Whitney
Personally, I absolutely love Michigan State. It's located in the college town of East Lansing, MI. We have a very large campus, but if MSU is the right place for you, then it doesn't matter the size, you will find your niche. It may seem too large for some people, being one of the largest college campuses in the country, but I like it. Maybe it's not the right fit for you, but you learn quickly where things are and how to get around. I'm in my senior year at MSU, and those years fly by. If I could change one thing about my time here, it would be to really cherish every memory I made because before you know it, you'll be graduating. Our school is one of the schools with the most college pride! We take our sports seriously and it's one of the best things about being a part of this school.
Whitney
Personally, I absolutely love Michigan State. It's located in the college town of East Lansing, MI. We have a very large campus, but if MSU is the right place for you, then it doesn't matter the size, you will find your niche. It may seem too large for some people, being one of the largest college campuses in the country, but I like it. Maybe it's not the right fit for you, but you learn quickly where things are and how to get around. I'm in my senior year at MSU, and those years fly by. If I could change one thing about my time here, it would be to really cherish every memory I made because before you know it, you'll be graduating. Our school is one of the schools with the most college pride! We take our sports seriously and it's one of the best things about being a part of this school.
Erin
I love the campus. It is sprawling and easy to navigate once you get use to the size. There are many beautiful sights on campus. I spend most of my time at the dorms, shopping on grand river or at the student housing near campus. It is a great college town and everything is open really late. There is tons of school pride at MSU, but sometimes that gets the students in trouble. It is all in good fun.
Kelsey
I absolutely LOVE MSU. The campus is so pretty, especially in the fall when the leaves change colors. I like that there are new and old buildings. The best part about MSU was living with a bunch of people your age and just always having someone to party with, study with, or just chill with. Another plus about MSU is that everyone gets so into holidays, like Halloween, St. pattys, you could even call home football games holidays because they are so crazy and fun! What I will always remember about MSU is all the cool people you meet and really the friends that become your second family.
Natalie
The best thing about MSU is probably the amount of students enrolled and the amounts of classes available to each student for their majos. I think i will be spending most of my time around campus and at my friends places just hanging out and enjoying the experience. I have a good feeling about the administration here at MSU and im hoping for the best come fall.
Lindsey
The best thing about MSU is that it is its own community and "little city" if you will. Unlike some other campuses, MSU has a "live-on" attitude where most of its students do not commute. They prefer to enjoy the company of friends and maintain a college-life atmosphere. This campus is PERFECT size for its surroundings. It is definitely not too crowded or too large to roam around. Everything on campus is easily walkable within 20-30 minutes and it has managed to maintain a campus-like feel without over industrializing or constructing too many buildings. Most definitely, a "college town".
Jessie
The best thing about MSU is our diverse student body. The one thing I would change about MSU is to make it more reputable on a global forum. I want it to be known for its amazing programs and world class education. I also wish that MSU would be more discreet with their selection process.
Regarding 'college town', I think East Lansing needs to spruce up. We have like 2 stores and 5 places to eat and around 50 bars. It is high time we get a few more entertainment joints like maybe a boutiques or stores, and more eating joints - might even lead students to visit the bars less often.
I hop MSU's administration is slightly more helpful and understanding towards international students.
The biggest recent controversy on campus was regarding cedar fest.
Yes there is a lot of school pride
the study abroad programs are awesome.
Matt
Michigan State has an awesome campus and atmosphere. I like that it's diverse not only culturally but in the interests of students. Myself and my two closest friend at three very different people and we live in different dorms. On the same campus we have my dorm, which is filled with artists and musicians and the largest LGBT caucus on campus; then there's my first friend's dorm which is where the football players and James Madison kids live, so it's full of preppy kids who love a good party; lastly there's my other friend's dorm where Lymann Briggs is housed it's full of all the scientists and you find a lot of pick up soccer games there.
Andrew
I wouldn't change MSU at all. It is the quintessential college and East Lansing is THE college town. It's like a little town of college kids. By far the best time of the year is Welcome Week. you don't have any classes or worries yet, so u can just party and have a good time. MSU's school pride is HUGE. There is nothing better than tailgating and going to football games. For basketball, the IZZONE is a good time. The campout is always fun and u can meet the coaches and players face to face. One experience I will always remember is Cedar Fest 2008. Police, tear gas, 4,000 kids, it's kind of hard to forget. If u choose to come to MSU i'm sure you'll hear all about it.
Heather
MSU's campus is HUGE and without our bus system (CATA) it would be impossible to get around in a reasonable amount of time. Parking is a nightmare for those who drive, so get a bus pass and only bring a car if you plan on working far away from East Lansing (even though the buses service the whole area, a car would be more convenient). There are tons of things to do on campus and the Student Activities Board is always thinking of new stuff for students like, free movies and pre-released screenings of new movies, craft nights, free cosmic bowling, massages in the Union during finals week
Alex
It is green w/ a lot of concrete pathways criss-crossing the campus. There are a lot of businesses nearby and a pretty reliable bus system. The recreation centers are a bit small for a university of this size but they are good enough. It is easy to live off campus without feeling like you are giving up a bunch of free services (printing, gym membership, etc.)
