Hey guys, I’m so frustrated after being declined by UC davis and U of W - Seatle. These two schools Michigan state and Iowa state are the ones that offered me admission, for sure I will be studying mechanical engineering, and I’m still thinking about applying to Arizona state and Illinois tech. Does anyone has any suggestions or experiences at these school. I am so lost and don’t know what to do.
Iowa State & Michigan State are comparable in ranking, quality, and reputation in engineering. To be honest, while Northern California is a way better environment (wine country!), the quality of engineering at UC Davis is not better than at Michigan State or Iowa State, so I wouldn’t be too upset. Both are Michigan State and Iowa State are solid.
What are the net costs after financial aid? If one is much cheaper, go there.
Otherwise, I would probably go with Iowa State because Ames, IA >> Lansing MI.
Not if you like sports. Michigan State >> Iowa state.
^The differences in the 2 college towns extends to more than just sports. Although Iowa State is a fine technical school, Michigan State is a more diverse, rounded school with considerably stronger liberal arts. The East Lansing community reflects over Ames, IA, not to mention the fact EL is just 1 hour from Detroit, 3 from Chicago whereby Ames is, well, kinda out there… Nice town I’m sure, though.
My daughter was accepted to both MSU and ISU for engineering. We are coming from Chicago and choosing ISU. For us we are concerned because she grew up in Chicago and she is hispanic, we are concerned about the lack of diversity and perhaps closed environment in Ames. But Iowa State even after scholarships from both MSU and Iowa State is significantly less money.
She also got accepted at ASU and they offered identical money as to Iowa State so we are choosing Ames. Illinois Tech is a great schoo, but isn’t ISU ranked higher? The campus of IIT is not great.
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@enginmom4 Why not MSU? It is a comparable engineering school (better in some ways including the 1-on-1 opportunities through CORE, the undergrad engineering residential program) with a more liberal/liberal arts, diversified environment where I’m sure you daughter would be easily accepted into the community.
Great question @Quincy4 we would LOVE to do MSU but for the reasons I said above we can’t. 
Both offered my daughter scholarships but due to the higher tuition cost at MSU the difference in cost is huge. If they were close in cost we would choose MSU.
OK @enginmom4. I can never question a parent’s money concerns and Iowa State is certainly a very good E school (I don’t know much about ASU, however). IIT is a very good school, too, but very urban (although the last time I was in Chicago and attended a White Sox game, there had been considerable improvement to the Bronzeville neighborhood). I wasn’t sure, from your post, whether your daughter’s social inclusion trumped the money aspect. One thing’s for sure: Michigan State University is not cheap, especially for OOS students. I wish your D could have gotten more scholarship money from them. Best of luck to her, though.
@harvardandberkeley - If you have any specific questions about Illinois Tech, I would be happy, as a faculty member there, to answer as best I can. Yes we are an urban university and smaller than ISU or MSU. However, Illinois Tech is a research university like the other two and our graduates do very well in finding jobs after graduation.
The campus is urban but quite safe and well connected to the rest of the city with 2 elevated train lines and a commuter rail line.