University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Top Questions

GSI's are a little unhelpful sometimes, and since lecture classes are large, it may be hard to get to really know your professor . However, it's definitely plausible if you're dedicated enough. Professors are very accessible in terms of office hours, and if you ever have questions they are more than happy to help you.

Some professors make an effort to get to know student but most do not. More of the interaction is between the students and GSIs.

Classes are way, way too big. There is no personal relationship with professors and that's a shame because professors have so much to give to their students.

I doubt my professors know my name. My favorite class so far was Anthrcul 314 or Spanish 231 with Patricia. They were the most fun ann interesting classes by far. Least favorite would have to be Calc 115. Just don't take it. I really do think Michigan students have intellectual conversations outside of class. Something political, controversial, or news worthy will always pop up in a conversation whether it be a sober or drunken environment. I also feel that this school can get very competitive, there are kids that will study for hours everyday just to understand the homework or finish the paper so that their GSI can look it over. However there are those that don't go to class but still manage to get As and those that couldn't care less about school.

challenging but pretty tough at times, requires a lot of work if you want to succeed since students are competitive for the most part, michigan is really well respected and gives students great career opportunities when they graduate

Academics are a huge part of Michigan, specifically since it is such a tough school academically. Especially in the Business school, students are very competative and continously compete with one another due to the curve that Ross maintains in its courses. Although I do not spend much time with my professors outside of class, I do communicate with them through email on a regular basis.

some great teachers some awful teachers need way more class selection need more teachers GSI teach classes (bad thing) a lot of very hard classes in b school LSA classes are pretty easy

Sometimes it's hard to get into the classes you want, but fight for it and usually it will work out. A lot of students here got rejected from Ivy League schools, so it's pretty competitive at times. You won't feel like a loser if you stay in to study. Advisers are really helpful as long as you make an appointment.

Most of the professors I've had at this University have been great.There have been the occasional bad teacher but the good teachers here are really helpful, intelligent and extremely competent.

I think that Michigan is a very competitive school. With many large lectures and smaller discussion sections, most professors do not know their students, but relationships with GSIs can grow strong. I think that classes at Michigan do a great job of preparing students for the real world. My favorite class so far at U of M has been social psychology. I think that it should be a requirement for everyone because it really teaches students things that everyone should know. it helped me to relate better to people and gave me terms to label things that are typical in everyday life.

Professors might know your name. Professors teach lectures of hundreds of kids everyday. If you want a professor to know your name, you have to make an effort. My anthropolgy professor knows the names of lots of kids in my lecture and will talk to them before class. That's because these students made an effort to introduce themselves. I really recommend taking a first year seminar. You have a small class of about 20 students and it is taught by a professor, not a GSI. You get a chance to really get to know a professor. I also learned a lot from my seminar, and you can take them on just about anything. Class participation depends on the class. Often professors ask the class questions. I have never had a class where a professor wasn't responsive to questions from students. Hell yeah we have intellecual conversations outside of class! I met my bestfriends here at Meijer Madness and we ended up have a long conversation on religion, and I had just meet these people. I work in the cafeteria and I hear people all the time talking about politics or what they learned in class.

There are some classes you can take where you WILL feel like nothing more than a number, but there are even more classes you can take where you have the opportunity to get to know your professors and really talk about topics that you find interesting. My suggestion would be to take a sampling of classes to find out what really interests you, I was a pre-med major until I found out I hated all of my pre-med classes and loved my English ones. Michigan does have a tendency to weed out those who aren't up to snuff, and you will need to spend more time on homework than you're probably used to if you breezed through high school.

Great classes. Professors can vary, from being exceptional to unsatisfactory. When making an effort to talk to a professor outside of class, I've never found resistance. All of my professors are eager to talk about their field of study. Often I have had intellectual conversations and brainstorming outside of class, and outside of study groups. It's one of the great things about studying here; everyone is passionate about something.

Academics at the University of Michigan are indeed difficult, but they are by no means impossible. Professors are more than willing to lend a helping hand with whatever concept you don't understand.

The academics at this institution are challenging; even the introductory courses. But try not to sweat it- use your professors and GSI's (graduate student instructors) to your advantage. They are here to help you and I have yet to meet a professor or GSI that does not want every student in his/her class to succeed. Never be embarrassed to ask for help because in the end, that's what can make you or break you in a class.

they are very challenging and i learn a lot.

Classes can range from large to small which can be beneficial depending on your preferences. As a BBA at the Ross School, I am overwhelmed by the amount of talent and intelligence around me. Everyone I speak to is at least remotely intelligent, giving way to more meaningful interaction.

