“If Michigan fosters this kind of loyalty there must be many good things beyond the numbers and rankings.”
I may be remembering this incorrectly, but I believe that freshman retention is around 97% (maybe 96%?). That figure is pretty high and reflects that Michigan and the students who apply to Michigan are pretty good at assessing the “fit” part of the equation. For some, and in the initial year (maybe two), Michigan will be too large. A large school takes a bit of maturity to navigate, but there are life lessons embedded in some of those struggles which will help a student become an independent and self-sufficient graduate. Back to “fit”: possibly the single most important factor, if the child feels the fit is right s/he will be more likely to perform well and to succeed. Get the fit right and the rest will follow. Good luck. Go Blue!