A big barrier to Michigan's top public university falls, so step up, students

The University of Michigan is a public university, founded 200 years ago with the sole purpose of serving the public good. Last week, we were proud to announce an initiative that enhances our public mission by guaranteeing free tuition to in-state students with the greatest financial need. About half of the families in Michigan may be eligible for what we are calling the Go Blue Guarantee.

While this is a new financial aid program for our Ann Arbor campus, the motivation and commitment behind it represent longstanding university values. For years, we have sought the most talented students from all communities in Michigan and we have provided generous financial aid to all students according to their financial need. This includes those from middle-class families as well as some from families with incomes as high as $180,000 a year.

These commitments to broad statewide access to a U-M education and generous need-based financial aid will not change. Our admissions process does not take into account a student’s ability to pay, and we will continue to meet the full financial need of all in-state students.

What the Go Blue Guarantee does is offer an important promise to the people of our state. It transforms our historic commitment to helping qualified students from Michigan afford a U-M education into a guarantee. The guarantee is this: All in-state undergraduate students from families with an annual income of up to $65,000 will receive up to four years of free tuition if admitted to our Ann Arbor campus, subject to certain limits.

Read more: http://www.bridgemi.com/guest-commentary/big-barrier-michigans-top-public-university-falls-so-step-students