Tips for completing a well-rounded MSI application

The January 15 early application deadline is now less than a month away! We know you may busy working on your application and wanted to provide some tips for making it the best it can be. We’ve recently written several posts related to navigating the admissions process, funding, and asking for letters of recommendation. Below are some additional tips and thoughts to consider before hitting the submit button on your application. 

Make sure all your application materials are in order

Review the admissions requirements page and make sure you have all the required elements:

• Online application

• Resume
• Transcripts
• GRE Scores
• TOEFL or IELTS Scores (international students only)
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose
• Personal Statement

The admissions team requires each one of these elements for review, so it is important that they have all been completed.

Be sure to pay special attention to the elements of your application that may be outside of your immediate control, like the letters of recommendation and test scores. Following up with your writers and the testing agencies through email or phone to ensure everything has been completed and sent to the correct place can provide reassurance. You can also check the status of your application here.

What does your application say about you?

The admissions review committee takes a holistic approach in evaluating each prospective student's application. This means that the admissions team is looking at all elements of your application to see how well you fit with the school's mission statement, your potential for leadership, what you see yourself doing in the future of the field, and other related factors. Please read this post on writing the personal statement and statement of purpose for more tips.

Answering the five questions listed under the Statement of Purpose on the admissions requirements page will allow you to address these factors and give the admissions review committee an idea of how you believe you can further the field of information. Make sure that you have expressed yourself clearly in this section and answered all of the questions posed.

Once you have your essays written, remember to proofread your statements and have a friend review them as well. I remember writing my own personal statement and struggling with what direction to take but what helped me most was imagining I was on the admissions committee reading my statements for the first time. What did I now know about the applicant based only the application? How does this person fit within the field of information? What has the applicant done in the past to ensure future success? Is the applicant a good fit for the school? After you've read your statements, make sure they tell your story, who you are, what you bring to the table, and what you hope to achieve by earning your MSI.

For specific questions about the application process, you may contact the admissions team at umsi.admissions@umich.edu. The admissions office will be closed for the university-wide winter break from December 24-January 4. The admissions team will respond to your emails as soon as possible upon their return. In addition, please understand that the time it takes to make an admissions decision may vary due to the busy application season and the number of applications the team receives. For general questions about the program or Ann Arbor and to connect with prospective and current students, please check out the UMSI Prospective Students Facebook group.

Online Information Session Recording

You can find a recording of our December 3 online information session here: https://bluejeans.com/s/8UQ9/

Please let us know if you have additional questions!

Letters of Recommendation

We know prospective students often have many questions about letters of recommendation... who to ask? how to ask? when?

I've pulled together two previous posts in which we can help answer some of those questions...

Check them out here:

http://msi-admissions-umsi.blogspot.com/2012/11/asking-for-letters-of-recommendation.html

http://msi-admissions-umsi.blogspot.com/2013/11/asking-for-letters-of-recommendation.html

Navigating the MSI admissions process

Let’s admit it - applying to grad school can feel a bit overwhelming at times. Deciding on what schools to apply to, deciphering what each school requires and wrangling letters of recommendation takes a lot of time and effort.

This guide will aim to break the process in helpful bites and point you in the right direction.

Investigate
UMSI has created lots of resources to help paint a picture of life during and after your time at UMSI. Our website has so much information on the courses and specializations, faculty and their research areas and all the great student groups.

Why should I get a MSI?
What kind of courses can I take?
Outside of class, what will I do?
What service engagement opportunities are there?
What kind of career will I have? (see the 2015 Employment Report here)
What are some funding options?
What is Ann Arbor like?

Apply
So you can see yourself thriving at UMSI and enjoying living in Ann Arbor. Now it is time to pull together a complete application that tells your story.

Deadlines
Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions

Connect with us
Still have questions about the program or the application process? We want to hear from you! Sign up for our mailing list to get updates like this one or contact directly at umsi.admissions@umich.edu.

Remember that you are not alone in applying to this program. We have set up a Facebook group for students just like you to get to know each other and ask questions.

