University of Michigan--Ann Arbor | Student Reviews | Best College

Student Profile

Mark

Class:
Major: English
Gender:

High School: North Farmington
Transfer Student: N

Big Picture

The best thing about UM is the people I've met here The campus is a great size, most everything is within walking distance, unlike MSU. Most of the classes are concentrated in one area. Most people are impressed when I tell them I go to UM, unless they go to another big ten school, because other big ten schools hate us because of our football team. Lots of school pride. Tons of stores sell Michigan gear, and it's hard to go to one class without seeing someone wearing a michigan shirt or sweatshirt or hat. However, there's a good amount of fair weather fans when it comes to our sports teams. A lot of students forsaked michigan football when we started 0-2 this year, and we can't even fill the student section in basketball because our team sucks. But, in general, students are proud to say they go here.

Academic Life

Professors get to know my name in most smaller classes. Most students study at least a little. A lot of my friends neglect studying on the weekends and then cram during the week. For many classes, especially science and math classes, it's simply impossible to pass if you don't put a good amount of time in. Myself, I probly spend 10-12 hours a week reading (though I'm a fast reader) and at least 3-4 hours writing papers. (I'm also a fast writer) I occasionally go to office hours, though I feel most students underutilize them. Right before an exam or paper, there's always a line of panicked students with half-developed theses, but otherwise the professor is usually just hanging out waiting for students to come in. I've found all the professors very receptive, friendly and ready to help without doing the assignment for you. I don't agree with the language requirement. UM requires LSA students to take two years of a language. I finished my spanish requirement two years ago, and I'm forgetting more and more every day. If you're not going to become completely fluent in a language and use it often, there's not much of a point in just learning a little.

Student Body

Not a whole lot, to be honest. Very few students would feel out of place here. It's a pretty diverse student body, and there are a multitude of student groups for any minority, ethnicity, religious affiliation, etc. Most students wear their worst clothes to class. This is especially true in the winter, where you have to put on more clothes. It is remarkable how much better girls dress--in terms of make-up and hair, as well as clothes--when they're going out than when they're going to class. A lot of students are politically active; however, many are ill-informed or just regurgitate what they've read in the New York Times and seen on CNN. Politics are very complicated, and a lot of students try to simplify them by simply taking a radical position and sticking to it. Hence the opinion section of The Michigan Daily. UM is definitely a liberal campus, though I know conservatives, republicans, and people who don't give a ***.