<p>My son is interested in mechanical engineering. He got into U of IL, Wisconsin, Lehigh and Villanova. He likes them all! We are from Chicago- any words of wisdom?</p>
<p>U of I is a no-brainer! World class school for engineers, great college experience, in-state tuition. What’s not to like??</p>
<p>UIUC unless you’re wealthy and don’t mind paying OOS costs for Wisonsin. how much would Nova or Lehigh be?</p>
<p>I think Lehigh and Villanova can offer a more personal educational experience with more access to faculty. Particularly for a shy kid. Personally, I’ve been pretty impressed with Lehigh, though when I worked in New Jersey, I knew a lot of Villanova engineers. </p>
<p>No question that UIUC and Wisconsin are terrific schools if he’s going to excel anyway. I think those schools can be a little more harsh. </p>
<p>Of course, if money is a prime concern, your priorities might differ.</p>