Advice Appreciated: Rice/NU/VT/USC

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've been reading these boards for a while, and appreciate the valuable advice you guys give.
I'm basically hoping to be a neurosurgeon, but plan to study some form of engineering (perhaps electrical or biomedical) as a undergraduate because I love the way engineers are able to look at and solve problems, it seems like a very valuable skill. I'm really in love with the sciences such as biology, chemistry and physics.</p>

<p>My choices:</p>

<p>Rice University- Small school in Houston ~4,000 undergrads. I went to visit and the campus is beautiful. I sat in on an electrical engineering class and it seemed like their projects were really cool. Students told me the EE and BME engineering programs are good. The downsides are the size (students don't have much choice in teachers), location (traveled through town, not the best part of Houston) and cost. They offered me about $10,000, and expect about $30,000.</p>

<p>Northwestern University- Large school in Evanston near Chicago. I'm visiting later this week, but I hear they have a strong engineering program. I have some family in nearby Chicago, but not a deciding factor. I was admitted to the Integrated Science Program (ISP), as well as the McCormick School of Engineering and was offered to be part of a Dean's advisory committee. They offered me about 15,000, and expect about $30,000.</p>

<p>Virginia Tech- Large University in Blacksburg, Virginia. The campus is much more rural, and far from city life. It's a much more commuter centered campus. I was offered the Alumni Presidential with $12,000/year as part of their University Honors program, which seems really amazing and has students who turned down Berkley, Rice, Harvard, and a full ride at William and Mary (Irrelevant for me, but gives you an idea of students). The community is very close-nit and includes about 200 student. After a first year scholarship of $5,000 and other outside sources, I still have to pay about $18,000 out-of-state.</p>

<p>USC- Downtown LA. I haven't visited USC, but after talking to family friends and alumni, I have moved it down because of quality of the area it is in (Here for possible reconsideration). I have been offered the National Merit Presidential Scholarship, the Engineering Honors Program, and I hear good things about the Viterbi School of Engineering. After the $20,000 in scholarships, I still have to pay about $30,000</p>

<p>But here's the dilemma:
I have been talking to Air Force ROTC programs at Rice and USC (Something both NU and VT have as well), and they offer to cover full tuition as well as books, a stipend and some board. This would basically be full cost at all these schools. They also said they would pay for medical school, in exchange for 1 class a semester, as well as weekend training and 4 years of service after all my school. This is a two-fold issue because I don't know if the cost is worth the difference, or if this is a valuable opportunity otherwise. I have always wanted to be a pilot, and I believe that the training the good anyway, but I don't seriously consider the Air Force as a career.</p>

<p>My parents are unsure about the "value" of these different schools and seem to be relying on college rankings. Cost is an issue, and I would basically have to take out loans for any unmet costs. I have about $38,000 in college savings that could be put to use at any of these schools.</p>

2

<p>Rice is actually in one of the nicest areas in Houston, just so you know.</p>

3

<p>By that do you mean that the other areas are not as nice, or that the area around Rice stands out in a nice city. My only exposure was from the metro to and from the airport (~3 hrs total). What do you know about Houston?</p>

4

<p>I think you need to form your own opinion of USC's area. It's a hit or miss with different people, and I think people who are in general accustomed to living a more affluent life see the neighborhood as bad, and that's just because of their own insecurities of the unknown. USC, like Columbia, wouldn't be top schools if it was as dangerous and crazy as people say it is.</p>

5

<p>I live 1 mile from Rice and work in the Texas Med. Ctr. The neighborhood around Rice is very nice and very safe. High end residential area on north, west and south sides with the huge med center on the east. Houston gets lots of bad press, but is a very good place to live. 4th largest city with great restaurants, great fine arts, sports, fairly low cost of living and is virtually recession-proof. For a college student some of that doesn't matter. I work with many Rice grads in the med ctr. and they are all very well trained, and universally happy with their undergrad experience. The worst part of Houston is weather in the summer which won't effect most college students who aren't there in the summer. Generally a very fine institution on par with NU and generally thought of to be better than VT and USC academically. fit matters, of course, but most at Rice are very happy. I live in Houston because I want to. A good place to live, work, etc.</p>

6

<p>
[quote]
I'm really in love with the sciences such as biology, chemistry and physics.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Sound like Rice is a better fit. But don't let the USC neighborhood reputation scares you. My family took the USC surrounding bus tour and it was what we thought of LA, the big city, is like.</p>

7

<p>for you, if you are willing to COMMIT to the military for the four years, ROTC seems like a good option. with only $38,000 that would at most last you 2 years at VT. so the rest will have to be shouldered by you in loans (thats A LOT of loans). plus then you have the cost of med school which is almost as expensive. you would be able to fufill your dream of being a pilot but it would push back your "career" another 4 years.</p>

<p>however if you do it, you can pick whichever school YOU like best! if you decide not to do ROTC i would do VT just because of the cost. its a great school and saving $12k a year is a big deal to someone in your situation. you sound like you really like each of the first 3 schools so the money is a good deciding factor. i dont know much about VT but i know they have a very strong community and great football. despite what you say about it being a commuter school i htink youll find a good community on campus with lots to do on the weekends</p>

8

<p>The neighborhood surrounding 'SC isn't that bad. Really. Yeah, it's urban and not in the middle of Beverly Hills but it isn't in the 'Hood either. Most of the residents of the neighborhood are affiliated with 'SC, students, staff and faculty. Frankly, right now with the way rents are, no one else can afford it.</p>

<p>You really need to see it for yourself as some people may be uncomfortable, while others think it can be vibrant living in Central LA. </p>

<p>As for ROTC, they do offer full tuition scholies at USC, I don't know how many though.</p>

9

<p>So basically, what I see it coming down to is Rice with AF ROTC or VT as part of the honors community. Biomedical engineering seems to be lacking at VT based on my impression, but EE seems to be very strong. Are the programs at NU, USC or Rice signficantly different in terms of quality of education, job placement or research?</p>

10

<p>NU, Rice, and VT are all around the same for engineering (NU and VT are 14th in US News, Rice is 17th). USC is still good, but just a step below the other three. As far as research, NU and Rice will have "easier to get" Research opportunities b/c of the smaller student bodies (Rice with Texas Medical center as well as many engineering labs, NU with its med school, etc.). As far as job placement, all will be good, but a NU or Rice name signifies that you know your stuff (a bit more so than USC and VT, its just prestige).</p>

11

<p>from my understanding rotc requires a 6 year offficer commitment. you have to compete for a pilot slot :550 slots for 3000+ national grads. upt( undergraduate pilot training is 1-2 years and then a 8 year commitment upon graduating from pilot training so it cuts into a little more time than you might think. ROTC detachments have quotas for recruiting members every year so there might be some twisted facts that they are giving you.</p>

12

<p>Northwestern isn't a large school, it's solidly medium-sized (under 8,000 undergrad).</p>