Hi, I know this is totally a first world problem, I am aware, but I got into University of Michigan EA. Ok so great I go into a prestigious school with amazing stats, but I also got rejected ED from an Ivy a few weeks before. This sent my parents into a frenzy of panic and now that I got into UMich, they are so set on me going there. College has always been a dream of mine, I have not been very fond of my environment my whole life, and I am soo excited to move to a community in which I feel is a better fit for me. But my high school is an elitist, non diverse, large, public, sports oriented school, and Michigan seems like an extension of that. I know I seem to be judging the school, but I kind of have to. I did not want to go to a big school with a big football team and a big greek culture, but I am scared I will not have a better option. The other schools I applied to are either not as good as UMich or wayyyy reaches. I would really like to study at a top university for grad school, and I know Michigan will offer me that. So I have a two options, go to a school not as good as Michigan, but with an environment I like better, or go to Michigan, the opposite of the environment I want, and possibly love it or want to transfer. My parents are very set I go to the best school I get into, and with all schools costing around the same for me, at Michigan I would probably get the best name for my buck. I know this is nonissue, and that I should of tried harder in high school, and I don’t really know what all my options will be yet, but I’d appreciate advice.
As long as it makes sense financially, go to the school that makes you happy. You will need to justify what makes you happy to your parents (assuming they are paying). Start with the academic programs, student to teacher ratio, ROI, salaries upon graduation etc. Just because a school is more selective it does not mean it is better for you!
Michigan has diversity if you know where to look for it. After freshman year, look into co-op housing. You’ll find a lot of groups and cultures represented there.
It looks like unless you get accepted into your way reach or you take a gap year and reapply, you can’t do anything about your situation. I don’t know much about UMICH, but I am sure that it is diverse and not elitist. I would go visit UMich before judging what type of environment it is, you may be surprised and actually fall in love with it. Also, do what you want, not what your parents want if money is not an issue. If a less elite school is a better fit for you, then go there.
Overall, I hate to say this, but majority of people don’t go to a college that is a 100% perfect fit for them, and most people won’t have an option like UMich and they will have to make the best of the college they get accepted to even if they don’t like it. I’m sorry to say, but you will either have to make the best of UMich, take a gap year and reapply, or go to a lesser known college that is a better fit for you (I would pick the last option personally but that’s your decision ultimately).
Good Luck! Remember, fit is more important than prestige!
Earlier this month you inquired about transfer possibilities to the top Ivies. If you were rejected as a freshman you will not likely be admitted as a sophomore transfer. And wanting to go to those schools would in a way be a continuation of your “elitist” high school experience which you claim to dislike.
Just wait and see how things pan out. You can never tell.
Send an application now to the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. They are still accepting applications and it is like a UK IVY. Research it.
Well, that is the truth. Wanting to go to an ivy while trying to escape elitism is a contradiction. Michigan gets a lot of students from in state who are not from wealthy areas, too. I am Michigan grad. I met people there from the UP, and from rural parts of the lower peninsula. I had roommates from New Mexico, Hawaii, and Lebanon. I have Facebook friends from my long ago college days from Argentina and Chile and Detroit. I had nothing to do with Greek life, but had a lot of friends and an active social life. I had friends who had no interest in big time sports.
You can find almost anything you want at Michigan if you set your mind to it. There are certainly worse fates. Like you, my parents didn’t really give me a choice about attending. I can tell you, it isn’t as bad as you are thinking it is. Give it a chance, keep an open mind.
If you haven’t applied to any smaller schools that aren’t Ivies, I recommend doing so. There are some great liberal arts colleges with late deadlines – Earlham (2/1), St. Lawrence (2/1), Trinity U (2/1), Wooster (2/15), Allegheny (2/15), etc. Some of them offer pretty good merit aid.
As @lostaccount said, you can then wait and see which options you have in March.
If elitism is undesirable, why apply to Ivy League schools?
Your other posts suggest interest in Tulane. If you do not want a “big greek culture”, why Tulane, where 50% of women join sororites and 30% of men join fraternities (versus 24% and 17% at Michigan)?
https://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg05_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1555
https://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg05_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=379
Aside from the 8 days per year that they play home football games, when walking around Ann Arbor you’d probably never know that U of Mich has a prominent football team.
Apply to Michigan’s Residential College. It’s a whole different vibe. It’s a small liberal arts college within the larger university. Plus you get to live on East Quad for two years – great location! The students in it self-select to be there.
