in HS. I’m sure the same would have happened at other colleges where she was accepted. Both of your options will present excellent opportunities to you.
In case anyone was wondering, I picked Wellesley. Couldn’t pass it up; Michigan will be there for grad school… Wellesley just felt like a better investment for me and my family.
