The University of Michigan is not only located in Ann Arbor, it also has campuses in Dearborn and Flint.  For 42 years the Cook Family Foundation has provided scholarships to Shiawassee area students attending UM in Ann Arbor; as of the 2020  academic year, the Foundation also began assisting academically accomplished students from local high schools to enroll at UM-Flint and UM-Dearborn.  These campuses are strong institutions of higher learning in their own right, but they are also alternate pathways to a degree from University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Through the University of Michigan Shiawassee Advantage, the Cook Family Foundation is committed to providing a minimum one $3,000 scholarship from among the four scholarships connected to the Foundation’s work to any Shiawassee area student who is admitted to the University of Michigan with a 3.5 GPA or higher.  In order to be eligible for a scholarship, you must fill out an application with the Cook Family Family. In addition, applicants will become eligible for many of the substantial U of M merit-based scholarships as well as the full-tuition Go Blue Guarantee if they have demonstrated financial need. (See our webpage for more information regarding all scholarships.)

Perhaps the most important advantage of attending UM-Flint or UM-Dearborn is that credits easily transfer between those schools and UM-Ann Arbor, and no matter where a student starts or finally graduates within the system, their degree carries the important block M indicating they are a graduate of the University of Michigan.  Each campus has unique degree programs, courses, extracurricular and educational advantages that may appeal to a particular student. Prospective students should look at the offerings at each campus.

The cost of attending college may vary from campus to campus as well.  While each student has their own unique financial circumstances, each campus has different tuition rates, financial aid and scholarships, so attending one school may be more affordable than another.  The proximity of UM-Flint to Shiawassee County also allows a student to live at home and thus forgo room and board expenses at one of the other campuses.