<p>floridadad hasn’t yet figured out that the word “prestige” is a four letter word around here…</p>
<p>Can’t be defined in terms of college admissions, totally in the “eye of the beholder”, and is different for each person…</p>
<p>IMO Kelley at IU has more “prestige” than LSA at Umich…see???</p>
<p>She should look at UW Madison which has a superior comm/journalism school, costs far less than UM and has a similar 27/31 ACT interval–not to mention an amazing campus and college town. Still taking apps too>2/1.</p>
<p><a href=“http://commarts.wisc.edu//info/index.php[/url]”>http://commarts.wisc.edu//info/index.php</a></p>
<p>I actually agree with barrons for once. IF Kelley doesn’t wow her, check out UW.</p>
<p>of course, I agree with barrons…always do…LOVE UW for the op’s D…</p>
<p>Barrons is paid by UW to say this…
I agree. UW is a fantastic school with moderate OOS cost.</p>
<p>Still waiting on that check–in fact I just sent them a pretty good one before year-end. And not even a free ticket to the Rose Bowl. Did get some punch and cookies in Santa Monica.</p>
<p>I didn’t let her apply to UW, she was not happy with me! At the time we were researching I was worried because the state of W is bankrupt and I was worried that the cost of the college would go way up, in fact when I called them to inquire they basically said the tuition was unstable. I can kick myself now because I realize it is much less money, but there were a couple other reasons why I didn’t want her to apply there too. I heard from many sources (friends of kids who go there) that the drugs are out of control there and I also didn’t like that there are private dorms that many of the East Coast kids live in instead of the University dorms, that bothered me. I felt like it set them apart and made them appear more privileged. It’s too late now anyway, she is not going to apply now, she is extremely happy with Michigan which she considers a “harder” school to get into…etc. February can’t come soon enough so we can truly get a handle on where things will stand. She is aware of our cost issues, perhaps she will have to assume some of the debt when she graduates if she really wants to go to Michigan when all of the facts are placed in front of her. I feel badly because everywhere we go I feel like I rain on her parade. We ran into an old classmate today at the doctor’s office and my D was so happy to tell her she got into Michigan (the girl goes to GW) and the friend said “you are going there right”…I gave my D “the look”, and all the air went out of her…I feel bad because it is a big accomplishment to get into UM, even though the majority of the forum disagrees, and I feel sad that I’m not happier for her strictly because of the cost. But as my husband says, we are not playing with monopoly money.</p>
<p>I’m guessing your daughter will not be going to the annual marijuana Hash Bash in Ann Arbor and at the UM. Too bad.</p>
<p>[Hash</a> Bash](<a href=“http://www.hashbash.org/]Hash”>http://www.hashbash.org/)</p>
<p>No kidding I didn’t think there was all that much difference between Wisconsin and Michigan in very many ways culturally maybe more New Yorkers in AA, but I haven’t looked at the Wis breakdowns lately…my mom went to madison and my dad to Michigan so no partisanship here although I actually prefer Madison as a “place” with the lake and all to Ann Arbor. I think they get more sun in the winter “on the other side of the lake” too.</p>
<p>FYI Michigan is pretty broke, too, although slowly coming back. State funding for education – we’re at the bottom of the barrel nationally. One survey that came out recently showed us at the bottom of the 50 states. Not something we Michiganders are terribly proud of.</p>
<p>BTW, If I had a kiddo interested in communications or journalism I would have them apply to Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin and Indiana of the Big 10 schools and probably Mizzou and Montana but that’s just me.</p>
<p>The drugs that I was talking about were way beyond marijuana, sadly. And BTW, I’m positive they are at every school, but this came first hand, in my face kind of descriptions, lines of coke etc. Again, I know that it’s everywhere, but that had me a little freaked, and again the whole dorm situation. When she gets home from school today I’ll see if I can get her to put her application in, I’m sure her existing essays can apply to the essay questions at UW. Thanks for the advise.</p>
<p>Many OOS UW kids get into the public dorms–about 80%. Many live in the privates by choice and by this year they will open a large new dorm that should allow all kids who want a public dorm to get one. Never heard of any such drug issue at UW–ever. Much more a beer and shots place than any serious widespread drug use. Somebody is feeding you a serious ration of BS. Sure UW tuition will go up but so does everyone and it is still lower than most. Compare to UM and get back to me. Talking almost 50% more for very little.</p>
<p>[UW-Madison</a> Division of University Housing Master Plan](<a href=“http://www2.housing.wisc.edu/masterplan/]UW-Madison”>http://www2.housing.wisc.edu/masterplan/)</p>
<p>Wow. Wisconsin more fiscally bankrupt than Michigan? I thought that Michigan was the poster child for financial hardship (and I say this as a Michigan resident.) State funding for UMich was cut 15% in 2011.</p>
<p>Wisconsin’s crisis has been much more in the national news in the last couple of years than Michigan’s. Maybe the news media believe that we all take Michigan’s financial straits for granted. Or maybe it’s just that all the dramatic standoffs in Wisconsin made for better stories than plain old budget cuts.</p>
