<p>So I'm going into engineering in undergrad, and I've gotta decide between Case Western Reserve University and Harvey Mudd College. Put simply, I would so much prefer to go to HMC, if not for the 27k-per-year scholarship that Case Western is offering me. </p>
<p>More details:
Harvey Mudd
- Los Angeles, California
- Small campus (I prefer smaller campuses)
- Better engineering programme
- Guaranteed good undergrad treatment
- $38,567 tuition</p>
<p>Case Western
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Large Campus
- Has a grad programme
- $35,900 tuition (mostly covered by scholarship)</p>
<p>I also have two younger sisters who will also be going to college, so that just makes the scholarship all the more significant..</p>
<p>So which college do you think I should go to? Also, any financial advice?</p>
<p>harvey sounds like a better location and better fit for you. but you need to think hard about your finances before committing to something like that. talk to your parents, or whoever is footing the bill. also know that case western is a fantastic school, even if cleveland is nothing compared to LA.</p>
<p>In terms of location, remember that Harvey Mudd isn’t actually in LA, it’s in Claremont, which is about an hour outside. It’s a nice suburb, don’t don’t go there expecting a busy city or anything. However, it does come complete with Southern California weather, which is a a huge plus.</p>
<p>HMC is “in” LA in about the same way that Oberlin is in Cleveland or Vassar is in NYC. In other words, it’s not. HMC is at least 30 miles from downtown LA, closer to 40 to Hollywood, and 50 to the ocean. The weather is certainly nice, but I wouldn’t expect that HMC students would actually get to spend much time in LA.</p>
<p>As for the question of where to go, my general bias is that for engineering, a cost differential that significant would not justify turning down Case, which is a fine University and well noted for its engineering curriculum. But I realize it’s a very tough decision for you and good luck whatever you decide.</p>
<p>I’m a big Mudd fan. Hate to see anyone spend a lot of time in Cleveland. ;)</p>
<p>Case is a fine school. Big money difference. </p>
<p>Have you called Mudd admissions and discussed your dilemma? I don’t think it could hurt. Tell them you really want to go there but … and see where the discussion takes you.</p>
<p>For Engineering Case is way up there. I know HM’s rep in sciences.
Engineers are generally practical types. I don’t think Mudd will ever earn you back the difference in cost vs Case over your lifetime.
If Mudd has a Grad program, aim for that if you still feel that way in 4 years.</p>
<p>The main reason I’d prefer to go to Harvey Mudd is because of its general atmosphere. It’s got the tight community that comes with a college of 700-some students, and in which I’m more likely to be successful (in the way of being active in organizations and/or starting a club myself). I also like the personality of the school itself- I think I’d just enjoy my time much more in Harvey Mudd.</p>
<p>Another big consideration is the likelihood that it’d be easier to find a job in computer engineering in California than in Ohio. I’m not sure how well that idea’s founded…? But it just seems like California is more the place for computers.</p>
<p>Finally, the last thing is that Harvey Mudd is much more selective than Case Western. It just seems like I put so much effort into my college applications, it’d be something of a waste not to go to the most selective school. (I’m aware of how irrational that sounds) </p>
<p>raelah/MilwDad: Whoops, that was clumsy of me. Claremont it is.</p>
<p>I love HMC (I’m going there for sure) but the cost differential between HMC and Case is so much, I’d advise you to go for Case, especially since you have two younger siblings.</p>
<p>Definitely HMC has many opportunities, especially with the geographical factor. Some of the people on the HMC college board have told me that they’ve done summer research at Caltech or had internships at Cali tech companies. But at Case, you’re likely to be top of the class and so many opportunities will be open to you.</p>
<p>It’s important to remember that even though you may think you prefer Harvey Mudd now, you may find that you will actually be happier, or equally happy, at Case. However, one thing is sure, there’s a huge money difference. That is for sure.</p>
<p>It’s a tough choice. But luckily, both HM and Case are well respected schools in general, and specifically for engineering. However, HM has a much, much stronger rep in engineering than does Case, especially once you get outside the immediate geographic regions that the schools are located in. </p>
<p>I consider HM to be as elite as, say, Georgia Tech or U Illinois Urbana, for engineering. Case is more like Iowa State or Arizona State - good; a top 50 engineering school, but HM is top 10, and that can make a difference with some employers. </p>
