I’ve been accepted to Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering program and University of Michigan College of Engineering. Currently deciding between the two, with lower cost being the main attraction for U of M as well as a stronger engineering program overall. The difference for me would add up to about $75k of debt vs graduating without debt. JHU has the top ranked program for BME, smaller community, and strong connection with the medical field, but given UM’s great engineering program overall, what are your opinions on the value of the two schools? Are there any JHU BME students who can elaborate on why they value their experience and eductation there?
No brainer. Go Wolverines! 
Thanks for the reply. Do you attend Michigan CoE?
Nope. I’m not even an engineer, but the father of one. I say it’s a no brainer because most of the best jobs in BME require an advanced degree. Tack that onto your $75k debt and you’ll be in a deep hole. There’s really no advantage JHU offers over Michigan to justify carrying that much debt. We’re not talking South Eastern Arkansas State (I don’t think there is one anyway). It’s Michigan, a very good program in its own right.
Another vote for U of M.
If your parents were rich and could easily pay the full bill at JHU, I might defer to their judgement. But you have a chance to graduate from an great engineering school without debt. That seems a good plan.
A third vote for U of M.
Disclaimer: D is a BME student at U of M.
It honestly depends on what you can afford. I’m a BME student at JHU and the program does offer lots of opportunities for it’s students. For example the BME department sponsors a “design team” program in conjunction with CBID which allows teams of undergraduates to design and produce solutions to actual problems in the medical industry (like screening for pre term labor, designing low cost EEGs, etc).
However JHU is really expensive, especially when you consider the cost of grad school (which is basically required to get a job in the BME industry). And UMich is also an amazing engineering school. So if you / your parentscan afford to get through JHU I’d vote for Hopkins. Otherwise UMich.
You really can’t go wrong either way though.