The University of Michigan- Ann Arbor vs Eastern Michigan University

[thenor]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a high school senior graduating from a middle college program with two years of community college credits. I have to decide between going to The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and Eastern Michigan University for the fall of this year. If I go to either, I will spend two years there before graduating with a bachelor's degree. I am a pre-med student, and my dream has always been to go to medical school and become a doctor. I completed all of the prerequisite classes at the community college and they transfer to UofM Ann Arbor and Eastern.

If I go to Eastern, it will be nearly free as they gave me a full ride. While if I go to umich, I will need financial aid and I'll probably have to take out loans. It's good to keep in mind that I am considered in-state and I'm either majoring in neuroscience or biochemistry for my undergraduate degree. Both universities are close to home, about 15ish minutes- so I won't be living in the dorms for either university.

Here are the pros and cons:

Eastern Michigan University

PROS
money is a huge factor- full ride
easier to obtain leadership positions
I'll be a big fish in a small pond- it'll be easier to stand out
most definitely have a higher GPA
will have more time to focus on extracurriculars
my dad is the director of a school there, so he'll be able to connect me with opportunities
smaller class sizes- more personal

CONS
not a prestigious school
everyone who applies gets in
less research opportunities
no-name school


The University of Michigan Ann Arbor

PROS
prestigious university
more research opportunities
big name school
connected to a hospital (the university hospital)
more networking/ contacts
good backup in case med school doesn't work out
(although I'm 100% sure I want to become a doctor)

CONS
money
money
money
lower GPA
more competitive
more time focused on getting good grades rather than EC's
harder to obtain leadership positions
less personable professors
I'll be a small fish in a large pond


What do you guys think? Does where I go for undergrad really matter for getting accepted into medical schools? UofM Ann Arbor or EMU?

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[efle]

What is the actual dollar value differential? Like over the four years how much debt will you have to take on if you go to U of M?

 

[Winged Scapula]

That's a HUGE difference in reputation and opportunities. In your con list you're making some assumptions ("professors not as personable" etc).

So as above...how much financial difference are we talking about? Are your parents paying for undergrad?

 

[pstrick]

I actually attended both of these schools. I spent a few years at EMU and I did one year at UM.
I was in the opposite situation. Was attending EMU and got a better offer from UM.

I liked EMU better. People are nicer and have less to prove. Professors are accessible and class sizes are small. I greatly enjoyed my time at the school. My teachers knew my name and there was a nice community among students.

UM has more prestige, but the teachers didn't seem as invested. If you start failing (as I did), nobody cares. Classes are huge (My chem classes had somewhere around 400 students.) Your teachers won't know who you are. Any actually one-on-one help is going to be between you and other students or you and a grad student.

I worked harder at UM and learned less. After my time at UM, I remember thinking, "I have never worked so hard to learn so little."
I regret every second I spent at UM. I would never advise anybody to attend.

For example, I took a plant biology class at both UM and EMU. There were 150ish students in my UM class and test scores averaged around 70%. At EMU, there were 20ish students in my class and the averages were around 85%.
I knew the names of every student in my class at EMU. Didn't even know the name of the guy that sat next to me at UM.

Did you do WTMC? Profs at EMU are like the profs at WCC. Nice, understanding, and personable.


Disclaimer: I didn't actually graduate from either school, I ended up transferring to a school out of state. However, I will be starting at a DO school in the fall, so I must've done something right.

 

[deleted831695]

I went to UofM. It's hard, make no mistake; part of doing well is having a balanced, reasonable schedule of known 'easy' and 'hard' classes. Professor quality varies.

There are so many people and so many opportunities that you can feel lost - at least I did for a good while, but if you have a good advisor or upperclassman mentor, then you'll be fine. I'd recommend finding up to 3 or 4 solid groups/activities and investing in that (that's how you'll move up to leadership positions), as opposed to joining every group possible.

Research is quite accessible (lot of students do UROP), although your individual lab experience might vary (some of my friends hated it; I loved my lab, got numerous papers/posters/abstracts too). Study abroad to you-name-it is available. Obviously, Michigan athletics are unparalleled, and being at the Big House during Under the Lights 1 was something special. Basically, whatever you want, you can find. Ann Arbor > Ypsilanti, although even if you go to EMU, you just have a short drive to downtown A2.

I made a bunch of mistakes and had a lot of regrets while at UM, but I also grew a lot as a person and had some precious memories and experiences. When I see my UM diploma or see the block M or hear the Victors, I'm glad to have attended there and something I can proudly say. I think you should go there too.

