Anonymous wrote:We went to tour Michigan State last week while visiting family. We happened to meet this dean who told us about Michigan State being a "dream school." I loved the school and impressed that this ranking of Dream Schools is taking into account what students actually do on campus rather than the GPA's of incoming students. Anyone have experience at MSU?

https://undergrad.msu.edu/news/2025/09-centering-the-student-experience

Dear OP, I mean this kindly. You HAVE to become a more sophisticated consumer for your kid. Every single college out there is marketing to get your money. Every single Ao is going to be charming. Every school will present itself as a Dream School. You must start reading, watching podcasts, and learning from others. Do not fall for the endless crap that every single school presents. Start from the beginning. What can your family realistically afford, acknowledging that some schools are now $99K a year (USC I'm looking at you); what are your in-state options? What are your kids' interests? major? size of school? planned activities? Then start an affordable list of safeties, targets, and reaches to go to the tour.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those that don't know, what exactly is "very, very midwestern in culture"?

As a midwesterner I wonder myself. I don't even know what midwestern culture is. I mean, I know the stupid stereotypes.

I wouldn't be looking to that person for insights.

MSU is a highly rated university. I would be delighted if my kid went there.

Which are? Clueless even though lived there for YEARS.

It's a great school. Beautiful campus. Nice Midwestern culture.

Anonymous wrote:My DH is from the state and while he went to UMich his siblings went to Michigan State. They have all been successful but the main difference is the siblings have stayed in the Midwest.

Michigan MBA here. Came from MoCo, remained after grad school.

Quality of life is probably better here than in DMV IF you have a stable job and you don't mind colder weather. For a person who is very mainstream, American suburbia is the same everywhere. If you live in Gaithersburg or Reston and never go to downtown DC, you might as well live here.

With 50% out of state and a way more global mindset, the University of Michigan produces more alumni who will disperse. But I know a bunch of international students who have gone to MSU and done quite well afterward. It's the locals who like to stay home.

MSU is easier to get into than Michigan but offers merit and perks to honors students that are more generous than Michigan. 2024 had peak Michigan admission for our high school. In 2025, MSU struck back and took most of the stars using big dollar scholarships. It definitely can be a fun place for mainstream kids. And most MC and UMC people are what I consider mainstream.

I work with and am friends with many MSU grads. These are people who are well-compensated professionals...engineers, MBAs, etc. There really isn't any difference between Michigan and MSU-educated people in the workforce.

Regarding Midwest culture, I think a good parallel would be Penn State minus the Philly, Jersey, and Metro NYC kids. But Midwest Nice is real. People are much more circumspect. It's not as okay to disagree with others or have a forceful display of intellect or disagreement. The norms are different here vs. other places I've lived.

My biggest issue with MSU is the chip on the shoulder that MSU kids have vs. Michigan. The sporting rivalry is obnoxious (although many people think such rivalries are really fun, I find that kind of banter eye-pokingly tedious). And there's no question that Michigan is harder to get into. So that creates ill will among in-state high school classmates...which hardens people's feelings about which school is snobby and which school is fun, etc. I actually think out-of-staters might not feel that very deeply.

I definitely recommend that DMV people take a look if they are traveling to the area on college tours. And I agree MSU fits in the competitive set with other large Midwest flagships. Why not check it out? They have a pretty well-organized honors college day where kids compete for scholarships onsite.

I know 3 MSU grads — all very successfu.

Anonymous wrote:My friend’s son is there and is enjoying it.

It was my senior daughter’s first acceptance, and it’s a relatively easy admit for DC area kids.

For all those considering other out-of-state publics (Penn state, SC, Tenn, Auburn, Pitt, Indiana, etc) it is a good target or safety.

I am an MSU alum and I think it's an easy admit only for certain majors. Not for pre-med or engineering. They are pretty competitive.

