Hey y’all!
My name is Chelsea, and I am a first-year student with the intended major of Political Science (I am declaring at the end of the semester!). Through the Michigan Research and Discovery Scholars, I have been fortunate enough to have the amazing opportunity to explore the world of research as an undergraduate, with my current project being, "Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Children, and Two-Spirit Peoples. "
As my first year of college comes to an end, I have been reflecting on how much of a positive impact MRADS has had on my transition into and current college life. A year ago, I would have never imagined that a program I heard about through a pamphlet at 7 am would result in me proofreading a blog post about how happy I am on the way to a Philadelphia Research Experience surrounded by some of my closest friends! MRADS is truly a gem that deserves more recognition, so I decided to join the Winter Semester Recruitment Team.
Through the Recruitment Team, I have greatly enjoyed meeting prospective future Mradians (yes, I am the only person who says that) through Campus Day fairs and Michigan Living Community events. I noticed a lot of y’all were specifically curious about the MLC Application process, so I decided to make my blog post about it because I would love to provide a more in-depth answer.
How Does the Application Process Work?
You will apply to two Michigan Learning Communities and rank preference. For example, last spring, I selected MRADS as my first choice and LWSA (Llyod Scholars for Writing and the Arts) as my second choice. Since I got into MRADS (yay!), LSWA never saw my application. If I had not gotten accepted (😭), then LSWA would have considered me.
What is the Application Itself?
Just like last year, the application consists of three essay questions. Firstly, why do you want to join an MLC? This will be reviewed by both MLCs you are applying to. I was drawn to an MLC because I come from an extremely small high school (my graduating class was 46 people!) and wanted to make a big campus feel small. You will also have a community essay question specific to both MLCs you are applying to. For MRADS, it is: Why do you want to apply for MRADS as opposed to the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), our non-residential affiliate, and what type of research project would you like to pursue? I said I wanted to join MRADS because it is a better opportunity to foster community, and I would be interested in pursuing research surrounding social media’s impact on children growing up more quickly.
What is the Application Timeline?
The early review application deadline is April 7 at 11:59 EST. This is a great opportunity because you will receive decision notifications by April 17, so before decision day on May 1. The final Application deadline is May 6 at 11:59 pm, and you will be notified by May 17.
My Key Piece of Advice:
Please do not stress about the application! I promise that you will not be reliving college application season. You got accepted to the University of Michigan, so it is obvious that you are the best of the best! The most important things that you should showcase in your application are your personality and how passionate you are about not only gaining from but contributing to the MRADS community.I will return next year as a Peer Advisor, and I look forward to meeting y’all!
Yay Research,
Chelsea 🤩
Apply to MRADS here!