Adopted from original post: http://msi-admissions-umsi.blogspot.com/2014/11/navigating-umsi-admission-process.html

Previous entries:
http://msi-admissions-umsi.blogspot.com/2013/10/resources-for-navigating-application.html
http://msi-admissions-umsi.blogspot.com/2012/11/navigating-umsi-admissions.html

2015 UMSI Employment Report

UMSI’s 2015 Employment Report is now available!  You can view the full report here, but I wanted to share some highlights:

• 98% of grads reported professional jobs or continuing education in their field of choice
• Average MSI salaries were up 8% this year
• Job search length: 3-4 months
• 91% of survey respondents reported high levels of satisfaction with their job outcomes in terms of their ideal career fit​
• 92% of survey respondents reported internships as one of the most valuable UMSI experiences impacting their job outcomes and career success

We hope you’ll take some time to look at the report to learn more about companies and organizations for which our graduates now work, where our graduates are working around the country and world, detailed salary information, and more!

 

Funding an MSI degree

Funding and Scholarship Resources

While the start of the school year may feel like a long way off, you may already be thinking about how to fund your graduate school education -- and you should be! All students who apply are considered for UMSI merit based scholarships, and those who apply by January 15 receive first consideration for these scholarships.

There are also several external scholarships that you can apply for before admission. Many of these scholarships have deadlines in November and December, so please check out our external scholarship spreadsheet for specific deadlines and requirements. In addition, UMSI is often able to match funding awards from external scholarships. Graduate school can be affordable, so please take a look at all of the funding resources detailed below.

UMSI Scholarships

UMSI merit scholarships range from partial to full tuition coverage, with possible additional benefits, (regardless of residency status) for four semester of full-time MSI coursework. UMSI also offers UMSI Achievement Fellowships and Professional Practice Fellowships. We go through 3-4 rounds of UMSI Scholarship offers throughout the term. We hope to complete the first round in late February/early March. The second round and possible third round will be later in the spring.

The first round of UMSI Scholarships are entirely merit-based. Subsequent rounds will always have merit as the primary factor for consideration, but we will also look at your motivation to attend UMSI. These factors can be demonstrated by professional, consistent communication with us. You are welcome to submit an additional letter/email for the admissions committee's consideration. I've seen previous admissions committees look at your excitement about UMSI, your efforts in applying for external fellowships, anything particular about the nature of your need, the connections you make at MSI Visiting Days, the professionalism of your interactions, and other things for the subsequent rounds of UMSI Scholarship.

Merit is still the primary factor, and by merit we mean the strength of your statement of purpose and personal statement, your letters of recommendation, your internship/research/work experience, your academic record including your GRE, demonstration of leadership, service, comfort with ambiguity, etc. It is NOT just your GRE/GPA.

UMSI matching funds for external tuition awards

UMSI master's students who receive scholarships administered by external sources, such as associations, foundations, and corporations, are eligible to request matching funds from the School of Information.

UMSI students who receive an external scholarship prior to their first term of enrollment or through their first year (12 months) of enrollment are eligible for up to $10,000 in matching funds, depending on the award amount, the level of funding already awarded by UMSI, the remaining unmet need for cost of attendance, and the availability of funds remaining in the annual matching funds budget. Admitted students who receive an external award should submit the original award statement (keeping a copy for personal records) with a request for matching funds to umsi.admissions@umich.edu.

Funding Links  
UMSI merit scholarships: 
http://si.umich.edu/academics/funding/scholarships

Professional Practice Fellowship Program:
https://www.si.umich.edu/programs/master-science-information/funding-your-degree/professional-practice-fellows-program

• This is a highly selective program providing an opportunity for top UMSI students to gain hands-on experience and training in professional practice, leadership, and academic exploration. Students who are selected are offered: a full tuition scholarship for four terms, a Professional Practice Assistantship to take place during the academic year for 4 terms (assistantships will require 15-20 hours of work per week, and will be paid positions), connection to a UMSI faculty and/or alumni mentor, health benefits, a conference travel stipend, a stipend for a new laptop, leadership and professional development support.
  

Diversity scholarships:
http://si.umich.edu/academics/funding/diversity-scholarships
https://www.si.umich.edu/programs/master-science-information/funding-your-degree/umsi-achievement-fellowship

• UMSI Achievement Fellowship: These fellowships are structured to assist eligible students with two semesters of support consisting of tuition, required fees, health and dental insurance, and a stipend of $9,675 (adjusted annually each September) per semester followed by two additional semesters of full tuition support.

External scholarships: 
http://si.umich.edu/academics/funding/external-scholarships

Assistantships and U-M funding:
http://si.umich.edu/academics/funding/assistantships
http://si.umich.edu/academics/funding/resources-u-m-and-federal-programs
http://si.umich.edu/academics/funding/student-employment
https://www.si.umich.edu/academics/funding/bonk-assistantship


Scholarship Announcements

This spreadsheet of external scholarships will be continually updated throughout the winter and early spring. Please check back for more opportunities, and we will continue to alert prospective students of these as we learn of them.

