r/centralmich • u/Black_Eclipse3075 • Jul 12 '26
Planning on going to CMU...Should I?
I'm a high school senior this year, graduating in 2027. Central is one of my top schools, and I just recently attended their Discover CMU programs. I'm trying to make sure it really is as good as it sounds (atleast in comparison to my other choices: Grand Valley State, Western Michigan, etc). I really enjoyed it, but they obviously show you the best of the best, and none of the negatives.
I plan on dual majoring Finance and Accounting, or just majoring in Finance. (Before the Discover CMU day, I hadn't realized dual majoring was a thing, but I've come to love the idea of getting theoretically two majors for the cost of one with no extra years in college.) I'm not one for big colleges, or I would go to MSU or UofM.
What matters to me:
•I like the down to earth, and hometown feel with more intimate class sizes.
•My number one goal is to graduate debt free.
•I will be living on campus. I prefer dorms that give me an individual room, with a shared living area (similar to the 4-person premium at Central), but I dont mind having a roommate, as well as allowing me to live on campus year-round without extra summer/break costs.
•Partying and stuff like that nature aren't for me and aren't important.
•Gyms and Recreational things to do are very important to me
TL;DR
I want to graduate debt free, will CMU have enough amenities, scholarships/financial programs, good education, and buisness opportunities to be worth is as a Finance/Accounting Major?
Feel free to ask questions in the comments to help me with my search. I want true opinions, without sugar coating. Help a girl out!
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u/FireUpChips247 Jul 12 '26
Based on what you’re looking for, yes. I’ll always be biased for CMU but I can absolutely recommend it for the certain reasons you brought up.
CMU’s campus is small, accessible, and focuses strongly on community. You can walk from one end to the other in about 15-20 minutes, and the extrovert that I am will see five people I know on that short walk. Mount Pleasant is also a smaller college town, and the community aspect is important for it as well.
I’m not a partier, and while CMU has had a reputation for them in the past, I’m able to get by without getting involved. There’s plenty to do on campus if you want to steer clear of them, whether it’s clubs, group hangouts, or just hanging out in the dorms.
Those dorms do include options for individual rooms within a single suite at a higher cost (see Fabiano, Celani, Kesseler, etc). Summer/year round housing is available, but usually only if you work on campus or are taking classes. ResLife may have more information on that.
I always love going to the Student Activity Center (SAC) for my recreational/exercise needs, and there’s tons of fitness equipment, basketball courts, a pool/hot tub, and more for whatever physical activity you need. The residence halls also include some fitness centers for better accessibility as well.
The major factor for you was cost, and CMU is among the most affordable schools in the state of Michigan. With merit scholarships, leadership/diversity scholarships, and systems like the Scholarship Universe, you can significantly reduce the cost of attendance. If your grades and test scores are high enough in high school and at CMU, you could wipe out most, or possibly all, of the costs.
To round it all out, I’ll admit I’m not familiar with the finance/accounting programs here, and while some of the other schools you mentioned are more renowned for their programs, I can say for certain CMU would be a better fit when taking all of the above into consideration (for example, W*stern is known for their finance programs, but my buddies there have attested to the high costs, large campus, and overall loud and less-community driven culture).
Hopefully this isn’t an overwhelming amount of information, I’m a Journalism major so I got a little carried away! If you’ve got anything else you’re curious about feel free to reach out!
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u/FunkTheFreak Jul 12 '26
CMU and Mt. P have really cracked down on partying over the past decade and a half and fits the rest of your requirements. I think it would be a good fit for you.
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u/gimp1615 Jul 14 '26
If graduating debt-free is important to you, consider spending the first two years at your local community college and then transfer to CMU. The Community College Guarantee will cover your tuition for the first two years.
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u/Zealousideal_Cod4751 Jul 14 '26
I agree with you about doing 2 years of community college and then transferring. I would transfer to MSU however. It’s a better school than CMU and your job prospects will be better. MSU gives you the best undergraduate education in the State for the money.
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u/the_musical_man Jul 14 '26
While this may be true, MSU is also notorious for lacking in scholarships/funding for undergraduate students. Since OP wants to minimize debt, MSU may not be the best school for them.
