My sister and I are actually twins, neither of us are in college yet. She’s not as much as a planner as I am, so she hasn’t started looking at colleges as much. She is interested in more southern schools though.
Your parents will have two kids in college at the same time. That can get very costly. Hopefully at least one of you will get a great merit aid offer.
I’ve estimated that I will probably qualify for most need-based programs for private schools as my family makes less than 75k per year currently. Of course, net price calculators are not currently for my class so it’s just an estimate.
Thank you for telling me about Richmond. I just looked into their programs and I think it’s pretty cool! The mid-Atlantic isn’t my favorite spot in the country, but it’s closer to DC, which I love.
I don’t know anything about Utah or Gettysburg, but I’ll be sure to research.
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Yeah, it definitely makes things harder. I probably should have mentioned it in the original post, but it slipped my mind because I was talking more about myself. It 100% impacts finances, though it may help with getting more need-based aid?
Fafsa made changes giving no financial benefit for siblings in college at the same time.
If your family makes under 75k and you’re 4 (or 5), then look into Questbridge.
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While this is correct, schools using the CSS Profile may take siblings into consideration. So that’s something the OP should keep in mind. Private schools that meet need will end up less expensive than public options, even MI publics, at $75k income.
@choirgirl27 I suggest concentrating on privates that meet need for the best chance at affordability. The Questbridge suggestion by Myos should be seriously considered.
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To clarify, I was not talking about the 4 major research campuses.
There are 13 campuses which SUNY refers to as their “university colleges”, which are primarily undergraduate liberal arts colleges like Geneseo, SUNY’s designated honors college. Cost of attendance this year at Genese was $35,531 for tuition, fees, room & board for out of state students. In addition, 3 campuses (Geneseo, Cartland, and Oneonta) have very easily obtainable scholarships for out of state students, which lowers the cost even further at those campuses.
Sorry that I got lazy and didn’t provide the specifics. Thank you for calling the question.
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Also see what the net price calculators of schools you are considering say.
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@Knowsstuff can comment. But University of Michigan meets full need for instate students. And isn’t there some income based aid also (families with incomes below a certain amount?)
Here…
This was recently expanded…so read this link.
https://record.umich.edu/articles/university-of-michigan-expands-go-blue-guarantee/
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Not sure what I am commenting on, still working but… Talk to your parents about moving after your accepted to Michigan /Michigan State. Michigan State you will be accepted into their honors program and that comes with a monetary discount, mentorship, money for study abroad etc. You will be eligible to apply for a full scholarship, free ride also.
Don’t look past Miami or Ohio for law undergrad. That could get you close to a free ride BTW.
If you keep doing well being in state you have a great shot at Michigan. Get the Act or Sat score up. I feel like I commented on this prior but if your school is a feeder school in Michigan even better.
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I was hoping you would comment on the Go Blue Guarantee!
Got it…Chicago Traffic I tell ya.
So for the OP… The university announced Dec. 5 that eligible incoming and returning full-time, in-state students whose families have annual incomes up to $125,000 and assets up to $125,000 will qualify beginning in the fall of 2025.
This is greatly improved since last year or so. I don’t know where your family qualifies but definitely talk to financial aid now about it to learn. Also there is a misconceptions that Michigan doesn’t give financial aid. They do and even to out of state. Now for out of state it’s not going to meet need per se but I have heard of families getting $15-35,000/year every year for 4 years. Every families situation is different so when it comes to money I always think it’s better for the parents to initiate this call.
But at this point the OP from my understanding is instate. I think the student and parents need to sit down and create an active strategy plan. The state of Michigan has some of the best colleges out there and many were listed above. It would be a shame if the OP couldn’t take advantage of this especially with the financial constraints. Colleges usually go with the student and where their senior year of high school is at.
I have to sit down and reread the thread if I am missing something here.
To the OP. Another close to or free ride at a great smaller lac school is Beloit College. For undergraduate Law it’s a great find. But it’s small. My daughter went there. Cool vibe and smart students.
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Thank you so much for all this information! I wasn’t aware of Go Blue but I’m hopeful that I’ll might be able to keep my undergrad school instate now. For the longest time, Michigan was my dream school so knowing I could afford it is really nice.
From what I’ve heard from my parents, finances aren’t the main issue for instate schools (out of state yes), but just the fact that they want to move. According to them, it would be easier to move if my sister and I were in different states for college. But hopefully this could change their perspective with a full ride.
Maybe that made sense? If not, I can try to explain further.
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If I may ask what is the rationale of your parents moving? Financial like a better job opportunity? If you want to PM me your welcomed to. If they move “after” you graduate or close to it you will be fine. Unless I am not understanding something it could be a huge loss opportunity for your family.
There are many more schools with great merit. Alabama, South Carolina, ASU honors.
But I listed the one’s I did to match you more.
Also just looked. Taking Spanish 4 would be great a good idea . Also AP psych is more of a fun class. Schools like Michigan are looking for rigor. Not all Aps give that. If there aren’t many choices left for your school and you really want to take it then do so.
Also for LORs, if you havent done it which teacher’s do you have a connection with that you also did well in their class and participated in? You just want the teachers that can write the best LOR for you. Nothing too scientific about it. Also does your counselor know who you are? If not, meet with them. Their opinion does count.
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My parents want to move because they don’t like the state (why? Good question, I don’t know). Both of them are retired so I don’t believe there would be any loss financially. They wanted my sister and I to finish school at my district and then they would move. I think there might be a social factor as well, but I can’t confirm.
I would take Spanish 4, but I don’t have any room for it next year due to some mandatory classes. I’m also not the greatest at Spanish and would rather not take a hard class than take it and get a C/C-.
My school has around 24 APs, though a lot of them are language, computer science, and art. I might take AP Chem as well in senior year. My counselor recommended AP Psych to me though, but I’m not sure what that exactly means.
I have a lot of good relationships with my teachers. I plan on asking my APUSH teacher and possibly my choir teacher. She knows a lot about my academic skills as well as how I work in groups, which I think could help. At the same time, she doesn’t apply to my major.
My counselor does know me, which is surprising because of how many students she handles. She actually said “Hi, (name)!” when I was in the hallway one day.
Check…because many colleges want one STEM teacher and one Humanities…academic teachers. I don’t think the choir director would be one of these.
Check the requirements for each school on your list because they differ. Some schools will allow an arts teacher to be used as a “teacher” rec, but I think it’s more common to only allow them as an optional “other” rec. So there’s nothing wrong with asking an arts teacher, but you’ll probably still need two core teachers.
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That makes sense! I don’t have any other teachers that I could think of, but I still have another year. And there’s probably someone that I’m forgetting as well.
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If your parents are both retired, then depending on what type of account(s) they have for their retirement savings, then colleges may end up expecting a greater contribution. (If they have their funds in a designated retirement account like a 401k or an IRA then it’s safe, but if it’s in a regular taxable account, colleges are likely to view the funds as available for college expenditures).
I would make sure and go through the Go Blue Guarantee carefully, including with the financial aid folk at UMich, because although your family’s income may fall within the parameters, your family’s assets may be in excess of the limit for free tuition.
Additionally, my statement earlier about most public colleges I’m aware of having students keep the residency they started out with excludes consideration of programs where there is need-based funding that is restricted to residents of the state. Those types of programs are likely to continue to have residency verification checks.
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