Studying is annoyingly hard. If your in competetive classes like Econ, or medical school then some people can get annoying, pretending their at Harvard, but usually you can skip most of your lectures, attend discussion chill with youe GSI's send some well crafted e-mails and get yourself a solid B or maybe an A with a little more work.

In large lectures professors do not know my name because classes are too large. My favorite class is an english class because there are only 20 people in the room and we are all close with the teacher. The teacher is very funny. Students study pretty much 5 days a week. Class participation is very common because class participation is part of your grade. Yes, students have intellectual conversations outside of class. I find myself in political and religious conversations often. Students are very competitive. I am a political science and an English major. I learn much about the government and the ways political leaders work. No i do not spend time with professors outside of class even though many of them provide the opportunity to do so.

Students are so competitive and annoying. A lot of times people don't want to help out because they don't want you to do better then them. Classes are not that hard, if you study a lot then you can get As.

all classes and departments are different-- some classes have around 20 students while other lectures are filled with 300 students. in my experiences the professors and graduate student instructors are easy to contact and meet with outside of class for help

Michigan academics are some of the best in the world. Some of the smartest people in the world are students here (and there are also people where you are shocked they got in.) The art and design school is much different than LSA. I am fortunate enough to have all my teachers know me by name. I am able to form relationships with my professors much easier than other schools. But there are a lot of GSIs and the professors have office hours weekly, so it is easy for students to get to know their teachers, they just have to make the effort. There are thousands of classes offered each semester, which can be overwhelming, but is also very liberating. Studying is a must, but budget your time and you will still be able to go out a lot.

While it seems easy to just blend into your chemistry 1200 student class, various science departments at University of Michigan makes it really easy to take advantage of resources such as study groups, GSI's, and open office hours. Michigan students defintely have intellectual conversations out of class, however I would extremely reccomend takign an intergroup dialog class to develop the balance of an intellectually open and stimulating conversation with your peers. Classes are competitive- no real way to prepare yourself for that.

As a pre-med student, the classes are pretty hard and I have to admit, I have to devote a lot of my time to my studies. I know it will pay off in the end, and I realize that with a Michigan degree, it will be easier to get a job after I graduate. I really want to go to grad school at Michigan, but we will see if my grades are good enough.

Introduction courses are pretty easy and include going to lecture and then a discussion section. Most likely you won't know your professor but rather the GSI that runs your discussion section. However, all students have the opportunity to go and meet their professor during office hours so if you crave a personal relationship, it is possible to make one. The hard classes here are really hard. So I suggest finding what it is you like to do so that you don't mind the hard work. Majoring in Communications AND Spanish is difficult but rewarding. And in Spanish, you definitely get to know your professors (as in any language study) because classes cannot be larger than 25 students. This is extremely beneficial because you get more direction and more attention from the professor.

My favorite class right now is the Exhibiting Mesopotamia class, I love the professor and the fact that everything I learn is new and fascinating. The larger classes seem impersonal sometimes but discussions are always personal and more cozy.

Almost every department at Michigan is considered good or excellent, and Michigan has enough departments that everyone should be able to find something they can really get into. Students are not overly competitive. The quality of instruction is good, but it is less good than one might expect. Professors and graduate student instructors tend to be chosen for their standing in the research community more than for their talents as instructors.

The answers to many of these questions depend on the specific classes. For instance, some classes, like Intro to Psychology, have roughly 500 students in their lectures. These students do not all get to know the professor, though anyone who wishes to is usually encourage by the professor to do so--most of the professors here love getting to know students, actually. Oftentimes these classes are divided into discussion sections, in which they are taught by graduate student instructors. Like any professor, some GSIs are fantastic, while others aren't. I'd say overall the ones at University of Michigan are pretty great, but I don't think they all are. Other classes are considerably smaller--for example: seminars, those in small concentration departments, or the Residential College (a living-learning program focused around language, arts and the humanities.) It's pretty much up to the individual to decide on the types of classes they want to take, but also depends on what's offered in their area(s) of study. I personally chose to do the Residential College because I prefer the intimacy of the small classes and community, as well as the close bonds with professors and other students. Students in the RC also live together in East Quadrangle as Freshman and Sophomores, which leads to a strong community.

The University is easy to get lost in. There are so many things you can study and be apart of that it can be overwhelming at times.

