<p>For the past 2 months, i have been set on attending Florida State University. I was accepted to University of Central Florida, Florida State University, and University of Miami (all into the college of engineering), but denied from the University of Florida. Miami is obviously the most recognized and best overall school out of the three i was accepted to, but purely because of the cost i had decided to go to FSU instead (This was on February 8th 2013 after the UF admissions came out).</p>
<p>Today (March 19th, 2013) i just received an e-mail from Miami saying that i was eligible for $16,350 in grants/scholarships for the 2013-2014 year. One of the major factors of these grants was the "Coral Grant" which was worth $11,200. This is a need-based grant and our family has many financial changes occurring within the next few months. I have two older brothers in college (and a younger sister in high school who plans on going to college) at this point in time. The eldest completes school in May of 2013, and the second eldest completes school in December of 2013. Additionally, when i applied for these colleges, my dad was out of work (and had been for a few months), but he just started a new job last week. With this new job, my family income will be about $120,000 per year. Essentially, this need-based grant will only decrease noticeably the following years.</p>
<p>So i was hoping to read some of your opinions on what i should do in this situation. I still am leaning toward FSU, but i want to be able to make the most educated decision possible.</p>
<p>I am an in-state Florida student, and i have earned the full bright futures scholarship. I have about $16,000 saved up for college, with my parents giving me an addition $2,000 per school year.</p>
<p>The estimated cost for FSU which includes tuition, housing and meals, books, transportation, and a collage of smaller costs will sum to about $20,000 per year. Minus the savings, scholarships, and parental gifts, i will be responsible for about $55,000 over the four years i attend.</p>
<p>The estimated cost for UM which includes those same things sums to about $60,000 per year. Minus the savings, the scholarships/grants, and parental gifts, i will be responsible for about $153,000 over the four years i attend.</p>
<p>That's about a $100,000 difference, and that is nothing to neglect.</p>
<p>In the university rankings made by US news, Miami was ranked #44 in the 2011-2012 school year, and FSU was ranked #97 in the 2011-2012 school year. For my general major (engineering), Miami and FSU are "ranked" within two ranks of each other on US news (Miami at #116 and FSU at #114). The reason why i put "ranked" in quotations is because of the stupid things that US news takes into account like the amount of money spent on buildings and crap like that, when i'm only really worried about the education. I've already visited both campuses multiple times and i love them both the same.</p>
<p>So the ultimate question i am asking is [when everything is taken into account such as cost, education, national overall recognition/ranking of school, ranking in the specific college of engineering, and how those rankings affect job opportunities once out of undergraduate, IS IT WORTH GOING TO MIAMI OVER FLORIDA STATE?]</p>
<p>Thank you for your input! :)</p>