What's Goin' Down at the U

I picked up the Daily this morning, and this article was on the cover. Here's the main point of the article:

University officials are worried that Michigan’s shrinking population could result in fewer in-state students applying to and enrolling in the University down the road.

My question, and the question I'd given some thought to prior to this article was what makes Michigan great? How does the ratio of in state to out of state students affect the Michigan Experience?

As an out of state student, I feel that most out of state students who decide to go to Michigan are very passionate about the school. They could have gone elsewhere, but they chose to attend Michigan because they love Michigan. However, there has to be something that attracts these students to Michigan. It's not like out of state students and in state students separate themselves. It's quite the opposite in fact. Michigan probably has one of the most integrated campuses for a public school in the country.

Part of that might be the ratio. The in state students who hate State and grew up despising OSU bring something to the University that out of state students can't really feel until they arrive on campus. They were born and bred Michigan. They bring spirit, they bring passion, and they bring Michigan. However, a common argument is that they bring down the overall quality of the student body.

Michigan isn't the hardest school to get into, but I think part of that has to do with the fact that the in state applicant pool is self-selective. This means that there's less in state applicants, but they are of higher quality. Additionally, I think Michigan is the type of school that if you're not prepared for, you will be notified real fast. It's an academic powerhouse beyond everything else and it doesn't stop at admissions. The whole undergraduate experience is a beast.

So no, I don't think in state students bring down the caliber of the students, nor do I sit on a golden pedestal as an out of state student. I wonder how changing the ratio between the two types of students would change the Michigan Experience, but then I realize, I don't want to know. Michigan is great because of the ratio and what each side brings to the table. While I'm sure the ratio will shift as the state population changes, I know that this will be because admissions will need to maintain the quality of the student body. Regardless, Michigan will continue being an academic powerhouse, building people of high character.