@njk1999 I wrote a post but it disappeared because it’s awaiting moderation or something for some reason… really annoying. The most important part was that I think you should definitely send Alabama the exact details of your Michigan offer ASAP. Give them a chance to compete for you then see how much they want you. If they only give you some more loans, that’s pretty weak, and I’d probably pick Michigan at that point. But I highly doubt that they’ll just offer you some loans.
The other big thing was that if you pick Michigan you should do it because you think you’ll like it more, not because you think others will like it more. If the prestige game matters, keep in mind that if you’re going to law school or grad school that’s the degree most people will focus on, not your undergrad. I’ve noticed that some faculty with graduate degrees don’t even list their undergrad on their bios.
The thing is, I don’t really have that option because they said the earliest they can get me processed is Wednesday and commitment for Alabama is Monday. If they don’t match my Michigan offer, it’ll be too late to make a huge difference.
How much $$$ is the difference
I don’t quite understand. They want you to commit to Alabama before you see what the new offer is? There must be some flexibility here. I really doubt that if you contact them a week from now and say you want to attend Alabama they’ll say “sorry, the deadline was Monday.”
Maybe you should ask them about the timing of all this. And even if they can’t officially process things until Wednesday, I don’t see why they can’t describe the new offer to you. But in any case, telling them the exact details of the Michigan offer is strictly better than being vague about it.
You have the leverage here, so don’t be afraid to politely ask for things like extended deadlines, more money, and so on. All part of the game.
I’m not sure really bc Michigan’s estimated cost will go up with my FAFSA correction (my EFC went up so the grants will decrease, idk by how much) whereas Alabama’s free tuition is fixed and the only cost difference would come from if they help me out with my housing/room and board costs. It’s in the range of a few thousand difference. Bama could be a lot cheaper or more expensive its really up in the air. My best guess is Michigan could come up to 2-3k more than Bama, Bama could go as low as equal or a few thousand less. It’s so, so awful that I don’t know enough to make the decision with a cost justification haha
Depending on how much Michigan decreases my grants by after the EFC change, it could actually be a lot more. I have no clue what they’ll do.
By how much did your EFC increase
Are Michigan’s grants guaranteed for four years as long as your parents’ EFC doesn’t change?
Also, with Alabama’s free tuition, do they give that to you for all four years or is that dependent on your college gpa?
@CALSmom it seems by about 1500, but it changed a lot in my pell grant. My pell grant was cut in half from about 4500 to about 2500 so I think I will receive far less money than I thought. @tomhobbes I already committed for the priority housing. Alabama really likes everything early which is awful so I had to send in housing money by February if i wanted even a chance at a nicer dorm, and what’s the point of hauling myself to Alabama if I don’t live decently? Lol. Also, they described it to me in this way–that I MAY be eligible for additional grants/aid, my maximum freshman loan is X amount of dollars, and that the pell grant doesn’t change of course. The only thing they could tell me was the standard loan they grant all freshmen.
Michigan’s commitment date is Monday. She said that the school needs the deposit by the 1st. If that is the case, not sure how it would get there in time as of now. RIght now the OP can’t figure how she could feel right about choosing UA considering it costs more than Michigan to attend. I suppose In her mind, the bang for the buck isn’t there.
Also, if I do manage to have them wait for me until Wednesday, that hurts me for roommates and room selection because everything is due Monday for housing and all that.
^^^Does that mean you’re going to go to Ann Arbor on Monday if you decide to attend Michigan?
Well my two cents is go with Alabama. They are covering your tuition in full and it seems like you like the campus, weather, social activities and honor college. You’re worrying about your dorm and food cost. That is a good situation to be in. If Michigan can’t cover your tuition for all four years you’ll be in more debt if I am correct. So your parents can’t contribute at all to your room and board? Not even half out of pocket?
Our S has his tuition and fees covered by his school so my H and I only pay for room and board. We pay monthly Installments to the school so our S has no loans. Can your parents do that?
The thing is its so variable cost-wise right now because my EFC changed literally last minute, lord knows why. The big change in my pell grant leads me to believe Michigan’s grants could change somewhat significantly as well at @rjkofnovi . @CALSmom Alabama is full tuition dependent on GPA which I am very, very intent on keeping (I believe it’s 3.5). I think my parents can do like half of room and board out of pocket but it’s more the number itself I’m using to justify Alabama, not necessarily the cash itself because I know both will be doable.
^^^Currently, Alabama is projecting to cost the OP 2,000 more per year than Michigan. You are encouraging here to go to a school that will cost more. The OP is not stupid. She is trying to figure if it is wise to attend a school that is not considered as good as the one she is turning down and paying more for it. My two cents says go to Michigan. But I am not the OP. She has to decide if she wants to spend more for a degree from Alabama over one from Michigan.
@njk1999 This last-minute change to your EFC really throws a wrench into everything. If I understand you correctly, you now don’t know how much money either school is offering you, but the change in your FAFSA means that Michigan will likely cost slightly more instead of Alabama costing slightly more.
I doubt being a couple days late on enrolling will hurt you for room and roommate selection. Really, this is all so up in the air now that I think it’s more important than ever for you to explain your conundrum directly to the admissions people at Michigan and Alabama in as much detail as possible. You can’t make a decision like this blind to what the FA offers are and they ought to understand that and do everything possible to accommodate you. For one with leverage, rules are really just guidelines.
@tomhobbes I agree, except financial aid is closed for both offices if i’m not wrong. I know Alabama is only open during the week and Michigan didn’t pick up when I called.
I’d send them both a detailed email describing your situation. Then reassess on Monday and make a decision then if you must. But I doubt the Monday deadline is that crucial. Ask Michigan and Alabama if it’s possible for you to make a decision after Monday, and if waiting will cost you anything in terms of room selection and so on. They can’t except you to commit before you know the cost.
And I suspect that Alabama will be able to find you some more real money somehow, not loans.
@tomhobbes Good idea. I just don’t think the roommate thing will work after May 1 with Alabama though which is a definite downside, because even if they extend a deadline for me to enroll everyone else’s deadline was the same so they’ve all got their roommates/picked rooms and I won’t have much of a choice. Also, if the offices are closed I doubt I’ll get a prompt response. I might not get one at all until Monday.
All the more reason to ask Alabama about the roommate thing. I just find it hard to believe that they operate with such inflexible military precision that a student they want badly who enrolls a couple days late is doomed to get an inferior room. All you can do is ask, and then commit to one on Monday if there’s no other choice.
But let’s think about priorities. This room stuff pales in significance in light of the issue that you now have very little idea how much Michigan would cost you. You’ve said that it could now be a little more expensive than you thought or a lot more. You absolutely should not commit to a school not knowing whether it will be cheap or expensive. You’re in a very strange situation now and you need to talk to the professionals, not us random people on an internet forum.