<p>I am from SoCal and my entire life I have been determined to go to out of state college. UMich is my #1 but.... here are the facts: </p>
<p>UMich:
$22000 a yr with financial aid
$88000 debt out of undergrad and I plan on going to medical school...
but I freakin LOVED UMich. Everything about it.
Even the brutally cold weather. </p>
<p>UCBerkeley:
only $2000 a yr with financial aid
but I heard it's cutthroat world
and their endowment is only 1 billion compared to 70 billion in UMich. So my financial aid may not remain the same for next 4 yrs and there s the huge budget cut.. I might be wildly off about endowment numbers. Thats just what I heard. Or i think I heard.
and I heard it's in the middle of ghetto?!
I'll b visiting this weekend so I'll see that for myself... </p>
<p>What do you guys think?
I mean I LOVED UMich but is it worth $88000 debt out of undergrad? Can I even pay that back?!</p>
<p>not to mention 40% Asians at UCB… Not that I m against them because I am an Asian too. But 40% seems excessive to me… I had a horrible experience in middle school with Asians and that’s the major reason why I am so determined to go out of state… I apologize if I sound unreasonable and prejudiced but if you went thru what I went thru in middle school, you will understand.</p>
<p>$88,000 for Michigan sounds unaffordable. I would either go to Berkeley or consider another UC school, most notably UC Santa Barbara, if you really hate competition, hanging around with Asians, and living in the “ghetto”.</p>
<p>EDIT: I missed the part about your Berkeley financial aid. There is most likely no realistic means you can pay for Michigan. Banks will only loan you ~$35k total and it sounds like your parents have bad credit.</p>
<p>wcoastmichelle, I just responded to a post of yours on the UMich decisions thread. I also would not do it. My S also has UMichigan at #1 but, thankfully, will not have to take out loans, to attend this pricey (for OOSers) public school. I hope that my S will reconsider as the deadline approaches and go to Berkeley instead because frankly Michigan is not worth the price differential compared to Berkeley for CA residents.</p>
<p>I was bullied (extremely) because I was “whitewashed” and I was friends with people other than Asians. That’s the main reason why I chose to go to magnet school where it’s majority Caucasians. From my experience, non-Asians are the most unprejudiced people… But then again, maybe I am biased to say that. I mean I know its absurd of me to judge Asians at UCB without even meeting them all, but from what I went through, Ugh… </p>
<p>UMich don’t have nearly as many Asians. 70% Caucasians. Gah, I sound so raicist! But I assure you I am not! I just don’t have any particularly good impressions of them… Does that make sense? I am sorry!</p>
<p>^ Yes, it’s competitive. People work hard. But is it more competitive for pre-med than any other major research university? I don’t think so.</p>
<p>I enjoyed Berkeley. Sure it was gritty and urban. But it was also student oriented and had a lively social, sorta intellectual vibe…especially compared to Socal. The environment can be sorta shocking - I remember my first drive down Telegraph with my parents and thought the place was crazy…but that’s why they call it Berzerkeley. I grew to love the place.</p>
<p>You can easily get around without a car…access San Fran, campus, and both SFO and OAK airports via BART trains. Berkeley was also the perfect distance from home…far enough away but not so far that I could come home for an impromptu weeekend.</p>
<p>You’ll know more after you visit. Weekends are quieter though.</p>
<p>“UMich:
$22000 a yr with financial aid
$88000 debt out of undergrad and I plan on going to medical school…
but I freakin LOVED UMich. Everything about it.
Even the brutally cold weather.”</p>
<p>As much as I dislike Berkeley, I would choose Berkeley because of the price. Although if you hate people of asian descent, perhaps it’s not for you. You could probably escape debt altogether at Berkeley if you join one of the communes instead of paying for room and board.</p>
<p>wcoastmichelle, I think jshain means that Michigan is not worth paying that much more than Cal. It is relative. I think he would have said the same thing if you were considering any other top university. I personally agree with him. Cal is an excellent university, and should you be able to graduate from Cal without debt, definitely go for it. Medical school is extremely expensive as it is, you do not want to get into major debt for college.</p>
<p>I definitely think it is worth contacting Michigan to ask if there is anything they can do regarding your package because you can attend Cal for a lot less. The FA office sometimes revises their offer after such requests.</p>
<p>“I definitely think it is worth contacting Michigan to ask if there is anything they can do regarding your package because you can attend Cal for a lot less. The FA office sometimes revises their offer after such requests.”</p>
<p>My son e-mailed the FA office and then called them. He wasn’t successful in his effort but I was proud of him that he gave it the old “college try” two days in a row-- without any prodding from dear old dad. He did mention about getting money from Cal and UCLA, but they told him in an e-mail response that they “don’t match other offers”. They also said that all the scholarship money was given out already. By all means, give it a shot however!</p>
<p>Self hatred is always such a sad thing. Paying a dime more to go to Michigan is a waste of money let alone 88k more. Come to your senses and stop judging groups based on a bad experience and go to the better/less costly school and be grateful for the opportunity.</p>