<p>^^^</p>
<p>I might be able to understand not having a German major anymore, but does that mean no German minor and/or no German classes at all will be offered for those in international studies or international business?</p>
<p>I’m glad to be a student at the University of Michigan. Simply because, we are still prospering despite the economic recession. Even though I pay out of state tuition, it’s worth it. My family isn’t poor either. Average salary for students at the University of Michigan is about 200,000. Many families can afford the education. The education is top-notch, the atmosphere is amazing, and the faculty is very knowledgeable. Even though we lost 20% of our endowment, it is still the 6th or 7th highest in the nation.</p>
<p>I hear that UCLA library hours were cut or something of the sort. What beats the 24 hour Duderstat library at Michigan? Nothing!</p>
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<p>That’s pretty impressive. Do you have a link to statistics showing this?</p>
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<p>I guess so.</p>
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<p>Do you have the amount handy?</p>
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<p>How are the first year writing courses at Michigan?</p>
<p>Well our endowment was 7.6 Billion. It is now about 5.6 Billion. A more than 20% reduction. This number comes from Mary Sue Coleman’s: State of the University Address: "Our endowment – one of the largest among public universities – is down more than 20 percent. No organization can absorb a 20 percent loss in investments and not feel it, but we are slowly recovering, because of an investment strategy that is conservative, highly diversified, and squarely focused on long-term performance. " <a href=“http://umich.edu/pres/speech/speeches/091004sotu.php[/url]”>http://umich.edu/pres/speech/speeches/091004sotu.php</a></p>
<p>“According to the most recent survey of freshmen, about 14% reported family incomes below $50,000. About 31% reported family incomes between $50,000 and $100,000, and about 55% reported family incomes greater than $100,000.” The average is 200,000. This number comes from several of the RA’s, professors and advisors that I have talked to.</p>
<p>First year writing isn’t too bad from what I have heard. I haven’t taken it yet. I’m not sure of the quality, but most students say that it is very helpful, especially if you use campus resources, such as the Sweet land Writing Center.</p>
<p>Also what is interesting is, despite the economic recession U-M spent about 200 million more dollars this year on research alone. Our research output is about 1.02 billion dollars now. All statistics can be found at U-M website.</p>
<p>How are the first year writing courses at Michigan?</p>
<p>I hear they are pretty good. ;)</p>
<p>I think the average family income is over $100,000… $200,000 looks a little rich. They were over $100,000 5 years ago. With this economy, are they higher or lower now?</p>
<p>UMich does have one of the larger endowments. </p>
<p>The school is doing well. The school has been adjusting to an economic reality for 30 years. As the article in the NY Times states.</p>
<p>BCEagle91, if you like big oos schools, Mich is a pretty good school. Check it out.</p>
<p>Edit: So the median is a little higher than $100,000.</p>
<p>Entertainer, glad you like the school.</p>
<p>I love it here. The academics are very hard, but with effort and determination, nothing is impossible. I would recommend U-M to any student. They are generous, in terms of aid for students that really need it. At times I think U-M has to be an expensive school 7% funding for the state is abysmal. Not only that, the economy of Michigan is awful. Few people stay in Michigan after graduating. Although I would say a Michigan degree is very well respected (From what I hear). U-M over enrolled by about 500 students this year. The incoming class size was 6071. It is a very big school, but I guess that can be a positive or negative aspect.</p>
<p>When I visited many times, I always enjoyed the school and Ann Arbor. Well, not the weather. </p>
<p>I loved the school spirit. And the academics looked damn hard to me.</p>
<p>Bu you’re right, my daughter left. Her boyfriend left. Most of her roommates left the state after they graduated. They were oos and they didn’t stay.</p>
<p>I liked Mary Sue Coleman’s speech.</p>
<p>Yea the weather is pretty bad. People leaving the state after they graduate negatively affects the school and the state. Ann Arbor is a very nice town/small city. It is rated one of the best college towns. School spirit is on another level here. EVERYONE has school spirit and pride. Some people think its annoying, but I think its great, especially at sporting events like Football Saturdays.</p>
<p>I was wondering: Because of the recession many public universities have lost funding. Are public universities going to drastically increase tuition rates for the 2010-11 school year?</p>
<p>I think the increases for public schools this year is over 6%. This is a lot considering the economy is weak and there isn’t supposed to be any inflation.</p>
<p>Some day the increases are going to slow down. I don’t think they are for the next couple of years. The schools need the money. So the student bodies of the top schools will probably come from more wealthy families.</p>
