University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Top Questions

yes.

Not at all.

Yes--most of the time. Most students at Michigan were big fish in small ponds during high school and then when you come to Michigan everyone becomes a small fish in a big lake. So most students push themselves really hard to become a big fish again.

No, there's a lot of people who struggle to pay tuition.

Less than accurate., more than fiction.

Students are probably both less studious and less snobbish than the stereotypes suggest. There is a wide range, especially in studiousness.

Some. The Big 10 stereotypes are true about some people, but there's a ton of kids here that couldn't care less about Greek Life or football. Also, as I said before, the "ugly girls" stereotype definitely isn't true but Ann Arbor's reputation is pretty dead-on--which is what I love most about it.

I think to a certain degree, yes.

see above.

no...I mean not everyone is a beauty queen, but we have some good lookers and the nightlife is great - there is something for everyone from frats, dance clubs, bars, and house parties. And if you aren't in the mood for a party there is always something to do.

with some people yes, but not with most

COMPLETELY

Everyone is decently smart, we have lots of fun but take our studying sereously, and 20{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the school is Jewish

see above answer

Well, I do work a fair amount, but while I have school spirit (GO BLUE!)I am not into football...at all (but I'm still happy when my friends tell me that we won!)

Yes, to an extent. Due to the costs of attending U of M, many students are from upper class families. However, the University does a decent job of trying to keep a student body that is relatively diverse economically.

the kids do not party hard, in fact many did not even drink in high school. the students are very diverse but extremely segregated, in fact more so than other, less diverse, big ten universities. there are many in state students. the hill area is very jew populared and north campus is not so much, but the hill is overrated. west and south quad are just as good and the rooms are bigger and the dorm is more diverse. you dont see the same people who look the same.

There's a lot of work and you do need to study a lot, but the social scene is never lacking and there are lots of parties.

yeah, definitely. everyone puts in a lot of work during the week--the library is always packed. but once the weekend rolls around everyone is out blowing off the school-week.

Yeah, they're not too far off.

Yes, and there is little place in between. It is hard to fit in if you are not apart of one of these stereotypes. Michigan is almost worse than high school.

Some are. There are people who are very high achieving and let it get to their head. The other two, not so much. There are definetly opportunities to get involved in religious groups on campus that are supportive and awesome

In the Greek community, Michigan can seem VERY jewish and pretty stuck up. It also feels like a lot of the students are West Bloomfield alums. And, yes, it's wayyy hippie.

Depending on the scene one hangs out with, it can seem as if the whole population is Jewish and in a Fraternity/sorority

For one group of girls it is, but there are many different groups at Michigan

Yeah, the population of students probably isn't the most attractive. The social life, however, is underrated. We have several great bars very close to campus, the fraternity/sorority system is extremely strong and well-governed, and there is typically an abundance of house parties on any given night, meaning there is always fun stuff to do. Furthermore, nobody on campus (other than the bars) charges for beer or cups at a party, which means you can basically walk into a random house party where you know literally no one, grab a free beer, and meet new people. Add to this a fairly lenient police force (at least compared to other campuses I've visited) and you have a pretty good drinking scene. Don't expect to be drinking too much during the week (although Tuesday is a pretty big bar night) because we do have a lot of homework to do. We do also have a great track record of finding jobs when school is over. The business school especially is known for placing graduates in extremely prestigious jobs. The football is also amazing. Rich Rodriguez should be enough to woo any football fan to come watch games at the Big House.

Football Saturdays are the highlight of Fall semester. Between the tailgating and the intense school spirit, football games are a true spectacle. However, many students are converted into avid football fans rather than coming here for that reason. Football season is an added bonus but not everyone's reason for coming here. Many students who are out of state did want to go to an Ivy League school. The students who go here are highly academically qualified, and those who did not have Michigan labeled as their first choice cannot imagine attending any other school. U of M quickly becomes home.

Well, let me say this: the football team will not win every game you go to ;-)Even if the future holds an undefeated year soon, never will you experience four in a row. But the excitement that comes with being in that setting is unlike anything else I've ever witnessed. For die-hard football fans, Michigan is legendary for many reasons. The academics at the University really are as great as they are touted to be, in my opinion. I've felt intellectually stimulated in about 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my classes, which I think is an excellent number. Ann Arbor is undeniably liberal, but sometimes differences between cliques on campus, the faculty, and the "townies" are pronounced. One of the manifestations of these divides are that the city isn't nearly as gay-friendly as some would claim. If you stray away from the designated "gay areas" like Necto or Aut Bar, you definitely run the risk of verbal or even physical assault at night time. I've seen it numerous times. Other clashes between liberal and conservative tendacies tend to crop up particularly around election times. Finally, the "snobby" Michigan man or woman is not a myth- but don't these people exist everywhere you go? This is an expensive school to attend, even though it is public, so naturally a lot of the people here are wealthy. This does not mean they're all snots, nor even the majority. You just need to find friends you can relate to; with thousands of people to choose from it really isn't hard at all. However, for those concerned with the vast numbers, afraid to be lost in the crowd: there are programs and communities for people like you! I was in the Residential College and found it to be a wonderfully small group of like-minded individuals. Most of my best friends today came from the RC. Other programs like this, such as Alice Lloyd, WISE, and of course Greek Life exist. Don't worry- somebody else like you is here.

They are somewhat accurate. Overall, I would say that yes, to some degree, each of those stereotypes is rooted in some truth.

Yes and no. I don't think it is so much arrogance as it is confidence - people aren't jerks, they're just confident in themselves. Michigan is a great school. There is so much pride in coming here (great academics, amazing people, an all around fantastic environment) and people aren't afraid to show that off, especially when it comes to football!. But it's one of the things that makes Michigan great. It wouldn't be the same without that pride, and I love this school for being that way. If you want to call it arrogance, then so be it.

No.

Except the girls being ugly, yes.

There is definitely an intimidating number of smart, collected, with-it people here. (I am not one of them.)

In reality, U of M students are just really excited to be at school and love Ann Arbor! U of M students are definately proud to sport Maize and Blue, but are actually very chill-- as the saying goes, "We work hard and play hard."

The "I'm a rich suburban kid whose never known anything but comfort and I feel badly for the people I see most often portrayed as poor so let's give all black students a free ride" attitude to TOTALLY correct. When a white kid or asian kid comes into the University w/ no money, no family support and no experience in a hard-core education environment they are SOL.

Though some students are spoiled, most are not exceptionally bratty. This reputation probably comes from the fact that out-of-state tuition is obscenely expensive. Most Michigan students are pretty self-confident, and work hard. However, they do know how to have a good time. There's a good balance between partying and working. Neither extreme overwhelmingly dominates campus, but most students study a lot more than they go out. Students are ambitious, and work hard.

Most likely, but that's OK.

It is true that Michigan students have an amazing amount of pride and school spirit, but that does not translate in being conceited.

1) There's definitely a share of people who hole up in the library on Saturday nights. But most of the people I know balance studying with hanging out, going to parties, etc. 2) Because UM is expensive (especially out of state) students here tend to be from an upper/upper-middle class background. However, I've met very few people who think they're owed something bc of their families wealth. I have met people who have become lazy bc of the easy life they have had, but they're still good people. 3) Unfortunately, this is probably the truest of all the stereotypes. I've been to four other Big Ten schools (Wisconsin, MSU, Penn State and Illinois) and UM has by far the least attractive girls of any of them. However, the attractiveness level goes up in places like bars and frat houses, where I've never found a shortage of cute girls. Walking to class, though, can be ugly at times.