Michigan's Financial Aid Sucks

<p>ok, obviously I'm a little POed right now after getting my financial aid package, if you can even call it that. My EFC was only 7500 (not even), and yes, I am out of state, so I was very prepared to have to pay more, but I didn't think they wanted me to pay for everything. My packge was 9k, about 6 k in loans and a work study. They said I didn't even qualify for need based aid, the grant aid that you dont have to pay back. So essentially I got 0. How can you do that to someone with an EFC of 7500, who's total income is 60k a year (so they wanted half our income per year, and more if you consider that loans have to be paid back). I know this sounds like complaining, but it is just very upsetting since I was very excited about Michigan, just recently was accepted to their honors program, and now cannot even consider it. It's a shame that they have to send very qualified out of state students packing like this. Im sorry I even took a spot away from someone else seeing as it was a waste.</p>

<p>Yeah....man, I don´t know what to tell you. UM has a LOT of work to do on its fin aid program. We´re losing a lot of kids like you to other schools who do a better job w/ the money. I hope you can work something out to be able to come to UM, but I'm sorry if the package kills the dream. :-/</p>

<p>KB</p>

<p>o an that 60k is before taxes. I think I will call them on monday and find out what is up.</p>

<p>Do it...if you ***** loud and hard enough you'll at the very least get an explanation.</p>

<p>wait you dont even qualify for that grant thing? I thought my 2.6k grant was wimpy enough and my EFC is slightly higher than yours. Do call and tell us what they said. thanks!</p>

<p>Actually...better yet. If you guys are Mich residents...call up your legislators and ask them to stop shafting UM's state appropriations. The more money UM has...the better your fin aid packages will be.</p>

<p>oh. but the thing is, we're not... we're from Massachusetts. <em>scratches head</em> that basically means we don't even qualify for most scholarships UM offers -___-</p>

<p>I am sorry to hear that Ares. Michigan has definitely screwed the pooch in your case. Call them and see what's the matter. Your family income certainly qualifies you for some need-based aid. I hope you applied before November 1st. If you didn't, you may have disqualified yourself from one of Michigan's merit scholarships.</p>

<p>I couldnt apply before november 1 because I had to wait tot ake the new SATs. Screwed again.</p>

<p>Anyways I have an update now that will add a more positive spin on this thread. I was just awarded the LSA scholarship (I had no idea I was being considered for this, and don't remember applying, I did apply for the Michigan Award of Excellence, is this the same or different?). It totals 80k over 4 years, which cuts the cost in half. Although this is still a lot, and I do not know why I did not get any need based aid (is it because of this scholarship, or are those things seperate), Michigan is at least, still a consideration. I think I will still call the financial aid office on monday to see if there is any possibility of need-baed aid, the only thing I can fathom is that they were taking this scholarship into account. Anyways, this is just what I needed.</p>

<p>Glad to hear it Ares. You have $80,000 in scholarship money, $25,000 in loans and $15,000 in work-study. Your family has to come up with the remaining $8,000/year. Keep at it though Ares. You may be able to find a few more thoudands here and there. Hopefully, this changes your opinion of Michigan!</p>

<p>Man, I wish my story could have an ending like Ares's. Anyway, congratulations and I hope you end up at the school you like best, not the school that is cheapest.</p>

<p>Something is definitely wrong because your EFC is less than your cost of attendance. You definitely, by every definition in the financial aid world, "qualify" for need-based aid. At any college in the country, any day of the week. That doesn't mean you'll GET a package that fully meets your need--Michigan, like many public institutions, does need meet the full need of its nonresidents--but no one can say you didn't qualify for it.</p>