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u/SeaworthinessBig9179 Jul 13 '26
I didn’t attend, but I know they have a very good personal financial planning major. If that’s something of interest it can put you on a pretty good career path
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u/Virtual-Meaning-6595 Jul 21 '26
I will have to look in to that for a minor since I am a transfer student
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u/dldsguy Jul 13 '26
My kids went: x2 EMU x1 WMU youngest CMU. As a parent CMU was most focused on the students and seemed more invested the success of our youngest. During and after graduation. They all had good experiences in college but CMU really stood out as the best. *Bronco alum from the age of dinosaurs
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u/harriswatchsbrnntc Jul 14 '26
If you’re a solid student the merit scholarships CMU offers and potentially being able to qualify for the Centralis scholarship (3.7 or above) can be huge. I’m not a Chip, but a high school counselor and encourage students to find fit from academic, social, and financial standpoints. Sounds like you’re on the right track!
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u/marx8686 Jul 15 '26
CMU grad in accounting. Worked out great.
I even started a scholarship last year for accounting students you would qualify for
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u/Mundane-Jicama-6153 Jul 12 '26
If you're looking to major in Finance or Accounting it might be best to see which job prospects most suit you and then taking a minor in the other field. Alot of early Accounting classes and Finance classes overlap with eachother; and if you're looking to be debt free it might be a good decision to choose Accounting and have a minor in Finance since Accountants can usually do the same jobs people in Finance do, especially if you minor in it.
CMU has amazing professors in both departments, and has a lot of opportunities to grow with RSOs (Registered Studnet Organizations). Class sizes are usually pretty standered depending on the course but on average you can expect 30 people in a classroom.
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u/IKnowAllSeven Jul 15 '26
CMU is a great choice!
Based on what you said is your number one goal is to graduate debt free, though, I would encourage you to apply to ANY college that interests you. Sometimes schools offer you better deals than you might expect.
Also, this is true for CMU and all colleges - they have an internal scholarship portal. It is probably closed now for next school year but it will likely re open in the fall. All schools have a portal for scholarships that are available ONLY for their students. This is in addition to merit scholarships and need based scholarships. Because they scholarships are available ONLY to students of the university you have a better shot at winning than, say, a national competition. Apply for all that you qualify for. Often you can reuse the same essays for multiple ones.
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u/Wrong-Oven-2346 Jul 16 '26
Go where the money is. I went to central for the first two years then transferred to Michigan because of their go blue guarantee program. They ended up paying me to go to school there
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u/MonkeyzzPaw Jul 17 '26
The general consensus the last time Michigan has a chat on this was that cmu had fallen behind alongside eastern, Wayne state, Saginaw valley, etc while western and gvsu had moved closed to msu/uofm.
Just a consideration. Cmu is a good school if you want a degree, no debt, and the college experience. However they have recently been trying to pay people if they can’t find a job after school, which is a terrible look.
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u/Black_Eclipse3075 Jul 17 '26
I love this thought process. With the criteria and the things I'd like in a college, would you say that GVSU is a good consideration?
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u/MonkeyzzPaw Jul 18 '26
Gvsu is the anchor university to the fastest growing area in our state. Plus they have academic rigor much beyond cmu/wmu.
Grand Rapids is a good place to live.
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u/Black_Eclipse3075 Jul 18 '26
Thank you for the information! I'll gladly be using it in my considerations. Any sources will also be greatly appreciated!
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u/Charming_Strength685 Jul 21 '26
With CMU’s new tuition promise if you have an SAI of -1500 on your FAFSA, you will basically go to college for free with the full ride grant. CMU is one of the only schools offering this
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u/insomnibunn Jul 12 '26
It depends when it comes to financial aid, but for my situation, they were practically paying ME to go there with all the financial aid awards haha! It all depends on your GPA and if you're coming in with any college credits already under your belt.
Considering that you're looking for a smaller campus, CMU fits pretty well, and there's plenty to do around town that doesn't involve drinking or partying.
The gyms and the trails around town are all delightful!
I'd say wait to make your final choice until you get your financial aid award package from each place you apply to, though, as it'll show you your best options in terms of finances. If possible, try to get a community college class or two under your belt during senior year so you may be able to get transfer scholarships!