You can apply now.
https://lsa.umich.edu/rc
I went to Michigan almost 30 years ago. I found a diverse campus where you could create almost any experience that you desired. If you wanted to be greek and/or sports all the time it was there. Also very serious students doing a LOT of work all the time. I was in the music school, which had it’s on small group of committed students. It’s on North Campus, which is a decent bus ride from the central campus. UM may not be for you, but you might also find an excellent community that fits what you want.
Michigan is big enough, and diverse enough, for you to find your niche. Once you get to campus look for others who aren;t into sports or the Greek scene. I assure you, they’re there. And once you move off campus you can pretty much ignore what goes on in the athletic/party bro world. I live in Colorado and met many students who had the same objections to CU Boulder that you do Michigan – yet went there, and had a great experience once they found kindred spirits.
To reassure you about the fact that there will be similarly minded students, I know of several current seniors who plan to attend U of Michigan. They are non-athletes, super-smart, creative, science/math and theatre types.
I suspect you’ll find your people if you look hard enough. Go to accepted students day, seek out student organizations’ Instagram or Twitter feeds. This thread has given you some good tips.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a smaller college experience, have you applied to LACs? Perhaps a smaller school would feel better for your undergraduate experience.
Many kids get accepted to a Michigan but rejected by the Ivys. Guess what… The opposite is true also.
Michigan is the best instate bang for the buck out there.
My son is there. No Greek life. Has friends that are extremely socially /financially /educationally /economically… diverse.
Sorry but I side with your parents on this one. You will regret not going. You can find anything you want there. We told our kids that in college you don’t have to be the same kid that you were in high school. College is a chance to reinvent yourself.
You can make a big school very small by joining groups /clubs you enjoy. Both my kids have done this. Also guess what… Don’t want to go to the football game… Then don’t go (would advise to go to one game at least). You don’t want Greek… Then don’t go… It’s really not that hard and much different then what you are making it out to be. The Greek presence is not as large as you would think. Only 17% join Greek. Many don’t continue their second year etc.
What ever your interests are you can find it there.
FYI - my kids got accepted, deferred, rejected and wait listed by some really great colleges. Something tells me that will happen to you as well. It has nothing to do with you working harder. It still amazes me when students think they will actually get accepted to colleges with like extremely low acceptance rates. For most it’s closer to luck.
See what all your options will end up being but you could have a lot of worse choices then going to Michigan. Consider yourself lucky to have been accepted and do some research. It doesn’t seem like you even know enough to make this decision and are going on assumptions.
Join Facebook etc groups and seek out groups you have interests in and talk to some students there doing the things you want to do.
I’ve always been a HUGE proponent of UMich, but for here, and right now, I’ll present the counter argument.
Michigan’s sports prowess extends beyond just football. They also have the #1 basketball team in the US as of tonight and last year their hockey team went to the Frozen Four. Also, last year, UMich men’s basketball lost the championship game to Villanova. So, the point is, IMO, UMich sports are prominent beyond just the 8 football home dates. These “other” sporting events are typically sold out.
Also, UMich can feel elitist, just depends on who you are and if it matters to you or not. There’s a lot of $1,000 Canada Goose jackets and $200 Sorel boots out there, if you’re looking for them. 45% of the students are from OOS and a lot of these families are wealthy.
Lastly, while the Greek system is small in numbers, IMO Greek does play a prominent role in terms of parties, especially for underclassmen/women. As you age, not so much, if at all.
Now having said all that, I agree with the posters above. You can easily find your own posse and do wonderfully without Greek life. The whole experience is what you make of it. Bottom line: UMich is an outstanding school and Ann Arbor is a fantastic town. I wish you the best of luck with your decision.
I agree with @sushiritto .
As a current senior, it is VERY tough to not feel the influence of the sports atmosphere and Greek Life. This is especially true for freshmen (Greek Life events are basically their only reliable way to party). Its influence wanes in later years, but you still run into it every now and then. If these things truly bother you deeply, Michigan might not be a good fit.
@TomSrOfBoston That post was really made as a reaction to my friends getting into Ivys. However Princeton has an amazing policy program and never accepts anyone from my high school. A transfer to that schools seems more probable than straight from high school. It is a rumor (fact?) that someone lied on their application to Princeton and now we are on a blacklist. It is more of the party/sports culture Michigan bothers me.
@yikesyikesyikes Do you know if there are specialized sororities on campus, such as for philanthropy? Maybe I would consider giving it a try, but I’m not really into the whole matching t-shirts and chants deal…