Down to the wire..help DD decide

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Considering U Michigan (OOS), W&M Monroe Scholars (OOS), Lafayette ($25,000/yr merit) and Northeastern ($20,00 merit/yr) for Poly Sci/Econ

If cost is not a factor, I'd say go with Michigan. Head and shoulders above the other 3 options.

OMG, this stuff never ends. A - U Mich is not head and shoulders above the other 3 options, and B - it's irrelevant -- these are not Ivies - your kid should go where they will be most lively to thrive!

It's no wonder why so many college kids are stressed, unhappy and ultimately transfer schools - they focus on the wrong things in their decision process!!! A happy and engaged kid will be more likely to excel in their academics, but more importantly will grow into the person who can excel in life!

Nationally, yes it is. It is a legit top 20 school with virtually every program in the top 10. Sure, if you want to be in the Mid-Atlantic then Lafayette or W&M are fine - both great schools. Michigan is a powerhouse and has the reputation and alumni network to back it up.

Those are really graduate rankings. This is undergraduate. Many schools may have better undergraduate quality and experience than Michigan.

No. Not many.

[Anonymous]

DCUM loves to quote USNWR stats. Well look at this one:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching


Even here Michigan is top 20. #13 actually. So not “many schools” have better undergraduate quality than Michigan. Michigan has virtually no weakness as an academic institution. Yes even comparable to most of the Ivies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM loves to quote USNWR stats. Well look at this one:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching


Even here Michigan is top 20. #13 actually. So not “many schools” have better undergraduate quality than Michigan. Michigan has virtually no weakness as an academic institution. Yes even comparable to most of the Ivies.

How ironic that W&M is ranked several spots better than Michigan in the ranking you linked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM loves to quote USNWR stats. Well look at this one:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching


Even here Michigan is top 20. #13 actually. So not “many schools” have better undergraduate quality than Michigan. Michigan has virtually no weakness as an academic institution. Yes even comparable to most of the Ivies.

Michigan is a good school but it is maybe way too large with its 40000+ student body and large class sizes (200+ in every classes) for some kids to handle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM loves to quote USNWR stats. Well look at this one:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching


Even here Michigan is top 20. #13 actually. So not “many schools” have better undergraduate quality than Michigan. Michigan has virtually no weakness as an academic institution. Yes even comparable to most of the Ivies.

Michigan is a good school but it is maybe way too large with its 40000+ student body and large class sizes (200+ in every classes) for some kids to handle.

Per US News class size Michigan-

Classes with fewer than 20 students 57.3%
20-49 25.3%
50 or more 17.4%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM loves to quote USNWR stats. Well look at this one:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching


Even here Michigan is top 20. #13 actually. So not “many schools” have better undergraduate quality than Michigan. Michigan has virtually no weakness as an academic institution. Yes even comparable to most of the Ivies.

How ironic that W&M is ranked several spots better than Michigan in the ranking you linked.

Yeah, but W&M is not also a world-class research university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM loves to quote USNWR stats. Well look at this one:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching


Even here Michigan is top 20. #13 actually. So not “many schools” have better undergraduate quality than Michigan. Michigan has virtually no weakness as an academic institution. Yes even comparable to most of the Ivies.

How ironic that W&M is ranked several spots better than Michigan in the ranking you linked.

Yeah, but W&M is not also a world-class research university.

OP's daughter will be an undergraduate, not a professional researcher at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM loves to quote USNWR stats. Well look at this one:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching


Even here Michigan is top 20. #13 actually. So not “many schools” have better undergraduate quality than Michigan. Michigan has virtually no weakness as an academic institution. Yes even comparable to most of the Ivies.

How ironic that W&M is ranked several spots better than Michigan in the ranking you linked.

I’m missing the irony. #9 vs #13 is not much of a difference. Of course academically there is a huge difference, but you already knew that didn’t you? The PA score at USNWR at Michigan is 4.5. It’s only 3.8 at William and Mary.

[Anonymous]

OP, you should be choosing based on what matters to your DD, not based on non-objective, anonymous posts on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM loves to quote USNWR stats. Well look at this one:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching


Even here Michigan is top 20. #13 actually. So not “many schools” have better undergraduate quality than Michigan. Michigan has virtually no weakness as an academic institution. Yes even comparable to most of the Ivies.

Michigan is a good school but it is maybe way too large with its 40000+ student body and large class sizes (200+ in every classes) for some kids to handle.

There is no difference between an in person class with 200 students and online class with 1 million students. Might as well listen to a free online class from top schools like MIT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM loves to quote USNWR stats. Well look at this one:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching


Even here Michigan is top 20. #13 actually. So not “many schools” have better undergraduate quality than Michigan. Michigan has virtually no weakness as an academic institution. Yes even comparable to most of the Ivies.

Michigan is a good school but it is maybe way too large with its 40000+ student body and large class sizes (200+ in every classes) for some kids to handle.

There is no difference between an in person class with 200 students and online class with 1 million students. Might as well listen to a free online class from top schools like MIT

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Either Michigan or WM (the kids I know who've gone to Northeastern have been disappointed in the coop program, and have had difficulty in the job market)

I'm prejudiced toward WM because my kid went there and had a great experience, and the Monroe Scholar opportunity at WM is a big deal.

But if your DC wants the whole big time college experience of football games and nice college town, then you can't beat Michigan.

Does she want big or smaller?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Either Michigan or WM (the kids I know who've gone to Northeastern have been disappointed in the coop program, and have had difficulty in the job market)

I'm prejudiced toward WM because my kid went there and had a great experience, and the Monroe Scholar opportunity at WM is a big deal.

But if your DC wants the whole big time college experience of football games and nice college town, then you can't beat Michigan.

Does she want big or smaller?

+1. It's all just a marketing scam from NEU.

Go Umich or W&M. Between those two I'd choose UMich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:honestly for that major, I think graduate school is likely in her future, so I'd go cheaper for undergrad for practical reasons.

But, this is a decision that has to fit your kid. Those schools are very different. Surely one of them feels like a better fit than the others (or at least a top 2 and bottom 2). No one can give that answer.

I'd flip the thinking - you often hear someone say something like, all things being equal, go to the highest ranked most prestigious school. But, those schools are all good. Consider that the equal - all 4 schools are roughly academically equal, so pick based on intangibles, what feels right.

FYI - if graduate school is for Econ, then any strong candidate will likely pay no tuition for graduate school. Michigan has strongest Econ faculty and this would look very strong for both rigorous prep and recommendations. Next best would be WM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM loves to quote USNWR stats. Well look at this one:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/undergraduate-teaching


Even here Michigan is top 20. #13 actually. So not “many schools” have better undergraduate quality than Michigan. Michigan has virtually no weakness as an academic institution. Yes even comparable to most of the Ivies.

Michigan is a good school but it is maybe way too large with its 40000+ student body and large class sizes (200+ in every classes) for some kids to handle.

There is no difference between an in person class with 200 students and online class with 1 million students. Might as well listen to a free online class from top schools like MIT

Anybody who states that every class at Michigan has over 200 students is a moron. Stop posting and reposting nonsense!