I’ve heard back from all the schools I’ve applied to, and I’ve narrowed it down to Cornell and Rutgers. For Rutgers, I got the into the Honors College with a Presidential Scholarship (a full ride). Cornell’s total cost will come to ~260k; my parents can pay for Cornell, but they will need to cut back some on their retirement savings contributions and I would need to pay them back ~80k sometime after I graduate. I am planning on majoring in Chemical Engineering, but I’m open to switching majors if I decide that I don’t like it. I’m also interested in doing research, but I’m not yet sure if I’d like to go to grad school or work in industry after graduating.
So my main question is: Would Cornell provide me benefits (especially after graduation) that would be worth the cost, or would I get a similar experience from Rutgers?
The simple answer is NO!! If you graduate from Rutgers with a Chemical Engineering degree you eventually gain employment with an organization that also employs graduates from Cornell and/or other top Engineering Schools, at pretty much the same salary. Your upward mobility will be totally dependent on your performance and drive. The education you receive from Rugters in Chemical Engineering will be on par with what you would have received at Cornell, despite what others might say.
You can always go on to a Graduate Program from one of the top Engineering or Business Schools (MBA) and gain an even more significant advantage with the over $260K savings you derive from getting a full ride at Rutgers. This is a no-brainer in my book.
Out of curiosity, what is your parent’s perspective on the matter (I know they can afford Cornell)?
First, the quality of the engineering education will be very comparable at Cornell and Rutgers… so what you are asking is whether the Cornell name is $260,000 more than Rutgers. For engineering, I would strongly say no. Rutgers engineering will get you pretty much anywhere Cornell engineering will get you.
If the difference in costs was much smaller, it might tip the balance to Cornell… but not $260,000!
Go to Rutgers for the free ride. It is a great school and there are plenty of places around Rutgers NB both in NJ and NY that will provide you a possible job or internship for Chemical Engineering. The Cornell name is not worth all that money. PLEASE go to Rutgers where you will receive a quality education!
@lexie1234 I was in almost the exact same situation as you this past month— full ride to Rutgers Honors College or Cornell for $212,000 (53,000 a year after 12,000 in grants). I’m going into applied math/statistics btw. For me the choice was pretty easy: take the full ride and go to the honors college of a solid school for undergrad, and save the money for graduate/wherever else I may go. Plus, honestly I prefer the Rutgers atmosphere for a fun, spirited undergrad experience anyway. And it also helps that RU is ranked pretty much evenly with Cornell in math, and I’m sure their strong engineering department is comparable as well for your situation
Very wise choice. With all that savings, you have multiple downpayment on a house or grad school. I spent 3-months on Rutgers campus and lived in one of the dormitories on campus. This was a period between my undergraduate and graduate programs and I really enjoyed the campus/dorm. Good luck!