<p>My dad wants me to go to a cheaper school for 2 years before I move to University of Michigan because he says the beginning curriculum is pretty much the same everywhere, and why pay x$ for the same information when he can pay cheaper elsewhere. Is that ok, because it does not seem right to me? </p>
<p>Also say I go to this cheaper school for 2 years, is it possible to have my whole (or most) tuition payed just by scholarships?</p>
<p>We need more info.</p>
<p>Are you out-of-state for UMich? If so, the COA for OOS is about $50k per year. So, yes, it could be cheaper if you go to a decent school first and then transfer.</p>
<p>As to your question about merit at these cheaper schools. What are your stats? There’s no way we can answer whether you could get merit, if we don’t know your stats. Include GPA weighted and uweighted. </p>
<p>Include ACT and SAT scores - include SAT breakdown for Math, Critical Reading and Writing.</p>
<p>What is your home state?</p>
<p>Not all schools offer great merit scholarships - especially to OOS students.</p>
<p>Which schools would your dad rather you go to for your first 2 years?</p>
<p>Your dad is referring to Core Curriculum or General Ed classes that many/most colleges require. You run the risk of taking classes that UMich won’t accept. You’d have to carefully pick classes that would satisfy UMich’s requirements; it can be done, you’d just have to be careful.</p>
<p>I don’t know what your family’s financial situation is, but paying at least $100k for your junior and senior year at UMich (as an OOS student) would be a lot of money for most parents. It doesn’t surprise me that your dad wouldn’t want to spend over $200k for all 4 years if another option was available.</p>
<p>As mom2coll says, more specifics are needed. I know someone who went to Wayne State and commuted for two years and then went to UMich, living on campus. Saved money that way. So it is entirely possible. I know a young lady who did very well at SUNY Purchase for 2 years and is now getting her degree from Fordham, still commuting, but saved money those years with the state tuition, plus a generous grant from Purchase.</p>
<p>I live in michigan
3.5 gpa (weighted)
Lots of honors and ap classes
act-31
sat
Critical Reading 620<br>
Math 620<br>
Writing 520 </p>
<p>He wants me to go to a decent school like wayne state, oakland U, or
University of Detroit (hes leaning toward this) and wants me to go to the one where I can get the most scholarship money.
He said whatever money I can save him in scholarship money will go to my savings account so im really intersted in figuring out what truly to do</p>
<p>Well U of Detroit is over twice the cost of U of Michigan AA, and even with good scholarship money, I don’t think your chances are great of getting a full ride or knocking out most of it to the point that it would be helpful to your dad (then again, I don’t know anything first hand about their merit awards, just going off of hearsay and educated guesses). Oakland and Wayne State are about on par for tuition and are cheaper than Ann Arbor, but the U of M campuses in Dearborn and Flint (yuck) are essentially the same, and personally, I would choose one of those. Transferring to the flagship university is typically a lot easier once you’re already in the U of M system, and because those campuses aren’t as desirable/well-known, you might have a shot at more aid since they have less students. Just something to consider…</p>
<p>ive actually heard the opposite of what you said, that its not any easier to go from uofm dearborn to AA. Man, Im so confused.</p>
<p>You should ask UMich which community colleges they have agreements with for course transfers. I’m sure that’s what your dad was referring to.</p>
<p>Yeah that was my next thought too, Erin’s. Shemer - I’d check both options, and actually contact the admissions offices or the departments you’re interested in, that way you (hopefully) get more specific information.</p>
<p>Why does your dad think University of Detroit would be cheaper. Has he looked at the scholarship page or is he just “guessing” that it would be cheaper thru scholarships.</p>
<p><a href=“Apply | University of Detroit Mercy”>Apply | University of Detroit Mercy;
<p>Look on page 2 - far right chart.</p>
<p>It looks like you “might” get a scholarship between $13,500-15,500 per year if your ECs are right (the chart seem purposely vague because “Leadership potential or community service” is considered, therefore the scholarships aren’t “automatically awarded” if you have specific stats. ) Nothing is guaranteed here. </p>
<p>Your dad can’t “count” on whether you’d be awarded anything from UD Mercy.</p>
<p>BTW…if your dad has looked at the “tuition” costs on the UDM webpage, make sure that he realizes that those costs are “per SEMESTER”…they aren’t “per year.”</p>
<p>Cost of Attendance for UDetroit Mercy
$28,920.00 Tuition
$14,003.00 Living Expenses:
8,590.00 Room and board
1,522.00 Books and supplies
816.00 Health insurance – deducted for Canadian Applicants
3,075.00 Personal and miscellaneous fees
$42,923.00 TOTAL (Higher for Engineering students)</p>
<p>But, now is not the time to argue…Apply to several schools, including UMich, and then you’ll know is the Spring which is the financially and academically best decision.</p>
<p>What will you be majoring in? It doesn’t sound like you’re interested in going to a community college, if not, then you need to brainstorm with some alternatives if your dad doesn’t want you to go to UMich for the first two years.</p>
