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College isn’t supposed to be a cookie-cutter experience that’s exactly the same from coast to coast. It’s a pipeline to your career that’s supposed to get you ready for the job market here in Michigan, so it needs to be tuned in to the exact needs of local industry in Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor and the rest.
Employers here have come to rely on the regional university system to be up on what’s going on in the marketplace. But that doesn’t mean Michigan’s state schools and private universities are the ones looking outward for the answers. In fact, university departments here are the ones ahead of the curve, leading the way with research that puts them in a position to see around the corner to what’s coming next.
And the beauty of it is that some of the lowest tuition rates anywhere in Michigan are found at colleges that are turning out the most capable and job-ready graduates. You better believe local industry is paying attention to what’s going on at these schools.
Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan is a public research university that ranked 116th in U.S. News & World Report's 2015 list of the best national universities. Institutional grants and scholarships are provided to 92% of full-time beginning undergraduates, with students receiving an average award of $8,599. Incoming students are automatically considered for most merit-based scholarships, including the Leading Scholar Award, which provides full-tuition, room and board for academically outstanding students. Incoming first-year students are also eligible for the $1,500 to $4,500 per year Presidential Scholars Program and the School of Business and Economics Impact Scholarship, which ranges from $7,000 to full-tuition. Transfer students are eligible for the Michigan Tech Transfer Scholarship, which ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 per year.
Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
7,218 Students
Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan was founded as Big Rapids Industrial School in 1884 and didn't receive its present name until more than 100 years later in 1987. The university offers several institutional grants and scholarships, with 66% of full-time beginning undergraduates receiving this type of aid. First-year freshmen can apply for merit-based scholarships that range from $1,500 per year to the full-tuition Founder's Scholarship. Full-time out-of-state students can apply for the Great Lakes Scholarship if they are from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin or Ontario and receive $5,000 awards that are renewable for four-years. Similarly, out-of-state students from other states can apply for the Bulldog Award, a renewable $5,000 per year scholarship.
Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
14,715 Students
Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan has a list of notable alumni that includes professional basketball player Magic Johnson and actor James Caan. Institutional grants or scholarships are provided to 39% of full-time beginning undergraduates, with students receiving an average award of $7,826. Through the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship program, the top 15 freshmen candidates are eligible for scholarships that cover tuition, fees, room, and board and provide $1,000 extra annually. Other academic merit scholarships available to incoming freshmen include the full-tuition Distinguished Freshman Scholarship, the $15,000 Honors College National Scholarship for out-of-state Honors College invitees and the $4,000 Merit Recognition Scholarship for National Merit Finalists.
Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
50,538 Students
For more than 50 years, Kalamazoo College has used an education model, called the K-Plan, that calls for a flexible yet rigorous education with no general education requirements; experiential education; study abroad; and a senior individualized project. About 98 percent of the college's 1,400 students receive grants or scholarships to help pay for their education. The college grants about $39 million in aid annually, and students with family incomes under $60,000 average about $40,000 in grants per year. Nearly a quarter of students are eligible for federal Pell Grants. Kalamazoo grants merit-based scholarships of $15,000 to $31,000 annually and has a competitive $20,000 award for music and theater students.
Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
1,443 Students
Founded in the Catholic and Dominican tradition, Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan was named after St. Thomas Aquinas, who is one of the most respected intellectuals in the history of the Catholic Church. More than 90% of full-time beginning undergraduates at Aquinas College receive some type of institutional grants or scholarships, and Pell Grants are offered to 34% of undergraduate students. Federal and state work-study programs are available to students as well. According to the school's website, its comprehensive financial aid packages allow graduates to leave school with $6,000 less debt than students who attended public colleges in Michigan and $7,500 less debt than students who attended private colleges in Michigan.
Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
1,894 Students
Starting out with just 10 students in 1862, Hope College now has over 3,300 students taking classes in its Holland campus, located just a few miles from Lake Michigan. Qualified students are automatically considered for academic-based scholarships, including the following: Trustee Scholarship ($18,000 per year), Presidential Scholarship ($7,000-$16,000 per year), Distinguished Scholar Award ($5,000-$6,000 per year), and the Alumni Honors Scholarship ($3,000-$4,500 per year). These scholarships are guaranteed through a recipient's sophomore year, and renewable for two more years as long as the student maintains the required cumulative GPA. Distinguished Artist Awards ($2,500 each) are available in the areas of creative writing, dance, music, theater, and the visual arts. These artistic awards can be combined with academic scholarships.
Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
3,392 Students
Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan is the fifth largest university in Michigan and ranked 26th in U.S. News & World Report's 2015 list of the best universities in the Midwest. Grand Valley State provides institutional grants or scholarships to 71% of full-time beginning undergraduates, with these students receiving an average award of $4,001. Incoming freshmen with excellent academic records can apply for several merit scholarships, including the Presidential Scholarship, which provides an award ranging from $4,000 to $7,000 per year, and the Faculty Scholarship, which provides an award ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per year. The university also offers seven institutional grants for students with exceptional financial need, with award amounts ranging from $500 to $4,400 per year.
Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
25,325 Students
Located in Ironwood, Michigan, Gogebic Community College is a public two-year college that offers technical programs, professional certificates, transfer programs, and associate degrees. The Michigan Transfer Agreement is in place to help students to transfer to the Michigan university or college of their choice. A wide range of scholarships are available to students, and the Federal College Work-Study program is available for students who wish to work part-time on campus. For students who need to pay their tuition in installments, a tuition payment plan is available.
Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
1,112 Students
A dynamic and diverse campus committed to creating a challenging and inclusive learning environment, the Western Michigan University offers 147 bachelor's, 173 master's and 30 doctoral programs. Incoming freshmen who are Michigan residents and who meet the academic criteria are automatically considered for the coveted Medallion Scholarships ($12,500 annually). Other merit-based WMU scholarships are the Dean's Scholarships ($3,000 or $6,000 annually) and the Multicultural Leader Scholarships ($4,000 annually). Non-resident admitted freshmen are considered for the Presidential Gold Scholarships ($9,000 annually) and the Presidential Silver Scholarships ($7,000 annually). WMU students from under-represented groups who are finance majors can vie for the Greenleaf Trust. Eight scholarships of $10,000 each are awarded every year.
Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
23,529 Students
Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan is among the 100 largest public universities in the United States and is ranked 194th in U.S. News & World Report's list of best national universities in 2015. The school provides students with $61 million in university funding annually and awards over $300 million in private and federal financial awards and grants each year. In the 2014-2015 school year, institutional scholarships were provided to 47% of the incoming class. Incoming students with financial need and strong academic records are automatically considered for three financial awards: the Academic Prestige Award, Academic Excellence Award and Academic Success Award. These awards have a maximum award amount of $6,000.
Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
26,825 Students