Urgent Question Regarding Additional Info

Colleges & Universities University of Michigan
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<p>OTOH, you cannot rule out the possibility of merit aid until you’ve a) been accepted, and b) had the awards announced March-April-ish.</p>

<p>In terms of financial aid based on net price calc, it is clear you will not be eligible for need based aid, and there really is no way to negotiate around that unless you were to submit special family circumstance that affect their AGI and assets (eg. if there were extraordinary medical expenses, etc.). That’s the only time FinAid will do much of a review.</p>

<p>But you <em>CAN</em> wait an see what shakes out in terms of merit. It’s not easy to get, there’s nothing “extra” you can do (now) to get it (unless you suddenly have a LOR that is incredible, or you cure cancer, etc. in the interim) but it is always a possibility, though likely an outlier.</p>

<p>The most generous direct awards are $20,000 for OOS. The most generous direct award is the Shipman, which involves a competition of sorts to which you’re invited. I don’t recall, but I don’t think the shipman is full ride either (but more generous that the straight up tradition or experience awards in some cases).</p>

<p>BTW, I had a friend’s daughter who could attend a regional university for “free” who also liked the university but really wanted to live away from home. In that case, the parent made a wise move and said “Sure, live on campus and I’ll pick up the tab.” It was a smart move on many levels. The parent saved a boatload of money, and the young person in question had the “full” college experience that included living on her own.</p>

<p>If worst comes to worst, you may want to try to argue for that. Eg. by attending Emory, you’re saving your folks all that tuition money. Perhaps they should consider that they’d be getting off lightly to have you still experience the “living away” portion that you’d otherwise have at an “away” college.</p>

<p>Best wishes. Sorry there aren’t any easy answers here for you.</p>

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<p>I mean the problem is that we are religious and the current religious denomination at Emory is very small and not supportive… nearly all the kids who enter religious end up leaving not religious. My parents say my life is my life, but they would refuse to fund something that goes against their moral values (i.e. college life and lack of religious life that I need). I cannot convince them not to live at home, because Emory has a rule saying you either live at home or you live on campus, so I don’t think an apartment off campus is an option.</p>

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<p>One thing that is likely not helping your case with the parents is that you are set on going to one of the most expensive universities in the country. At some point, you need to find out from them how much they will fund (if any) if you don’t go to Emory. If they planned on you going to Emory and didn’t put much money aside, they probably won’t take on massive debt. It sounds like you are going to have to foot much of the bill if you decide on UofM.</p>

<p>I’m not understanding the religious angle. Are you saying that living on campus at Emory is not a good religious environment for you? I live in Michigan and am very familiar with UofM and Ann Arbor. What are your expectations there?</p>

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<p>I don’t wanna give up too much because I want to remain anonymous, but my parents want a religious environment for my particular type of religion…there are enough people of my religion on Emory’s campus, but not even close to many practicing religious people…maybe at most 5 or 6. Nearly all who go in religious and practicing leave non-practicing saying that “it was too hard.” At UMichigan, however, there is a solid group of religious students who support each other and leave just fine religiously.</p>