OOS financial aid. Is it really as bad as some say?

CautiousOptimist
Mon, 08 Feb 2016 19:19:28 +0000

@billcsho Yes, that does appear to contradict with her statements in the thread. Bringing up Columbia like @blprof did isn’t relevant (since you can get offers but go elsewhere) but URM is a binary option that you can’t change (though it shouldn’t effect need-based financial aid), and considering $80k/yr “low-income” is just hugely out of touch, unless maybe we’re talking about $80k in a VERY high cost of living area.

I’ll still continue some hope that she’s right about the offer (even if other things contradict) and that I could possibly be eligible for the Provost’s, but won’t be holding my breath due to the contradictions you cite, which do call into some question.

$80k is still on the low-end of OOS Michigan attendees, so they could potentially be considered some of the neediest in the eyes of the university. The flip side to that, of course, is that if they do not get the financial aid they need, many in that income bracket simply go elsewhere instead of taking on the rest as debt. Since the university only publishes data for enrolled, not admitted students, I don’t think there’s anywhere we’d find that information.

@infiniteCircle No problem, I love going on these data-mining scavenger hunts.