<p>im sort of choosing btwn Umich and USC. USC is in la, which is where im from, so im sort of adverse to going there, just bc i want the whole independent, college experience away from home hehe. However, i do want the “personal attention” private schools supposedly offer. Whats the real difference btwn public schools like uofM and privates like usc? thanks!</p>
<p>The truth? There won’t be much of a difference between USC and U of Michigan.
You won’t get much more “personal attention” at USC than you will at Michigan. Not because one’s private and one’s public but because they are both larger research universities. Personally, I think you’ll actually have a better overall academic experience at U of Michigan (although i know many will disagree with me on this). The issue isn’t so much about private vs. public as it is about institutional focus. Research universities aren’t typically set up to focus on undergraduate education - that’s not their main mission. I’m not saying you can’t get a great undergrad education at a research university. You can get a terrific education at a research university, but don’t expect hand-holding or “personal attention,” no matter if it’s a public or private school. For that, you look to a liberal arts school. But, even there, you can find some good and not so good LAC’s. So, don’t worry about public vs. private - just worry about quality and ask alot of questions so you know what you’re getting up front.</p>
<p>I agree with Carolyn. There is a post at the old College Confidential site where the poster was disappointed with the large class size (GE courses), and the less-than-personal attention she received in her freshman year.</p>
<p>To get more ‘personal attention’ at the U of Michigan, I’d suggest you look into their
- Honor Program (smaller class size and access to professor)
- Living Learning Communities (especially the Residential College)</p>