Many students from East Grand Rapids choose to stay in-state for college. With 53% of the class of 2022 staying in-state, with a mix of private and public institutions, most students attended state-run universities.
While many people recognize both types of institutions, such as state schools like the University of Michigan, Grand Valley State, and Michigan State University, and private schools like Harvard University or the University of Notre Dame, many people don’t actually know the difference.
The primary difference between a public and private institution is that public schools are funded by the state, with taxpayer money, and private schools are funded in other ways, primarily through donations. Because of these differences, there is a mandatory alteration in the acceptance rate.
But, how many students are actually admitted into state schools?
In 2022, it was discovered that from the University of Michigan, 52% of undergraduates were from the state of Michigan, according to umich.edu.
When asking seniors if they would most likely go to college in-state or out-of-state, it was found that most teens asked would probably stay in Michigan.
“I think I’m going to stay in state for college because it’s cheaper and closer to home,” Lindsey Michell ‘24 said.
Also continuing in favor of in-state institutions is a different approach of acceptance that some universities in Michigan have taken.
Ten out of fifteen public universities in Michigan have altered their acceptance guidelines, making the expectations of admission very clear. As of the fall of 2024, in-state applicants with a GPA over 3.0 will be guaranteed admission. Some of these colleges include Oakland University, Central Michigan, and Western Michigan University, with various other options, bridgemi.com stated.
Continuing off of these new rules, a new scholarship has been passed, which provides up to $5,500 per school year for students to attend a Michigan public university.
Even if not utilizing this scholarship, however, the price of university differs based on where you apply.
For The University of Michigan, the average tuition costs $26,531 for in-state applicants and increases to a whopping price of $78,329 for out-of-state students per year, UofM’s website said.
As seen, staying in state for college from East Grand Rapids has many benefits. Not only are you most likely closer to your family, but you also have a lower tuition and a higher chance of getting accepted.
