Michigan State University

The school is huge but you always have things to do. Athletics and tailgates are great. The science coursework is challenging but tests your understanding and not just random knowledge

3rd Year Male -- Class 2018

Campus Aesthetics: A+, Individual Value: B-

First and foremost, let me state that I will try to put more weight on the university versus the general college experience and my own anecdotes surrounding my personal experiences. With this, you can judge the actual university instead of hearing what you "want" to hear.

I was never really into the "college experience." I am quite introverted and never got the thrill of partying and clubbing. Now a prospective student or those curious of Michigan State may be tempted to ask right off the bat: "Why did/would you attend Michigan State University? It is known as a party school! You may as well add in a little more effort in high school to go to (Insert U of M, Notre Dame, Chicago, or an Ivy League like school here)." Let me state that Michigan State is quite possibly on the same level as the top schools in the country and it has earned its title as a "Public Ivy" for good reason. Contrary to what some people, especially those who live in the state of Michigan, tell you... Michigan State is not just a regional university but a global university.

While a great number of students do worry about what to do on the weekends (even though East Lansing is an average college town at best), Michigan State itself has TREMENDOUS resources that most students do not fully take advantage of. If you REALLY want to learn and not just get stuck in the diploma mill that the college experience has turned into, take advantage of the facilities such as the library, the career services building, and a bunch of other entities that I regret not taking advantage of. Essentially, MSU is very well equipped for those that want to learn (and all you need to do is seek it rather than wait for it).

The faculty is friendly for the most part. You are going to need to do your homework on your professors, but they do care about your learning (at least relative to other professors in other schools). Go to their office hours and try to expand on the topics that you have learned in their respective classes. When a professor knows that you are interested in their classes and topics, they will really try to get to know you and you can expect great recommendation letters later. The History department (I took quite a bit of history classes at MSU despite being a Biology major) is a hidden gem, especially in regards to what I just talked about. You may have heard of the number of TAs and instructors being internationals. But fear not, they are quite good at what they do. I never had any major problems trying to understand them (their English is fluent enough).

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000