I’m a Michigan State grad and I grew up in the Northeast. I chose it because I loved the campus, sports and community, particularly the Midwest vibe. Having spent my childhood on the east coast, I wanted college to be more down to earth with nicer kids, less superficial. I found it at MSU vs schools that pulled a lot from the east coast at the time (Wisconsin, Indiana, certainly Michigan).

Things may have changed now since MSU is pulling more OOS kids. College was incredible and I moved to New York right after graduation.

I went here as a chemistry major and it was heavily Chinese. I did not make a single friend through classes or my lab job. I ended up taking a second part time job at the local mall which became my social outlet, and took some foreign language classes just to see different faces. The business and education majors seemed to have WAY more fun than the STEM crowd. Their classes were always at the good times while I would have organic chemistry lab at 6 pm on Friday.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Midwestern culture is the old Buffalo Wild Wings slogan…beer, wings, sports.

Is this any different than the kids at Indiana and Ohio State? My daughter loved visiting there and thought the kids were great.

Nope. Nor Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, marquette, Butler or any other decent sized non elite Midwest school. I went to one and loved it and am encouraging my kids to apply to some. But that’s the culture, getting together to enjoy food, beer and sports.

I mean, that sounds great, seriously.

I think it's that and a lot more. These large schools will have a hippy component, nerdy academics, people who love sitting around coffeehouses or doing outdoorsy stuff on weekends, or all of the above including sports. Pretty much something for everybody.

My DH is from the state and while he went to UMich his siblings went to Michigan State. They have all been successful but the main difference is the siblings have stayed in the Midwest.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Midwestern culture is the old Buffalo Wild Wings slogan…beer, wings, sports.

Is this any different than the kids at Indiana and Ohio State? My daughter loved visiting there and thought the kids were great.

Nope. Nor Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, marquette, Butler or any other decent sized non elite Midwest school. I went to one and loved it and am encouraging my kids to apply to some. But that’s the culture, getting together to enjoy food, beer and sports.

I mean, that sounds great, seriously.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Southwestern Michigan. I think of Michigan State as where people who can't get in at U of M go. Assuming they are smart enough to not have to go to Northern MI or Eastern MI instead. Or WMU. Which is not that smart. Michigan State was for the high-average students who needed in-state tuition.

Hierarchy for people from Michigan: U of M, Mich State, WMU, then trailing way way behind are Northern (I knew one person who went there, they were lucky to get into a 4 yr, lol, and I knew one person who went to Eastern because they were into forensics/debate and Eastern had a program). Most people I knew went to U of M if smart, and if not Mich State. Or WMU. Many, many went there, because I lived in Southwestern MI, and that is where WMU is.

Average to good students with money went to the small private liberal arts schools like Hope (obviously religious), Alma, Kalamazoo, Calvin (very obviously religious), etc. Or out-of-state but nearby, like Univ of Wisconsin Madison or Purdue or something. Really good students with lots of money went to fancy places like U of Chicago or Oberlin.

Bottom line: Michigan State = average students. Highish side of average. But average. And it is very, very midwestern in culture.

Is Kzoo for average kids or above average? Any reason they pick Kzoo College over Western MI?

If they want a LAC with 1200 students or a R2 university with 17000

Michigan is a R1. Try again

PP said WESTERN Michigan. Read again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Midwestern culture is the old Buffalo Wild Wings slogan…beer, wings, sports.

Is this any different than the kids at Indiana and Ohio State? My daughter loved visiting there and thought the kids were great.

Nope. Nor Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, marquette, Butler or any other decent sized non elite Midwest school. I went to one and loved it and am encouraging my kids to apply to some. But that’s the culture, getting together to enjoy food, beer and sports.

Go Green! Spartans have a good network and alums are friendly

We visited during a college swing through Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana.

Was pretty rural and felt large and concrete. Students we encountered seemed happy and obvs a lot of majors to choose from. Long distance from one end (N/S or E/W) of campus to another and tour guide discussed scheduling classes carefully with passing period time in mind. Lots of biking and scootering across campus.