First off I would like to note some things that are crucial. I am an out of state student and first generation. I knew U-M wouldn’t give me much aid because I am out of state, which is understandable. For months, I have prepped and prayed for some good financial aid. I applied to several local and some U-M scholarships in hopes of covering what I thought would be ~25k debt a year.
I need help. I’m out of state, and my parents make ~60k a year. Today I woke up and checked wolverine access for the thousandth time in hopes of seeing my financial aid package. Sadly its not at all what I expected.
From what I understand I got zero aid. ZERO. Only federal loans and work-study. Is this correct? I hope I’m wrong but I don’t think I am sadly.
What do I do…
I’m sad, annoyed, and depressed that after all my hard work and finally getting in. I won’t be able to go. Is it worth the debt? Even when my parents cant support me financially?
I plan on calling the Financial Aid Office on Monday. To hopefully work something out or see if there is some kind of mistake.
Did you complete and submit the CSS Profile?
You may just have to go to your in state flagship.
It is not worth the debt.
Michigan does not owe out of state students anything.
@TQfromtheU I did complete it.
@TomSrOfBoston “Michigan does not owe out of state students anything.” That’s quite cruel of them. If they are aware of my financial situation then why give such bad aid. All that work to get in and then I’m just slapped with zero aid because of the fact that I’m “out of sate”.
Edit: I understand though. It’s a public university that gives preference to instate. It’s just annoying cause I’m just as much a wolverine as any other student.
No, your parents have never paid taxes in Michigan. Michigan residents have supported the university through their taxes.
What is your home state?
review everything you submitted FAFSA and CSS profile very carefully and see if you made a mistake and reported higher income than you have. Did you double check to make sure the school actually received your CSS profile. Maybe they never got it and so you did not get any need based aid. Call them and double check. Double check what reported too.
@mom0126 Yeah I plan on doing that on Monday. Hopefully, this is all a mistake.
@TomSrOfBoston Flordia is my home state.
“No, your parents have never paid taxes in Michigan.”
That’s not the point I’m trying to make, but ok.
It may not be the point you are trying to make but it is the reality of your situation that you will have to deal with. What is wrong with the University of Florida?
@TomSrOfBoston It might be the reality but it is a reality I don’t want to face. With my families financial aid background there is no way this is the type of aid I should get in or out of state. And there is nothing wrong with UF, but quite simply the quality of the engineering program is not on the same level as Michigan’s. I’ve put in the work, hours, and blood to get into Michigan. Gone through so much just for money to be my limiting factor. So hopefully I can work something out.
You can only borrow ~$5500/year, so it’s not a question of whether or not it’s worth the debt. You can’t borrow anywhere near that much.
The cost of attendance for the University of Mich. is more than your family’s yearly income. Do they meet need for OOS students? A grant of $50k/year+ seems like a lot to expect from a state school.
Did you apply to any schools in FL? What are your financial safeties?
Just because it’s the reality you don’t want to face doesn’t make a difference. The state’s mission is to educate ITS students. States are having a hard enough time doing that these days. They can’t finance kids from other states. That’s the way it is. There’s no “fair” or “unfair” about it.
Did your family report assets in excess of $50,000? Rental property or cash/stock investments outside of retirement accounts. It is not just income, and I know you said elsewhere that your father has a small business. The school seems to provide need based assistance, based on CSS Profile responses.
@austinmshauri Yes, I did apply to Florida schools.
I wasn’t expecting $50k/year in grants, but I was expecting some aid. $20k/year would be nice, $10k would also be ok, but zero? I wasn’t expecting anything too big as I explained in the post, but 0 seems crazy.
@TQfromtheU Assets weren’t over 50k. And his small business was his income for the year since he pays himself what is left over.
I’m truly sorry that you became obsessed with a school that your family could not afford. There are lots of private engineering schools that give the same aid to all, regardless of what state you are from. There are also state schools that give great merit awards. UAH is often mentioned in that category. They will take applications until August 1st or until full. https://www.uah.edu/admissions/undergraduate/financial-aid/scholarships
Or, perhaps you could take a gap year and build a new, more financially viable college list
Did you run the Net Price Calculator?
@bodangles Yup I did several times, and it brought the net cost down to ~15k-20k.
This happens a lot here on these posts and it is heartbreaking. Students who apply to OOS schools not understanding public financial aid are often surprised that don’t receive any state funding.
Your parents income and being first generation affects funding at private schools.
That information should have come from from your GC.
IT will not change the fact that the State barely has enough money to fund their own residents.
It is a PUBLIC state university. State taxes from Michigan fund these universities. They simply don’t have the money to fund non-residents. Where would they get it? It’s just not there. They need the cash from OOS students to fund their residents. That’s where your parents money comes in.
I am sorry, but hoping for months for a full ride, indicates that you did not seek information from your guidance counselor, nor did you check the NPC with your parents to see if they could afford $20k per year. You also did not contact their financial aid office prior to applying.
You got in, how will your fees be paid?
Your parents may not qualify for these large loans.
As a student, you also don’t qualify for much.
Trying to get instate residency will not work because you need to reside, be employed full-time, and be self-sustaining (no financial help from anyone) paying Michigan state taxes, without attending any university in Michigan for a period of time. http://ro.umich.edu/resreg.php If you are under age 24, where your parents reside will automatically categorize you as a nonresident if they haven’t been living and working in Michigan.
I’m sorry but you can’t afford this school.
Where else did you apply?
@onceortwice