<p>I was recently accepted to George Washington University, Syracuse and University of Maryland. Right now I am considering majoring in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, but I'm having trouble deciphering which is the better school. I would love some information on the academic rigor of all three schools especially as it pertains to the Engineering and Science programs, also general pros and cons about all three would be really helpful!</p>
<p>I also can’t decide between Syracuse and GWU…</p>
<p>Lol, you understand my struggle. Do you have like a pros and cons list for both schools? Plus what would you majoring in?</p>
<p>Can you give us (tuition+ R&B) - (grants+scholarships) = ?
What’s your parents’ budget?</p>
<p>There is no “best school” in the absolute since it’s a matter of cost/benefit.</p>
<p>Like MYOS, I too wouldn’t make a decision based solely on the following, but my son was chemE at Maryland and it was really rigorous. I was a chem major in college, and forget it. I couldn’t read his textbooks or do the math (it was 40 years ago that I had calc, and I don’t use it often). By sophomore year the engineering was Calc 3 and then some. He changed to chemistry for reasons that had less to do with engineering than simply loving chemistry, and he’s really liked the chemistry department. He’s a senior now, and I’ve been reading his p-chem II textbook (it’s all quantum chemistry). However, it’s just the clearest textbook I’ve ever scene on a difficult subject that somehow gets by with calculus I can just about follow. So UMD seems plenty rigorous to him. In Maryland and the surrounding states, UMD has a reputation for rigorous chemE. I don’t hear the same about GWU’s department, but others may know differently.</p>
<p>@MYOS Sorry, you’re right. GW is 64,635-46,300= 18,335. Syracuse is 59,320-41,280 = 18,040. For UMD, I am a resident of the state of Maryland so I’m looking at $7,000 and $12,000. My parents are fine paying the tuition of GW and Syracuse, it’s like the cap of our budget.</p>
<p>@jkeil911 Thank you for that! It’s good information especially since I’m considering the same two majors. May I ask why your son chose UMD?</p>
<p>My son chose UMD because it was the best chemE program to which he applied and he was in-state so it was much cheaper than the others. In MD, it’s kinda silly to go anywhere else for chemE unless you’re getting a lot of financial incentive or money doesn’t matter–or you just can’t stand the rigor.</p>