Now, more than ever, success is an individual journey. And it’s a destination with many different paths.

Michigan’s top 14 independent colleges and universities are committed to producing students who plot their own course to excellence. We’re a community of doers. We help achieve remarkable results on our own terms.

Students are different because the institutions are different. Classes are smaller. They’re taught by professors – the masters in their fields – rather than graduate students. They don’t give students the answers. They help find them.

Purposefully smaller, independents emphasize community over crowds. Most have enrollments of less than 3,000 students. That encourages unity and cohesion, an experience that simply isn’t found at larger universities. The fact that they’re located in some of the most beautiful pockets of Michigan only adds to the experience.

And, despite what you’ve heard, attending an independent is often less expensive than a public institution. Many are nationally ranked as some of the most affordable in the Midwest.

Be bold. Be different. Be big. Go independent.