My brother goes to UCLA and comparing his experiences to mine, it would appear that Michigan does a hell of a lot better facing similar challenges while managing a similar reputation. We have comparable majors (I'm English, he's History) and the access I've had to my profs and TAs (or Graduate Student Instructors, as we say) has far outstripped his. While the large lecture hall still comprises a good deal of the 200-300 level classes, efforts to get into at least one or two manageable 25-75 student liberal arts classes per term should be successful. In classes where you do get into a huge lecture, there are normally discussions with very outgoing and inviting GSIs. The quality of the learning in the discussion varies, but personally, I've been able to connect with a lot of them. They practically insist you come to office hours and if they cancel, they offer to meet you at a coffee shop or something. Like I said above, access is very doable. It's a matter of small effort. As far as class difficulty goes, I'm a pretty bright dude, took all the AP and whatnot that I could and subsequently it's been fairly easy for me. I've got like a 3.6 - 3.7 and probably could have done better, but I like relaxing and hanging out. I'm not trying to brag or whatever, just saying that maybe I'm not the best one to ask how a person's individual experience will go? I'm lucky that I had a high school that prepared me very well for the rigors of college. If I went to an Ivy, I'd be just like everyone else and probably working a lot harder just to keep up. Here, it's a relaxed environment amongst most students anyway, so I never really feel imposed upon. In general, amongst the liberal arts students, it's pretty laid back and the profs will accommodate you. The quality of your ideas and writing is what gets judged and if that's lacking, you'll find you have a harder time.

I think academics are what you make them. It is important to take classes that interest you otherwise classes can be really boring, hard, and not enjoyable. There is some classes that I would never take because I have no interest, but like Chem and Econ seem pretty intimidating (fortunately I have no need for them). It is important to get help if you are struggling, and there are so many resources for this like peer tutoring, office hours, etc. The big lectures were hard for me at first, but discussion sections create an atmosphere for close relationships.

very challenging, they make you want to give up at times, but if you stick with it you will be such a better person because of it

There aren't that many LSA majors to choose from, like there isn't Journalism or Pre-Med. The Business School focuses mostly on finance/number type things such as accounting, etc. and is extremely hard.

At the RC my professors know my name. In LSA I usually feel like a number. In the RC, class participation is common. We study a lot and also have intellectual conversations outside of class. The most unique class was called Cultures in Dialoge: Crossing Internal and External Boundaries. We studied "the other," and immigration issues.... We studied the Turkish immigrants and the Jewish history in Germany, and the Gypsy experience and Morrocan immigration in Spain. Then we had a class trip to Berlin and Granada. It was one of the best experiences of my life.

Professors are hit or miss. There are some really good professors at U of M. There are also some professors that can take a fascinating subject and make it amazingly mind-numbing. I took a class called "The Politics and Culture of the 1960s." Cool, right? I stopped going to lecture after three weeks because the professor made it impossible for me to stay awake longer than 15 minutes after sitting down.

the intelligent professors take the time to know my name. favorite class is a class on religion and diversity (definitely one of the better taught classes here). students are ALWAYS doing work, they study a lot, avg 3 hours a day, more if theres an exam. class participation is the same as you had it in high school. RARELY an intellectual conversations outside of class, very very rare. students are very competitive. the culture classes are very unique. professors will meet with you outside of class, but not rreally on a friendship level, usually strictly business, they dont have time for anything else. academic requirements are normal. education is geared toward getting a job and learning.

Michigan has great classes and great professors--- but a lot of shitty ones as well. I think the most common complain I hear is "My GSI (graduate student instructor) doesn't speak english." I've also taken some really great classes... usually by talking to upperclassmen you can find out what classes to take, what professors to avoid, etc.

In really large lectures, the professors won't know your name. however, some professors do make an effort to know their students. my organic chemistry professor makes an effort to get to know her students if they have ever come to her office hours. when people have questions in lecture, she always addresses them by name. most other professors will probably not care unless you make an effort to develop a relationship. Students study a lot. The library is always filled with people studying. students form study groups and study with friends for exams. Class participation is up to the professor. Some professors will ask questions in lecture, but usually only if the lecture is small (<200). in discussion, participation is extremely important because it is usually what makes up most of the grade for that portion of the class. Students are definitely not competitive. Students are collaborative and work together on homework and studying. Students have intellectual conversations outside of class, especially now because of the upcoming election. Students also talk about things relevant to the university, and those are conversations that are made of substance. Some professors will schedule to meet with students outside of class if they are interested in getting to know their students. I think michigan has very fair academic requirements. in LSA they require that students take credits in subjects that would create a liberal arts education, and the amount of credits for these requirements are not very demanding. There is definitely enough room for students to take the classes they want to take while still being able to easily fulfill the requirements. I think the education at michigan is geared towards learning, and that it is a student's responsibility to realize that. It then becomes the student's responsibility to be mature in his/her decision and gear him/herself for a job, while appreciating the fact that this institution is a learning environment