Videos from Connect with UMSI

Last week we held Connect with UMSI events for prospective students.  Check out videos of last year's (very similar!) presentations here.  

 

You can view videos about career development and service engagement, admissions and funding, and about our academic programs.  This can be a great way to get a taste of the content from the sessions.  Keep in touch with us if you'd like more information or to connect with a current student!

Facebook group for fall 2016 prospective MSI students

The Facebook group for prospective MSI students for fall 2016 is now live! To join visit:  umsi.info/fall16facebook

The group is a great place to ask questions about admissions, the school, our programs, the city of Ann Arbor, and to share information with one another. You can engage with staff, current students, and other prospective MSI students to learn about the culture of the school and whether UMSI might be a good fit for you! We'll be sharing events and updates from campus to give you a look into the community here at UMSI. We hope you'll join the conversation!

Prospective student events & RSVP for Ann Arbor event

UMSI will be hosting two events in Ann Arbor to help prospective students learn about the school.

The event on Thursday, October 22 (held from 5:30-7:45 p.m.) will be a chance to learn about the programs, admissions, funding, and career development in a shorter version of our Saturday event.

The Saturday, October 24 event (1:30-5:00 p.m.) will be a bit more in-depth on each of the above topics - with a specific portion of the day dedicated to doctoral studies - and will allow you a chance to engage with faculty and current students, in addition to hearing from staff throughout the afternoon.

Both events will be held in Palmer Commons, just a short walk away from North Quad.  In general, it is likely sufficient to attend only one of these events. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

The Master of Health Informatics program, joint between the School of Information and School of Public Health, will also hold an event for prospective students on October 24.  Click here to learn more.

We will also be scheduling online information sessions for those of you we can't meet in-person.  Keep an eye out for more information on those!

UMSI will also be at several fairs this fall.  See our recruitment calendar below to see if we'll be at a location or fair near you!

If you'll be at one of these fairs, stop by and see us. If not, please remember you can always email umsi.admissions@umich.edu for more information about our graduate programs in Information.

Connect with UMSI Event for Prospective Students - RSVP open!

UMSI will be hosting two events to help prospective students learn about the school. The event on Thursday, October 22 (held from 5:30-7:45 p.m.) will be a chance to learn about the programs, admissions, funding, and career development in a shorter version of our Saturday event.

The Saturday, October 24 event (1:30-5:00 p.m.) will be a bit more in-depth on each of the above topics, and will allow you a chance to engage with faculty and current students, in addition to hearing from staff throughout the afternoon. Both events will be held in Palmer Commons, just a short walk away from North Quad. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

We hope you will join us!

UMSI Master of Science in Information Application is Live!

Just a quick note that our MSI application for fall 2015 is live and available.  Check out information about the application deadlines and apply here:  https://www.si.umich.edu/programs/msi/admissions/msi-admissions.

The early deadline for fall 2016 is January 15, and in the meantime we'll be blogging about different parts of the application, UMSI events, financial information, and more!  Keep checking the blog for more information, or Register with us and you'll receive weekly messages too!

Please also feel free to email umsi.admissions@umich.edu or alissat@umich.edu with any further questions about our program.

We look forward to staying in touch this fall!

Summer Internship: Question and Answer

Hi everyone - This is the first of a series of posts profiling UMSI students and graduates at internships, part-time jobs, and full time jobs. The first set of answers comes from Alice Rhee, a second year UMSI student specializing in HCI, who worked at Yahoo as a User Research Intern this summer.

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Where is your internship?

I’m interning at Yahoo, and I work out of both the Sunnyvale HQ and the San Francisco office.

What have you enjoyed most about your internship?

I have a brilliant mentor who gives me opportunities to grow and helps me understand the UX landscape outside and inside of the company. I didn’t have a background in corporate work (I came to UMSI straight from my undergrad) so it’s incredibly valuable for me to see how product teams, corporate strategy, and UX research all operate together. It’s also valuable to learn what to say and how to say it--after listening and soaking in the lingo, I feel like I can speak more knowledgeably to colleagues and explain UX research more cogently to clients.

 

When did you start looking for an internship?

Early…probably late fall semester. I started looking at positions I was interested in to get a sense of what people were looking for and the skills I needed to develop second semester to become competitive.

Do you wish you would have started looking earlier or later?

