The Best Day of My Life
Apologies ahead of time if this is titled incorrectly or inappropriately; this is the first thread I have created on the blog. Today I received life-altering news that I have been accepted to the University of Michigan, my dream school. My journey to this point could be considered unconventional and unique, and I am beyond humbled to be in the position I am in. I am a testament to the fact that if you work hard enough for something you truly want, anything is possible. I felt compelled to share this with the MGoBlog community, because whether you all realize it or not you have been with me on this journey. I have some tough decisions to make in the coming weeks, but I am damn blessed to have this opportunity. GO BLUE!!!!!
January 14th, 2020 at 8:37 PM ^
Congratulations. Get a degree condusive to job opportunities. My degree in history has no future...literally or figuratively.
January 14th, 2020 at 8:58 PM ^
This is excellent advice and congratulations on your acceptance to Michigan! Best of luck to you and your future endeavors!
January 15th, 2020 at 7:32 AM ^
and a degree that is conduCive to correct spelling ;)
January 15th, 2020 at 7:37 AM ^
But you got a really good joke to use at parties out of the deal. That made me lol.
January 15th, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
As a fellow former history major, I can attest to this.
If you want to study something like history, take a few filler classes for it as elective courses, or at most, declare it as a minor. Major in something that will get you a job.
There's a whole lot of degrees out there that are great to learn about, but offer you next to nothing when it comes time to find an actual paying career. My career has fortunately turned out really well, but I made it unnecessarily hard on myself coming out of Michigan because I didn't study something practical.
January 14th, 2020 at 8:39 PM ^
Congrats! Tough decision? Whats her name?
January 14th, 2020 at 8:44 PM ^
HAHA, that’s pretty good. In reality there is no female influencing my decision other than my beloved mother. I will be deciding between Michigan and the George Washington University. I am pursuing a career in diplomacy, and the opportunities at GW are nearly unparalleled based on the school’s location (Washington D.C.). However, it will break my heart to walk away from Michigan.
January 14th, 2020 at 8:46 PM ^
I'll be diplomatic here and say that while George Washington is a great school, you cannot pass up the opportunity to learn your tradecraft in Ann Arbor.
Congrats!
January 14th, 2020 at 10:03 PM ^
I have some personal connections to GW. I don’t want to besmirch that institution, but this is a no-brainer. Michigan all the way.
January 17th, 2020 at 12:13 PM ^
Would you mind elaborating? I am trying to gather as much insight as I can. Thanks.
January 14th, 2020 at 9:14 PM ^
Well that’s an easy decision. Diplomacy is dead.
January 14th, 2020 at 10:59 PM ^
Don't break your heart...go to Michigan. There will be extensive opportunities in Washington with a degree from Michigan and an unparalleled experience in Ann Arbor.
January 14th, 2020 at 11:15 PM ^
This will certainly date me, but there was a guy on my floor my first year at Michigan who was a Russian studies major who ended up at the State Department. There are many paths to your goals.
January 15th, 2020 at 12:59 AM ^
Was his name Vladimir, perchance?
January 14th, 2020 at 11:20 PM ^
Get the Michigan degree, and finish it off with grad school at GW while working in your field. At some point, either one year from now, or 5, the State Dept will start to rebuild it's core staff. It will be a multi-year effort, so you won't miss anything. Would be a great opportunity to flash the UM degree while grad schooling at GW...
January 14th, 2020 at 11:41 PM ^
This is pretty much it. In your chosen field you will “need” a graduate degree. Do your undergrad at Michigan & then grad at GW or Georgetown.
Side question: where do you live now?
January 15th, 2020 at 12:04 AM ^
Yeah I third this. In a field where connections are key, get your undergrad at the school with the most living alumni, then go get a grad degree at a university in DC. Best of both worlds.
I'm assuming you have seen this, but this seems pretty cool:
http://fordschool.umich.edu/visiting-policymakers
"The University of Michigan is one of a very small group of U.S. colleges selected by the U.S. Department of State to host a Diplomat in Residence(link is external) (DIR)—a career Foreign Service officer who provides guidance and advice to students and professionals who are interested in exploring careers, internships, or fellowships with the U.S. Foreign and Civil Services. "
January 15th, 2020 at 6:08 AM ^
I live about 30 minutes north of Pittsburgh, PA.
January 16th, 2020 at 4:21 PM ^
So this is a move for you either way and a similar distance. If you were from SE Michigan, I might have said it depends on whether you feel now is the time to get away from home or not.
I went to Michigan, but now live outside DC in Alexandria. There's a big difference in the feel of DC versus Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor is a great college town. It is much more laid back than DC. As much as we love ourselves in Ann Arbor, it's worse in DC. ;) If you want a classic college experience, go to UM. If you want to jump into pseudo-adulthood in an expensive and growing city, go to GW.
I still say go to UM undergrad and then look to GW or Georgetown (or American if you screw up your grades) for grad school. Enjoy being a college student.
January 14th, 2020 at 11:28 PM ^
Congrats on your admission! That moment way back in 1997 when I found out I had been admitted to U of M is a moment I will never forget (though that's also because it happened to be on the same day I came home from the hospital after my appendectomy, lol).
