[KDCat]

Originally Posted by psusue

Michigan is a great school, internationally recognized as a leader in education and research, and they have school spirit for miles. She'll find her niche in the RC I think and I think soon enough she'll also appreciate not being so far away from home. It sounds all well and good when you're 18, but having a place to come back to when you are tired of dorm food and don't feel like paying for laundry or just want a hug from someone who cares and isn't going to leave you in a year or two is something that cannot exactly be put into words. It's kind of like recruitment in that you end up where you're meant to be. And Michigan has so much diversity in its offerings, she'll find plenty of cultural events, educational programs, and creative outlets that her schedule will be packed and she won't have time to think about much else.

And besides, she can come home for every break and see her friends, she won't miss any family events, and she will graduate with far less debt than if she went further away. And while that may not seem salient now, just tell her that if she graduates with fewer loans she may be able to move full time out to Chicago or D.C. or NYC post-graduation and she can always get internships there for the summers. I don't know, I have a good feeling about her at Michigan. I feel like she'll fit in there, it won't be a pressure cooker like at some schools. I wish her the best luck about Barnard, and I really hope her dream comes true there, but she should know that her second choice is still a really, really great pick. And coming from a rival school, I don't really have a lot of reason to talk it up if it weren't true, now do I?

Michigan is an awesome school. If she wants the far away experience, she should could do a semester abroad. I didn't do a semester abroad and I regret it.