I think early is fine, because it’s always good to be prepared and aware of the skills and experiences you should be developing. That being said, I would seriously beware of: 1) becoming obsessed with online job boards; 2) getting sucked into a negative spiral of worry about all the good positions being taken; and 3) burning yourself out too early with internship searching.

Applying for any sort of job or internship is terrifying, because you’re putting yourself out there and asking if someone thinks you’re worth it. There can be a lot of fear and deep anxiety around the process. Have a close friend or family member be a reality check, and make sure you get outside and away from your computer screen!

What resources did you use as part of your internship search?

• Networking
• LinkedIn – to reach out to alumni and to search for companies. Made sure I put that I was seeking a UX internship in my headline so I would come up in recruiters’ search results—I found this very effective.
• iTrack – put my resume up so that recruiters who were looking for UMSI students could contact me
• Online job boards - I set up a job alert on Indeed for UX positions located in places I wanted to work in and checked a few smaller UX-specific job boards as well.

What resource do you feel led to your internship offer?

Networking directly led to my internship offer. Someone close to me worked at Yahoo and was willing to send my resume to the UX team there. Internal referrals are more of the norm for hiring there, so if you can find an in that’s the best. I dropped multiple applications out into the Internet void and got one good hit back, which ultimately didn’t go through.  

A note on networking: “Networking” is this word that is held up as the holy grail of getting a job. All the career workshops and fairs and whatever that I’ve ever attended have focused on it. It’s always made me fearful because I felt like: 1) I didn’t have a huge or powerful network coming straight from undergrad; 2) the idea of communicating with someone with the intention of getting a job felt slimy; 3) I am an introvert and I always felt like I was inconveniencing others by reaching out to them.

Try reframing networking as relationship-building/making friends/learning from others. It makes it far easier to approach people at career fairs or reach out to alumni for informational chats. No one likes to be used, but people like to talk about themselves and help others. I found that alumni were very open and friendly to talking to me! Be open, honest, and confident in your abilities and value to the company.

What were the successes and/or challenges you experienced during your internship search?

If you’re going for a big corporation, expect multi-round interviews and possibly a presentation. Several of these can wear you out, especially if you do the needed background research on companies and are also juggling classes and work.

It was awful when companies I interviewed with never called me back or let me know the results. I kept hoping for too long. Make sure it’s very clear to you and your interviewer exactly when the next follow up will be, and then if that date passes, wait a few days and follow up (sometimes people are legitimately busy), wait a few more days for them to catch up on their email and then move on.

What advice do you have for incoming students and their internship search?

• Set aside dedicated blocks of time towards developing your online portfolio. This is critical if you want any sort of position in UX. It doesn’t much matter as a researcher if you don’t build your own website–I am currently using a free Wordpress template—just make sure you have something professional up.

• If you’re fresh out of college, don’t hide it on your resume…but you do NOT have to advertise that fact to the world. You don’t have to have a section on your resume that says “Coursework”--you can say “Projects” or “Experience” and get your interview first.

• When you’re interviewing, make sure you demonstrate that your work was focused on actionable results. Never do research just for the sake of doing research when interviewing for an industry job.

• Big companies move slow and being on their timelines can be killer when it’s March and you just want the security of your internship already. I was interviewing for several companies in March and got my offer early April.

• Apply for things that you may believe you’re not fully qualified for. I’m a perfectionist and if I don’t hit every single bullet point on a job application then I feel like I can’t apply, and I’ll be beat out by the faceless hordes of other applicants who are much better candidates than I am. The truth: no one is expecting to find the six-winged unicorn intern who is qualified for everything. Don’t limit yourself. Show that you’re eager and demonstrate that you’re willing to hustle. You can teach skills, but you can’t teach attitude or your personality fit with your co-workers and your company.

What skills have you used most at your internship? Are there any courses or co-curricular opportunities you'd recommend for developing those specific skills?

UMSI does a great job of giving their students opportunities to gain actual practical experience in the classroom. If you have little experience to begin with, soak as much of it up as you can during your first year. If you’re looking into UX research, here are the top two classes I recommend you take:

• SI 622 – the client work I did with my team for 622 directly led to me getting my internship. Not a whole lot of applicants can say that they’ve done rapid user research for a well-known company using multiple methods and speak articulately about it.
• SI 582 – This is an interaction design course, but UX research necessarily interfaces with UX design and you’ll need to understand how to speak to the designers on your team and have some level of familiarity with design tools.

Why GIEP?

The following post was written by Jackie Wolf. Jackie recently graduated from UMSI and is currently in India participating in the Global Information Engagement Program.

