CUorMichigan?

Ok, so here is my situation. I live in Colorado, and therefore qualify for in-state tuition at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Including tuition and "fees" like housing, books, etc. and factoring in a couple of minor scholarships, I will be paying around 20 to 22 thousand per year at CU. I have been accepted to the U of Michigan Ann Arbor also, and going there would probably cost me and my family around 35 to 37 thousand per year (out of state tuition). I know that a pretty big amount of either tuition will consist of loans since my brother is already going to Berkeley and is taking up a good amount of our 130ish thousand $ per year family income.

So, a few questions for you guys. Will going to Michigan as opposed to CU make it significantly easier or more likely for me to get a good job straight out of undergrad, or into a good grad school or medical school (premed is my tentative plan)? Is Michigan's name-recognition that much better than that of CU Boulder's? And if so, is this extra recognition/prestige worth the extra tuition? Most of my friends in high school and in their first two years of college say CU is the better option, but members of the baby boomer generation tend to say Michigan would be better. What do you guys think?

rjkofnovi

Well. If your brother is going OOS to Berkeley, you should go OOS to Michigan. It is that much better. Honestly, if you were getting some kind of scholarship to CU I'd say stay there. Of course your buddies would tell you to go to CU. I have two cousins from California who attend(ed) Colorado over the past few years. I have to honestly tell you they would NEVER have been admitted to Michigan.

CUorMichigan?

Thanks for the insight. It helps a lot, believe me. Anyone else?

kevinnnnni

Ironically, I live in Michigan and probably will get accepted there yet want to go over to CU. I am looking into aerospace engineering. I would say UofM is a better school overall, which is proven in the rankings but I still think that you can't beat the location of CU along with the opportunities there. For example, there are many more aerospace jobs there which would be one reason for me to go there. But like you said, money is an issue and I don't want to be wasting such a good education with a discounted tuition fee. My recommendation is to come to UofM because it is a better school in my belief, UNLESS your specific intended major is one of UofM's weaknesses. Also, you would be giving up the mountains and scenery (I don't know if that matters to you) which is actually drawing me into CU.

CrestKid

Question: I live in a suburb in California and was wondering how the area is around Boulder, is there a lot to do? Do you go to Denver very often? Or is it one of those colleges where all you do is party because there is very little to do