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Michigan State University |
While the campuses seemed relatively quiet, admissions
offices were working behind the scenes to put finishing touches on student
recruitment programs scheduled for the fall. Many were finalizing
admissions policies reflecting
changes in the Common Application, which is due to be
launched in a few short weeks.
Here is a little more of what the 40 counselors learned
about each school:
The
University of Illinois at Springfield offers a strong
liberal arts core that emphasizes engagement in public affairs (supported by
its location in the state capital) and dedication to community
involvement.
In what might be a first in the nation, UIS
has established an academic program called
Liberty Studies, as one of many
minors offered for the fall 2013. Fun fact: a set of stairs in
Brookens Library leads directly to a brick wall--it's a stairway to nowhere!
As an independent Lutheran institution,
Valparaiso University currently enrolls about 4,300 students (both undergrad and graduate)
and plans to grow to about 6,000 in the coming years.
“Valpo” offers more than 70 areas of study
across five colleges, including Engineering, which has experienced “spectacular
growth” in recent years.
Part of the
attraction of Valpo’s engineering program is the ability to study and work in
France, Germany, Spain or China through the
Valparaiso International Engineering Program.
Founded in 1819, the
University of Michigan has a long and
rich academic tradition based on a strong German model of education emphasizing
math and science research.
One of the
first in the country to admit women and minorities, Michigan looks for very
accomplished students who are committed to learning
and to the
University—about 60% of the class is admitted through early action.
Fun fact:
Michigan has the largest living alumni population in the world.
Central Michigan University is proud to announce the
opening of a new medical school in the fall of 2013.
Over 2000 students applied for 75 seats in
the
CMU College of Medicine, which was founded for the purpose of producing physicians for underserved rural and urban communities in the U.S.
For prospective out-of-state undergrads, CMU
generously
offers in-state tuition to any applicant with a GPA of 2.75 or above. And proud of its strong relationship with the
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, CMU is the only university in the country to
offer courses in Ojibwa, the Chippewa language.
As a land grant institution,
Michigan State University takes
enormous pride in its ability to bring a small school experience to one of the
largest campuses in the country.
In
addition to a strong and well-established residential college system, MSU is
pioneering campus
“neighborhoods” based on student support services and living
learning communities.
Each of the 5
neighborhoods has an Engagement Center where students find a variety of
resources including tutors, academic advisors, and health services. For
students with AP or other advance-standing credit, MSU subscribes to the “admit
when ready” practice of admitting to specific colleges such as
engineering.
This saves students both
time and money and avoids needless repetition of coursework.
“Unashamedly Christian,”
Calvin College looks for students
who “think deeply, act justly, and live widely.” One of Calvin’s signature
programs, the
Speech Pathology and Audiology Department offers a five-year
Bachelor’s-to-Master’s Degree with a concentration in speech pathology.
Students may also enter the 4-year bachelor’s
only degree program with the goal of attending a graduate program in audiology.
Calvin also offers an ABET accredited BS in Engineering, a nursing program, and
three specialties within the kinesiology major (exercise science, sports
management, and physical/health education).
One of the Colleges That Change Lives,
Hope College is a
“small school with a big research program.”
Historically affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, Hope offers
87 majors and minors in liberal arts and pre-professional fields.
Home to the nation’s oldest college
tradition,
the Pull, Hope takes pride in collaborative faculty/student research
and creative activity.
In fact, Hope is
consistently awarded more National Science Foundation grants for undergraduate
research than any other liberal arts college in the country.
With several locations around Michigan,
Ferris State University offers the only
BS in Nuclear Medicine as well as the only
Forensics Biology program in the state.
But one of
the more interesting programs offered at Ferris is the University’s
nationally-recognized
Welding Engineering Technology Program—the largest of its
kind in the U.S.
In fact, there’s a
two-year wait for entry into welding.
To
lower costs for out-of-state students, Ferris offers the
Great Lakes Scholarship to residents of 20 states (including Maryland and Virginia) and
Ontario, Canada.
This program allows
eligible out-of-state students to save about $5370 on the cost of tuition and
is awarded automatically—no application required.
Ferris also offers a PGA-endorsed
professional golf course management program as well as a comprehensive arts
program through its affiliation with the
Kendall College of Art and Design.
Grand Valley State University celebrated its 50
th
year by opening an amazing $65 million library.
With seating for 1,500
students, shelf space for 150,000 books and an automated storage and retrieval
system designed to handle an additional 600,000 volumes, the
Mary Idema Pew Library was funded entirely by donations (no state money) and represents the
best in state-of-the-art library science in an inspirational facility—worth the
visit alone.
For undergrads, GVSU offers
a number of generous scholarships including the
Grand Finish which is an extra
grant designed to ensure on-time completion made to juniors who have
completed 90 credit hours. Students with a 3.5 GPA and an ACT score of 28, may
apply for the GVSU Honors College and become eligible for the
Niemeyer Learning and Living Center featuring private rooms in a lovely suite
arrangement.
For more than 30 years,
Kalamazoo College has offered a
nationally-recognized curriculum nicknamed the K-Plan, which emphasizes an
undergraduate experience of rigorous liberal arts combined with opportunities
for “experiential” education in both domestic and international settings. At
Kalamazoo, about 80 percent of all undergrads study abroad in a program that emphasizes immersion and requires at least a 3-month commitment.
And very aware of its role in supporting work force development, Kalamaz
oo has
3-full time career counselors who follow undergrads
throughout their four years and after graduation. Prospective students should be aware
that as of this visit, Kalamazoo had enrolled 463 students for the Class of 2017—far above its goal
of 390 undergrads.
Western Michigan University boasts that the WMU College of
Education and Human Development is among the nation’s top 10 producers of
professional educators. Other popular WMU programs include
Integrated Supply Management,
Paper Engineering,
Aviation Flight Science, and
Food and Consumer Package Goods Marketing.
And to make it affordable for out-of-state students, WMU
has established an easy road to Michigan residency after freshman year, which
is a far better deal than any of the out-of-state scholarship programs offered.
Be aware, however, that WMU has a fairly
aggressive “differential” tuition plan which kicks in after sophomore year for
many of the most popular programs.