Success Stories

Sarah Forbes, an English major at the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), is one of the fortunate few who has never wavered in her academic direction. "I've always known what I wanted to study. English has been my favorite subject for as long as I can remember," says Forbes. "It wasn't until my junior year of high school, when I started taking AP English courses, that I began to understand just how versatile an English degree could be."

Charting a Path

Forbes has chosen to minor in writing through the U-M Sweetland Center for Writing, a comprehensive writing center that oversees LSA's first-year and upper-level writing requirements. With that clarity, she's already charting a course toward a future in technical writing — a field that blends her love of language with real-world applications. "My minor is administered by the Sweetland Center and is application-based. Although it is part of the university, it's kind of like its own little cohort," she says.

Gaining Professional Experience

Forbes, who recently finished her second year at U-M, has also completed a training course to become a peer writing consultant at the Sweetland Center for the 2025–2026 school year. "I'm going to be an essay writing tutor," says Forbes. "The idea of working while in college is a little intimidating — I was worried about balancing my time and being overwhelmed to the point where I couldn't focus on school. But this job is something I'm genuinely passionate about. I'll be earning money and gaining experience, and it's definitely something that will stand out on my resume."

Discovering Possibilities

A first-generation student, Forbes was born and raised in Ontario, Canada, where she resided until her family relocated to Flint in 2018. She first learned about the U-M Go Blue Guarantee in her senior year of high school when Greg Lockett, a senior admissions counselor from U-M Undergraduate Admissions, visited her high school to talk about opportunities. "Greg mentioned the dollar amount cap for families, which was $60,000 at the time. I knew that my family fell below that, so at the end of the presentation I asked him a few questions," she says. "He said that I would be a likely candidate for getting the Go Blue Guarantee. That visit and our conversation definitely impacted me even before I submitted my application."

Soon, Forbes received the good news that not only had she been accepted to U-M, but she also qualified for the GBG. "When I told my parents about the Go Blue Guarantee, my dad — a big, burly man I've never seen cry before — broke down in tears," she recalls. "I think they'd been quietly worried about the financial side of things, but didn't want to burden me or dampen my excitement about college. I hadn't realized how heavily it had been weighing on them until I saw their reaction. Knowing that money wouldn't be a barrier anymore was such a relief. It was a really good day."

Forbes says that the GBG has completely altered the way she is able to go about her life at college. "Without the Go Blue Guarantee, I definitely would not be going to U-M. Instead, I would probably be going to a community college closer to home," she says. "It has changed everything. Not having to worry about finances for these next four years has taken a lot of the pressure off me that I'm sure I would be having otherwise."

She encourages all students who are hesitant to apply to U-M to take that first step. "I would say, please, please apply. Definitely do it. Reach out to the financial aid team, or even the advisors at your high school," she says. "U-M has a large support network in terms of financial aid. There is always someone who can give you the answers you're looking for."

Sharpening Skills through Real-World Writing

Forbes is currently a contributor to The Michigan Daily, a student newspaper established in 1890 that is financially and editorially independent from the university. She has contributed to both the news and crossword sections. "I published my first full-size Saturday crossword puzzle recently," says Forbes. "It's surprisingly rewarding. You never realize how many little facts you pick up by doing the crossword every day, and also in writing the puzzle. I've learned a lot."

She also contributes to What the F, a creative, feminist, nonfiction magazine at U-M, and was recently named editor-in-chief of the publication for the upcoming two years. "I first heard about What the F from a friend, and was interested right away. I was lucky enough to be accepted when I applied to the writing section, and even chose the magazine's theme during my first semester," she says. "Writing for What the F has given me an outlet to explore creative nonfiction further, which I anticipate working with in my future career, and the opportunity to edit in the future will also be helpful experience."

Paying it Forward

Forbes also finds time to serve as a peer mentor for the U-M Kessler Scholars Program, which provides four years of support to exceptional students who are among the first in their family to attend college — helping them achieve their dreams and transform the undergraduate experience. Founded by the Judy and Fred Wilpon Family Foundation, the program is unique in that it provides comprehensive support through wraparound, multi-tiered services to ensure students' success from admissions through graduation. "I have been a mentor with Kessler for the past year, and I will return for the upcoming 2026 school year," says Forbes. "I love the mentorship program. My best friend was actually my mentor in my freshman year, and I value the connection I was able to make with my mentee this past school year. I'm excited to get to help another scholar through the transition in the upcoming year, because my mentor's help was so important to me."

Finding Silver Linings

Forbes admits that she had a bit of a challenge acclimating to living on campus in a dorm with roommates. "That whole situation was sort of a rough start for me. Added to this, my first week in the dorms was also the week that U-M had a power outage. It was definitely a rough go of things, but it actually pushed me to form more in-person connections. Otherwise, it might have taken me longer to acclimate," she says.

Forming Memories

She recalls one of her favorite moments since starting U-M. "It was Halloween, and it was just me and my two friends. We were all dressed up with plans to go out, but for some reason we decided to have a quiet night in with the three of us in our full costumes and makeup," says Forbes.

The three watched TV and played "Just Dance," something she hadn't done since she was nine years old. "That night was what I would call the epitome of my ideal college experience, which isn't a big room full of people and loud music. I'd much rather have nice conversations with my favorite people."