Erin
I had some reservations about joining such a large bodied university but if you are apprehensive about that too, you can do what I did and join one of the residential colleges. I chose the New Residential College for the Arts and Humanities, which means that I go to school, where I live, with classrooms and classmates in the same college all under one roof. Some other colleges that are similar Lynman Briggs and James Madison.
I love the campus, I love the people, and the school spirit is unlike any other college campus. while we are manking the climb to the top in most of our sports, as a student body, we are not harsh or unfair to competing schools. we have dignety that we retain.
Aaron
one of the best things about MSU is its size. It is a huge college town with 40,000+ students. its an awesome campus, and a great place to go to school.
Melissa
MSU offers eligible students a super good education, and the opportunity to meet 40,000+ that attend the university. My favorite thing about my freshman year was the people that I met. One thing I'd change is the wicked cold in the winter, but you learn to deal with it. The size of the campus scares a lot of people away from it, but with a great bus system, it's easy to get where you need to go. Everyone at MSU has a lot of school pride, and is happy to be spending their college years in East Lansing.
Robin
The "Big Picture" about MSU is that the school is exactly that- it's huge! It has the largest campus in the country, and it's got about 45 000 students enrolled. There are a couple of sides to this. The good part is that there are plenty of people to meet. There are always new people, and it's virtually impossible NOT to find someone who's interested in some of the same things as you are, IF you get out and look. It's really easy to make a lot of lifetime friends, good study partners, and keep busy. One particular advantage is if you happen to have an akward encounter with a girl (or guy) at a party, you never have to see them ever again, because you probably won't unless you track them down. There is so much to take advantage of and do at a school this size, and there is always something new to try. The problem is, you can't get lost in it. Some people do. It's just as easy to sit in your dorm room for the first month, and then you'd wake up and realize one day that everyone else has friends and you don't, and by this point you may not even care enough to try anymore. It's important to be actively interested in other things, but never lose track of who you are. It's pretty easy to have an identity crisis if you don't get involved with something.
The thing is, a big campus and big student body = big money, which means big potential. If you want to do any kind of study abroad or get involved in some really high tech research, there is funding and resources available on campus to help you do that. It's not like being at a small school where you'd run into, "Oh well you'll have to commute to another school for that research idea because we don't have a nano-robotics laboratory" or, "if you want to study abroad, we can set you up with the larger group from Ohio State so you get the full group discount in travel." You won't have those problems because you won't be alone in your interests here. Gathered interests = gathered potential.
One final thing to consider if you're worried about going to a small school vs. a big ten school like MSU- how many people were in your highschool? Mine was kind of midsized, around 1100- 1200 kids. If you went to a small lib. arts college, you'd basically be going to highschool all over again. It's not a good way, or a realistic way to "spread your wings."
Michelle
I personally love my school and am happy I chose to go here. I complain about the tuition constantly because it does keep rising but when i think about the fact that MSU is a fairly well known school and the fact that i will have that MSU stamp or seal or whatever on my diploma it somehow makes it all worth it. employers will see that and know my education is really worth something. I like the size of my school. It's huge! but I like that because you are always able to meet new people and there are so many opportunities and clubs and activities to participate in. You will never be bored if you just take the time to open your mind and try new things. The diversity at MSU is wonderful. I never would have gotten this much exposure to different people if I had stayed closer to my home town.
Antonio
I would change the constant waiting for trains and the way too high prices for parking. It's crazy.
Jesse
The school is large and diversified, so you will find all kinds of people. In a stength of 45000 students, there can be all kinds of people.
Besides the parties at MSU, there are many other activities for all the students conducted by the UAB.
A recent controversy was the Cedar Fest - where 6000+ students gathered from 9pm to 3am, where the police threw tear gas, and students retaliated. However, most of the drama was done by students who were not a part of MSU.
Cristian
the best thing about msu are the people. everyone is friendly and willing to help, staff and students alike. many people say our school is huge, but within it are many small groups, such as people in your dorm, the honors college, teams, etc. so it's not so overwhelming. as far as literal size, well, get a bike. and a pair of good hiking boots because the winters are harsh. i spent most of my time in the dorms with my friends or walking around on Grand River Avenue where most of the shops are located. there is an exorbitant amount of school pride. most people react positively to msu when i tell them i go there. i think msu is a great school, and if you come here you'll make friends, have good experiences, and get a solid education.
Stephany
Because MSU is such a big university, a lot of people are intimidated by that. Yes, the classes can be big, but its what you make of it that really counts. This is my fourth year at MSU, and I can honostly say that the school seems to get smaller, I walk to class and am guaranteed to see someone I know, it's a great feeling. The college town is some what small, but if you find the time to explore, there are a lot of cool things to do around the area.