FrankMurphy

October 22nd, 2021 at 3:11 PM ^

we're losing enthusiasm as a university among the youth in this state
Really? Is this a thing people are saying? I was born and raised in Michigan and didn't seriously consider attending any college other than U-M. Many of my friends were the same way, even some of those who had the grades for the more prestigious schools. But I haven't lived in MI since 2007 and I don't have my finger on the pulse of how U-M is perceived among the current generation of high school students. Has there been a loss of enthusiasm for U-M among teenaged Michiganders in recent years? Here in Northern California, U-M's reputation seems to be as strong as ever.

WestQuad

October 22nd, 2021 at 6:03 PM ^

It been nearly 30 years since attending for me, but being in-state Michigan was the only school I applied to.   I didn't visit anywhere else.   Neither my older sister (who was a valedictorian of her HS), or my parents went to Michigan but it was always assumed I would go there because it didn't make sense for a smart kid to go anywhere else.  (My sister wanted to get away.)

lilpenny1316

October 22nd, 2021 at 6:18 PM ^

When I was in high school in Detroit (1991-95), Michigan was the gold standard. A lot of kids didn't even consider it because it was too difficult to get in. If you were accepted, parents moved heaven and earth to make it affordable. Mine did and I tell my kids I'll do the same for them.

Maybe priorities have changed for others, but in my family, I tell my kids U-M is still the gold standard and on par with the Ivy League schools.

LSAClassOf2000

October 22nd, 2021 at 3:11 PM ^

There must be renewed enthusiasm. I was using Hill to get between a job sites a little while ago and the amount of underclassmen forgetting that Hill is a road open to vehicular traffic was utterly phenomenal. It took about five minutes to get from S. State to Church due to waiting for people far too engaged with their AirPods to cross the street. 

UM_Ftown

October 22nd, 2021 at 7:20 PM ^

More students = more money. They'd gladly double that if they could actually sustain that amount of students. Colleges are pretty much for profit machines anymore.