I have been accepted into both Grand valley state university, and the University of Michigan (the School of Kinesiology) as an entering freshman–however, I will have my associates degree by the time I start in the fall. I’m quite in between where I want to go, but I know I want to go for nursing and hopefully go back for NP license/MSN so I would be able to teach in the future. The only issue is cost, and the time I would attend both schools. For GVSU and UofM I have one more Pre-req I would take in the fall to submit my application. However, at the University of Michigan I would be apply as a cross-campus transfer, instead of applying straight into a program as a sophomore like at GVSU. Finically speaking I would pay only for housing, around eleven thousand at GVSU, and at UofM I would pay about fifteen thousand for tuition/housing/meal plan. I have applied to a couple scholarships but I won’t hear my results until beginning of may (after decision day). I have money I would receive from my parent to help pay, but I don’t want to expect them to pay so I have started putting money away from any debt I would have towards the end of school.
I’m very torn, as finically I understand why GVSU would be a good school, but I’m scared I am going to give up a really great opportunity at UofM especially with networking, but also the big school community I want to experience in college. The only slight issue, that I don’t mind much, is it would take me an extra year to graduate at UofM as their nursing program is a three-year step program and I would be coming in with an associates (I’m a middle college student completing my 13th year at a CC). I applied to UofM because of my best friend who goes their, however, I really like the atmosphere and community that the school brings. Moreover, I applied to GVSU simply to see what my financial aid would look like, but I visit campus often for my boyfriend and I don’t mind the campus, but I’m scared it’s not going to have the bigger campus vibes I’m looking for.
I need advice as I’m afraid that I’ll make the wrong choice, and well, these are just the two schools I’m deciding between for attendance in the fall I plan on applying to multiple nursing programs including MSU, and Ferris as I want to have options. Thank you so much for anyone’s advice!
Besides the higher cost (including the extra year) at University of Michigan, another thing to consider is how difficult or selective the secondary admission to nursing would be at University of Michigan versus Grand Valley State University.
From what you wrote above, it sounds like U of Michigan checks more of your boxes…but that it is more costly than GVSU. Is that correct?
As a Michigan resident, U Michigan guarantees to meet your full need. Can and will your parents fund the costs of attending there? IMHO, that is the better choice…and especially if you somehow decide to shift gears while in college. You will only be there three years (make sure your CC credits actually will fulfill degree requirements). That sounds like something many students wish they could afford to do. Can your family afford this?
I don’t meet the requirements for their Michigan guarantee, but my parents are going to pay for pretty much everything besides day to day things, that I would pay for with money I have saved up for. It’s more of feeling a little bad for asking for that type of money, so I don’t want to completely write out GVSU. Thank you for your reply!
I would take out the federal loans that I get with FASFA, but I do have my parents to help with those, and I have money saved up for personal stuff like books. Thanks so much for your reply!
Are you saying that University of Michigan would cost $15,000 a year, and GVSU would be $11,000? Is that accurate. Does UMich $15000 include room and board as well as tuition?
Does your financial aid award from Michigan include the $5500 federally funded direct loan (if not…that would cover the difference).
How will you pay the other $9500, etc? If you go to GVSU, you live at home but it’s $5500. But you have to eat!! Food costs - so the delta isn’t quite $4,000.
If you go to UM, will you be leaving all the time to go to GVSU to see your boyfriend? If so, is home by GVSU?
If you can afford it and will take advantage of being at UM, it would be a wonderful experience. But you don’t want any loans beyond the federal assured loans - so not to wrack up big $$.
But if UM is feeding you, the delta is really less than $4K.
I do plan on taking the direct loan, and paying it off throughout school with some of my own money. Some parts of the financial aid is through the work-study program with brought the cost down quite a bit. I do plan on working while I’m in school, and even hoping to transfer stores within my job now. But I was curious if you know how paying tuition would work with the work-study program as it’s based at self-pace with paychecks?
Work study is like any other job. You have to apply for and be hired for a job. You work the hours and get paid for the time you work.
You really can’t use work study money for the first semester of tuition because you won’t have worked at a work study job when this payment is due. If you are able to save the money, you can put it towards tuition in subsequent semesters…from your savings…just like any other savings from work.
Are you planning to do a work study job AND another job as well? You want to make sure you don’t over extend yourself with work responsibilities. Your schooling, frankly, needs to come first. I would suggest working about 10 hours a week, and really not more. At least for the first semester. This will give you the time to figure out just how much time you really need for your studies.
I have money saved up for first semester plus what I save up over the summer when I get a second job, but I’m working at target right now which I would be able to transfer to a different store in Ann Arbor, I’m not sure if I would I do a work-study but my best friend goes to umich and she says that it’s quite easy to get one if I plan to do it.
I’m the worst speller on here because I often use my phone and see errors later - that happened due to mis-typing or autocorrect. However, I want to point out - you’ve spelled financially wrong multiple times. So just wanted to point that out so you can correct that going forward.
How difficult is the cross-campus transfer at UMich? My understanding is that transferring into competitive programs at large schools like UMich can be very difficult even if applying from somewhere else