<p>No one has mentioned this, but since you stated that you plan to take large loans to pay for the OOS tuition, make sure you will qualify for all 4 years. Makes no sense to go into debt just to have D pull out and transfer because you get denied for loans in years 3 and 4. I have seen it happen…</p>
<p>From the description of my son, a freshman at UW, drug is not an issue. Drinking is. With regarding the dorm, you pick what you want,depending on your budget.</p>
<p>I’m actually surprised the OP didn’t consider U-Wisconsin-Madison as they’re not only reasonably priced and have great communications departments…but has an overall academic rep coming far closer to UMich than UFlorida. Unless UFlorida offers a free-ride…it isn’t worth it as an OOS considering how it compares with UMich, UWisconsin, or even Penn State.</p>
<p>As for the drugs/alcohol issue, that’s going to come up at nearly every university/LAC unless they’re attending a school like BYU or Bob Jones…and even then…it is not a guarantee. </p>
<p>Best to educate them on the effects of these drugs on one’s long term health and goals. Seeing the negative effects of addiction on the neighborhood drug addicts and a high school class in psychopharmacology certainly drove that point home by 16.</p>
<p>@Haystack, I like your suggestion ‘say it out loud test’. I will do it next year admission cycle for my ds.</p>
<p>Typically the big public skim the cream of the OSS and International crop and get the best of the in-state kids and the rest are generally the top scorers in state from the weaker school districts and they spread those seats around. Michigan has been known in the past to go recruit and do auto admits on site at targeted public school while OSS kids are sitting at home biting their nails for months on end. That’s what the big elite public school are all about. It doesn’t diminish the educational opportunities and they each have their strength programs. I can’t imagine many of the Big 10 or SEC schools operate differently. I think it adds an “aura” for the OSS kids because there are less seats for them and they are competing against a strong group of kids for those seats. But when all 4,000 or 5,000 (or however big the school is) land on campus they are a diverse group. Some will go to honors college and honors housing, some will go into the engineering schools which are always competitive, the rest will all be taking classes together and riding the bus from North Campus (where the vast majority of freshman are housed) together everyday if it’s UofM. They are all exceptional kids and all have the ability to thrive and graduate or they wouldn’t be there. </p>
<p>My kids are no different than the OPs…my oldest two unfortunately wanted to get the heck out of Michigan…one went to an OSS public where a few of his best friends ultimately ended up being well…kids from Michigan not his particular school but the same state only they were living 1800 miles away…and that’s my story…birds of a feather flock together. Best of luck OP, but I would take the time to do alittle research into more of the big campuses and think about your budget before you allow your D to commit somewhere…or at least like you said wait for the finaid packages. If it’s UofM then it’s been a well thought out decision and it is a school with a heck of a lot of spirited students and alums. </p>
<p>Another Big 10 with a decent price tag like Indiana’s is Minnesota (I got an advanced degree there). Good school with Dinkytown, 7 Corners, West Bank for college atmosphere and the Golden Gophers for sports.</p>
<p>another consideration for both flagship state schools- what is the out of state pop %. I would guess a lot higher 30%? at UMich. More kids to connect with. When you are a minority at a state school- it’s hard to break into clicks that carry over to college (UConn), vs. UDel, Penn St. huge oostate pop. so kids fit right in.</p>
<p>I would be really aggravated though to pay $54K as an out of stater & sit next to someone paying $24 K , in front, back & left & right of me… too big of a difference.</p>
<p>I posted a long reply which I managed to lose to cyberspace, so I will post an abbreviated version.</p>
<p>I’m a PSU grad in the Comm industry who is going through the same cost/benefit analysis.</p>
<p>1- Major matters more than overall school rank. Look within her expected major. If it’s Business then the pros and cons of one school might be different than if it is Communications (and Comm is different than Journalism). Like another poster said- NW, Mizzou, etc are highly ranked. </p>
<p>2- She will hardly ever see HS kids at PSU if she doesn’t want to. I saw the 1 kid from my HS 3 times in 4 years. My friends from big cities like P’burgh and Philly hardly ever saw their friends (unless they went out of their way and made arrangements) and were almost exclusively integrated into the smaller units that were our dorm or their major. </p>
<p>3- Someone posted that UF is getting away from merit aid. I am not sure if that is true or not, but I do know that a good friend had a D that was offered in-state tuition for this fall with a similar GPA to your D and SAT scores around 2150 (31 ACT equivalent maybe???).</p>
<p>4- personally, we can afford OOS for our D, but I already told her she can’t go OOS unless she gets merit aid because it just isn’t a sound economic decision given the strength of our state flagships (eg I don’t want to work until I’m 80 if I don’t have to). If she was dead set on taking something that was markedly stronger at an OOS program I might think differently. I’d rather save the money and be able to help her with a masters etc. In fact, Clemson offered my D in-state tuition which makes it identical to our state flagships, but because of a prepaid college plan it would still cost me probably 20k more over 4 years and I told her that I’d rather she went in state.</p>