Colleges with very smart and successful students but relatively few DCUM competitive a**hole types

[Anonymous]

Not Michigan. Think about the people you know that went to Michigan. Is that who you want your kid to be?

[Anonymous]

So what is your issue with Wake Forest? There are a lot of wealthy kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not Michigan. Think about the people you know that went to Michigan. Is that who you want your kid to be?

I'm not sure who you know, but I found Michigan students to be nice and unpretentious on the whole, with relatively few assholes. I have to admit, though, that it is a huge state school and does have some "weed out" courses, especially in the sciences. There definitely is competition there in some classes, and there are some competitive personalities there.

Overall, though, Michigan has a culture of respect and there is an amazing diversity of interests at Michigan. Different people experience Michigan differently. For some, it might resemble UPenn. Maybe the poster above has those students in mind? For others, it's kind of like a larger Oberlin or Wesleyan. For others, it's more like MIT. For still others, it's more like Notre Dame. That list could go on. At Michigan, all of those cultures coexist.

I know some people make fun of colleges like Michigan where many students are obsessed with sports. One positive effect of the sports scene is that tens of thousands of very different students all agree on something and share a common interest. Also, since the big rivals are Michigan State and Ohio State, people tend not to think they're the world's most elite anything. Also, since Michigan sports fans live throughout the state of Michigan, cheering for Michigan feels communal and egalitarian. The place feels a bit different from Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Stanford for those reasons as well as others.

Another way in which Michigan feels different from Ivies is that, while
Michigan does attract many students who have the same credentials as Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Stanford students, and a few Michigan students turned down those places, the majority of Michigan students have less impressive high school academic achievements than the majority at those more selective colleges. Once you're in college, you tend to choose your friends based on something other than high school GPA and standardized test scores. That helps reduce the competitive feel of the place.











.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In terms of collegiality/lack of Uber-competitive types, I would place the top NESCAC schools closer to the midwestern SLACS than HYP. When I was at Amherst, there was very little overt competition for grades or jobs/internships. Everyone pursued whatever they were interested in and others were happy for them when things planned out. My sense from talking to friends who went to HYP is that there was a lot more overt competitiveness for jobs/internships. Most of the students at Amherst were friendly and not obsessed with prestige etc. The one problem area was a small minority became hostile/destructive when drinking (which I suppose you’ll find anywhere but maybe slightly less at Midwestern SLACS).

That sounds pretty good. Do other Amherst students/grads agree?

[Anonymous]

Georgia Tech

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what is your issue with Wake Forest? There are a lot of wealthy kids.

That’s exactly the problem-NP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not Michigan. Think about the people you know that went to Michigan. Is that who you want your kid to be?

I'm not sure who you know, but I found Michigan students to be nice and unpretentious on the whole, with relatively few assholes. I have to admit, though, that it is a huge state school and does have some "weed out" courses, especially in the sciences. There definitely is competition there in some classes, and there are some competitive personalities there.

Overall, though, Michigan has a culture of respect and there is an amazing diversity of interests at Michigan. Different people experience Michigan differently. For some, it might resemble UPenn. Maybe the poster above has those students in mind? For others, it's kind of like a larger Oberlin or Wesleyan. For others, it's more like MIT. For still others, it's more like Notre Dame. That list could go on. At Michigan, all of those cultures coexist.

I know some people make fun of colleges like Michigan where many students are obsessed with sports. One positive effect of the sports scene is that tens of thousands of very different students all agree on something and share a common interest. Also, since the big rivals are Michigan State and Ohio State, people tend not to think they're the world's most elite anything. Also, since Michigan sports fans live throughout the state of Michigan, cheering for Michigan feels communal and egalitarian. The place feels a bit different from Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Stanford for those reasons as well as others.

Another way in which Michigan feels different from Ivies is that, while
Michigan does attract many students who have the same credentials as Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Stanford students, and a few Michigan students turned down those places, the majority of Michigan students have less impressive high school academic achievements than the majority at those more selective colleges. Once you're in college, you tend to choose your friends based on something other than high school GPA and standardized test scores. That helps reduce the competitive feel of the place.











.

Michigan grad who agrees with most of what you say. Some points:

-- fact that almost 50% is OOS adds to making the school into whatever you want it to be. Even in-state, it's tough to get in. At my daughter's HS, and beat me up for the stereotype, most of the kids who got in were Asian. And for the entire school district (relatively UMC), the great majority of honor kids wound up at Michigan State with only a smattering at Michigan. It's that competitive. They take the cream of the crop.

-- there are Michigan fans throughout the state, but when visiting Traverse City, saw a great many more with Michigan State garb

-- I don't buy the sports obsession. Can't argue that going to Michigan Stadium is a big social gathering and lots follow hockey and basketball, but for many it's just a reason to get together, not something to lose sleep over. Unlike Ohio State where the football team is life and death.

-- would bet that no other school has as much diversity. Straight/gay/trans/not sure, all ethnicities, nerdy or superjock, Michigan has it all.

[Anonymous]

HYP

[Anonymous]

MIT has a wonderful collaborative culture. Lots of super smart and successful graduates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have not read through all of the posts yet, but CMU for sure. I read the first few pages and saw MI listed - as a former professor there, I would advise against, same with Rice. Rochester is also a solid choice. Is a top 30, but under the radar, so smart kids, but not egocentric, tend to go.

Really? (I happen to appreciate a good grindy kinda person, but the CMU vibe is not chill, IME. Certainly not relative to Rice and Michigan.)

[Anonymous]

I hope once we finish this thread we'll have time for an inquiry about neighborhoods where everyone is rich but no one drives a BMW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope once we finish this thread we'll have time for an inquiry about neighborhoods where everyone is rich but no one drives a BMW.

Once again the answer would be small nice New England towns no? A rusty Subaru or Volvo has more cachet

Just like the answer to this op is Nescac schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope once we finish this thread we'll have time for an inquiry about neighborhoods where everyone is rich but no one drives a BMW.

Once again the answer would be small nice New England towns no? A rusty Subaru or Volvo has more cachet

Just like the answer to this op is Nescac schools

Meh, that has far more to do with how people in certain towns like to think of themselves, just as with parents of students at certain colleges. To take a key example on this thread, the Rice boosters get away with constantly cultivating the image of that school as brainy but non-competitive because, quite honestly, the school isn't on the radar scream of enough DCUM types to trigger much feedback. Those who actually are familiar with the school know that it has a lot of pre-professional students who are just as competitive as their peers at Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, and other similar schools.

[Anonymous]

Rochester
CMU
Brandeis
UNC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have not read through all of the posts yet, but CMU for sure. I read the first few pages and saw MI listed - as a former professor there, I would advise against, same with Rice. Rochester is also a solid choice. Is a top 30, but under the radar, so smart kids, but not egocentric, tend to go.

Really? (I happen to appreciate a good grindy kinda person, but the CMU vibe is not chill, IME. Certainly not relative to Rice and Michigan.)

True, CMU isn’t chill at all. Students will work very hard.