I want to be a Greek Advisor or Student Life Administrator!

[AGDee]

Ok, from a "city girl" perspective, if you wanted to eliminate one of the programs in Michigan, I'd eliminate MSU. It is agricultural- often referred to as Moo U. Ann Arbor will feel more city-ish to you although it will be small city-ish. It is easier to travel to Detroit for more city from Ann Arbor than from East Lansing. If that criteria is really important to you, East Lansing might feel too rural.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Ok, from a "city girl" perspective, if you wanted to eliminate one of the programs in Michigan, I'd eliminate MSU. It is agricultural- often referred to as Moo U. Ann Arbor will feel more city-ish to you although it will be small city-ish. It is easier to travel to Detroit for more city from Ann Arbor than from East Lansing. If that criteria is really important to you, East Lansing might feel too rural.

Darn that's disappointing! Now I'm imagining leaving campus and walking through pastures and roads with no streetlights.

I'd love for other MSU alum to chime in *cough* cheerfulgreek *cough*

Gusteau: re: # of schools, maybe I should narrow it down, for sake of havig to attend preview days/weekends. Philly is an easy 2 hr bus ride, but I'd be shelling out airfare for every other school on my list. And as indecisive as I am, if two schools has their visits overlap I would agonize over which to not attend.

This eerily feels like the NPC recruitment threads

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by tld221

Darn that's disappointing! Now I'm imagining leaving campus and walking through pastures and roads with no streetlights.

I'd love for other MSU alum to chime in *cough* cheerfulgreek *cough*

East Lansing and Lansing aren't rural. The campus is in a city. You're not going to be out at the farms or dairy barns. East Lansing just isn't as urbane/hip as Ann Arbor. I'd focus more on the program, and less on the setting. You won't be on campus that long.

[TriDeltaSallie]

I'm an MSU grad and I've never heard East Lansing/Lansing referred to as rural. Only people from a certain school call it Moo U. Methinks someone is a bit biased.

MSU is a classic Big Ten university located near the state capital. It is not NYC or Boston or Philly. But it is a vibrant community with nearly unlimited opportunities of all kinds. The campus is very nice and huge. The people are unpretentious and pretty much what you would expect in the Midwest. Friendly and open.

MSU is known far and wide for its College of Education. I'm a grad of that college (and the Honors College) and I was very happy with my undergrad education.

Ann Arbor is going to be more liberal and hip (as someone else said). You will get two totally different vibes from the two campi.

MSU was the first Land Grant College and is very proud of its agricultural background and programs. Our graduates do amazing things around the world in this area and make a tremendous difference in the lives of people.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

I wouldn't necessarily let interview weekend dates alone deter me from applying to a program, but it can help to look at when they are.

When I was applying to school I made a spreadsheet with each school, the application deadline, the interview weekend dates, how many letters of rec were required, etc. I think I started out with seven schools and then used that spreadsheet, and preferences like location and faculty to narrow it down to the three schools I eventually applied to.

Both of those schools had two options for interview dates, but I ended up at the first for each of them and they happened to be back to back. It was a nightmare! I literally landed at home, switched my toiletries from the first interview bag to the pre-packed second interview bag and got in the car to drive to the second interview the next morning.

Oh I wasn't letting it be a factor. But thanks for make me feel a little more sane with my massive google drive spreadsheet. I'm up to 8 schools but I think I'm gonna go with my guy and stick with these 3: UPenn, Michigan, MSU.

My only concern is an recommendation from a professor. I've been out of school for 7 years. The people I could really stretch are my advisor, if shes's alive, and maybe my RD when I was an RA. I could beg my old Peer Educator boss who's doing his PhD at UPenn (google and linked in are awesome).

An aside: is it helpful to have recs from ppl who are alum from those schools?