Help comparing college options (NU, JHU, CMU, USC, UCLA...)

College Search & Selection
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<p>HS senior from CA. I plan to major in Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering and hope to go to graduate school for a PhD, though I am aware that my area of interest and future plans may change. I am also interested in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering, and have considered possibly double majoring in Math or some other field.</p>

<p>I have narrowed down my acceptances to 5 schools: Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, UCLA, and USC. I will also throw in UCSD and UCSB in case I missed any considerations. I am leaning towards Northwestern and Hopkins and have visits planned at both schools, but I would like to get some input on my options.</p>

<p>I am still waiting for the final financial aid packages from some of the schools. UCLA is the most affordable option due to in-state tuition, but I feel that it is too close to home and I would rather experience something new. I have the same worry with USC, and though I haven't received financial aid from USC yet, I think it would be far less affordable than UCLA and I don't have a real preference between the two. I think UCLA is the best option for a more affordable school that is close to home.</p>

<p>CMU is great for engineering, but I worry that it may not offer the same experience as a more balanced university like Northwestern or Hopkins. At CMU, I would major in Chemical Engineering and double major in Biomedical Engineering (they only offer BME as a double major option). I'm not sure if their BME program is as strong as my other options. I have not received financial aid info from CMU yet, but I have heard that they may match offers from peer schools (like NU/JHU)?</p>

<p>Northwestern and JHU both seems like great fits for me overall and I think I would thrive at either school, so it's difficult to pick between these two. Northwestern offered me a better FA package ($8k more in grant money), but my parents would still be able to afford JHU. I much prefer Evanston/Chicago over Baltimore, though I still have to visit each campus. The main draw to JHU is the strength of the BME program. The resources, professors, classes, etc. of the BME program sound amazing. Northwestern is a shorter flight from home (less time and money), which is a small consideration. NU also seems to offer a more balanced social environment and less competitive academic setting.</p>

<p>I was also accepted to UCSD for Bioengineering (Warren College) and UCSB for Chemical Engineering with the Regents Scholarship. The BioE program at UCSD is appealing, but I don't think the school would be a great fit for me. Regents at UCSB makes it my most affordable option, and their ChemE program is great, but I would prefer a school that offered BME and a stronger student body overall. I am still posting these two schools since they offer some benefits, but I don't think I will end up choosing either.</p>

<p>I was also waitlisted at Columbia, Penn, and Duke and will likely accept my place on the waitlist at all three schools, though this won't play a role in my decision until after May 1 (or probably never, since they likelihood of getting accepted is so low).</p>

<p>What other factors should I consider? Which options sounds best for me? Which school offers the best opportunities for BME? Any comments/advice that would help me reach a decision would be appreciated.</p>

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<p>I’d throw out travel considerations as minor and probably weigh money saved more significantly. You’ve done your due diligence and reached reasonable conclusions. Great choices. I’d only consider JHU over NU for BME rep, but overall engineering program is, I’ve found, more progressive and broadly strong at NU. I’d also favor NU for location, overall college experience and healthier collaborative spirit. </p>

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<p>"I’ve found, more progressive and broadly strong at NU. "</p>

<p>Care to elaborate @11bawb ?</p>

<p>You might be right I have no idea I’d just like to know your reasoning.</p>

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<p>NUs Engineering First program (now broadly emulated), new cutting edge Segal Design Institute, undergrad focus, top rankings across engineering spectrum. </p>

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<p>Based on your research, NU sounds right for you. </p>

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<p>@11bawb: Thanks. Your description of the atmosphere at NU seems to match what I have found so far.</p>

<p>@kimfuge88: Before getting accepted to JHU, I felt NU was a great fit, but JHU BME has really complicated things haha. I think I would like both schools. I’m hoping my visits will help me choose one over the other.</p>

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<p>Excellent idea. Visit and make the choice for yourself. Baltimore especially the inner harbor with ritzy new developments next to the business school will surprise you.</p>

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<p>“undergrad focus, top rankings across engineering spectrum.”</p>

<p>JHU does have other facilities that pertain to engineering like the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Applied Physics Lab, and the Environment, Energy, Sustainability and Health Institute. In addition, many of the engineering majors are very small (with the exception of BME), therefore the student to faculty ratio is very low, so there is definitely and undergrad focus. JHU has top engineering across the engineering spectrum as well, with only two or three disciplines falling one or two places out of the top 20. </p>

<p>Point is, both schools are comparable when it comes to opportunities and academics. Now its just down to fit.</p>

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<p>Bump10char.</p>

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<p>Wait on the financial aid packages. Then let us know. You can’t spend money you don’t have.</p>

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<p>@jkeil911: I already have the financial aid packages for NU and JHU. NU provided $8k more in grant money, but my family can afford both schools.</p>

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<p>I don’t know Evanston, but Baltimore is a quirky, fun, old, east coast harbor city with lots of neighborhoods that used to be divided along ethnic lines. Philly and Boston come to mind, if you’ve ever been there. The seafood and Italian food is excellent. Waitresses who don’t know you will call you “Hon.” The Orioles ought to be pretty good this year but the Ravens not for a couple more. JHU is in the mix of the city, and also spreads out into the Maryland suburbs with its research/industrial tentacles and campuses. It might soon own the eastern half of Maryland and declare itself a sovereign state. It has a great men’s lacrosse team but students more or less have to fend for themselves socially. It is strong in many many academic fields, but has had a history as a largely graduate school-focused institution. That’s changing, but the administration’s eyes are on the research dollars so take that with a grain of salt. </p>

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<p>@jkeil911: Thanks for the info on Baltimore and JHU.</p>

<p>I received FA info from CMU. They offered basically the same amount as JHU. </p>

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<p>Bump10char.</p>

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<p>Bump10char.</p>

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<p>Bump10char.</p>