Indecisive2012

Hi! I'm new to this community but I really need help. I have to decide by thusrday whether to go to Michigan or Mount Holyoke (girls school in mass.) Mount Holyoke has offered me money and the district pays me 10,000 dollars to go to Michigan so the cost for the two is exactly equal.

My parents both recommend Holyoke, they say that I will get more attention there and they are less nervous about sending me off because it is such a warm environment. I visited and everyone was really nice to me -- the admissions officer even complimented me on specific parts of my application.

But, i am having a hard time giving up Michigan. I loved Ann Arbor and South Hadley is hardly a college town. I feel like there will be more really smart people at Michigan. But i am afraid of getting lost. I feel like even though Michigan might have better academics I'll be able to take advantage of the academics better at Holyoke since it is more personal. If i decided to go to holyoke i already know lots of people who would be excited to see me and help me out. I feel like my deposit to Michigan would go into a black hole.

I know from looking at these boards that Michigan is great for business and math but I am more of a humanities person. I work really hard in school, but I can be shy when it comes to talking to teachers. Does this mean Michigan is a bad idea for me? I just spent 4 years at a prep school and i kind of wanted something different but I'm afraid that's a decision i'll come to regret. What do you think?

ALSO, my mom says that if i ever apply for a job in the magazine world (she's a journalist) mount holyoke will hold much more weight. And if i decide to go to law schol Holyoke will also be more helpful since the professors would know me better there since it's such a small school.

So i guess my question is, could Michigan still work for someon whose shy, into the humanities, not interestd in joining a sorority, and knows next to nothing about football?

mhc48

To me it sounds like MHC might be a better fit, but have you tried posting/reading in that forum?

urcuzinvinnie

I don't understand your logic of how MHC will be better for gettting into law school but you do sound like you might do better in a small community.

vc08

At campus day a few months ago, I met about 8-10 girls who pretty much fit that exact description. The school has 32,000+ students; I don't think "fitting in" will be a problem.

Alexandre

Go with Michigan. You prefered the campus and the town, that's what matters most.

Michigan is very strong in the humanities (particularly in the Classics, Philosophy and the Foerign Languages), only 15% of the women at Michigan belong to sororities and not everybody at the University comes in knowing about football, although you will get to know a lot more about it over the next 4 years.

As a rule of thumb, when it comes to attending a college as extreme as MHC (single sex) or Caltech (purely science), one knows for sure that they want to attend it. If you were sure about it, you would not be here asking for our input. I think Michigan is a better fit for you.

vc08

^^^^agreed.

2forcollege

Take a look at the Residential College at U Michigan. It's like a small LAC with access to the resources of the big U.

TellETubE

hahah 2forcollege that's absurd. You should not try to convince anybody that any aspect of a giant state school like Michigan is "like a small LAC." Michigan has many strengths; anything small LAC-esque is not among them.

GoBlue81

uh... are you familiar with Michigan's Residential College? It's Michigan's first living-learning community dated back in 1967. I was gonna suggest the OP to look into the RC as it may be a good place for her to start at the U-M.

"The RC is a small living-learning community at UM with a focus on immersive langauge learning, the social sciences, creative writing, and the arts."
What is the RC? - University of Michigan Residential College

2forcollege

Thank you for posting the link GoBlue81! Getting a spot in the RC sealed the deal for U Michigan for my D. It's a nice option for kids wanting more of a liberal arts program, but also the course offerings and research opportunities of a major U.

rjkofnovi

Isn't CC great?

Indecisive2012

I'm actually in the residential college! I just wasn't sure how much of a difference that would make exactly.

vc08

^^ a big one from what i've heard

shinhwang

I would actually differ with most people here, though I will be attending Michigan next year... I have attended a liberal arts college for two years and the humanities (english) classes were particularly excellent because the professors were so personal and the class size was small enough to be very intimate. I could not have imagined how I could have learned as much as I did in a lecture hall setting. If you're sure you'll go into humanities, I would say a liberal arts college would be a fit for you rather than a huge university; otherwise, go to Michigan!

Indecisive2012

i just found out i got into the honors program!! hah this totally makes me more excited about going to michigan--- though everyone keeps telling me they can see me better at a small liberal arts college.