Any rational reason why an in-state applicant would choose an out-of-state public?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Michigan
1

<p>My counselor today asked where else I was applying. I said if I get accepted early action to Michigan there isn't a need to apply anywhere else. I don't need additional bragging rights, if I know where I will go. I then asked her where others were applying. She rattled off a list of private schools, which I can understand, if that's what you're looking for. But she also said some out-of-state publics, including Cal, UVa, UNC. As well as closer Big Ten schools like Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois.</p>

<p>Perhaps I'm really clueless, but can someone tell me why you'd willingly pay so much to go to an out-of-state public when you have Michigan for the incredible value of $13,000? Is this just the case of wealthy kids getting to go wherever they want because price isn't a factor?</p>

2

<p>If an instate student is both wealthy as well as unsure of their chance of acceptance to Michigan, it makes perfect sense to apply to some of the other big name schools. Every year, there are a couple of instate students who get accepted to schools like Berkeley, but rejected from Michigan. Applying to more schools can’t hurt you. </p>

<p>As for the rationale for attending an OOS public over Michigan (assuming they are admitted to both), it’s really formed on a case by case basis. Maybe another school offered a full ride or a ton of merit aid to make the price comparable or less than Michigan’s. Sometimes people just want to get far away from their home, and if they are wealthy enough to finance that, they might choose another school for that reason alone. Generally though, there really isn’t too much of a reason to turn down Michigan if you are an instate student, and that’s definitely reflected in Michigan’s extremely high resident yield rate.</p>

3

<p>The OOS publics work if they are providing merit or financial aid. Otherwise, they are going for the name or distance and Michigan is as good as any for name.</p>

4

<p>UVA and UNC Chapel Hill meet 100% of need for all students, so for a student with a lower EFC, the net cost can be the same as an in-state public university–or even lower if the in-state alternative is any public university in Michigan other than the University of Michigan, because UM is the only public university in the state that meets full need for all in-state students.</p>

<p>Cal doesn’t meet full need for OOS students, and they don’t give much merit aid to OOS students, either. They’re very clear that they’re now admitting more OOS students because they need to boost tuition revenue. So a Michigan resident is almost always going to pay more at Cal than at Michigan. Is it worth it? Well, that’s something each person needs to decide for himself. Cal has an edge in some programs, but not many, and usually not by much. So maybe for the weather, if money is no object? </p>

<p>I can’t for the life of me see why a Michigan resident would choose Ohio State, Indiana or Illinois over Michigan, unless it’s for a boatload of merit money. Now if you didn’t get into Michigan and wanted to attend a Big Ten school but didn’t like Michigan State and money was no object, I suppose that might do it; but that’s going to be a rare breed of cat. Maybe that’s why so few Michigan residents attend schools like Ohio State, Indiana, and Illinois.</p>

5

<p>Maybe those applicants have a lot of money and can afford to pay full price wherever they want to go. Weather is better in some of those places (Cal, UNC). Some people like the east coast (UVA). They might not be able to get into Michigan, but could get into Indiana, Illinois, or Ohio State. Although of course the state of Michigan has MSU as well, so that could be a backup for Michigan if they don’t get in.</p>

6

<p>I have seen stories on CC in the last month pointing out UVA financial aid package is changing and won’t be as generous in future.</p>

7

<p>

</p>

<p>You think that’s bad? I knew a dude from my high school who paid OOS tuition (we live just outside the area where you pay instate) to go to UToledo. He transferred to Eastern last I heard. But people do stupid things.</p>

<p>I knew another dude who went to Miami of Ohio. Also pretty damn stupid.</p>

8

<p>bclintonk, thank you for the informative post. I heard unless you’re a URM with top scores, it’s virtually impossible to get into UVa as a non-resident. If true, I’d assume it’s because of that 100% need? </p>

<p>What does 100% need mean? How does that apply to me as a Michigan applicant?</p>

<p>The only Big Ten schools worth OOS tuition are Michigan & Northwestern (private), IMO. Paying OOS to go to Bloomington? More money than brains.</p>

<p>Miami of Ohio is a private school and a few kids I know are applying. I have no idea why it’s such a draw for wealthy Midwest kids. It’s academics don’t seem all that impressive. And a girl I know at Ohio State said Miami lets anyone who can pay in. If OSU is making fun of you, you know it’s bad.</p>

9

<p>

[About</a> Miami - Miami University](<a href=“About Miami University | Miami University”>About Miami University | Miami University)
“Miami University is a public university located in Oxford, Ohio.”</p>

<p>Some OOS publics might offer good aid and could therefore be cheaper than Michigan. Otherwise, I don’t see it, unless the student in question has a lot of money to burn and really hates MI.</p>