As for your decision, there will be no shortage of biased views on this board and I won't pretend to be any different. But in my humble opinion, there's not much of a decision to be made here. If you were choosing between Michigan and Georgetown, then that would be a different story. But the pedigree and reputation of Michigan is so far ahead of George Washington that it more than makes up for not being located in DC. Quite frankly, the Michigan name will open doors for you in DC and elsewhere that the GW name might not.
Also, bear in mind that you may yet change your mind about your field of study. If you do, being at Michigan will give you a lot more options than you would have at GW.
January 15th, 2020 at 11:42 AM ^
My moment in 1996 would have been unforgettable, except MY FRIGGIN MOM OPENED MY ACCEPTANCE LETTER before I got home.
January 15th, 2020 at 1:34 AM ^
January 15th, 2020 at 8:13 AM ^
If you do attend Michigan, here is a program you may want to consider.
January 15th, 2020 at 8:14 AM ^
GW is the gold standard for International Affairs but I think the M degree will get you further. For quality of student life M is the obvious choice.
Intern early and broaden your targets beyond only State Department. Secretary of the Air Force - International Affairs and Navy International Programs Office both have protocol offices where you will learn useful skills quickly, probably quicker than at State Department.
January 14th, 2020 at 8:42 PM ^
Congratulations. Can you play DT?
January 15th, 2020 at 1:01 AM ^
And are you 300 pounds, give or take?
January 14th, 2020 at 8:44 PM ^
"I am pursuing a career in diplomacy..."
Considering that the State Department has been effectively gutted over the last three years, you'll be entering some interesting situations if you stay with it.
January 14th, 2020 at 10:40 PM ^
This too shall pass.
January 14th, 2020 at 10:46 PM ^
Like a kidney stone.
January 15th, 2020 at 10:12 AM ^
Coming from someone who has had stones surgically removed, they aren't comparable.
January 15th, 2020 at 12:06 AM ^
It might actually be a great time to get involved, because the State Department is going to need to find a lot of new people. Assuming we don't become a fascist authoritarian dictatorship by the time he graduates.
January 15th, 2020 at 1:01 AM ^
One can dream
January 14th, 2020 at 8:45 PM ^
Congratulations! Now go set up an account on rcmb and have some real fun with the news.
January 14th, 2020 at 9:14 PM ^
Now that’s just insensitive. How do you know that mgoblue0409 didn’t get rejected from State?
BWAHAHAHA, just kidding.
January 14th, 2020 at 10:17 PM ^
Most certainly he felt NO NEED to apply to staee! Go Blue!!!
January 14th, 2020 at 8:48 PM ^
Congrats and regarding those tough decisions... we don’t offer on-line classes, iirc. So go interact with other students and have some damn fun.
January 14th, 2020 at 8:48 PM ^
Congrats! Study hard and party during breaks to help keep your grades high. B’s get degrees. It’s going to go by so fast; enjoy!
January 14th, 2020 at 9:00 PM ^
Congratulations on four years of ass-beatings at the hands of the Ohio State football team.
January 14th, 2020 at 9:15 PM ^
guido, congrats on 200+ years of academic tail-whippings at your school. or didn't you go to school?
and OP, congrats. go to michigan. GW is a lot easier to get in for a reason. also, the current deputy secretary of state is a michigan grad. great guy. link:https://www.state.gov/biographies/stephen-biegun/
not an ohio fool, like quido. sad dude.
January 14th, 2020 at 11:24 PM ^
Sure, because this blog was created to discuss academics, correct?
It must suck to know that it is comming every year, like a freight train, and you can't do anything about it.
January 15th, 2020 at 1:39 AM ^
January 15th, 2020 at 5:40 AM ^
come one quido, cop out, you didn't go to school, did you? you didn't even go to online state, right? its okay, doesn't mean you're a bad person, but be candid.
January 15th, 2020 at 3:23 AM ^
Sure, because this blog was created to discuss academics, correct?
It must suck to know that it is comming every year, like a freight train, and you can't do anything about it.
January 15th, 2020 at 6:55 AM ^
You get desensitized pretty quick. Kinda like your mom's cooter.
January 14th, 2020 at 9:47 PM ^
Congrats on caring more about a game played by mostly teenage kids than by a quality education
January 14th, 2020 at 10:19 PM ^
You mean THEEEEEEEEEEEE online state university!
January 14th, 2020 at 10:26 PM ^
lmao literally on a post about choosing between two excellent schools, all a buckeye can do is refer to football. i'm sure OP will enjoy going a lot farther in life than if they had to settle for a joke school like ohio sports university.
congrats OP and go blue!
January 14th, 2020 at 9:31 PM ^
Congratulations mgoblue0409. I don't know you, but I am very proud of you. It's quite an accomplishment getting into Michigan. I really hope that you decide to come to Ann Arbor.
"It's the best university in the world."
January 14th, 2020 at 9:48 PM ^
It's a great university! But not the best university in the world.
January 15th, 2020 at 10:20 AM ^
Darth Vader Disagrees.