Can't choose a school for engineering.

College Search & Selection
1

I seem to be in a good (but difficult) situation for my school choices.

I am from a rural town (but go to an academy), attend a community college for some courses, and also attend a pre- engineering program.

I have interned at a local engineering company, worked on robotics teams, and am currently working on the mate ROV competition.

Stats
State:MI
ACT:30
No rank
GPA:3.99/4
Ap classes: lang and env science: 5

Honors: Physics, Economic, English,
Dual enrollment: Calc 1,2,3 Diff EQ, cultural anthropology, online drafting, English composition, Pyschology, U.S. History

I have applied and been accepted at all schools. I will attach approx cost of attendance. I have to pay for college by myself, I have an efc that is decent but could be worse. I applied a little late for fafsa, so just merit aid cost for now.

Michigan Tech -$23000
Michigan State- $27000 ish
University of Michigan Engineering - $27,000 ish
Lawrence Tech- $24000
Alma (no eng)- $23000
Alabama- full tutiion- $14000-15000 including some transportation
Kettering- quite expensive
University of Detroit Mercy $17,000

All these schools are great. I have only got the chance to visit the first three of them on the list so far.

My top choices based on cost and all non-monitary reasons are

University of Michigan
Alabama
University of Detroit Mercy

My lowest choice are
Alma
Kettering

All others are also great.

This is a really tough choice for me since I do not want to be crippled by debt, but I also do not want to blindly attend a school just because it is the cheapest. I would like to stay close to home, but I know it would be valuable to grow up and experience a different culture through Alabama. Would any of these schools be bad really for engineering?

2

I think Kettering and Alma can be ruled out pretty easily, since there are cheaper options and you don’t like them much.

A little confused about the costs. You say you’ll pay for school yourself - are those costs annual? And if so, are you able to pay upwards of $15k.year?

3

How will you pay for any of them? You can’t take that much out in loans in your name. Is someone co-signing loans? Do you have money saved?

4

I’d first eliminate the most expensive options inculding Kettering and Alma. If affordable I’d go with UMichigan or UAlabama, If with aid Mi State comes out less than UM that would be a good option as well. All would be good choices.

5

I have some money saved. I can have loans co signed. What I meant by that line was that my parents will cosign for loans. We will qualify for some loans through the fafsa.

What I meant is that I am expected to pay for school through loans and any other means (work study), Sorry for any confusion. I want to try to avoid any bank loans if possible (sister is still trying to get rid of that Chase loan).

My parents will be more helpful for loans and that process.

6

Then I would do Alabama and try for a coop as early as possible. From everything I’ve read coops are a big thing there and pay well. It also could be a big plus that you can save on living expenses more after freshman year.

7

Here is the calculator you want: http://www.finaid.org/calculators/awardletteradvanced.phtml

Run the numbers again. Include your own best estimate for transportation costs to and from campus a at least two times a year for Alabama and other far-away OOS campuses, and more often for closer places where you would be able to pop home for every short break. Put in a figure for other personal expenses and a figure for books - those are likely to be pretty much the same wherever you study.

Right now it looks like Alabama is the only place that is remotely affordable for you, but that might change if your transportation costs are too high.

8

The lowest = Alabama. Assuming you aren’t Pell eligible (I hope not) you can afford that with a student loan, working over the summer and a $5K parents loan. Alabama is ABET accredited, just like UMich, and you’ll earn the same.

9

<<<<
Alabama- full tutiion- $14000-15000 including some transportation
<<<

As an eng’g major, your costs would be lower than that. You’d get free tuition PLUS 2500 per year. did you get that 2500 award letter? If not, send an email to Saskia Clayton in eng’g to get that award.

Also…you can further cut costs by not selecting the most expensive dorm. A standard double will save you about $3k-4k more. You could easily get costs to be around $10k…

Try to work over summers to lessen any loans.

10

You should see what your net cost is, most colleges do not require the FASFA with 2015 tax information until March 1.

11

<<<
I have an efc that is decent but could be worse. I applied a little late for fafsa, so just merit aid cost for now.


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What is your EFC??

12

Alabama unless you can get more aid that would bring down cost of U.Mich (in which case, Michigan).

13

U of Alabama.

14

UA; can find you can co-op/intern through the places near home - UA has intern office and Co-op office that can work with you. Co-op would be better for you - the structure, income earned, progressive work experiences.

DD is attending UA and is having a great experience. You do need to visit to help you decide. Too bad you didn’t come during Scholars event in January - you could have structured for seeing campus/depts on Friday and gone through the honors program Saturday. You are also eligible (as the last OOS entering fall 2016) with Engineering/CS getting the additional scholarship so you have full tuition scholarship plus $2500/year engineering - after that all majors you would need ACT 32 for full tuition scholarship (the ACT 30 would be 2/3 OOS tuition scholarship).

Even with your parents willing to ‘help you’ by co-signing loans, you are digging a financial hole you don’t need to. However you do need to visit UA to see for yourself.

15

EFC is 7,500.

16

As a Michigan resident, aren’t you eligible for some grants and financial aid at Michigan with an EFC that low? That might bring down the cost to at or below Alabama. And transportation would be less.

17

UMich uses both the Profile and non-custodial Profile.

18

Filled out the Profile. Waiting on financial aid packages. Will send out transcripts and see if any credits transfer (30 community college), 8 AP credits, after a slight edit is made. Or how they transfer? (Some classes are 3 or 4 credits)

I just wanted to ask you guys a different question.

For U of Detroit Mercy I was accepted into their 5 year master’s program. Let’s assume the cost is similar between just U of Michigan and U of Detroit Mercy (exclude Alabama), would a Master’s Degree and a little bit more debt be better than a Bachelor’s at University of Michigan for a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

19

You are going to have better long term prospects with a masters degree. Michigan also has a combined 5 year BSE/MSE (SUGS program) which is going to be better than UD-Mercy. The big advantage of Michigan is better recruiting and networking, plus access to more and better research opportunities.

Alabama is growing rapidly and you will find many manufacturing related opportunities in the south through UA.

20

I have decided to attend University of Michigan based on a financial aid package which is similar yet somewhat larger in cost compared to alabama. Thanks for all the advice.