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That’s my title and I’m sticking to it.  Sitting in our hotel room in Kolkata with my roommate and teammate Anjuli it’s not hard to come up with a thousand reasons why GIEP was a good idea, but it is a little difficult for me to remember my original reasons for applying to the program 6 months ago, long before I had any idea of what project I would be working on, who I would be working with, or where I would be located.  When I looked back on what I wrote on my application it turns out that my goals consisted of: learning how to scope and craft solutions to problems and people that are several thousand miles away, working with people with very different backgrounds than myself (both group mates and clients), wanting to travel to India, wanting to work on impactful projects that dealt with information access, and wanting to continue the transition of shifting my perspective from thinking nationally to globally.

It’s good to know that my reasons then closely mirror my reasons now except they have been refined even further. I’ve lived through the joys and frustrations of working with communities and individuals in different countries and time zones, and understanding that even though we are speaking the same language doesn’t always mean we are using the same words in the same manner or even talking about the same thing!  I can say though, that it has been fantastic to finally put faces to the voices I have only heard over Skype and that now that we are “on the ground” I’m even more excited about our project than I was on the epic 40 hour plane ride to India from Ann Arbor.

Life Within the City of Ann Arbor

If you are coming to the Midwest for the first time or a Michigan local, you will fall in love with Ann Arbor for some reason or another. Ann Arbor is first and foremost a college town, but the University is also one of the top employers of the state of Michigan, so there is also a vibrant professional sphere as well.

Coming from Chicago and Los Angeles before that, I was not looking forward to coming to a small “town;” however, I was wrong! Ann Arbor has all the delights of a small town as well as all the entertainment worth of bigger cities. The entire city only houses 113,000 people or so, and it is one of the safest cities in the entire United States for its size. Thanks to central location of the university, downtown Ann Arbor is extremely lively, with tons of restaurants and shops around the State Street and Main Street areas. Ann Arbor redefines the idea of diversity, both in culture and in its people. Here you will find someone from all walks of life, and our food is a great way to explore the various cultures represented within the city. We have the typical Mexican and Chinese places you are used to, but they are coupled with local flavors of Korea, Thailand, India, Brazil, Israel, Scotland, Iraq, France, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Iran and so much more! Ultimately, remember that here in Ann Arbor, many people, including myself, love to support local businesses, so you will rarely see chains busy (besides the typical Starbucks morning rush and Noodle & Company’s lunch specials).

Furthermore, because of the diverse population around campus, you will find all sorts of different venues for whatever type of nightlife you desire, from the Last Word’s delicious cocktails, to the unassuming karaoke at Circus. If you are more into the refine experience, Ann Arbor has plenty of local wineries and breweries you can take your friends or significant other to and enjoy tastings! There are many ways to enjoy Ann Arbor outside of food and drink. For instance, there are two art house movie theaters in the midst of downtown that are always hosting events like Q&A’s with directors and midnight showings of classic movies. Also, the University has over thirty different free museums open to the public, from videogames and comic book collections to great works of art to showcasing the latest in the technology world. Also, there is always theater plays being performed, or free movie hosted by one of the various departments at UM, or famous artist or band playing their music at the Auditorium. Here are some great resources to read if you are coming to visit: Things to Do in Ann Arbor & 36 Hours in Ann Arbor.

Outside of the downtown area, you will be surrounded by nice residential areas as well as beautiful nature places to explore - which is something I love about the town! Remember, a lot of Michigan is considered a forest, so whether it is a beautiful Fall day and the trees are shining with reds, yellows or fading greens, or they are embraced with the latest snowfall, you will be surrounded by nature’s true beauty. One of the places nearby is Nichols Arboretum, which is a sprawling park just north of downtown central campus that offers a huge space for picnics, walking, and any other outdoor activities you desire. The Huron River runs right through the middle of the Arboretum, and in the summer, you can rent kayaks and canoes from Gallup Park and spend a leisurely afternoon paddling along. In short, Ann Arbor has a little bit of everything for everyone. However, I am sure you all want to know some nitty-gritty details about actually living there.

