<p>seaslipper, your neighbor’s experience is similar to that of any undergrad at a major research university, private or public, large or small, elite or not. My friends who went to schools like Columbia and Stanford also hardly ever interacted with faculty they freshman and sophomore years. Only when they took advanced classes within their major did they get the chance to interact with professors in any significant measure. In this respect, I suspect Cal and Michigan are identical. </p>
<p>I agree, however, that Michigan offers more unique programs aimed at getting underclassmen involved at an interactive level. Programs such as UROP and MRC, Residential College, Honors and the Living Learning Communities in general are excellent at that.</p>