University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Top Questions

Getting involved in your classes is completely in your control at Michigan. I happen to be a very ambitious and outspoken student so teachers tend to know my name very quickly. But this ends up benefiting me, because the professors remember me when they start to do their class participation grades at the end of the semester. This can be a bit more difficult in a large lecture. Odds are that in those cases the professor will not ever learn your name, but that isn't all bad. This way your grade is entirely up to you and another person's opinion of you has no bearing at all on whether or not you get a good grade. Succeeding academically at Michigan is not easy. Every night of the week the libraries are packed with students furiously writing essays or burying their heads in books. This is not to say that Michigan students are all nerds. We just know when it is time to hunker down and get to work. It's a work ethic that is great to be around if you enjoy working hard, which you probably do if you are even considering Michigan. But the best part is that the intellect carries over outside of the classroom and the library. You can easily walk up to an enthusiastic student after class and engage them in a conversation about some answer he/she gave in class. The desire to think creatively does not just turn off once they leave the room. I spent two years as an acting major at this University which is not typical. I transferred into English the fall of my Junior year after deciding that performing was not for me. That should not be a reflection on the department at all, I just decided on a new career path. The english department here is outstanding. Every professor I have had has made it their personal mission to get me to think about literature and writing in a different way. The entire essence of the english department here is collaboration. That might sound odd for a major that focuses on writing essays, but here it is all about learning from others. Most essays I turn in have been critiqued by my peers at least twice before I consider a second draft. That might seem tedious to some, but the end result is a superior essay. In short, the professors will push you to work hard, but the students here relish the opportunity to have their intellect tested.

U of M offers classes ranging from 1-4 credits (it might be different if you're in the school of engineering, nursing, etc.) 4 credit classes usually have lecture twice a week and then discussion once a week. Lecture, depending on the class, usually ranges from 200-500 students, while discussions usually only have about 20 students. I've had a political science lecture where the professor knew everyone's name, but that is pretty uncommon. Sometimes in huge lectures, the professors will know the names of the active participants who sit in the front, but that's about it. The discussion sections are lead by GSIs (graduate student instructors), and they usually clarify things from lecture or go over readings that were homework. For some science and math classes, there is lab instead of discussion. The science courses are usually the most competitive (e.g. bio, orgo, chem, etc.) They are usually the students who study the most - especially the orgo students. I have heard of cases where a student missed class and wasn't able to get a copy of the notes from any other student because they weren't willing to help out a student against whom they are competing. LSA (the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts) has distribution requirements that force students to take classes from every department. Every student has to take four semesters of foreign language, 7 credits of natural science, a quantitative reasoning class, etc. I think this is a good idea, but maybe fewer credits of each category should be required. Sometimes it's difficult for students to complete their major and all the distribution requirements in four years. I'm double majoring in political science and international studies, hoping to eventually become an international human rights lawyer. My favorite class that I've taken is The Politics of Civil Liberties. We studied landmark court cases and looked at the reasoning behind the decisions (e.g. precedent, what was going on politically at the time, etc.) Although I only ended up with an A- in the class, I found it to be very rewarding. In an attempt to slowly but surely get my natural science credits out of the way, I decided to take a 1 credit class called dinosaurs, thinking it would be interesting. It turned out to be the most boring class I've ever taken, and I only got a B+ in it! I rarely spend time with my professors outside of class. If I have a question, I might stop by to see them during their office hours, but that's about the only time.

Michigan's academics are without a doubt top-notch. The professors are all very knowledgeable in their fields and almost every professor I've engaged with has had such rich background of prior experiences. For this reason too, the professors expect a lot of students (=tough academic requirements). It is important to note though that Michigan is comprised of several different schools (Business school, Engineering school, Arts and Sciences College, etc), so the academic situation may slightly vary based on school. Due to the sheer size of the school (25,000 undergraduate students), it is hard in most introductory level classes for professors to know their students' names. Most of these lectures have a weekly discussion section which always has less than 50 students, so those Graduate Student Instructors usually learn every students' name. Also, the more upper level courses are usually smaller so some professors try harder to be more personal with their students. Class participation is very rare in larger lectures, but almost expected in the discussion sections. Because there are so many students, you will find students that study all the time but you can also easily find students that never attend class. I would say though that generally the students on this campus study very often. The majority of students work very hard and take their academics quite seriously. It is definitely not uncommon to overhear students having intellectual conversations around campus. Out of all the schools, I typically hear that the business school students are very competitive. Also, certain departments (such as Economics and Math) curve their exams so those students are usually more competitive. Most students are very willing to help other students and enjoy studying with friends and classmates. I'm an International Studies and Asian Studies double major. The International Studies program is fairly new (just couple of years old), so most of my classes have also been trial ones. The professors have been working to develop a curriculum that proves most effective for the students. The International Studies department should try to improve their career preparation services though, but that should come as it expands. The Asian Studies department is smaller but the professors are excellent. The classes are very intellectually challenging and the professors really want stimulating conversations to really encourage students to think outside the box. All professors hold office hours but students seldom go to them unless an exam is approaching. Most professors LOVE when students come to see them and they certainly try their best to work with you to ensure that you do well in the course. They remember those who come to see them, outside of class. The amount of attention you'll receive from your professors (and how organized the class is) directly correlates to how much your professor has on their agenda for that semester. A frequent complaint about the professors is that they care more about their research than their students/classes. Most of the departments/majors in the College of Arts and Sciences are not geared towards getting a job, but rather learning for its own sake. The specific schools though , such as School of Public Policy, Business School, Engineering School, have more of a focus on getting their students jobs.

