Am I crazy for not choosing Stony Brook? (RPI vs. Stony Brook)

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>I have been accepted to both SUNY Stony Brook and RPI for fall of next year and I plan on studying Biomedical Engineering, which happens to be one of Stony Brook's strongest programs.</p>

<p>Stony Brook has given me $4,500 for the first year and $3,500 for each year after that and a spot in the University Scholars program. This brings the total cost without loans to $14,000 for the first year and $15,000 every year after that.</p>

<p>RPI gave me $25,000 in combined merit and need-based aid. This brings the total cost without loans to about $36,000 per year. However, we are currently appealing the FA package and based on one of my parents current work situation we expect a significant increase in our FA package. I've talked to current students who went through the appeal process last year and they all said they got good results from it so I'm optimistic. Our goal is to get the cost to $30,000 per year or less without loans, and then take out $5,000 to $6,000 per year in unsubsidized loans. My parents would be able to cover the other $24k-$25k per year. So if I went to RPI, I would have $25k or so to worry about after I graduate.</p>

<p>After visiting both schools, I much prefer RPI. At Stony Brook, the general atmosphere felt like students were there because they had to be due to financial reasons and the overwhelming amount of commuters was a big turn-off. I know it's wrong to make the assumption that students are not happy to be there. There are plenty of students who are there by choice and probably love it, but it was hard to see when I was there. I also wasn't thrilled with the location, it seemed like there was nothing to do off campus. RPI had a very nice campus and isn't in a fantastic location either but I feel like I would be more willing to stay on campus at RPI anyway.</p>

<p>I'm very grateful to get such a good offer from Stony Brook, but I honestly feel like RPI might be worth the extra 15k per year, assuming our appeal is successful. Plus, I'm hoping I'll either be able to do a co-op to help with the tuition or get a job on campus to help with the other fees. Stony Brook has very good research options for BME majors as well, but I don't think they have co-ops. I feel like I'm crazy for passing up Stony Brook's offer though. I'd be able to graduate without even thinking about debt and I'd have extra spending money left over. Plus, I'm unsure whether I'll go to grad school or not. I'm not planning on it right now but if I go to Stony Brook I'll definitely have that option open for me. </p>

<p>Engineering is a very demanding major and I feel like if I go to a school where I'm not 100% happy I'll be fighting an uphill battle from the start.</p>

<p>Sorry for the obnoxiously long post. Any opinions on this would be great.</p>

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<p>Stony Brook four year cost = $59,000
RPI four year cost = $144,000 including need to take loans</p>

<p>Seems like Stony Brook is the obvious choice for cost and academics.</p>

<p>Stony Brook does have a formal co-op program: [Co-op</a> Program | Stony Brook University Career Center](<a href=“Career Center | Stony Brook University”>Career Center | Stony Brook University)</p>

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<p>Go to Stony Brook and save money to go to grad school. It seems like the best option here. Also, stony brook is a great school with great opportunities upon graduation.</p>

<p>Sent from my HTC One X using CC</p>

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<p>Agreed, since both have excellent engineering departments, if you think you’d be comfortable at either, then follow the money to Stony Brook. Excessive student loan debt is a real problem in this country.</p>

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<p>I visited Stony Brook and while I do have the same sentiments as you, I did like it. I didn’t necessarily like the large class sizes but I do think that in terms of finances and education, Stony Brook is more effective than RPI.</p>

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<p>bhoomib - does RPI have large first year classes? If so, then class size may not be a differentiating characteristic between the two universities. </p>

<p>The price difference listed by the OP is significant. I doubt the education difference will be worth it. So, the question is whether a perceived better “fit” is worth an extra $84,000. Whew. I think I’d figure out how to like Stony Brook!</p>

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<p>RPI’s schedule lists class sizes:
[Class</a> Hour Schedules](<a href=“http://sis.rpi.edu/stuclshr.htm]Class”>Class Hour Schedules)</p>

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<p>I kind of expected these responses. </p>

<p>I’m hoping that after our appeal the disparity between the costs will decrease significantly. I agree that RPI isn’t worth an extra $84k, but if we could get it to $120k vs. $60k for 4 years and I used a co-op to pay for 1/3 of that, the $40k difference might be worth it.</p>

<p>I’m just throwing out hypothetical numbers right now. I guess I should just wait for our new and hopefully better FA offer.</p>

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<p>We have a pretty solid BME program, and most of my friends who are in the program, given that we have a hospital and a med school, conduct research and end up at great companies. I don’t mean to add salt to the wound, but given BNL(A NATIONAL LAB, ONLY 4 of them in the nation), A medical school, a hospital, I think you screwed up and should reconsider.</p>

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<p>For the record, you shouldn’t be paying for grad school. If you want a PhD that’ll be funded. If you want an MS, get an employer to pay for it.</p>

<p>Also, $25k in loans isn’t that horrible of a sum. I think the bigger question is how you feel your parents would feel about dropping all of the extra money for you to attend RPI versus Stony Brook. It’s easy to lose perspective as to how much money the difference is, but $15k/year is enough to buy a new compact car every year for four years. Or a heck of a down payment towards most houses in the country. Or the nice beginning to a retirement nest egg.</p>

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<p>When I went to SB (many years ago) there were only a few slots for Electrical Engineering but tons for Applied Materials and Mechanical. Did you apply directly into a program? When you go to look for a job there is a big difference. Most of the heavy weigh schools let you declare whatever major you want but that’s not always true with all schools. At SB our first week of school they had a lecture on how to get into your preferred major and may students were disappointed to learn they needed 4 A’s or 3 A’s and a B+ in the four core weed-out math and science course (including Chemistry that all the premed students needed A’s in also)! Things may have changed by now but check with the engineering department before you decide.</p>

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<p>@kathleenA
Sorry if this is off topic considering its not my thread but i am very interested in stony brook, when u say not everyone gets into their preferred major does that still apply if i got accepted into it? Or is it different if i only got accepted into the school of engieering?</p>

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<p>@KathleenA</p>

<p>As far as I know, I was accepted directly into biomedical engineering. That’s what my acceptance letter said at least.</p>

<p>I got my new offer from RPI and basically after the perkins and federal direct loans there’s a $10,000/year difference between the two schools. I’ll have a small loan payment after graduation ($25,000 or so), but to me RPI is worth the extra money. I think I’ll fit in much better both academically and socially at RPI. I’m going to visit one more time before I make a decision but my mind is pretty much made up.</p>