I am an English major so my classes are all very small so my professors have to know my name. But in the larger classes I have taken in the past the professors absolutely didn't know who I was. My favorite class was English 140 because it had 7 people in it. Least favorite was Communications 102 because Comm sucks. No, I don't think students are too competitive. Most unique is Tibetan. That is the language I am studying. English department is great, and yeah every once in a while I'll meet with a professor outside of class. I think the requirements here are fine. The education is probably more geared toward learning for learning's sake.

I fell through the cracks freshmen and sophomore year and struggled to find a major. I finally chose history because it is not only my passion but a more intimate department at Michigan. Some may think I chose an obsolete or unpopular major, but it fits me.

Some professors know my name if I have attended office hours. I think it is crucial to meet with professors every other week just to check up on yourself and make sure you're understanding the material. Also getting to know them on a name-basis will help with applications and recommendations for internships, grad school, etc.

Professors don't know my name My favorite class is Creative Writing or Developmental Psychology Students study everyday I have observed that a few students from each class always participate Students are pretty competitive but it's mostly students challenging themselves to do better My major is psychology The education at Michigan is a mix between getting a job and making students more well rounded.

Most professors do learn my name before the end of the term. My favorite class is my Econ game theory class. It's really tough, and the professor is a genius, but I enjoy the challenge. My least favorite class is my operations management class. I don't like learning about wait times, manufacturing, etc., it just doesn't interest me. Students study all the time, there's too much work not to. Most of the work can be done during the week though, leaving plenty of time for fun on the weekends. Class participation is pretty common, though it varies a great deal from class to class and major to major. Definitely the smaller the class the greater the participation. Some students discuss intellectual topics outside of class, but this seems to be more prevalent amongst liberal arts students than business school students. We just want a break when we're not working or in class. Students at U of M are very competitive. These are all smart students, and pretty much everything is graded on a curve. The most unique class I've taken is probably the game theory class I mentioned. The business school is probably the most prestigious individual school in the University. It attracts very intelligent students, and becomes extremely competitive. Despite the competitiveness, we are a small community, and it's not uncommon to make a lot of friends inside the business school. I do not spend time with professors outside of class. The academic requirements are challenging, but that's a good thing; it keeps us on the map in terms of academic rankings and job placement after graduation. Business school education is definitely geared toward getting a job. I believe other departments are much more geared toward pure education/learning.

As an English and Political Science double major, I get to experience small and intimate classes as well as large lectures. In English classes, participation is both encouraged and expected. Because of this i have developed strong relationships with both professors and students in my class. Large lectures are a great way to hear an acclaimed faculty member lecture on what they're an expert in. Discussion sections allow students to gain further clarification and practice with the themes lectured. Both professors and Grad Student Instructors (GSIs) make themselves available for individual help. The academics are rigorous here, and students do have to invest a lot of time and effort to earn good grades. During Midterms and Finals students really buckle down, but in-between much of the work assigned is manageable.

I have to say, the differences between Residential College courses and LS&A lectures are extreme. In the RC there will only be 12-17 other students, you WILL be called on regularly by name, and you're expected to know what you're talking about. With LS&A classes I've experienced a wide range of teaching styles and requirements. If its a 100 or 200 level class, you might not be expected to participate, depending on the number of students. This is foolish. You'll only do well if you keep up with the reading, try to be engaged, and actually go to the prof's office hours. Its not so hard to fail, trust me. Other students WILL do what you aren't doing, and you'll suffer for it. Some classes take attendance, almost all 300-400 level courses will do so. I do not feel that my public high school gave me adequate preparation for the amount of discipline this school requires. All of that said, I am not doing poorly. I care about school, I do the work, so I'm doing pretty well. That's what the English major is about: doing it yourself. Very rarely did I ever have group projects; I'd say 85{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my homework has been writing analytical essays. That's not the most exciting assignment for a creative writer, but it definitely works to sharpen your communication skills as well as your ability to think critically. Planners saved my life, because I'd never be able to remember everything I needed to get done otherwise. If you learn this early I think you'll be in good shape. Do students have intellectual conversations outside of class? Well let me put it this way: for Psych 111- heck no. They high-tailed it out of discussion section the moment the clock hit the hour. For a Film/Video course on Stanley Kubrick? Yes, we certainly discussed a lot outside of class hours. I think the level of student interest completely determines the level of thinking, and the desire to know more. As a disclaimer I should probably add that there will always be 1-2 students in the least who are very interested in any given subject. I've never been in a class completely full of bored students. Any intellectual matter I've ever wanted to pursue I've been able to find others to bounce my ideas off. That is one of the best parts about going to school here, I think. I never got to do that sort of stuff in high school.