<p>I strongly believe you need to speak to people at HM, tell them they are your first choice school. Tell them you may not be able to attend because the offer at Case was so strong. Ask them if there is anything they can do. </p>
<p>They probably can’t meet the offer you got from Case, but they might be able to do a bit of something for you, and so it’s worth asking.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice, everyone. I’ve spoken to the head of admissions at HMC and I’ve got another appointment for tomorrow morning. However, with the economic situation in America and my own perception of my talents(?), I don’t feel like I could ask for anything more than the financial aid normally offered to HMC students. I’m willing to take on loans and be in debt for even a decade or so, mostly I suppose because I’m thinking about the time before and after my college years. If I’m going to Case, I would certainly be less enthusiastic about returning to school after the summer, and 20 or 30 years from now, I wouldn’t be able to say that I went to HMC for undergrad (and HMC doesn’t have a grad program).</p>
<p>Faced with the idea of not going, I’ve found I have my heart settled on HMC. Now I just want to know exactly what kind of financial worries I’m getting myself into.</p>
<p>I really appreciate all the detailed feedback you all have given me so far, especially since I just joined the site. So really, thanks. (:</p>
<p>Sou, I wish you all the best. I’ve also recently contacted the HMC financial aid office, hope our appeals pan out. Hope to see you at HMC in the fall.</p>
<p>Roaringmice. You might be surprised how many people have NEVER heard of Harvey Mudd in this country. Just from a hunch, I think the Case Western name has more recognition by the average joe. You won’t have to feel badly that you went there 20-30 years from now. Trust me wherever you go and if you do well, you will enjoy it.</p>
<p>May I suggest a quite different mindset? It is not about you going to them and saying that they will be losing a top flight student to another school because their financial aid doesn’t measure up. Not a bit. It is about you being an effective negotiator (a fantastic lifelong skill). It’s you looking the admissions dude straight in the eye and telling him how much you want to be at Mudd. It’s about explaining your concern about the financial burden that places on you compared to other options. It is about you asking him questions rather than ultimatums. Naturally start with questions about whether there is ‘any flexibility available from their standpoint?’ Ask him about work-study/campus jobs. Put him in the position of coming up with answers and just perhaps there may appear solutions. </p>
<p>Maybe just maybe, some kids have turned down some offers, giving them some money back into their budget. At the VERY least, you have nothing to lose. </p>
<p>That said, it’s absolutely possible that you go to Case and love the place. It’s absolutely possible that you go to Mudd and are disappointed. What is guaranteed under your current financing options is that you will be going into a ton of debt by enrolling at Mudd. It’s fine to talk bravely about a decade of debt. It’s quite another thing to be paying it off month after month. You mentioned grad school as well. With deferments on loans you could easily be 35 years old paying off $10,000 bucks each year on your loan. Someone with a wife and kids at that point. Someone with a condo or a house payment. The reality is quite sobering.</p>
<p>Let me see: 27K vs. 155K for four years at two very good schools. Do I have the facts right? Although I really liked Harvey Mudd when I was told about it from a current student, go to Case Western and NEVER look back. It is a terrific school too.</p>
<p>I’m not very ambitious, financially. Will being in debt affect my ability to get a job, or to advance in my career? Will it cut down on my free time? </p>
<p>I suppose I talk about debt so lightly because I have no idea what it’s like. Can somebody please fill me in?</p>
<p>Debt cripples you, you have to save and scrimp to pay back the loans. And even after allocating a chunk of your income to repayment, the amount left to be repaid is still stupendous.</p>
<p>“Faced with the idea of not going, I’ve found I have my heart settled on HMC. Now I just want to know exactly what kind of financial worries I’m getting myself into.”</p>
<p>So figure out how much YOU (and not your parents) will need to borrow. Go to [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) and use the loan calculator. Then you’ll see what your 10 years of life post graduation will look like. I expect from what has been written above is that it will not be pretty. You may find out that HMC isn’t even an option, which will make your life much easier.</p>