University of Michigan: Ann-Arbor
The University of Michigan is a large public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It’s known as one of the “public Ivies,” which basically means that although it’s not a private, Ivy League school, it’s still a leader in academics and athletics. And although everyone has their own criteria on how they choose schools, here’s some reasons why I chose to apply and commit to U of M.
AMAZING financial aid
Alongside the numerous sponsorships Michigan gets from sport companies like Nike and Jordans, Michigan has the largest amount of living alumni out of every other university/college in the world. That brings in A LOT of money that the school can use for whatever reason. Michigan is one of those schools that provide 100% financial need to low income students. When I saw the amount of money they gave me, I almost cried from shock. Not long after, I found out that most my friends who got in with similar financial backgrounds had just as much luck getting aid. Michigan prides itself on being affordable to everyone so it’s no wonder that the financial aid is so amazing. 2. Huge school spirit
Go Blue! Being from New York City, I’m used to the hectic streets and busy sidewalks. But whenever I wear one of my Michigan shirts or hats, I always manage to have one stranger yell “Go Blue!” I graduated from a high school that literally shunned anyone who dare wore school apparel outside gym class or sporting events. But when I visited the Michigan campus, almost everyone was wearing something that has a huge letter M embroidered on it. It’s a great feeling to be able to represent your school and be proud of it. 3. The football and tailgating culture
Michigan is a Big 10 school, meaning that even if you know absolutely nothing about football, you’re still a football fan. The Michigan Stadium, more commonly known as the “Big House,” is the heart and soul of Michigan football. The large stadium rivals those of actual NFL stadiums and you best believe that when there is a home game, the seats are filled with blue and maize. If you get hungry, there’s always a tailgate right outside filled with hot dogs and burgers. And for all those health nuts or those scared of the dreaded “Freshman Fifteen,” don’t worry! The sport-crazed school can boost and motivate even the laziest person to go out for a run or hit the gym. 4. The school is HUGE
No joke. Michigan is an incredibly enormous school. With over 44K undergrad and grad students (about 28.3K undergrad) and over 3,200 acres of land, Michigan tops my list of large urban schools. It’s great because you never have to worry about not being able to make friends. There are so many people that it’s basically impossible to not find someone you click with. Also, don’t worry about those rumors of large and boring lecture halls filled with hundreds of kids. I’ve seen their largest lecture hall and, honestly, I was underwhelmed. Lectures are small and once a week, they break off into sections of even fewer students for them to catch up. So don’t worry about classes so big you can’t even see the front of the room or the professor not knowing your name. Michigan provides a small school feel in a large school setting. 5. The graduate students are your best friends
There are so many graduate students at Michigan and they can be one of the best resources, even better than a professor. These grad students are studying to be experts in their field. They can answer questions you think only your professor can answer and more. Because they’re also closer to your age than the professors are, it’ll be easier and more comfortable to approach them. Plus, Michigan has some of the best and most renowned grad schools in the world. The Ross School of Business, the School of Nursing, the College of Pharmacy, and the School of Kinesiology at Michigan all rank in the top ten of their respective fields. Personally, the fact that Michigan’s College of Pharmacy (I’m studying to be a pharmacist,) is ranked number three in the US is what won me over to apply. 6. The location
I grew up in New York City, which means that every place that isn’t a huge, urban, concrete jungle feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere to me. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to leave the city but at the same time, I want to. Ann Arbor is the perfect middle ground. It’s urban enough to have late night hubs and restaurants, up-to-date movie theaters, air conditioned glass buildings, and a fast food spot in every single corner. Ann Arbor is absolutely stunning at night and the nightlife is anything but dead. I can go into so many more reasons as to why I committed to Michigan, but these are some of the most important ones why I fell in love with the school. Michigan is one whole family and even if I never met some of the people there, I feel an instant kinship with them just because we both rep the same yellow M.
