Transfer to Michigan to do an Extra year? Advise.

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Michigan
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I have been accepted as a sophomore transfer to University of Michigan from University of Toronto in Canada. I am currently accepted in LSA but I hope to transfer to Ross because I want to do a majors in Finance. As a transfer, I could not directly apply to Ross because you need to at least 13.5 credits in the U.S. to be eligible to apply for Ross. That means, I have to do about one year in LSA, then an additional 3 years at Ross. That would total up my undergrad life to about 5 years (given that I transfer to Ross). </p>

<p>What do you guys think about the situation? I am currently enrolled in the Commerce program at UofT which is prestigious itself, but on the other hand, Michigan and Ross are just another level. </p>

<p>If cost is not an issue, is doing an extra year at a better college a good idea? Let me know what you guys think.</p>

2

<p>Congratulations. If cost is truly not an issue, I think you will enjoy the UMich experience and I see no reason not to undertake the extra year. At the same time, I do have to ask if it is truly worth the extra expenditure to you to have the Ross experience.</p>

<p>U of T, IMHO, is not terribly far behind Michigan in terms of academic strength and prestige on the world stage (though obviously Michigan is a much stronger “brand” in the US, and is very prestigious internationally as well).</p>

<p>The difference in net cost each year will, by my calculations as a full pay, be about a minimum of $30,000 as you will be an international student. (And actually, that’s assuming that you’re paying to live very WELL in Toronto – if you’re an average student, the difference is more likely to be in the $40,000 range.) </p>

<p>Over four years, that’s a differential of at least $120,000, or more possibly, $160,000. And when you think about it, if your parents spend that $120,000 – well, that’s $120,000 less they have to give you for other things or to leave to you at some future point. So I would consider carefully the value of this pursuit in economic terms, whether you can afford it or not. If 120k is a drop in the bucket for your family – go for it. If it represents a substantial chunk of their financial reserves…think twice.</p>

<p>Perhaps it’s my ex-pat bias, but as much as my son LOVES Umich, and as wonderful a school as I feel it to be, I would not go so far as to say the grads it produces that I’ve met are any better educated than my friends who graduated from schools such as UT, McGill, UBC, etc. Canadian education at its top institutions is frankly a steal, IMHO.</p>

<p>Good luck with your decision!</p>