<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I'm a New Yorker but a Michigan resident. I've been accepted to both University of Michigan and Columbia University. I'm thinking of majoring in Human Rights and am much more intrigued with the program at Columbia, but due to my in-state status Univ. of Michigan would be drastically cheaper. I know UofM has a good reputation, but is it worth re-locating and giving up my option in the Ivies? Or, is Columbia going to be worth taking the financial risk considering UofM is a highly regarded state school? HELP! ; )</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>U of M is one of the best schools in the country. Since it’s half the price of Columbia, the academic quality of the schools is quite similar, and you’re getting a degree where the name of the school doesn’t make a major difference in your future salary, U of M is by far the better option financially.</p>
<p>If you feel you’d be happy at U of M, you should go there, as you’ll win financially and still get an excellent education. Ultimately, the Ivies aren’t really all that spectacular anymore. Yes, they’re among the best, but they’re by no means the only schools of their caliber. There’s plenty of top schools as good as or even better than the Ivies.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input!</p>
<p>Any other thoughts out there?</p>
<p>“drastically cheaper”</p>
<p>Definitely Michigan.</p>
<p>If you don’t believe me, run the numbers here: [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Award Letter Comparison Tool](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Award Letter Requirements - Finaid)</p>