Accepted from the wait list at RPI, is it worth switching?

<p>I committed to Rochester Institute of Technology, then the next day found out I was accepted to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute from the wait list. I really like both of these schools and they were both in my top 3 choices; RIT for the Co-Ops and real world experience and RPI for the reputation. Both also for their quality of education and I just really liked both schools overall. I would have to pay about $5,000 more per year at RPI. My major is computer engineering. Has anyone been through the Computer Engineering department at either of these schools and can tell me about their experience? And/or does anyone have any input about this decision at all? I'm pressed for time in making this decision. So, can anyone help me out here?</p>

<p>You might want to post on the RPI forum for a quicker answer. </p>

<p>Congratulations on both offers. Both schools hold their own on the prestige factor depending on who you talk to. That being said, they are also both known for not being generous financially. This is also die to their endowment. They do not seem to have that much money to go around.
So if money is not an issue, then it is worth going to RPI, due to more international exposure, and other opportunities. However, if money is an issue, here, then it may be worth staying with RIT, and use some of that money for you travel abroad experience if you need it.
Best of luck to you.</p>

<p>Cost of attendance before aid is much lower at RIT–like $16k less. If you have merit awards at both, check out the GPA to keep; them.</p>

<p>Yep, RPI is one of the best STEM universities anywhere but only you can decide if the extra 16 grand is justifiable. Academics at RIT are very solid.</p>

<p>I’m pretty sure he meant that RIT was 5k more expensive when it was all said and done. If thats what he means I would say that RPI is probably worth the 5k extra a year imo.</p>

<p>RPI has co-ops also: <a href=“Students | Career and Professional Development”>Students | Career and Professional Development;

<p>What level of debt would you have at each school? As noted above, if any merit scholarships are involved, check the GPA needed to keep them.</p>

<p>Where would the 5k come from? a college fund, family savings, a loan?</p>

<p>Sorry about the confusion. I meant with the financial aid packages I received from each school, it would cost 5k more per year to go to RPI. I would be taking out loans to go to either one.</p>

<p>With only a $5K difference, I would choose RPI. My son was accepted to both for Game Design and couldn’t decide between the two but he had a $20K difference in cost (RPI being more expensive.) He ended up choosing USC so he never had to make this hard decision. </p>

<p>How much in the way of loans at each school?</p>

<p>can you tell us how much in loans you’d have to take on for each school?</p>

<p>After running numbers to see how much I can pay for school per year with my financial aid packages, I would graduate with about 60k worth of debt if I went to RIT and about 90k worth of debt if I went to RPI, after looking at the number again with miscellaneous expenses, my parents and I calculated a little more than 5k difference per year. its more like 8k more to go to RPI per year. Still not too bad of a difference, but it makes the total debt a little scarier to look at. I’ve compared the curricula at both of the schools for the computer engineering program. They seem to be extremely similar. I’ve seen corporate partners from RIT and they include companies like Apple, Microsoft, IBM, Intel, NASA, iRobot, Harris, Boeing and more. I haven’t found many things about RPI’s corporate partners, only a couple such as Microsoft, IBM, and Intel. I don’t know what I would like to specialize in just yet, but I have an interest in working for a large computer company, or I would like to pursue something in the robotics field. I would also like to do a co-terminal program at both of these schools, where you graduate in 5 years with a masters and bachelors degree</p>

<p>90k is too much debt. RIT’s debt is a the cusp of too much, but doable because you’ll be in CS or CSE. And RIT has excellent industry connections, internships, and general curriculum. Under these conditions, it’s not worth it to attend RPI, no.</p>

<p>MYOS, it is NOT 90K debt for RPI, but it is a 32K more debt to attend RPI for OP.</p>

<p>OP if you found that much more money is not worth switching, then do not. It is reachable though for a CS student. So, it becomes your personal preference on schools. IMHO, they are similar schools, the 32K don’t make that much of a difference. However, your comfort level is more important than our opinion.</p>

<p>If you’re already going to graduate with a lot of debt shouldn’t the focus be on which one will give you better job prospects after college?</p>

<p>Yes but the total debt is 90K (vs 60k). The 30k difference isn’t 0 vs. 30, it’s significant debt vs. unmanageable debt, even for a CS student.</p>

<p>90k is not unmanageable. I have worked with many CS students with debt well over 100k that is easily serviced with their post grad salaries. CS and ChE students have our lowest default rates. Well under 1%. </p>