CO School of Mines VS. Hiram College + WashU at St. Louis

College Search & Selection
1

I am looking for advice on trying to make a college decision, and I don’t know with option would be better, and which would potentially give me a better return on investment…

I would like to eventually become an aerospace engineer. I also live in Alaska, so no matter where I go, it’s going to be at least two flights away from home. Even though I would prefer to be closer to home, UAF (a 5.5hr drive away) wouldn’t be the best option for a great education for a potential Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering degree, even though it’s cheaper than all of my other options. UAA isn’t even remotely feasible for what I’m looking for. Also the State of Alaska isn’t doing the best financially, so programs are being cut left and right for the U of Alaska system. Because of that, I have to look to the lower 48 for college options unfortunately.

I’ve kinda narrowed things down between Colorado School of Mines and a 3+3 Program between Hiram College in Ohio and WashU in St. Louis, MO. I have already been accepted into both, along with several other colleges.

I like Mines so far, mainly because it’s one of the top engineering schools in the country, its environment, and that I would probably, hopefully be around like-minded people. I would be able to graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Aerospace, and hopefully earn a Master’s later on from it. The average starting salary for a graduate there is about $63K, which seems promising, seeing how it’s fairly expensive to go there.

The other option would be to go to Hiram College for 3 years, earn a Bachelors in Physics, and be able to swim there, as I competitively swim. I would be able to then transfer to WashU in STL, and spend 3 years there earning both a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering, and a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering, concurrently, because of their 3+3 cooperative program with Hiram. Even though tuition at WashU lowers per year because of that cooperative program, I am very worried about the financial cost of doing 6 years at 2 schools, earning 3 degrees. The only real reason I’m considering Hiram is because of being able to swim there, and the transfer program, so I’m worried about how I would enjoy going there if I were to stop swimming after a year, for whatever reason… It’s also 3 flights each way to/from home, so that would get expensive after awhile.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

2

Check how many students actually complete the 3+3 program. There are a lot of schools that have such a program (it is usually 3+2, with two undergrad degrees, one in physics, one in engineering) but very few students complete the program. They want to stay at their first school, or they can’t afford the transfer, or they aren’t accepted into the transfer school.

Mines has a D2 swim team, but it is very competitive. There are certainly pools for you to keep swimming even if you don’t swim on the team. Mines is not known for aerospace (U of Colorado is the school known for aerospace, and of course the air force academy), but does have mechanical.

Are you accepted into other schools, especially schools on the WUE? There are many that would be cheaper.