<p>OP- what does “grad work” mean? If it’s a Masters, take five minutes and figure out if any of these options will allow you to stay an extra year and complete an engineering Masters. One of my kids was at a school where a B+ or better GPA allowed you to spend your senior year (and then one extra year) and complete an MS in Engineering. The fourth year cost the same as if you were a typical undergrad- most kids got fellowships to pay for that fifth year.</p>
<p>If grad work means a PhD, that would be fully funded (or the admissions committee’s deemed you too weak to be in their programs… suggesting you should find your bliss elsewhere.) If grad work means getting a job out of undergrad and then getting your employer to pay for you to a Master’s on their dime-- that’s yet another option.</p>
<p>And if you are the typical HS senior, you will end up NOT majoring in what you think you are going to study, and will NOT end up in graduate school five years hence.</p>
<p>So to my mind you can make a quick spreadsheet outlining a bunch of options and outcomes— undercut by the high probability that you will fall in love with something else once you get to college- and then decide your best financial option.</p>
<p>would be hard to turn down a free ride at Delaware if you are getting no parental support whatsover. Very hard.</p>