It is definitely possible to get around Ann Arbor and its surrounding areas without a car using both the University of Michigan buses and Ann Arbor Transit Authority buses, both of which students can ride free. This is especially helpful, as there really is not a good grocery store in downtown Ann Arbor, making the public transportation essential if you want to get to a large Meijer or Kroger. The buses do stop running at 11pm on weekdays and 6pm on weekends, so if you are a real night owl, you might have to take advantage of the U of M’s SafeRide service or a cab. Single apartments downtown might run you around $800 per month, so look outside of the downtown area or find a roommate if you are looking for something on a budget. If you want to go even cheaper, you can go about 10 miles east of Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti, which, while not quite as close to campus, is still a very pleasant place to live. In addition, to top it all off, Ann Arbor is only about thirty miles away from downtown Detroit, where you can go see the Tigers or woeful Pistons play, check out some live music, and take in even more fine dining.

Personally, I love the feel of Ann Arbor, which is small enough to make people feel part of a small community, but big enough to provide all of the amenities of a city five times its size. Additionally, every June and July, Ann Arbor hosts their Summer Festival, which includes events called “Top of the Park”, which projects movies onto big screens at night as well as a wonderful Art Fair where you meet local artists of all sorts. Furthermore, take great advantage of the State Theater’s midnight movies, which show some of the great classics of films everyone should see! Every spring also brings the Ann Arbor Film Festival, where you can check out some great indie films. Finally, on a consumerist note, I love that you can walk three blocks from campus, and find great independent bookstores, two small movie theaters, dozens of coffee shops, healthy and allergy-friendly food stores, and one of the best toy and comic book stores in the country. While Ann Arbor may not be perfect, it is a lovely place to live and work.

If you want to find some more general information about Ann Arbor, I will point you to the local Ann Arbor News and the Ann Arbor Wiki. You Redditors can also peruse the Ann Arbor subreddit and talk to some locals. I hope you all join us here in the fall.

--Marissa Rivas-Taylor, MSI ‘16 (April 2015)

Visiting Days

This Saturday through Monday is MSI Visiting Days at UMSI! It’s hard to believe that I was here in Ann Arbor just one year ago. Attending Visiting Days was the final push I needed to accept my admissions offer and I’m extremely grateful that I attended!

For those of you that are able to attend, here are a few points to give you a better idea of what to expect and how to make the most of your weekend here:

• Take advantage of all the activities and participate as much as you can! It’s a busy weekend but everything scheduled is worthwhile and will really help you get a better understand of the program and community. Review the agenda to get a better idea of what your time will look like.

• Spend some time before your visit thinking about why you want to attend graduate school and what you want to gain from the program. Be sure to write down any lingering questions you may have, especially those that would be better suited to in-person conversations.

• Meet and talk to as many people as you can! The connections I made with other prospective students and current students last year at MSI Visiting Days are one of the big reasons I made the choice to attend UMSI. Everyone here is very friendly and open to talking about their experience here. The Facebook group and email are great but meeting people will give you a better feel for our community.

• When I say you should meet and talk to people, I also mean faculty, staff, and alumni. You’ll have opportunities to interact with all three while here for Visiting Days. Take advantage of this opportunity! The Networking Fair on Monday will be another opportunity for you to meet potential future employers and get a feel for the types of careers that will be available to you as a UMSI student.

• On the more logistical side, make sure to pack for a variety of temperatures and bring one nicer outfit if you plan to attend the Networking Fair. Right now the forecast is in the 40s and 50s which isn’t too bad but you will have to be outside a bit to travel between buildings and around Ann Arbor.

• If you’ve already decided that UMSI is the right place for you then you may want to start looking for housing while you’re in Ann Arbor. Last year I looked at a few apartments and then signed a lease in April after I made my final decision. The housing market in Ann Arbor can be a little tricky since many students start looking for housing almost a year in advance. We’ll have a housing panel during Visiting Days and if you aren’t able to look then don’t worry! Most people end up finding something later in the spring or summer.

Another great resource is this post written by Joyce last year regarding MSI Visiting Days. We’re looking forward to seeing you on campus and meeting you in person!

Alternative Spring Break 2015

Last week was spring break at the University of Michigan and many UMSI students participated in the annual Alternative Spring Break program. Students volunteered a week of their time to provide 2,900+ hours of service to organizations in Detroit, Jackson, Chicago, Washington D.C., and San Francisco. I was in Washington D.C. volunteering at the American Library Association Washington Office for Information Technology Policy. It was a fulfilling week of both learning and contributing to an organization and I was able to fit in plenty of sight seeing and good food!

Alternative Spring Break is a really unique part of the UMSI program and if you have any questions please head over to the Facebook group and ask! Current students are happy to talk about their experiences.

You can also read more about the organizations and projects here and see pictures and updates by following the #umsiasb15 or #umsiasb2015 hashtags on Twitter and Facebook.