10

<p>I know a kid that went out of state because he wanted Petroleum Engineering but didn’t want Michigan Tech. I also know kids that went out of state for specific geology and archeology programs. Most tippy top kids in Michigan will go to Michigan if accepted, unless they have a very specific course of study or are targeting a very specific program (CAL vs. UofM etc.) Oh and I know one kid who went to Ohio State because his mother, father and two siblings went there (all are medical doctors). He was planning on biomedical engineering and now is in medical school (got his BME from Ohio State.) so major, family traditions, and ability to pay all can drive a student’s decision.</p>

11

<p>I also think its a bit unusual. I couldn’t imagine going to any school other than Michigan if accepted in-state (excluding top 10 schools maybe)</p>

12

<p>"(excluding top 10 schools maybe)"</p>

<p>I’d say only HYPSM are worth a premium over Michigan.</p>

13

<p>

</p>

<p>Wow! I stand corrected. I’m sorry. I would have bet anything that Miami was a private school. So how does it draw so many wealthy Midwest kids? It’s called like Preppy U or something.</p>

14

<p>There are also students get full scholarship with National Merit Scholar status at many oos public schools. UMich is great but there are also other great public schools too. UIUC and Purdue have great engineering. Usually, you need to be rich or poor or able to get merit aid to go oos. On the other hand, there are many oos public schools that are not much more expensive than UMich in state (e.g. Minnesota). There are even a mid-west student exchange program to subsidize at least part of the oos tuition cost. There are many good reasons to apply to oos public schools in addition to in state at UMich.</p>

15

<p>

</p>

<p>I went to Michigan, and have to disagree. The original thread is about OOS publics, and in most cases I do agree with that. But I think there are some top LACs that could be a better fit for some students who don’t want the large university experience. It is not the best place for everyone.</p>

16

<p>billcsho, you can’t really compare the academic quality of Michigan and Minnesota, though, even if costs are the same. I have degrees from both of them, and Michigan is head and shoulders above Minnesota academically, especially in the quality of students. I would tell my kid they were crazy to pick Minnesota if they had the choice between them with in-state tuition at Michigan. Now… if they didn’t get into Michigan, MN could be a good choice.</p>

17

<p>“But I think there are some top LACs that could be a better fit for some students who don’t want the large university experience.”</p>

<p>I was referring only to research universities.</p>

18

<p>This is such an easy question to ask, as long as one lives in Michigan, California, North Carolina, or Virginia (and perhaps a few other states). Not so much if one lives in, say, Tennessee. Not all public university systems were created equal…</p>

19

<p>

</p>

<p>Each school will calculate your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) based on information you supply about your family’s income and assets. “Need” is essentially the difference between Cost of Attendance (COA)–including tuition and fees, room and board, books, travel, and miscellaneous expenses–and EFC, with an additional deduction for the amount the school expects every student to contribute out of term-time and summer earnings, known as Estimated Student Contribution (ESC). “Need” will vary from school to school depending on COA, how they calculate EFC, and the figure they use for ESC. Schools committed to meeting full need are essentially promising that they’ll provide enough in financial aid (grants/scholarships, loans, and work/study jobs) that EFC + ESC + financial aid = full COA for every student. But the exact mix of grants, loans, and work/study can also vary widely by school. Obviously you’re better off financially if there’s a smaller amount of loans in the mix; loans are not “aid,” exactly, they’re just a way of spreading the cost over a longer period. Work/study isn’t “free money,” either; it’s just a guarantee that you’ll be among a group of students getting first crack at certain campus jobs, but you still need to work for it.</p>

<p>If a Michigan resident is admitted to UNC Chapel Hill, that student’s need will be calculated to reflect the cost of OOS tuition. If you’re eligible for need-based aid at the University of Michigan, you’ll likely also be eligible for need-based aid at UNC Chapel Hill, and although the nominal cost of attending UNC is higher, your net cost after FA should be pretty similar to Michigan. Obviously, this makes schools like UNC attractive to OOS applicants. The reason it’s hard for OOS applicants to get in, though, is that (unlike Michigan) UNC puts a strict cap on the number of OOS students it will admit.</p>

<p>UVA’s policy until recently was similar to UNC’s, but they found it too expensive, so they’re no longer committed to meeting full need for OOS students.</p>

<p>Michigan doesn’t currently meet full need for OOS students but is committed to moving toward that goal, and the University’s next capital campaign, which is just about to launch publicly, will make it a priority to bring in the additional financial resources to make that goal a reality. In a sense, then, Michigan and UVA are moving in opposite directions on this question.</p>

<p>Cal seems to have little interest at present in meeting full need for OOS students, seeing them as a “cash cow” to make up in tuition revenue what they’ve lost in state appropriations.</p>

20

<p>

</p>

<p>Very true. And the University of Michigan benefits enormously from that, insofar as it’s seen as a huge upgrade over in-state public options in many states, especially in the Northeast where higher education is highly valued but where the state flagships often fall short of the level of quality that many students and parents are looking for.</p>