UofM vs Northwestern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say my kid is going to UMich and the undergrad math education is very tough. Majors have high math requirements and many students try and take math at community colleges to avoid the first two years of math—through linear algebra.

My kid is busy taking Nova CC classes to beef up on math.

If your kid is weak in math I would be careful about UMich.

You think Northwestern will be easier?

Yes. My kid compared the degree requirements of all majors of interest. UMich had higher math requirements and prerequisites than many "Top 20" liberal arts colleges. The more quantitative schools still have beefy math components to their degrees. And the Linear Algebra at UMich is 50% proofs and a known nightmare on the reddit page. UMich requires students to go to office hours, etc. UMich offers a few supportive math programs for incoming students, but for many kids they'll have to set themselves up for success. UMich doesn't seem to have competitive students but the environment is set up for independence.

[Anonymous]

Northwestern is the better school, IMO. But they are very close and with In-state tuition, Northwestern is not worth the extra $40K+/year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is what we’re thinking as well. Is there any case/area of study would you would consider Northwestern over UofM? While we can pay Northwestern without issue, UofM instate tuition is so much less. I can’t help but to consider the value of the money spent.

It makes zero sense unless your kid has a strong affinity to NU.

The main difference is 8K undergrads vs 20k+ undergrads. So smaller campus, more kids who are actively involved in a variety of majors (very common to double major, or double triple minor in something totally unrelated).
Then again, we let our DC pick between two very similar schools (both with 6K undergrads, similar schools) and our DC chose the full pay $85K+ vs the one with $40K+ merit per year (so only $40-45K/year).

IMO they are very different schools. My kids would struggle at a school with 300+ in many classes and one with that many students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Northwestern is the better school, IMO. But they are very close and with In-state tuition, Northwestern is not worth the extra $40K+/year.

It’s not better, it’s just different. Michigan, like Berkeley and UCLA, are the cream of public education. They compete very well with all but a handful of schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is what we’re thinking as well. Is there any case/area of study would you would consider Northwestern over UofM? While we can pay Northwestern without issue, UofM instate tuition is so much less. I can’t help but to consider the value of the money spent.

It makes zero sense unless your kid has a strong affinity to NU.

The main difference is 8K undergrads vs 20k+ undergrads. So smaller campus, more kids who are actively involved in a variety of majors (very common to double major, or double triple minor in something totally unrelated).
Then again, we let our DC pick between two very similar schools (both with 6K undergrads, similar schools) and our DC chose the full pay $85K+ vs the one with $40K+ merit per year (so only $40-45K/year).

IMO they are very different schools. My kids would struggle at a school with 300+ in many classes and one with that many students.

You’re comparing smallish colleges/universities with a Michigan and Northwestern. Even NU has 50% more undergraduates than the schools you mentioned. Neither school will have a LAC feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is what we’re thinking as well. Is there any case/area of study would you would consider Northwestern over UofM? While we can pay Northwestern without issue, UofM instate tuition is so much less. I can’t help but to consider the value of the money spent.

It makes zero sense unless your kid has a strong affinity to NU.

The main difference is 8K undergrads vs 20k+ undergrads. So smaller campus, more kids who are actively involved in a variety of majors (very common to double major, or double triple minor in something totally unrelated).
Then again, we let our DC pick between two very similar schools (both with 6K undergrads, similar schools) and our DC chose the full pay $85K+ vs the one with $40K+ merit per year (so only $40-45K/year).

IMO they are very different schools. My kids would struggle at a school with 300+ in many classes and one with that many students.

You’re comparing smallish colleges/universities with a Michigan and Northwestern. Even NU has 50% more undergraduates than the schools you mentioned. Neither school will have a LAC feel.

NU has approximately 8K undergrads. Not 12K (as you stated). It most definately has a much smaller feel than UMich. Never stated it was LAC/2-3K size. But outside of large freshman stem courses (1st year chem and 2nd year Orgo, Phsyics) most courses are less than 50. And 30+ years ago chem was a large lecture (300 with smaller discussions/labs) and physics was 75-100 max. Otherwise every other course was 50 or smaller. No sitting in calculus for 250+ like at UMich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is what we’re thinking as well. Is there any case/area of study would you would consider Northwestern over UofM? While we can pay Northwestern without issue, UofM instate tuition is so much less. I can’t help but to consider the value of the money spent.

It makes zero sense unless your kid has a strong affinity to NU.

