As of last week, I chose to go to Case Western Reserve University. I had to choose between two colleges: Case and Michigan. I’m not sure if I made the right decision, and wondering if it’s too late to switch. I did tell my friends and family, and even some people at Umich saying that I was going to Case.
I plan on majoring in engineering, currently undecided, and minoring in business or data science.
I got into Michigan LSA with plans to transfer to engineering. I did attend two bio camps a few years back. I received no scholarships or aid. I did hear that changing majors is quite hard, and minoring in business is not guaranteed. Overall, I like the campus better than Case.
I got into Case with a 22k Scholarship with plans to start in the engineering track. I heard that changing majors in case is easier to do than it is at Michigan. I interned at Case for the past couple of years, since it’s in close proximity to my home. However, Case will revoke my scholarship due to my poor senior grades, I know that for sure.
I don’t know if I made the right choice by going to Case, or if I should even try it for a year.
Michigan grad here. If you are saving $20-$22K/year going to Case over Michigan, I think you made a wise decision. Love my school, but $70-$75K/year for an undergraduate degree is too expensive. You are saving $80-$90K over 4 years (more like $95K when tuition increases are taken into account) that you could use for grad school or a house down payment. Relax. Every kid has these doubts, but it will all work out. If you go to Case, you will see.
If it makes you feel any better, my own daughter just passed up Michigan. Way too expensive for the reasons I told you.
My neighbor’s kid in California just graduated from Case in engineering. She has a killer job with GE. You will likely have the same if you do well there.
If Case would revoke your scholarship because of your poor grades, then you will need to straighten them out wherever you go.
Your title question ass if it’s too late to switch colleges. I am assuming you have already committed to Case. It’s up to Michigan as to whether they will still admi you after the commitment date. Have you already let Michigan know that you decided not to go there?
It’s always up to an individual school as to whether they will permit such a change in mind. In past years, I don’t believe Michigan would permit this, but many Changes this year in these things. If you want to do this so badly, call Michigan AO and ask.
I think you are going through a typical buyer’s remorse. Those are two strong, excellent choices. It’s hard to make these decisions. I think you’ll always wonder which was the better choice. My advice is to go with you commitment—fine school, your scholarship gives it a better price than Michigan. If you do well there, and still have Michigan in your mind, apply to transfer. By then you’ll see how Case really works or doesn’t for you. You’ll have saved money doing that first year.
Congrats on two well respected schools for engineering. First off why will your scholarship get rescinded? Michigan doesn’t like poor grades senior year either and might be more strict. Also LSA to engineering is actually quite easy. It’s call cross campus transfer. https://www.engin.umich.edu/admissions/undergrad/cross-campus-students/admissions/
But even saying that save the money5
Case being local to you, has to be cheaper. But if your parents can afford it then call. You won’t be the first one this year. All schools want who they picked so just be honest with them. Keep in mind. Case is a great place to be.
I would rather be at Case. You are accepted there into your desired program- no guarantee of that at Mich. I understand the attraction of big time rah rah sports, but I don’t really believe in spending private school tuition for a huge public school where you are just another number.
Run the numbers. Is Case with the scholarship less expensive than Michigan without a scholarship? Assuming you do lose the scholarship for Case as you wrote “However, Case will revoke my scholarship due to my poor senior grades, I know that for sure.”
Is Case still affordable for your family? Are these two your only options?
The short answer is, yes you can change your mind. It is easiest to change your mind if the reply dates for both haven’t passed or if Case’s date has passed but Michigan’s hasn’t. In that situation you tell Michigan Yes, and send the deposit, and tell Case that your plans have changed and then make sure that everyone there has that information. Most likely you will lose the deposit at Case. If reply dates for both have passed, and you already told Michigan No, you still can go ahead and ask Michigan what to do now that you’ve reconsidered everything. They might allow you to make that change. Should that be the case, you still would need to let Case know, and you will lose that deposit.
What’s your net cost at each?
In addition, would it still be worth it to pay OOS costs at Michigan if you weren’t admitted to Engineering and had to major in something else?
Direct entry at Case would be my choice, rather than the uphill battle of trying to get into Engineering when you’ve been admitted to LSA.
@Knowsstuff has a kid in the CoE at UMich and stated above the cross campus transfer from LSA to CoE is relatively easy. Take the prerequisites and get a GPA of 2.5. And no grade lower than a C. My own kid has mentioned several kids she knows have made successful transfers. The advisors at UMich are fantastic and are available to help. My kid and her advisor actually continue to text and talk during the pandemic.
Yet people do spend private school tuition for a huge public school. UMich is ranked #25 in the USNWR rankings. Forbes ranks UMich #20 and that ranking includes LAC’s. Case is lower ranked. UMich has smaller classes than other large publics. Student-teacher ratios:
UMich 15:1
UCLA 18:1
Cal 20:1
And I can say that at UMich, you’re not a “just a number.” Professors have office hours, which my kid regularly attends, professors run extra study sessions (e.g., Friday night Orgo study sessions) on their own time and advisors and free tutoring are available when needed.
