<p>I am thinking about Chemical/Biological Engineering.</p>
<p>Right now here are the pluses for each side</p>
<p>CMU:
- Name is more well known
- Possibly enjoy the campus better (can't visit due to lack of money)
- More clubs I would enjoy</p>
<p>NEU:
- Cheaper (40k for NEU or free possibly vs 60k for CMU) (over 4 years)
- Honors College
- World renowned co-op (got offered 6000 to do an international co-op)</p>
<p>Would the co-op truly be much better than CMU's reputation?</p>
<p>Honestly in this economy, not really. When people are hiring for jobs the college name could be what gets this person the interview. For example, would you hire someone from Harvard or Clown College (not an actual school, but cliche). The person who went to Harvard will get picked even if the person from Clown College is better suited for the position. The name means everything. Why do you think Ivy League schools have such high job placement?</p>
<p>Honestly these two schools are in different leagues. No disrespect to Northeastern, they just are.</p>
<p>btw you’re right, Northeastern has the coop. But consider this—my son, while he was a CMU undergrad, summer-interned for one of the top NYC investment banks. The 6000 you mentioned…is that for a coop semester? He made double that in a 10 week summer, and this was 5 or 6 years ago. My point…CMU is a heavily recruited school by many of the highest paying, most well-known firms. I don’t think you can say the same for Northeastern, at least not to the extent CMU grads are recruited.</p>
<p>2331clk,
Has your son burned out at his financial services firm? The years of 2008-2009 were trying times for people in this business.</p>
<p>If you can get a full ride at NU (it’s “NU” not “NEU” usually, btw), I think you should go there.</p>
<p>For context: I live in Boston and will probably end up at CMU next year (I just got back from touring there – very nice). I didn’t even apply to NU. I personally don’t like it and I don’t care about jobs/co-ops; plus I’m not doing engineering. However, NU is a rare city school with an actual campus and from experiences with people I know, having a Northeastern diploma will not put you in any way at a disadvantage. Does CMU have more “prestige”? Sure. But NU’s name is growing wicked fast and the co-op is as good as advertised in my opinion.</p>
<p>I also have worked extensively with Northeastern’s engineering students/department. They help out mentoring our high school’s robotics team and they put on lots of fun and helpful events. Even though you are doing chem/bio engineering, it’s a really great place. And, I know people in the Honors college and it seems to be worth it – not to mention the awesome dorms.</p>
<p>Other things I personally prefer about NU that you may or may not care about: Arguably in a nicer city (I’m heavily biased though), more school spirit/much better athletics, and an even ratio of males to females. I personally think NU is more of a community even though it’s much larger.</p>
<p>Now, if you don’t get a full ride and the difference is on’y 5k/yr (if I understand correctly), sure, go to CMU, if you prefer it. But, even though it is ranked lower, and may not have the same prestige level, don’t shortchange NU. I think all this talk about getting a much worse job if you go to NU is *******<em>. NU is very, very heavily connected with and recruited by great companies and students, especially Honors ones, will have all the opportunities of a CMU student. Hell, even *Wentworth</em> (the nondescript, “lowly” Technical college down the street from NU) grads are being over-recruited by firms like Cisco and EMC and getting huge starting salaries. (Boston Globe yesterday: [For</a> these tech grads, the job choice is theirs - The Boston Globe](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2011/04/19/for_these_tech_grads_the_job_choice_is_theirs/]For”>http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2011/04/19/for_these_tech_grads_the_job_choice_is_theirs/)) Most successful people didn’t go to a Harvard or MIT or CMU. I’m sure it’s nice to have one of those schools’ names on your resume, but god damn, you can make the most of any education and achieve just as much no matter where you go. And as it happens, NU is focused more than possibly any school on helping you do just that.</p>
<p>My point is that the difference in job prospects will probably be very small, if existent at all. I think you should make your decision based on money and how much you feel comfortable at each place. Northeastern is not a place I see myself, but if you do, I will be the first to tell you how much you can succeed there.</p>
<p>LongPrime…actually, yes! In his case it was the long hours in spite of the $$$. He put out his resume and moved to another bank in late 2009, where he’s done @ 5 pm, works from home every fourth day. Makes even more and is much happier.</p>
<p>His CMU frat brother and, later, roommate in Manhattan, was a computational finance major with near perfect grades and super personality. His job crashed with Lehman. My nephew, at the time a recent Dartmouth grad, econ major, in '08 lost his NYC job at another big financial institution. 2008-09 was rough, close to home, but my son was lucky I guess.</p>
<p>@gingerbreadmann: Sounds like what I was planning on xD I’m actually from Quincy, so I definitely know Boston, haha, and love it as well. I think I’ll for CMU without full ride and NU with. Thanks guys! :D</p>
<p>Free ride at XX vs CMU comes up all the time on these threads and that is indeed a very difficult decision.</p>
<p>With all due respect, NEU is a good institution, but has already been said, this is not the same caliber of education and NEU is a comprehensive college whereas CMU will have a very different student body.</p>
<p>This really is apples and oranges. Some of the other comparisons were much closer but this one is very different levels of value.</p>
<p>If your parents aren’t going to have to sell their home to pay for CMU, then attend CMU.
If you haven’t visited, that’s dangerous – you really need to assess the fit. Could you swing a student bus ticket for just yourself?</p>
<p>Heck, if you’re near Boston you can get a really cheap Southwest flight into Pittsburgh (though it may be a little late now). The 28X bus is only a few bucks and starts/finishes at CMU, too.</p>
<p>Yea, my parents won’t have to sell my house, it’ll just be a little more debt xD And I feel like I would like CMU’s campus better, just from people I know there who have known me for a long time. I tried looking up buses but they’re really expensive and AP weeks are coming up soon too. </p>
<p>@RacinReaver: Could you tell me a bit more about that? What’s the 28X bus?</p>
<p>Megabus (megabus.com) is really inexpensive.</p>
<p>The 28X is a city bus that runs from the airport through Pittsburgh and finishes at the corner of Fifth and Morewood (next to CMU). It only costs the standard Pittsburgh bus fare (whatever that is now) and only takes around 45-60 minutes. It’s also called the Airport Flier and has spots for you to put luggage. It also only drops people off when leaving the airport and only picks people up on the way to the airport.</p>
<p>@minesweepermom: I tried megabus but it was gonna be $60 cause I’d have to go from Boston to NYC, and then NYC to Pittsburgh :/</p>
<p>@RacinReaver: ahh, i see. thanks!</p>