<p>Hey guys, to be fair I figured I'd crosspost this on both boards. I got into both CMU and MIT, but there's a big money difference between the two. At CMU, I was accepted to CIT, Mellon College of Science and the College of Arts and Humanities. The problem is that MIT is absolutely my dream school, yet it would be only slightly less than 20k/year more expensive for my family than CMU would be. Majors I'm considering are Civil/Mechanical/Biomedical Engineering and possibly a minor in Business. (CMU gave me the Judith Resnik-Challenger, by the way - none of this money is need-based). Does anyone have any advice for me? I have only a week to decide and I'm going crazy here.... thank you!</p>
<p>I was in almost the same situation last year, but it was with Caltech and SCS. The difference in cost for me was exactly the same (no need-based aid). I couldn't decide until a few days before the deadline. I ended up choosing CMU based on the quality of the CS and ECE programs, the cost, the location, and the feel of the campus. </p>
<p>For you, it's obviously somewhat harder because you're choosing between your dream school and a school that's not the absolute top in the areas you're considering (though it's still in the top 10).</p>
<p>If I were in your position last year, I definitely would have chosen MIT because I was obsessed with it and had been for several years. More average people have heard of MIT, so it will be easier to show off on a daily basis.</p>
<p>The mature decision might be to realize how much money $80,000 is and choose the school that doesn't sound as sexy but isn't far behind (if at all) in terms of measurable results (salary, educational quality, etc.). Going to CMU won't close any doors for you in the future as long as you continue to do well.</p>
<p>Ahh, it really sucks to be you :-) Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>Wanting to minor in business is a slight tip towards CMU. We also have excellent engineering programs; don't underestimate them.</p>
<p>I've visited MIT and I'm at CMU, and I have to say I really like the atmosphere of CMU's campus better. Pittsburgh is probably the second most collegey town in the US (after Boston) and it's a really nice city. MIT's campus just doesn't seem as warm and welcoming. And like sabertoothtiger said, it's easy to get hung up on being able to name-drop ("I went to MIT" sounds better than "I went to CMU", admittedly). However, that isn't going to matter later in life. CMU's name is well-known in the fields it specializes in. If you're applying for an engineering job, saying you went to CMU carries the same weight as saying you went to MIT.</p>
<p>I know that at this time, MIT and CMU look like they lead to vastly different futures, but they don't. Both will offer you the best education you can get and both will leave you with plenty of job opportunities. MIT will take $80k more out of your wallet. That's pretty much the only difference that matters.</p>