I was recently accepted at Duke, Michigan and the University of Florida Honors Program for engineering and I am trying to decide between them. I do not qualify for financial aid so Duke would cost ~$76,000 per year and Michigan would cost ~$62,000. At UF, I qualify for in-state tuition, I have Florida PrePaid and I was awarded a research grant of $2,000 so I will essentially be payed to attend school there. My parents are willing to pay for my undergraduate education, but if i went to UMich or Duke I would have to take out loans for my MBA.
I am planning on studying either civil engineering, computer science or biomedical engineering, and then getting my MBA. I want to study engineering and then apply those skills to a business setting.
I am worried that Duke and Michigan may offer better job recruitment post-graduation because of their extensive alumni networks that will help me get into the best MBA programs. At the same time, I don’t know if these schools are worth $200,000+ when I can get great regional connections from UF. However, getting into a top MBA school is one of my main priorities.
I have visited UF and UMichigan and loved the intense school spirit aspect of the schools and their respective college towns. I have heard that Duke is similar in that respect so I am not really worried about the fit. I think I could fit in and see myself at any of these three schools! My concern is more about the finances.
Please help me decide what to do!!! 