Need help choosing which universities to apply to. (Detroit, Ann Arbor: housing, rent)

[jessemh431]

The only information I have about these universities is from a few college websites, but I was wondering if I could more in depth info or maybe even personal experiences.

The colleges in Michigan that I am interested in are Kalamazoo College, University of Michigan, UM at Dearborn, and Michigan State University. Which one of those universities would you recommend for someone interested in dentistry, pharmacy, something to do with urban studies or population, or something to do with geography?

I took a mock SAT last year and got 510, 550, and 570 in critical reading, math and writing, respectively. I'm positive I did better this year, because I didn't know enough math last year, so hopefully, all of my scores will be over 550, maybe even 600. My GPA will be 4.0 or higher, and I am very involved in school activities and clubs.

So, with that said, where do you think I should apply to, because I don't want to apply to too many colleges. Also, which one is in a great area that mixes liveliness with safeness.

Thanks for any replies ahead of time. If you have any suggestions, feel free to say them.

[Lola Granola]

Kalamazoo should be top on your list. Drop UofM Dearborn. Between State and UofM, I'm not sure who is tops in the programs you listed. But Kzoo College is by far the best of the colleges you mentioned.

[suydam]

Visit first.

Kalamazoo College is the most academically demanding school on your list.
University of Michigan is second.
The other two are further down the list but MSU excels in some programs where Kalamazoo and Michigan might be weak.

The big question I have for you is this: Why apply to Kalamazoo College and Michigan State? Those are two vastly different institutions. I'd suggest you figure out which type of school you like best and then apply to schools like that.

Example: MSU = over 40,000 students. UofM = over 30,000 students. Kalamazoo College = 1,200 students.

If you go visit and find that the small, academically rigorous atmosphere of Kalamazoo is great for you, seek out similar institutions. You have to leave the state to find a school at that same level, but there are plenty of small liberal arts schools for smart kids scattered around the midwest: Oberlin (near Cleveland), Carleton College (near Minneapolis) and a few others would deliver a similar education.

If, however, you find that a larger school is more to your liking, you should visit UofM and MSU with a critical eye toward their excellence in the program you're going to study. While UofM is clearly the leader in most stuff, there are some programs where MSU is the better choice. Do your research first. Apply only to those schools you liked during visitation. If you've got a 4.0 GPA and good test scores you'll get into whatever school you want.

[michiganbob]

Visit, visit, visit! The program you get into might be #1 in the country, but if you feel uncomfortable on the campus, don't like the faculty or the layout of the facilities, you will not succeed.

Also, Kalamazoo is a private college and the tuition is much higher thant MSU or UM . . . unless you think you can get a scholarship or have the money to burn. (Assuming you are an instate student and don't have to pay out-of-state tuition) I would also drop UM-Dearborn, but you may want to look at schools like Western Michigan and Central Michigan. They are a little smaller, but offer excellent programs in some areas.

For the programs you mentioned, UM has one of the top pharmacy schools in the country according to this list: Pharmacy School Rank

UM also has a dental school, as does Detroit Mercy.

One bit of advice: the programs you are looking into are quite diverse. Maybe in addition to the SAT stuff, you should consider taking some aptitude tests to see what fields you might do better in?

[magellan]

Ferris State also has a pretty reputable Pharmacy school, for a fraction of the cost of the others.

I have to agree that the difference between K College and MSU are gi-normous. K-College's campus can fit on a postage-stamp sized city block in Kalamazoo, whereas MSU's campus is 8 square miles. Visit MSU in the Winter and walk from the Brody complex on the West end of campus to classes on the East end of campus and decide if you can handle that every day.

[amw]

as a current student of kalamazoo college, i would say that with SAT scores in the high 500's and hopefully low 600's you probably aren't ready for K. perhaps you are, gven your 4.0 but i sounds to me like you are not. Even if you do want a smaller school, Kalamazoo really doesn't offer any programs in what you are looking for. I would head to MSU or UofM

[jessemh431]

it seems like kalamazoo isn't the place for me, since it is so small. i like UM since it's in Ann Arbor and many people have told me about what a great city it is...is that true? also, MSU is large, so i like that.

[Lola Granola]

Originally Posted by jessemh431

it seems like kalamazoo isn't the place for me, since it is so small. i like UM since it's in Ann Arbor and many people have told me about what a great city it is...is that true? also, MSU is large, so i like that.

Yes, Ann Arbor is a neat city. The UofM campus is spread around the city and it has a urban feel. MSU is self-contained in its own campus and has a beautiful park-like feel... generally rated as one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Very, very different atmosphere. Both have good bus systems, so walking from one end of campus to another in the winter isn't that big of a deal. The greek system is much bigger at UofM, because historically student housing has been hard to get (used to be you were only guaranteed a dorm room in the first year, after that you were on your own if you weren't one of the lucky ones to win a lottery for a dorm room... that may have changed in recent years, though.) MSU has plenty of dorm rooms, so the greek system isn't as necessary. UofM is more liberal and more urban, when you walk around Ann Arbor you will see homeless and other elements of urban America. UofM is known for the Hash Bash, the Naked Mile, etc. MSU has some things like that (I don't know if CedarFest is still going on or not), but it tends to be a tad less liberal and "over the top". UofM is much more competitive... I've heard stories of necessary reference books being stolen from the library to prevent other students from doing the necessary work on an assignment. UofM has more of a national name, which is important if you intend on working in another part of the country right out of college.

Very different "feels" to the two schools... if you can visit both, that would be very wise.

[M TYPE X]

UM has lost many of its rituals due to administration forcing their closure. If you want a riotous environment where you can burn sofas, try MSU.

UM's dorm rooms are awful. They were famous back in the 1930s, and have been sliding ever since then. Ann Arbor is great, but the housing stock for students is equally awful to the dorms, with a few expensive exceptions.

Your SAT scores are low, but UM cares more about your GPA than your SAT scores.

[Iggs]

I spent 9 years as an Assoc. Dir. of Enrollment for 2 different colleges in Illinois. Please do yourself a favor and visit. Many colleges offer tours and will set you up w/ a current student to show you around the campus and visit. You may even be able to talk to alumni. Some people may prefer small private colleges while others want a big 10. Best of luck in whatever you choose.