It's been a long year. A long life, really. This isn't really my story, per se. It's my story as a University of Michigan "parent." I say, "parent" only because I'm a legal guardian and not the birth-parent of the student that attended the school.
My sister, henceforth referred to as MS, is the student. I, am her legal guardian. I'm a decade older than her and we were both born and raised in Michigan. I've never lived outside of the state nor had my parents prior to 2002. In late December of 2002/early January of 2003, my grandparents became ill and my parents decided to leave the country to go back and take care of them. I had just started my freshman year at a different institution and was in no way capable of taking care of MS. So, she went back with my parents for a few years. In 2006, when I had nearly completed my degree, MS came back to Michigan to live with me. That's the cliff-notes version of the last 10 years of our lives.
MS was and continues to be an incredibly hard-working student with glowing recommendations from any teacher. I say this not to gloat but as a testament to how well-adjusted she is.
MS moved here on her own, though completely estranged from me, because she wasn't comfortable living abroad. The first year was awkward. The age difference makes me more her parent than her sister and I had given up my opportunity to go to graduate school to be able to let her come stay with me. I worked and took care of the both of us and I soon took over not only the role of a sibling but kind of both parents as well. I stayed up a countless number of nights helping her adjust to life here. We pulled all-nighters studying and working hard to get her to the top of her class. We moved across the street from the school so she could partake in more extra curricular activities and every sacrifice was made so that she could make the most of her education. Six years later, she graduated only a few steps short of the very top of her class with her acceptance from University of Michigan in hand.
The people we encountered at the countless number of orientations never questioned it and we never really questioned it ourselves. We saw in the "Residence Guidelines" that we met all the criteria via a loophole in wording and were sure that everything was a-okay. She started the semester and soon we got word that she had been flagged as an out-of-state student. Not possible, we thought. We applied for a reversal of the decision and were denied again. I looked through the residency guidelines and contacted a number of attorneys that all said that we met all the criteria and that it made no sense that we were being denied. So, with paperwork in tow, I went to the residency office and applied for an appeal. On the day after the final possible drop-date, we were told that we were denied again. They said, no matter how long I was her guardian or how long she had actually been living here, because our parents are still alive, her residency is based on their whereabouts. This seemed ridiculous to me because I am in charge of her in every way. I was even the one to pay for her tuition! Regardless, we were denied and this time, this denial was going to cost us (i.e. me) an extra $13,000 (yes, that's for ONE semester AFTER having already paid the in-state tuition portion). Insane, right? Out-of-state students at the University of Michigan pay roughly 3x the amount for tuition that in-state students do. I know. *picks jaw up off the ground*
I don't know how many people have that kind of money sitting around but I surely don't.
MS took second semester off since I couldn't pay back that amount. She got a job and went to the community college instead... but, what a bummer. How discouraging is it that she's not allowed to maintain the quality of education she deserves based on that decision?
So, here we are at the end of the school year. She put in a new application for residency status but who knows what will become of that. In the meantime, she is trying to apply to another school across the state but they won't accept her application until they have received a transcript from Michigan. AND.... of course Michigan won't release it until the account is PAID. IN. FULL. Again, who has that kind of money?
I just want to scream. Then cry. Then scream some more. Then eat ice cream and cry again. It's incredible to me how unwilling people are to help. When did it become just about money and not a single drop about the education? I've been seeing all these commercials from Target's new #accepted campaign but all it does is break my heart. I look at my sister and I see her losing steam... losing hope. I look in the mirror and I see it in myself now. It's so exhausting - this fight. How far does it go and when is there something good that will come from all of this? It's not fair to have the only good opportunity that was given to you, to be ripped away. Her "financial counselor" at the school is NOT a ray of sunshine - I can say that much. I was told by everyone that I spoke with that it might be possible to release a transcript dependent on the counselor's decision and she sure made it sound like that was not the case and got extremely upset that other people were speaking on her behalf. To me, it only seems logical that they would even come to suggest such an action because they've seen it done before. *frustrated*
So... here we are. $20,000 down for a single semester of school. The beginning and end of an education that MS should have been able to receive for a third of that. The beginning to what should have been the journey for the rest of her life with friends and experiences she's supposed to treasure for ever. Instead, she's had this black-hole type year where all it has done is suck the financial resources and energy from not only her, but me and everybody around us that has gone through the trouble of exhausting their efforts to help.
In the end, we're all alone and the school doesn't care and that's the hardest part, I think. Too bad, Michigan. I hope someday you will lose your cult-like following as people see you for what you really are.
