The University of Michigan - Dearborn

Date: Jul 29 2013
Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)
This school is a paradox of contradictions. Very welcoming to minority students of Asian and Middle Eastern background, however, not so much for everyone else. There's definitely racism at this school. Classes are challenging and while I don't think they prepare you for after college, I think that's more of a reflection about colleges in general as opposed to this specific school. The students are more snobby, elitist, racist than the teachers and it shows in the dynamics of this campus.

Whereas it's fine that they have (now) have scholarships for LGBT students and female students, they no longer have scholarships for minority (ie. black and Hispanic,etc.) students. Tuition is near the top for the state, which I would object it, except that the year that I graduated, they changed to be just University of Michigan and not University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Career services told me that because of the degree that I have, I would need to go out of state to find job. I'm going back to school but at another school and in more job-friendly major. I never had any problems with financial aid.

I liked the school better when it was a smaller campus. They are trying to get to the level of the Ann Arbor campus and it shows in the campus mood. Whereas it was cliquish before but people did actually speak, now you'd be hard-pressed to find one person speak to you, from what I hear.

I heard that they've built student housing, which is basically twenty years too late. I hope that they build more, for students sake, although they didn't build dorms, but apartments, so I dont see how you can really get that away from home experience.

Food has changed. When I was there, there was a cafeteria and a pizza place. The cafeteria was pricey and so was the pizza. I dont know what's there now but I would advise to brown bag it or they should build a Subway.

Your major at this school and your ability to assimilate will determine how successful you are at this school. I don't know how the other minority students did but I had classes where I was the only minority student and no one spoke to me. I'm a shy person by nature and an introvert and I've been back to visit the school and from what I hear, not much as changed.

I know that the Middle Eastern students get a lot of help, for better or worse. Some cheated on exams or had access to tests. I left the school but came back. After a semester, I wanted to leave. The classes had gotten ridiculously hard, considering this school is not even in the top 100 for my major (or any other major other than business or engineering). If I hadn't gotten a scholarship, I wouldn't have attended this school.

This school has come a long way but still has a way to go.

For a long time, I regretted graduating from this school because it's not known outside of Detroit and all the resources and opportunities are thrown at the Middle Eastern students. Now, I still regret attending this school but am grateful for the lessons that I have learned.