My take is that the family can handle the $15K/year but is debating free vs. not free. Perhaps @MM12 can clarify.
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Given if the $15k/year was impossible for the family, the option of Michigan presumably wouldnât even be on the table, seems likely its somewhere in between impossible and pocket-change. OP would need to clarify though.
But that is still just part of the âit dependsâ analysis.
Based on the initial post, it seems the OP has concerns about the distance.
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Sounds like OP doesnât want her daughter far and to save $15k but OP like many parents, doesnât want to say no to their beloved.
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We donât know why the OP doesnât want a school this far away. Maybe there are issues we donât know about, or maybe itâs âjustâ a parent preference.
There might be details missing, or maybe not.
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Iâd go with the biopsychology/cog/neuro degree over psychology any day of the week. Seems applicable to more fields. Have you compared neuroscience salaries to psych salaries?
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These majors will lead to similar types of entry level jobs at the BA/BS level- research assistants, lab work, technicians, medical scribes, intake coordinators, etc.
Of course there may be exceptions or other types of jobs, depending.
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You are exactly correct. I am also concerned about the distance as we are Floridians @twogirls
Thank you so much everyone for your input. It is so greatly appreciated and we are definitely still debating the two. Please feel free to continue giving us your feedback as it is so very helpful.
We are thinking about changing the major in UF if she enrolls to something that may be of more use. She also tells me that she feels that passing up the opportunity Michigan presents might be a mistake but she is very undecided. She wants to have easy access to return home.
One neat thing about Florida - youâre not in by major - so you can really choose any major.
I would not say psychology is not of use. In the end, you have to study what youâd like but you have time to choose. Thereâs subjects you may not be aware of. For example, maybe sheâd like Family, Youth and Community Services or Geography or International Studies, etc.
What you are saying is - maybe youâll change to something pre-professional - like accounting or engineering, etc.
But one has to study what is right for them. Chances are the psych manager is not made for accounting for example.
But many in liberal arts - whether itâs statistics, geology or Spanish will find their way. Thatâs three majors of people I work with that are in a Global 100 company - so whether itâs grad school, work or otherwise, no matter the major your daughter can be fine.
Rarely do you read that a smart Florida kid is leaving the state - itâs just that BF is so wonderful.
That said - no clue where you live but Florida has great airports - so if youâre in Ann Arbor, itâs a not horrible plane ride home. Probably as quick as driving from UF to South Florida - assuming you are there.
Really - door A or door B. You win either way!!!
My daughter is only a Junior in high school but your question is on our minds too since she is a competitive student, which in her school is often a path to Michigan, but she hates the cold and Florida is an attractive alternative. It definitely seems that in our area (NJ) Floridaâs reputation and prestige has not caught up to itâs ranking yet- I have no way of knowing whether it should or not. Michigan is definitely the school that people are impressed by in the Northeast (again, I donât know if this is truly deserved). There is still a perception here that the top Publics category includes Michigan, UVA, UCLA, Cal, and UNC. But not Florida. Comparing Florida to, say, Wisconsin or Texas, might get people to say, âyeah, I could see that.â
But the gap is certainly closing, and choosing Florida over Michigan for various reasons is not unreasonable- $, distance, even weather. Just be aware that most people would choose the sure-fire prestige of Michigan , with the doors it can open down the line.
On the other hand- I would not say you need to choose Michigan because of that Neuroscience major, which might suit your kid better than general Psych at UF. Florida does in fact have specializations within the Psychology major:
âBehavioral and cognitive neuroscience focuses more specifically on natural science-oriented psychology courses and allows students to take limited approved non-psychology courses relevant to contemporary neuroscience. This specialization also requires more math and biology courses than general psychology. Behavior analysis also focuses more specifically on natural science-oriented psychology courses and how the environment around an organism can be modified to change behavior.â
https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/colleges-schools/UGLAS/PSY_BS_BS01/PSY_BS01/
This sounds pretty similar to the Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience major at UM.
Outside of the northeast, I donât think there is much if any perceived difference in prestige, so if the student doesnât want to settle there, it may not matter.
I like the full ride, and normally I would call it a no-brainer. However, $15,000 for Michigan is a STEAL if it also includes room and board! My opinion, you canât go wrong with a full ride scholarship. Keep that handy, just in case you run into some cost roadblock. Both are very good schools that are highly recruited by employers.
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