Note: Regardless of which school you attend, your numbers matter. If you think you can get a surefire 4.0 at EMU, but think you'll be hard-pressed at breaking 3.5 at UM, then I might lean to the former. Obviously you can't predict that, but there is much more upside going to UM no matter what.

 

[Gilakend]

I attend a school similar to EMU but not EMU. I'm currently taking a class as UM and let me say, it is significantly harder than the school I go to. An A in the class is a 94% and our test average was 60 with 2 students getting anywhere in the 90s. It's pretty brutal. Not to say all classes are like that, but I seemed to be the only one who was surprised when she said only 2 students got in the 90s out of 80ish.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

Your pros/cons are somewhat incorrect assumptions as @Winged Scapula pointed out, and much of the potential advantage of either school is contingent on your effort.

U of M is a great school. It certainly has many research opportunities, but, unless you do UROP (more difficult as an upperclassman but consider the Changing Gears program), research opportunities can be difficult to find and may take substantial effort on your part. I'm not sure what you expect the Hospital to add to your education unless you are actively seeking out a mentor who does clinical work. Again, networking and contacts are mostly contingent on your effort and are not inherent in your education. I'm also not sure what you mean as "good backup".

As far as your cons go, I do agree that your relative GPA will be somewhat lower. On the other hand, you would have plenty of opportunities for leadership (there are more clubs than you can shake a stick at). The professors are generally great, personable people.

So, overall, I would take advantage of what U of M has to offer if you think you have the motivation to actively seek out those opportunities. Eastern offers a good education but is in a totally different tier.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

OP, why aren't you considering Michigan State? MSU is great in the life sciences and is connected to both a DO school and an MD school. The likelihood that you'll get into U of M's medical school is very slight because the MCAT average at U of M is in the stratosphere. You should also think about Wayne. If you get a screaming GPA at Wayne, you'll probably get into Wayne's medical school with a 506 or a 507 on the MCAT.

 

[thenor]

Thanks for all of the replies everyone! Yes, I did graduate from WTMC.

Here are the estimated price differences:

UofM-
tuition for two years: ~$31,780

EMU-
tuition for two years: $0.00

My parents can pay for part of UofM's tuition, and I'm still waiting on my financial aid package, but those are the raw numbers.

I'm not considering Wayne or MSU because then I would have to live on campus, which would cost more money than commuting. To be honest, I really can't predict what my GPA would be at EMU vs UofM. I'm probably going to be a biochem major, which means I will not be taking "easy" classes at either university. I can't say for sure that my GPA will be 4.0 at EMU. From the community college, I have a 3.83 GPA. So I doubt that my GPA at EMU will be a 4.0. I have no idea what to expect from either university, but I know that it will be much more difficult than CC. This one decision will impact my future drastically. It's difficult to make predictions about one's future.

 

[deleted831695]

Thanks for all of the replies everyone! Yes, I did graduate from WTMC.

Here are the estimated price differences:

UofM-
tuition for two years: ~$31,780

EMU-
tuition for two years: $0.00

My parents can pay for part of UofM's tuition, and I'm still waiting on my financial aid package, but those are the raw numbers.

I'm not considering Wayne or MSU because then I would have to live on campus, which would cost more money than commuting. To be honest, I really can't predict what my GPA would be at EMU vs UofM. I'm probably going to be a biochem major, which means I will not be taking "easy" classes at either university. I can't say for sure that my GPA will be 4.0 at EMU. From the community college, I have a 3.83 GPA. So I doubt that my GPA at EMU will be a 4.0. I have no idea what to expect from either university, but I know that it will be much more difficult than CC. This one decision will impact my future drastically. It's difficult to make predictions about one's future.

I know of someone who went to EMU that's at my school. There are a bunch of UM grads obviously too. You can get into med school at either place, but the 'upside' is more at UM, I'd say. People definitely change in college too, so you may not even be interested in going down this route a couple of years from now, and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Gilakend]

I know of someone who went to EMU that's at my school. There are a bunch of UM grads obviously too. You can get into med school at either place, but the 'upside' is more at UM, I'd say. People definitely change in college too, so you may not even be interested in going down this route a couple of years from now, and there's nothing wrong with that.

A UofM fan going to State?! You should've turned down the acceptance on pride alone.
/s

 

[SpartanWolverine]

A UofM fan going to State?! You should've turned down the acceptance on pride alone.
/s

There's actually quite a few of us U of M people at State

 

[deleted831695]

A UofM fan going to State?! You should've turned down the acceptance on pride alone.
/s

Not just a fan, an alum lol.

There's actually quite a few of us U of M people at State

I should start a "U of M at MSUCOM" group.