Right up there with choosing a mate, your choice of college is one of life’s biggest decisions. Honestly, college will cost some serious money and one has to weigh if it is worth carrying a student loan debt in a tough economy. If you do choose to go the college route, I have attended a public, a state and a private college in Michigan. In this brief overview, I will give a general summary of three schools and current price of tuition for each.
*Please note – I am listing the cost of full time enrollment at 15 credit hours for one semester only.
Washtenaw Community College – Located due East of Ann Arbor, Michigan, WCC offers small class sizes, affordable tuition, open door admissions and life-long learning classes. The freshman class is around 1900 students and in district tuition for one semester will cost $1,380; however, WCC does not offer dormitories or student housing. In addition, books, fees, and other intangible expenses will add about $2,200 for a grand total of $3,500. From personal experience this school is great for basic core classes i.e., math and English. During my enrollment, I took intermediate Algebra and English and both classes were challenging.
Eastern Michigan University – Located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, EMU serves 23,000 students in more than 200 majors, minors and concentrations. EMU is well known for its teacher education program, and recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Tuition and fees cost $4,341.60 with room & board coming to $3,947.50 for a grand total of $8,289.10. I took a graduate teacher education course in curriculum and development. I learned many great insights into teaching from my top-notch professor. I highly suggest EMU for any students contemplating education as their profession.
Calvin College – Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college in the Reformed tradition of historic Christianity. Calvin has small class sizes, well-respected faculty, innovative core curriculum, and community outreach. Currently there are around 5,000 students enrolled at Calvin. Tuition and fees cost $12,323 with room and board adding an additional $4,263 dollars for a grand total of $16,586. During my undergraduate at Calvin, I made life-long friends, grew both in character and academically.
If college is for you, a good idea would be to get your basic courses out of the way at a community college and then transfer to either a state college or a private school. I highly suggest attending college because completing college sends a message to employers that you are committed, intelligent, and are able to schedule your life.
Sources:
Calvin College
Eastern Michigan University
Washtenaw Community College