<p>BTW…could there be another reason why your dad wouldn’t want you to go that school for the first 2 years? Maybe he’s afraid of sending you to such a big school when you’re young.</p>
<p>I think you should apply to various schools and then make a decision. I don’t believe you’ll be automatically admitted to Umich with those grades, so it might not be an option. What year are you talking about? Have you already applied? If not, you may want to get right on that if you’re a senior.</p>
<p>Unless UofD offers you scholarships, it will not be cheaper than UMich. Unless you live at home and commute to OU or Wayne, it will not be significantly cheaper. </p>
<p>I also do not agree with your father that all the core classes are the same anywhere. My kids graduated from UMich, but took classes over the summer at OU in areas that were not in their major to free up time in their schedule. My engineering son took Philosophy at OU and my LS&A son took calculus. They found those classes at OU much easier than at Umich.</p>
<p>But if your family finances are such that it would be a struggle to pay four years of tuition and room and board in Ann Arbor, then I think you should at least listen to your father.</p>
<p>This is not the time to argue with dad, because neither of you have any facts (acceptances/scholarships) in hand. The whole argument could become moot if you don’t get accepted to UMich or you don’t get the scholarships your dad thinks you can get elsewhere.</p>
<p>RE: The question about lower-division classes elsewhere… That depends on your chosen major. If you’re going into engineering, then the answer is likely “no” because those classes are often sequenced and a “set program” for all 4 years. You could run the risk of taking your math and physics class at a school that isn’t strong in those areas and then you’d have problems as an upperclassman.</p>
<p>If you’re going to major in business or econ or similar, then you could go elsewhere, do the Gen Ed req’ts and likely be fine. But, it needs to be a good school that UMich will accept its credits (that can be a problem if UMich is picky)</p>
<p>So apply wide and soon! (scholarship deadlines are approaching!!)</p>
<p>Does you dad want you to live at home for the first 2 years? Is that the REAL issue???</p>
<p>This might all be for nothing anyway because a 3.5 GPA is NOT guarenteed to get into UMich. However, what is your income range? Doesn’t umich meet full need for low income (or all…?) instate kids?</p>
<p>he’s absolutely right</p>
<p>I don’t think the OP is “low income.”</p>
<p>The OP wrote…"He said whatever money I can save him in scholarship money will go to my savings account so im really intersted in figuring out what truly to do "</p>
<p>Those aren’t the words of a low-income family.</p>
<p>Does your dad want you to live at home? You said 3.5 weighted and most Mich schools don’t weight (because UofM didn’t weight GPAs) but your ACT score is good and the Mich schools typically have a history with the Mich high schools so they can evaluate what that means (3.5w), you would be in good shape for State. It would depend on what major you are interested in. The costs in Michigan range from lower costs at Northern and then they go up from there with UofM the most expensive. You could take CC classes, but work very closely with UMich and your CC if you want to transfer to make sure you are taking classes that align with their transfer criteria. Many of the directional colleges (northern, central, western, etc.) have auto scholarships based on ACT/GPA and those are on their websites. Northwestern in Traverse City is a two year college but does have dorm facilities. Get on the websites so you can have a conversation with your dad. Several of my older sons friends (children of docs and other professionals) did 2 years at the CC then transferred to Big 10 schools so it’s not totally unusual in Michigan. Some lived at home, some lived in apartments with friends.</p>
<p>OP…</p>
<p>do you go to a Catholic school? Is that why your school weighs GPA?</p>
<p>I getting this feeling that your dad just really wants you to either live at home and go to school for the first 2 years, or go to school very close by.</p>
<p>Is that what’s going on?</p>
<p>Threeboys, I actually wouldn’t recommend State. Merit awards are very scarce unless you’re in the honors college and those stats won’t get into the honors college (unless your school has very deflated GPAs). Financial aid is better at UMich than State as well. Plus costs are virtually the same.</p>
<p>I really don’t think the OP is going to be qualifying for FA. His posts imply that his family has the ability to pay, but the dad is just seeking less expensive options.</p>
<p>Romanig, I wasn’t thinking about state in terms of finaid - more in terms of the 3.5 weighted/31 ACT. OP I think the key here is if your dad wants you to stay home for two years and commute in the Detroit area, or if he is simply thinking a “less expensive” school and transfer for your junior year to Ann Arbor. Also are you at one of the rigorious Detroit area privates? If so, that 3.5 means something different than if you are in public school.</p>
<p>Are you speaking just of acceptance then? Because I don’t understand the point of applying to state if the dad isn’t going to pay for UMich. Unless they are closer to state and can commute or something.</p>