The main difference is 8K undergrads vs 20k+ undergrads. So smaller campus, more kids who are actively involved in a variety of majors (very common to double major, or double triple minor in something totally unrelated).
Then again, we let our DC pick between two very similar schools (both with 6K undergrads, similar schools) and our DC chose the full pay $85K+ vs the one with $40K+ merit per year (so only $40-45K/year).

IMO they are very different schools. My kids would struggle at a school with 300+ in many classes and one with that many students.

You’re comparing smallish colleges/universities with a Michigan and Northwestern. Even NU has 50% more undergraduates than the schools you mentioned. Neither school will have a LAC feel.

NU has approximately 8K undergrads. Not 12K (as you stated). It most definately has a much smaller feel than UMich. Never stated it was LAC/2-3K size. But outside of large freshman stem courses (1st year chem and 2nd year Orgo, Phsyics) most courses are less than 50. And 30+ years ago chem was a large lecture (300 with smaller discussions/labs) and physics was 75-100 max. Otherwise every other course was 50 or smaller. No sitting in calculus for 250+ like at UMich.

NU has approximately 9000 undergraduates. That is 50% more than the 6,000 undergraduates that were claimed by the pp. 100% more would be 12,000. Simple math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is what we’re thinking as well. Is there any case/area of study would you would consider Northwestern over UofM? While we can pay Northwestern without issue, UofM instate tuition is so much less. I can’t help but to consider the value of the money spent.

It makes zero sense unless your kid has a strong affinity to NU.

The main difference is 8K undergrads vs 20k+ undergrads. So smaller campus, more kids who are actively involved in a variety of majors (very common to double major, or double triple minor in something totally unrelated).
Then again, we let our DC pick between two very similar schools (both with 6K undergrads, similar schools) and our DC chose the full pay $85K+ vs the one with $40K+ merit per year (so only $40-45K/year).

IMO they are very different schools. My kids would struggle at a school with 300+ in many classes and one with that many students.

You’re comparing smallish colleges/universities with a Michigan and Northwestern. Even NU has 50% more undergraduates than the schools you mentioned. Neither school will have a LAC feel.

NU has approximately 8K undergrads. Not 12K (as you stated). It most definately has a much smaller feel than UMich. Never stated it was LAC/2-3K size. But outside of large freshman stem courses (1st year chem and 2nd year Orgo, Phsyics) most courses are less than 50. And 30+ years ago chem was a large lecture (300 with smaller discussions/labs) and physics was 75-100 max. Otherwise every other course was 50 or smaller. No sitting in calculus for 250+ like at UMich.

Most courses at Michigan are less than 50 after the intro level courses as well. I’m not sure of your point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is what we’re thinking as well. Is there any case/area of study would you would consider Northwestern over UofM? While we can pay Northwestern without issue, UofM instate tuition is so much less. I can’t help but to consider the value of the money spent.

Journalism or may PoliSci at Northwestern. Or if he wants to be a a lawyer MAYBE NW. But engineering is Michigan for sure.

[Anonymous]

So kids get tired of Ann Arbor and all Michigan all the time? That’s my fear with Michigan. No escape when you want to see something other than blue and yellow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is what we’re thinking as well. Is there any case/area of study would you would consider Northwestern over UofM? While we can pay Northwestern without issue, UofM instate tuition is so much less. I can’t help but to consider the value of the money spent.

Journalism or may PoliSci at Northwestern. Or if he wants to be a a lawyer MAYBE NW. But engineering is Michigan for sure.

Michigan has a stronger PoliSci department.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So kids get tired of Ann Arbor and all Michigan all the time? That’s my fear with Michigan. No escape when you want to see something other than blue and yellow.

You’ve never been to Ann Arbor right?

[Anonymous]

Michigan no question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So kids get tired of Ann Arbor and all Michigan all the time? That’s my fear with Michigan. No escape when you want to see something other than blue and yellow.

You’ve never been to Ann Arbor right?

I’ve been. That’s why I wonder about this. I went to school on the east coast where we could hop on the train and go see friends at other schools on a weekend etc. I’m just curious. My Dc loves Michigan, it’s just such a different vibe than what I know. Seems like it’d be a blast for a year and then I’d want to be able to go somewhere.

[Anonymous]

NU is smaller & more manageable. Shorter walking distances, better housing options, better basketball team, easier to get to know professors, more scenic views, better Journalism dept. I’m not saying these are worth the extra money, but let’s stop pretending there are NO advantages to going to Northwestern.