So, what’s the deal with the University of Michigan? You might be wondering this, especially if you’re looking at college options for next year. What makes it so special that President JFK gave his speech about his idea for the Peace Corps there? That Jordan Brand chose its football team, out of all the teams in the country, to be the first ever to wear the jumpman? Every Saturday, we sit in The Big House as the voice of James Earl Jones (AKA Darth Vader AKA a UMich alum) reminds us that we’re “the greatest university in the world.” And he couldn’t be more right! There are plenty of schools out there with solid academics, or a good football team, or a cool campus. But when you put together every aspect of the school, you realize Michigan has seriously got it all. Who’s got it better than us? Nobody!
1. Academics: Michigan is a world-class school, and the more you look into it, the more impressive you realize it is. Did you know that Money magazine ranks it the #1 public university in the US? And Newsweek ranks it the #11 university, public or private, in the whole world! That’s pretty dang good. And it isn’t just strong in one specific program. The law school and medical school are world renowned, and 103 grad programs are in the top 10 in the country. According to US News, Michigan has the #4 business school and #6 engineering school in the country. All in one university!
2. Many people know this school because of its football team, and that’s no surprise! Michigan has one of the strongest football traditions in the country. The Michigan football team has the most overall wins in college football, and it’s also earned back the title of highest winning percentage. They also have the most winning seasons in all of college football, and the most undefeated seasons of any current D1 football teams. And I mean, how cool is it to root for the team that Tom Brady, Charles Woodson and President Gerald R. Ford were on? Plus, we get to cheer them on from The Big House, which is the biggest stadium in the country. We don’t mess around for away games, either–we’re the most televised team in college football history!
3. Other sports: Our athletic tradition definitely isn’t limited to football, however. Michigan basketball speaks for itself–we’re the home of the Fab Five! In 2016 alone, Michigan is the Big Ten Champion in Women’s Cross Country, Women’s Gymnastics, Softball, Men’s Swimming and Diving, Women’s Swimming and Diving, Women’s Indoor Track and Field and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field. If you like sports at all, there’s always some sort of event for you to attend.
4. Alumni: Will you be able to succeed and make it in the real world with a degree from the University of Michigan? Well, let’s look at some of the alumni and decide based on that. Arthur Miller went on to write plays you might have read in class, like The Crucible and The Death of a Salesman. Sarah Kilgore Wertman was first woman in the country to be admitted to a state bar association. Tony Fadell invented the iPod, Larry Page cofounded Google. Madonna is Madonna. Michael Phelps is Michael Phelps. Gerald R. Ford went on to be president of the United States. It’s crazy to imagine all these people walking across the diag to get to class! So, yeah, I think you can do okay with a U of M degree.
5. Student life: Just because we study hard doesn’t mean we don’t have more fun than other schools! (We just don’t sleep. I’ll admit that.) Niche ranked us #2 in America for student life! University of Michigan has 66 Greek chapters and 6000 students involved in Greek life, which is almost 20% of the student body, so if you want to go Greek, this is the school for you. If not, there’s plenty else you can do. There are over 1200 clubs, ranging from Auto Engineering Society to Bhakti Weekly Yoga Sessions to table tennis club, so there’s literally a club for everyone. Plus, there are tons of club and intramural sports teams, from soccer to ultimate frisbee. Any given day, there’s so much to do on campus, from sorority fundraisers to blood drives to glee club concerts to puppies on the diag.
6. Location: I will say it a million times over: Ann Arbor is the prettiest city in the world. It is home of Hill Auditorium, which is world-famous for its incredible acoustics. There is an incredible Museum of Natural History and Museum of Art. Nichol’s Arboretum is 123 acres of nature and peace. Not to mention the beautiful views strolling down Main Street or State Street. However, we all know looks aren’t everything. Luckily, there’s more to Ann Arbor than that. Ann Arbor has been rated the #1 most educated city in America by Forbes, and was rated #1 once again this year by Wallet Hub. Niche rated it the #4 best city to live in America. Ann Arbor is an amazing place to call home.
Overall, you might be able to argue that some school out there has better football or better academics, but no school has such strong programs in every single area. You don’t have to give anything up when you go to UM. You can have it all!
Images courtesy of Hannah Harshe, Liliana Pfeifer, MLive, People.