My daughter was admitted with merit in UMich and also in UF (full ride) The difference is $15,000 a year. Michigan is so far from home but I want what is best for her.
Opinions please.
2 Likes
Michigan and congrats!
3 Likes
I don’t know UF, but I’d look at the program she’s interested in and also the ROI, jobs, internships, other programs (like honors), etc.
Umich is very highly ranked in very many fields. For a kid like mine, who has no idea what to major in, it’s great. Anything you chose is good. But there are many schools, where one major is very strong and another program has issues.
Cost is a definite consideration. But not the only one. 15K is different than 80 K/year. But for some, it’s a lot and might make seal the deal.
1 Like
Is either school a direct admit to her major?
1 Like
Both are great! I consider them to be peer institutions.
–Can you afford the additional cost of UM with no loans/no hardship? If no then UF for sure IMO.
–Does your D have a preference?
– Does she have direct admission to her major at either school?
–Might grad school be in the future?
1 Like
The better fit and fit includes finances.
I’d look at major, visit both schools, and see if there’s a comfort.
If you’re a business major, Michigan grads on average will do better. If a liberal art, it won’t matter.
A big financial save is a lot to give up.
My kid goes to the 16th ranked if 17 schools she got into so I don’t think the answer is Michigan just bcuz of rank etc.
You have to be there day after day for four years. So you need more than - Michigan - you need to go spend time at both and see which is right.
Good luck.
2 Likes
Thank you so much. She prefers UMich. Her major is more specific to her interest.
3 Likes
How much does $15,000 per year matter to you?
If it is all debt (which would mean parent or cosigned loans), that is different from if it is pocket change to you. Of course, your finances may be in between.
2 Likes
Assuming that both are affordable and that both offer your daughter’s preferred course of study, then it is important to consider conditions caused by overcrowding & over enrollment.
P.S. Such conditions include lack of assured school owned student housing and prevalence of large classes as well as prevalence of attending class online (which differs from online only classes) & how likely one is to get a spot in a class section with one’s preferred professor. Also, do students in your daughter’s preferred major graduate within 4 years or is it common to need 5 years in order to complete all required courses.
2 Likes
Depending on likely major, I would also look at proportion of online only courses specifically at UF.
3 Likes
Her major in UMich is Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience vs in UF, General Psychology
They probably have similar classes to focus ? What’s the outcome. Grad school ?
Where does she prefer. That’s where to go.
1 Like
There is nothing wrong with the University of Florida. It is a very good school. My wife went there for both undergrad and grad school.
But the University of Michigan is a fantastic school.
Assuming the cost difference is not earth-shattering, $15,000.00 x 4 years can easily be made up over the course of a career.
Gainesville is a very good college town. Ann Arbor is one of the best college towns in the country.
I think this is close to a no brainer … Michigan without hesitation.
4 Likes
15,000 x 4 = 60,000. This student can only take out 27,000. This means that the parents would need to come up with the remaining 33,000, which is not always easy. Unless 33,000 is not a big deal at all, it warrants a discussion.
If money is no object then I would let the student choose. It sounds like Michigan is the preferred school due to the major.
I would also ask about the remote classes at UF.
1 Like
It does look like - in ranking - both are good but Michigan is exceptional.
On the flipside, what is one doing with the degree because if more schooling is involved, I would not worry about rank per se.
I might see - what each school excels in and how does it match up vs. what the child wants to study - whether it’s sexual behavior, emotions or otherwise.
You have tons of kids at UF that could be at Michigan and vice versa…they are near comparable schools - in most rankings Michigan better (and not by a little, sorry US News).
That said, what does that really mean in life for an undergrad psych degree (likely little, if anything) - and at what expense ($60K) and could OP or family use that $60K for something more important- car, house downpayment, grad school - and as @twogirls points out can they afford it, even if they wanted to? Because in year one you can borrow $5500 - is there a way to cover the other $9500?
And don’t forget, college costs more than they tell you - I’d estimate $3-5K. Late night or tired of bad dining hall food munchies. Private doctors - because campus health stinks. Ubers.Weekend trips - maybe Chicago from UM or Disney from UF, etc.
Good luck.
1 Like
I agree that Michigan is an exceptional school.
I also think that the cost difference can be significant for some/many, and that is something to consider. If there is no hardship, by all means choose Michigan if that is what the student prefers.
What does this student plan to do with a psych degree from UF? What does the student plan to do with a neuroscience or cognitive science etc degree coming out of Michigan (she might not know right now)?
It seems to me that some type of grad school will be in this student’s future, even if she works for a few years first.
Does she have any career goals? She might not know, and that’s ok. Also keep in mind that she will be exposed to different people, opportunities along the way…and that might change her direction.
Don’t know the OP so there is some reading between the lines. But if $15,000 wasn’t an option, presumably it wouldn’t have been brought up. And from what I understand, Michigan doesn’t give a lot of merit money in amounts to get cost down to $15k/year (at least not someone who based on the statement that Michigan is so far away isn’t instate). Seems likely she could have applied to higher ranked schools which likely would have cost more. That those are not being discussed would indicate either she didn’t apply, wasn’t accepted or costs rule those schools out.
If that is the case, its one of the most oft asked questions here: is it worth it to pay more for college x over college y. You will get all kinds of responses to that question here. Many will be definitely/absolutely x or y. But in reality the answer is it depends. On a number of factors that you/your daughter know and some that no one knows because they involve future events/choices that are uncertain.
Good news for your daughter is she has two great options. Best of luck to her (and to you).
1 Like
Yes, it depends a lot on the unmentioned aspect of whether $15,000 per year would have to be all debt, or is just pocket change to the family, or somewhere in-between.
1 Like
$15K for Michigan is a steal. Congrats to your daughter–that much merit from Michigan for an OOS student is impressive.
There you go.
Go Blue!
2 Likes
And it depends on a number of other factors that aren’t tied to how significant the money is. As has been discussed numerous times in the seems like never ending list of threads that discuss the “is it worth it” issue on this board.
Though as I noted, doesn’t seem likely that its pocket change to the family otherwise it wouldn’t have been brought up. If the difference was $15/year, do you think it would have been brought up?