<p>UMich is definitely not cheap.</p>
<p>I don’t think that German is realistically a “core” world language any more. Our high school is phasing it out in one more year, only one middle school offers it, and enrollments are very, very low. At some point teachers and parents with students in packed Spanish and French classes that often have 33-36 students pointed out the disparity of German classes with 7-12 kids in each grade level. We started offering Chinese two years ago, and enrollments are already much, much higher than German has had any time in the past ten years. Students are voting with their feet, and German isn’t what they’re voting for. It would be foolish for colleges not to consider that.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>I guess it’s a regional thing. German is SUPER popular in Alabama, but that’s probably because so many German scientists came here after WWII (Wernher von Braun and others) to help develop the space program and other rockets.</p>
<p>My kids’ high school’s German classes are full. There’s an annual trip to Germany that many kids go on. My kids’ high school offers…Spanish, Latin, German, and French. French is the least popular; it’s become a “girl language” here - no boys ever take it.</p>
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German is a key language of scholarship. Chinese is not.</p>
<p>Germany has the 3rd strongest economy in the world. German is the 2nd most popular language in Europe after English. Germany is a leader in business and engineering.</p>
<p>Most colleges have more prudence than to pander to the whims of freshmen.</p>
<p>I think Mandarin is going to be an up and coming language to know. China is going to have the world’s largest economy before many of us are dead.</p>
<p>At UTexas there are 12 new construction projects currently in the works (including a new student union. It’s going to be awesome!) The Texas economy is very diverse and didn’t get hit that badly compared to the US as a whole.</p>
<p>It’s still a much, much better deal for Texas students to go here than pay over twice as much to go out of state to a program that is likely only slightly better (if it’s one of the few that’s better at all) than the one offered here. Besides, the majority of your classes will be under 30 students even here.</p>
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<p>I like big schools in general. In-state/out-of-state doesn’t matter but New England Regional Pricing is nice. Our family isn’t going to get any kind of need-based aid. There are other reasons for being relatively local unrelated to price. One dad I know had to make a round-trip run to his son’s OOS school to scoop him up because of Swine Flu. He will have to return him in a week assuming he is better then.</p>
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<p>Overseas Chinese are estimated at 40 million. China’s population is estimated at 1.3 billion (2007). Germany’s is around 82 million with “zero or declining growth” and an “aging population.”</p>
<p>I work in a very large software engineering company. In my building the demographics run about 1/3rd white, 1/3rd indian and 1/3rd chinese. I know of two engineers from Germany. Asia looks to be the future economic powerhouse.</p>
<p>BCEagle91, then there are better choices than Mich for your son. I find the oos costs sickening. I remember eating breakfast in a cafe in Ann Arbor with my wife and daughter and thinking, “$40,000 a year after tax money”. I did kind of feel a little sick. Then I got the bill for breakfast. $15 bucks for 3 people. I did smile at that. At least $30 where I live now. No. More.</p>
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<p>Our son started college at 15 and liked the professors at his local university. I just paid out of state prices for his first full-time year ($20K). Then they started offering New England Regional Student Program pricing ($14K). Very nice. I was willing to pay full-fare private but our son is as cheap as I am.</p>
<p>It’s a strange game that we play with college administrators, our kids and admissions officers. The price ranges are huge and there are a huge number of factors that determine fit. $5/person for breakfast at a cafe is no surprise. Easy to do that with a coffee and breakfast sandwich at Dunkin Donuts or McDonalds. There are a lot of costs in running a business today.</p>
<p>My wife makes me breakfast today (or lunch if I’m not hungry in the morning). A loaf of whole wheat Mathews bread is $2 on sale and provides 20 slices for ten cents a slice. A dozen eggs runs $2 locally so you can make an egg sandwhich for 30 cents. Maybe add 30 cents for fuel and olive oil and spices and a little milk. I think that peanut butter is similarly inexpensive. Food is cheap in the US if you buy the raw materials.</p>
<p>I can buy a 50 lb bag of rice pretty cheap in a local asian supermarket and that will provide a lot of meals with a cheap rice cooker. That’s what I used to make lunch and dinner when I was single. I’d just buy some vegetables and throw it in with rice in the rice cooker.</p>
<p>Minnesota = Best Value in Education right now, just sayin…</p>
<p>A whole wheat loaf is over $3 at Safeway. The cafe was better than a McDonald’s. I only eat the fries at McDonald’s. </p>
<p>That rice and vegetable combination sounds very good.</p>
<p>So how old is your son now? He’s going to be a junior?</p>