Given all the big numbers for the University of Michigan, such as
- 26,000 undergraduates
- 3,300 courses
- 19 schools and colleges
- 4 campuses
reviewing Michigan online may be intimidating. Everything about my campus visit actually felt much more intimate and personalized. The admissions director stated it well in saying that Michigan is both a small liberal arts college and a major research university.
In describing the features that make Michigan a special place, the information session presenter highlighted these not-so-obvious factors:
- Classroom support – Did you know that 80% of classes have 50 or fewer students?
- Academic support – There are countless ways that students can get extra academic help outside of class, through writing labs, math labs, advising and more.
- Undergraduate research – I could hardly believe my ears when the presenter mentioned that Michigan offers opportunities for undergraduates to participate in research (even with all the graduate students there!) During the 2009-10 academic year, Michigan spent $1B in research. An undergraduate research office makes it possible to get involved as early as freshman year
- 1,300+ student organizations – Wow! A Quidditch Club was recently formed and there’s even a “Squirrel Feeding Club.” Our tour guide demonstrated just how close a squirrel will come towards humans for food.
For the college-bound student who is seriously considering a particular college, it makes such a difference to visit the campus and feel the energy. In all of my visits to Michigan, I did know that it’s a highly spirited campus with unbounded opportunities. I learned through this most recent visit, however, that it is a smaller place than the big numbers suggest. GO BLUE! Here are some more quick facts.
Acceptance: 28%
Freshmen from out of state: 49.7%
Most popular majors: economics, biology, psychology
Housing: Guaranteed housing freshman year
4-year Graduation rate: 76%