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The best thing about the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is the student body. We are diverse not only in culture, but also in personal interests. Everyone is united by their passion for their chosen field, but all fields are so different. The student body is talented in every program – humanities, natural and social sciences, engineering and technology, and fine arts are all exceptional programs here at Michigan. Therefore, the students succeeding in these programs are exceptional as well. However, we are not limited to our own field, but can branch out to other interests through our hundreds of diversified clubs. I would change the location of the union. I wish it was more centralized on campus, it is a little far to walk to for some students. Michigan is a very large school, but I do not think it is too big. Students may have to put in extra effort for a professor to know their name, but the reward is usually worth the fight: attending office hours and asking questions in class often equate with higher grades. A campus this sides provides an endless interest of activities, as well as the mobility to explore other departments before declaring a major. When I tell people I go to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, people often say, “That’s a great school!” or, “Oh, you’re smart!” This is a well-known school for it’s overall achievements, but few people know of the individual, daily successes of the students and faculty. People also tell me, “That sounds cold!” and to that, I just laugh. The weather can sometimes be undesirable, but I think it gives the campus a little more personality. I spend most of my time in friend’s rooms or apartments, at local restaurants, theatres, or the library. Ann Arbor is the ideal college town. It’s a hub for the arts, resulting in interesting people and delicious restaurants. There are lots of theatrical events, and if you still can’t find something to do, simply walking around downtown is always an adventure. The administration I believe really cares that the students receive an excellent education. Recently, our president convinced President Obama to come here to speak to the student body. A recent controversy on campus was by an organization called Students For Life. This pro-life student group brought large signs and posters in the center of the university with images of aborted fetuses and comparing them to genocide victims. Many students were outraged and disgusted by these posters while others supported their beliefs. There is school pride to the nth degree. Everyone owns many articles of clothing that say “Michigan” on it and will defend our school in any argument. I’ll always remember when President Obama spoke to the student body, especially after waiting nine hours (1 AM to 10 AM) in the freezing cold, sleeping on the sidewalk. I’ll also never forget the feeling after completing my freshman year, when I realized I was well on my way to becoming a mature adult with a legitimate education.

1. Professors of large hundred-student lectures do not learn the names of students; all others do. 2. My favorite class was ENG 225 "The Art of the Personal Essay;" I had an excellent instructor who really knew how to communicate with students at a personal, effective level. My least favorite class was an Environmental Anthro class; the lecturer was very un-engaging; it was easy to mentally check-out of that class. 3. Students study everyday. DUH. 4. Class participation is guaranteed through small discussions that accompany large lectures. 5. I am always impressed by the conversations I hear on the bus. It makes me feel quite pleased to be a part of this school. 6. Students are competitive but not in a malicious way; I've never felt like anybody was overtly trying to beat me down. Everybody wants to be the best. That's legit. 7. I'm currently taking an American Culture class on Critical Theory and Pop Culture; we are comparing/contrasting Radiohead and Celine Dion. I'm taking this class purely out of interest and it is indeed very interesting! 8. I am an International Studies major and Asian Studies minor. The International Studies dept. is still quite new and the coursework is constantly being revised; it is quite exciting to be a part of something so fresh. 9. There are always Office Hours to go to; that is usually to discuss class material. 10. This school's academic requirements seem quite comprehensive and holistic in approach. 11. The School of Literature, Sciences, and the Arts is a liberal arts college; the degree earned provides a strong base to apply for a multitude of graduate programs, business school, law school, med school, etc.

Michigan is a top 25 school, so you should definitely expect to work hard. While students aren't necessarily competitive in most disciplines (except perhaps in the business school), you will definitely work hard. Class Participating and relationships with teachers are definitely common and students love to meet outside of class to discuss what they've learned or other intellectual pursuits, especially through extra-curricular activities. Some of the most unique classes I've taken have been complex systems classes with Scott Page about frameworks to think about life. Watch out for Math classes here- the curves usually are around 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} B- and they can be tough if you don't have a math background. In a lot of disciplines the education you get here, and the career services, prepare you with tools to be able to land a job, but I wouldn't say that's the focus. People at Michigan genuinely have a love of learning.

I think that the academics at Michigan are amazing. All of the professors, even in the largest lecture classes, take the time to get to know their students. Students study a lot, as it is an extremely prestigious university with rigorous academics. Class participation is incredibly common in all types of classes. The professors also take a lot of time outside of class to work with their students and provide any and all extra help that they need or want. There are an extremely wide variety of courses available in all subjects and you can really take a class in anything that you want.

The academics are definitely top notch at UofM. There are a lot of large lectures, but that doesn't mean professors can't learn your name. The key to making connections with professors and GSIs is to go to office hours. Students study quite a bit here, but they have to. The classes are challenging and students like to compete with their peers to be the best. I'm majoring in communication studies and minoring in writing. I'll admit, some of the required classes were a little boring, but once I got into the second semester of my sophomore year, I was able to take more interesting classes such as one about the blogosphere. One of my favorite classes at UofM was Organizational Psychology. The professor was so enthusiastic about the subject, and because of this, I actually wanted to go to class each week. A few of my professors have held coffee talks which has been a great way to get to know them outside of the classroom. I think it's great that these professors are so dedicated to what they do.