Eastern Michigan University

Should You Attend Eastern Michigan University?

Apart from the main campus in Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University (EMU) has satellite facilities at 7 different locations throughout the state. As a student you have over 200 majors and minors to choose from. There are programs for students pursuing bachelors, master's, and doctoral degrees. According to U.S. News and World Report, the majority of students in 2011 graduated with a major in business. Other popular majors in 2011 included education, health, visual and performing arts, and social science. Pros and Cons specific to EMU are listed below to assist you in determining if this is the school you want to attend.

Pros

• Cost of room and board is $1,431 less than the national average
• High numbers of academic programs
• Accepts life experience credit, dual credit, and Advanced Placement (AP) credit
• Has academic and career counseling services, employment services, and placement services for those who complete their program.
• Located less than 20 miles from Detroit Metropolitan Airport and 40 miles from the city of Detroit
• Low number of TAs teaching courses

Cons

• Total cost (all tuition and living expenses) is $2,832 more than national average for Michigan residents and $5,247 more than the national average for out-of-state students
• Acceptance rate is 3.8 percentage points lower than the national average
• Graduation rate is 27 percentage points lower than the national average
• Student-to-faculty ration is higher than the national average at 18:1

Eastern Michigan University at a Glance

EMU is an accessible school with Detroit being 40 miles east and Detroit Metropolitan Airport only about 20 miles from main campus. As a student you can take advantage of academic advising resources to help you choose your major, as well as career counseling and other career related resources to help you determine what career might be best for you and how to academically prepare for that career at EMU. Related services might also help you save some time and money by offering you the chance to test out of certain subject you already know by using College Level Examination Programs (CLEP) testing. If you prefer your courses to be taught by faculty members rather than TAs, you are in luck because only 20.84% of the entire teaching population is made up of graduate students.

When looking at costs, you should consider that for the most part EMU is more expensive than the national average. While room and board is low, this expense is included in the total cost, and the numbers listed for total cost by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) are higher than the national average for both in-state and out-of-state students.

For a school that has an acceptance rate 3.8 percentage points lower than the national average and thus means it's harder to get into, it seems difficult for students to remain at the school and graduate with a degree. This is something for you to consider when comparing EMU to other schools and looking at what aspects of a school would motivate you to

Admissions & Financial Aid at Eastern Michigan University

Documents to get in order as you prepare to apply are your high school GPA, high school record, and SAT or ACT scores. The majority of enrolled students, 94% according to NCES, in 2011 sent ACT scores rather than SAT scores. The ACT has three main sections that EMU looks at - composite, reading and math. 25% of successful EMU applicants had scores above 24 for each section. After taking this into consideration, have all your items sent to EMU, along with your application and fee of $30. Although admissions are rolling, which means students are admitted as long as they meet the criteria and there are spots available, the school does recommend that you apply around 15 months before the semester in which you would like to begin your studies.

Financial aid applications for the school have a rolling deadline as well, but you might want to take advantage of the priority filing date of March 1st. The application you should fill out is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you qualify for aid, as an enrolled and full-time undergraduate student you can expect to receive a financial aid package of around $8,661. Your aid may consist of loans, grants, scholarships, or work studies. Scholarships include federal, state, and private awards and may be based upon either need or merit. Loans may also be offered through federal, state, or institutional levels. At EMU, 70% of students had all of their financial needs met though aid in 2012. If you happen to be like the 30% of students who did not have all their financial needs met through aid, you might consider working part-time either at the school or off-campus.

Life at Eastern Michigan University

Although EMU has a selection of on-campus housing options, 88% of students choose to live off-campus. You will, however, be required to live in housing that is associated directly with the school for both your freshman and sophomore years. Campus housing options include dorms, apartments, and sorority housing.

When looking for things to do when you are not studying, you might take a look at the over 340 organizations and clubs available to you as student at EMU. Depending on your interests, you might decide to become involved in the student run newspaper or film society. You could check out one or more of the over 20 religious organizations. There are clubs in the fields of astronomy, microbiology, and philosophy. The school also provides opportunities to become involved in sports. You could play volleyball for the school on a scholarship or just play an enjoyable round of recreational golf.

Sources: *NCES College Navigator, **U.S. News and World Report, ***College Board, ****Eastern Michigan University.

School Contact Information

• Address: Office of Undergraduate Admissions, PO Box 921, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
• Phone: (800) 468-6368