I absolutely know my professors' names. If you come to Professor's office hours and make the effort to get to know them, class becomes that much better. I try to study every day but the least I do it is about 3-4 nights a week. Class participation is very common - both in lecture and in section. I have had some of my best intellectual conversations outside the classroom and have learned a lot. Students are extremely competitive and will always give you a run for your money, no matter the subject or class. There is even a program here that allows you take your professor out to lunch at the expense of the University, precisely so that a big place like this becomes that much smaller, not only socially, but also academically. Intergroup Relations is the most unique class that I have taken. It is a social justice class in dialogue, topic-specific format - where each dialogue is on a given issue - e.g. race & ethnicity, socioeconomic status, etc. Dialogues are student facilitated and in order to be a facilitator, a student has to train for a semester. I am now facilitating with a partner a dialgoue on religion. My other favorite class was Econ 101 because I love the logic behind economics and this is why I decided to be an econ major. The education at Michigan is actually pretty versatile and so I would really be narrowing the focus if I said that it is either toward a job or for learning's sake. There are classes for both.

Classes at Michigan are definitely a change from high school. I'm a freshman, so I'm taking a lot of intro courses, so I had to get used to the idea of having 300 people in class pretty quickly. But the quality of instruction is still very good. Many professors are willing to answer questions in huge lectures (as long as you're not intimidated to ask one!), which is definitely not something I would have expected at a school as big as Michigan.

Academics at the University of Michigan is rigorous and it forces you to develop your time management skills efficiently. Although professor's might not know your name, the GSI's certainly do. The opportunities are there for both personalized and group learning if you choose to take advantage of them.

There is definitely a lack of professor-student relationships, mainly because the classes are huge. However, even in my smaller classes, I did not find (most) of the professors to be that engaging. But I have heard of students eating dinner at their professors houses, etc. It is definitely a very competitive school - in my organic chemistry class they had to bring a fire marshall into the class because it was so overcrowded that kids were sitting on the stairs.

My chemistry, biology, European history, African history, and classic literature professors definitely don't know my name, because they had dozens or sometimes hundreds of students, but almost every other professor or graduate student instructor I've had has learned my name, and some of them would still know it if I went to their office hours to say hello. Favorite classes ever: a Russian Witchcraft seminar (History 197), a Slavic Folklore course (Slavic 240), a Central European film course (Slavic 312), a literature course on different incarnations of the Faust legend (German 243), a course on Victorian literature (English 431), and an introductory poetry course (English 240), although the introductory biology class was also pretty amazing. Mostly, the instructors made these courses: the course subject matter itself just sweetened the experience. (Sometimes, the instructors were the only things that made the course material bearable.) Class participation completely varies from class to class: in my first Spanish class, there was dead silence every time our poor GSI asked questions, and in my Victorian lit class, people actively competed for speaking time. Michigan students definitely have intellectual conversations outside of class, although whenever I find myself in one, it feels a little forced, maybe because I don't think enough outside of class requirements. I do spend time with professors out of class, both to catch up on missed material and discuss papers or to do things like take a field trip to a Russian Orthodox church and have an end-of-the-year tea party in their house. I don't know a lot about my chosen department (English), because I have only just entered it, but I hear that it is one of the largest departments on campus. The Undergraduate English Association, which is a student group of English concentrators, sends out spontaneous emails all the time inviting people to things like Scrabble tournaments, film screenings, and midnight sledding in the Arb. I go starry-eyed whenever I think about the English department. Michigan's academic requirements are kind of tedious, but all of them will get you to take courses you might not otherwise have considered taking, and some of these courses might prove to be fascinating experiences. Some of my Social Sciences and Natural Sciences classes were amazing; some were not. Calculus Two was a walking nightmare, but then there are a lot of other courses offered to cover your Quantitative Reasoning requirement, so unless you plan to major in math or science, or apply to medical school, or you just really like math, I would recommend that you take something else: it turns out that everyone I've spoken to says they've heard that Calculus Two is one of the most painful courses the university offers. I think education at Michigan is geared toward getting a job, but I don't know.