University of Michigan – Ann Arbor (UMich)
Preface:
University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, is a public research university which was founded in 1817. UMich is very famous for its research work and has one of the largest research expenditures amongst American Universities.
It is one of the high ranking universities in the States, and thus it’s clearly not easy to get in. Many students still apply, though, putting it in the ‘ambitious’ category, and keeping their fingers firmly crossed.
Location:
University of Michigan is a 45 minute drive from Detroit, the main city of Michigan. Apart from the University, Ann Arbor is pretty boring but fortunately Detroit is quite accessible.
Infrastructure and Residing options:
The Ann Arbor campus is spread over 712 acres and is divided into North, Central, South and Medical campuses. All campuses are conveniently connected by bus and shuttles. The college of Engineering is in the North Campus, which also houses an excellent library having over 4 million volumes.
The campus housing system here can accommodate up to 11,000 students, though most grad students prefer to live off campus in apartments or houses. The most preferred destination for these are the Central and South campus area where the rent is around $900 per month.
Weather:
The one downside of studying at Ann Arbor could be the climate. It snows almost for 8-9 months of the year, making it terribly cold. During fall, you can expect to see sunrays once in a while which is a ‘feel good factor’ for students. It can get pretty gloomy most of the year.
Courses Offered:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Space Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Construction Engineering and Management
- Structural Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering and Systems
- Industrial and Operations Engineering
- Financial Engineering
- Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering
- Nuclear and Mechanical Engineering
Faculty and Pedagogy:
UMich is widely regarded as one of the best institutes in the world for just about any field of study, and it has a faculty to match that reputation. Although many professors are involved in high levels of research, they are more than willing to make time for students who take the initiative and show interest. A number of professors are Nobel laureates, and winners of many academic prizes, so one thing that certainly cannot be doubted is the fantastic quality of education you’ll receive if you end up at Ann Arbor.
Fees:
UMich charges a rather prohibitive tuition fee of $42,000 per year. But those who make it, and can afford it, say it’s certainly worth every penny.
Financial Aid:
Although you’ll be competing with a number of perhaps better students, receiving some sort of scholarship or freeship is not impossible. It’s definitely difficult to get though, which is why many students are involved in Teaching or Research Assistantships.
Eventual Placements:
Well, they’re excellent. What else do you expect in one of the topmost schools of the world? Some of the largest companies worldwide visit UMich to pick up students in numbers, but one thing you have to realize is that you’ll be facing tremendous competition from fellow students – don’t let the ‘small fish, big pond’ feeling overwhelm you.
Crowd and Campus Life:
Life here is a good mix of everything. Some prefer house parties while some drop in to a bar. Non-alcoholics, too, enjoy their time in UMich by getting involved in various phenomenal cultural activities like music and movies. The crowd is VERY serious when it comes to studies but they equally manage their social lives.
Students say that it’s really easy to fall in love with Ann Arbor. There are a number of places to hang out and get some good cheap beer. Some popular bars are Brown Jug restaurant, Good Time Charleys, Ricks American Café and Blue Leprechaun. Rod’s Diner and BD’s Mongolian Barbeque are the student favourites with Fleetwood Diner being the 24 hour restaurant.
Verdict:
Well, it’s going to be a huge ask to get in anyway, so if you do, and you think you can tolerate the awful weather, there’s absolutely nothing that should stop you from going there.
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