| I am NOT going to be rejected from NMU, my only concern is if the rigor is high enough and if i would enjoy the environment that the school provides. I can’t really find much on any of that online. It’s not my dream school, but i know i need to be open to higher acceptance rate schools. So, for anyone who has attended NMU or a similar school, how was it, and what did you like about it? I don’t know if i could fit in with students who didn’t apply themselves at the highschool level |
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| I am an in-state applicant living in a small town. My current major is undecided (probably education). I have a 3.35 UW GPA and am ranked 30/230 in my class. (I should be graduating with a 3.5 UW and have maintained a GPA of 4.0 throughout junior year)
My SAT was a 1450
3 AP classes (enrolled in 2 for the 2026-2027 academic year). A total of 7 AP exams (self-study), the school offers 8(ish) official AP classes. I have scored well on all thus far (4s and 5s)
I tested out of Econ, Health, and a general English class, so technically, I have been a “senior” since Jan of 2026.
I do not plan to graduate early.
I am eligible for and am recognized for the College Board National Recognition Program.
I am in the NHS, Student Council since 10th grade (and will have a leadership position for my senior year), began our school’s chapter of MUN at the beginning of Junior year, and have been the President since. Summer job at a local restaurant for 2 years.
Varsity athlete in XC, Wrestling, TF, took a 1-year hiatus due to family issues my sophomore year. (didn’t feel it was necessary to describe in this context)
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S23 had NMU on his list with much higher stats (4.0 UW, salutatorian,T.O if that makes you feel any better) due to its location, excellent wildlife conservation major and wrestling program. We live in a place where no one has heard of NMU. I believe he found out about it by investigating who was doing research in the areas of wildlife bio that he was interested in. While it never became a top contender he was intrigued by the access to outdoor activities. You’ve really got to love the snow and be willing to put in the travel time if considering UNM ( they told us that even many instate students travel 6+ hours to get there)
While I’d heard the reputation of being a party school for B students from Chicago, by coincidence, I worked with a UNM grad ( behavior analysis) and was impressed with their skills. They actually grew up nearby and reported that they didn’t feel like they were a serious student in high school, but once they started UNM, they had invested professors and connected with their major. She went on to receive 2 masters degrees and is thinking of starting a PhD program.
What type of school are you looking for and why is UMN on the list? What major are you considering and do you plan to continue wrestling? Can I assume @sallycat is female? If so, it’s an excellent and very competitive program. If I made the wrong assumption, the male program is the Greco-Roman Olympic training program, so it’s not your typical college wrestling program.
I am not nearly competitive enough in wrestling to compete at a university such as NMU, though I am considering their female XC program. NMU is on the list as I like the classroom sizes and the area. In addition to this, I have heard great things from several teachers at my highschool. I have lived in Michigan my entire life and am comfortable with the terrible weather, and NMU is roughly 6 hours away from my hometown. I’m considering majoring in Political Science or History, and I will likely become a teacher at the secondary or collegiate level. Hypothetically, I could also choose the “Secondary Education History Major.”
To give some context:
Reach Schools:
UofM (I’m not interested in attending college outside of Michigan and I don’t consider any other schools that I would like to attend as “reaches” for me)
Match Schools:
NMU
MSU
I know that I should apply to more universities but I just can’t find myself interested in other unis.
My only concern is I would like to surround myself with individuals who prioritize academic rigor rather than a school that acts as a hub for party animals…
Sorry if this is poorly written, I’m studying for an AP exam, so I was just trying to get this out as quickly as possible.
There are smart kids everywhere. But NMU won’t have as many. But don’t conflate name/rank with rigor. For what it’s worth, niche gives it a B- party rating. Both UM and MSU are A+, implying maybe NMU isn’t a big party school whereas the other two are. You can ask to speak to a student ambassador.
Michigan . Has other publics and Ohio and Indiana aren’t far IU is a direct sub to UM and a Poli Sci and Public Affairs leader - in fact it’s MPA is #1 in America.
If you like NMU - it’s college - you will find and you can seek challenge. I’m sure it’ll be fine for you.
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You will find people serious about their education at either school. The big difference is size. MSU is huge, and NMU is “Goldilocks” size (not too small, not too big).
Greek Life is almost non-existent at Northern Michigan and fairly large at MSU.
Sporting events are huge at MSU, not so much at NMU.
East Lansing is very different from Marquette.
Go where you’ll be happy. If you plan on becoming a teacher, no one will care about the general reputation of where you went to school. I would, however, look closely at what your student teaching experience will be like at each school, as that can make or break your readiness to take on a classroom, and those experiences can vary widely. If you are not going to have a car your senior year, I’d even ask questions about how placements are determined.
Apply to the Honors Programs if you want to surround yourself with motivated students.
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I think you will be surprised at how smart those at NMU are. I went to a similar school for a while and I was in awe at how smart those majoring in Water and Soil (Mud majors) were, or in forestry or agriculture. They may not want to discuss Shakespeare, but they are tremendously smart and into the things they want to study.
And they do like to party and like hockey and (in my case) the Green Bay Packers and hunting and animals and music and a million other things. Honestly, you have to really want to live in a cold cold town in Michigan with little else to do except study and ice fish) for much of the winter. If you want to just party, why not do it in Florida where it is nice and warm? If you want to study Latin and talk about French poetry, NMU is probably not the right place for you, but I don’t think there will be a lack on intellect at NMU in the classes they offer.
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