While Michigan State University isn't technically a "lesser known" school, it also isn't necessarily top of mind as a Big 10 choice for students living in the Buckeye State. There are several good reasons for a student from Ohio to consider Michigan State University:
1) Michigan State hopes to increase the out-of-state student body to 33% as of 2022 and is focusing specifically on recruiting students from Ohio and Pennsylvania. A student from Ohio who is offered admission to MSU automatically will receive a $10,000 per year tuition scholarship through the Ohio Spartan Grant.
2) The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education has awarded MSU with a gold rating for sustainability, making it one of three institutions in Michigan with gold stars. Students looking to conduct research in environmental sustainability or who are looking to enroll in a college that places a strong emphasis on sustainability on their campus should take another look here. There are numerous student orgs focused on sustainable technology, environmental advocacy, wildlife and conservation, sustainable agriculture, housing, business and more.
3) Michigan State has one of the highest participation rates of studying abroad, with 1 of 5 2018 graduates having participated in education abroad. Students can select from over 275 programs on 7 continents. MSU even has a specific study abroad opportunity for incoming freshmen, called the First-Year Seminar Abroad. Students can take advantage of a seminar abroad prior to beginning classes to get to know future classmates in a small group, gain some global exposure and prepare for a successful college experience.
4) Students who are looking for the benefits and resources of attending a big school, but who may be intimidated by the size, may be interested in enrolling in a residential college. MSU offers three residential colleges, offering students a more intimate and personalized experience in arts and sciences; public policy and public affairs; and science and interdisciplinary studies.
5) Students who are interested in engineering should definitely take a close look at MSU. The College of Engineering offers 10 different majors and the First-Year CoRe program provides outstanding support and opportunities to freshmen engineering students. In 2018, MSU saw 15% more engineering freshmen and 23% more engineering women. The CoRe program sets up first-year engineering students for success by facilitating peer, faculty and advisor connections within the engineering department, and by providing them with access to unique learning opportunities early on.