I totally agree with going to Case but transferring into engineering is very easy at Michigan and put the link up prior post. At all of these schools you are not actually in engineering per se till end of sophomore year. So even at Case yes, technically she’s accepted directly but if she doesn’t meet the bench marks then she won’t be in engineering. This is pretty much all schools to some degree. Hope that makes sense.This is also the reason they give you till your end of sophomore year to really declare your major.
But just for others just reading, Michigan makes it easy for their own to transfer and switch between majors etc. Other schools lock you into your major and no switching is allowed.
Also not really just a number in my experience with my son. That is really student dependant really anywhere.
Again, if money is an issue go to Case. Know a few recent grads and all working at great companies.
One of the most difficult school-school transfers at UMich is the transfer into Ross Business school, but even that transfer is essentially a 50-50 proposition.
These are both very good universities. I think that your reason to attend Case Western are sound. Based on my experience I have also become a fan of smaller schools so long as the smaller school has the program that you want, which apparently Case does.
How bad are your senior year grades? What is the cost of each school if Case does revoke your scholarship? The coronavirus pandemic has changed so much that I would be inclined to talk to Case about this before assuming that they will revoke your scholarship.
How it’s harder:
Can LSA students register for the engineering pre-reqs? After engineering students have registered only, or can they register for these classes at the same time as their LSA/general classes, especially Computing? How long does it take to complete all the requirements and is there a time limit for the classes to be taken - I would assume that the 2 semesters of calculus can be easily taken as a first year regardless of major, but adding two semesters each of physics and chemistry with lab would probably require specific planning unless the student had a matching major such as Physics or Chemistry.
Granted it’s easier than transferring into Ross but it’s still not a given.
Yes, LSA students can register for engineering pre-reqs. For example, my D in LSA took the math pre-reqs, like MV Calc, Diff Eq. and Linear Algebra with engineering students. No problems registering. UMich offers so many sections of these classes.
Another example is physics, which my D will be taking. There are physics classes for life science majors and physics classes for engineering students, which eliminates a lot of competition. Physics 140/141 is for Engineering students, take a look at how many sections that are still open for the fall:
There are 5 lectures and 32 labs with plenty of seats available. 2nd semester too.
Also, you can get a CS degree as either an LSA or CoE student. Both schools offer a CS degree. So, courses crossover.
As long you have a GPA of 2.5+ and take the prerequisites, which seem readily available, the transfer is fairly easy peazy. As I said above, my D knows several students and all of them transferred successfully to CoE.
How long it takes? That’ll depend how far down the road one is in the another major. But if you sit down with your LSA advisor and plot a course first thing freshman year, then the you should graduate in 4 years, no problem. Is it guaranteed? Of course not, but a 2.5 GPA seems EXTREMELY doable for most to me.
During orientation a couple years ago, UMich even said 75-85% of freshman will change their major and they’ll be happy to facilitate it.
@sushiritto I Pm @MYOS1634 on how my son did it since he started LSA and did the transfer. He was looking at Actuarial Science for a few minutes. Most of his classes were quite small actually. Calc 2 with 20 kids. His chem was his largest class. All his junior classes and 20-40 kids at most. Sociology was a large class. So he completed all his transfer requirements first year but did take physics and chem both with labs at the same time. Crazy kid. He was accepted Feb 1st on the deadline to apply for the transfer. As you stated, all the freshman take their core classes together regardless of major. He is now a complete semester ahead but wants to double minor so will stay till the end.
@DadTwoGirls
When I mean bad, I mean Case almost declined my acceptance, they sent an email about serious concerns for my poor grades. My college consular said that most kids who receive this email will get their acceptance rescinded, and for those that don’t, will get their academic scholarship revoked.
@cptofthehouse
You’re right, I am having regrets. My parents are alumni of Umich, and they told me that transferring into engineering is hard, and that it might delay graduation, especially considering the fact that I don’t know what kind of engineering I want to major in. I’ve talked to many kids at Case and they said that transferring majors is very easy.
Back in January, Case was concerned with my first semester senior grades, and sent me an email about it (temporarily suspended acceptance). My college counselor told me that at this point, Case will most likely cut you off, otherwise, rescind scholarships.
However, due to Covid 19, they will “look into it differently,” but my college counselor notified me that they will accept me, but there is a very good chance that they will take away my academic scholarship.
Thank you so much for the reply! My parents are Michigan grads too! My parents did tell me that money is not the problem, but rather to look into a college that fits you, and they thought Case was the better option.
My mother told me to “get it over with” on May 1st (1:00AM), and made me commit to Case because of all the great things she has heard about in their webinars (Michigan sent me no webinars about engineering, so I have no idea where to begin with).
However, what happened that semester that you were about to be rescinded - usually it means you got D’s and F’s? what happened?
Did you make up all the work you’d missed/failed to master? What’s that second half of senior been like?
Whatever happened may be why your parents would rather not have you attend UMich…???
