<p>I have to narrow down my application choices real soon. My parents are only letting me apply to 5 schools because of teh cost of applications and they do not want to waste money on schools that I definitely will not be attending</p>
<p>Here is my list right now:</p>
<p>1)Rice
2)UTexas
3)LSU (did this one) total safety finacially. Forced to apply
4)RPI- Fee waived b/c medalist
5)Ga Tech</p>
<p>Excluding RPI since its free I am down to MIT and Michigan.
Pros and Cons</p>
<p>MIT
I really think the atmosphere at MIT is wayy too nerdy for me and that I would not like being there with all those really smart people. I already get sick of all the weird smart people at my school now. Also does not have Biomedical engineering.</p>
<p>Pro: Great academics and research options plus Boston.</p>
<p>Michigan:
Pros: Much better atmosphere in relation to party. Still has good academics (not MIT but still good)</p>
<p>Cons: So damn cold, cost a alot for out of state.</p>
<p>I have been really interested at MIT but I think it may have been the brand name and not the social atmosphere.</p>
<p>BTW I want to be a Biomedical Engineering major.</p>
<p>im not a texas resident but b/c of National Merit i get out of state waived so i would be just like an in-state. SO actually I never even should have applied to LSU.</p>
<p>if you want to become a biomedical engineer and MIT doesn't offer it, why bother? to be honest i don't think ann arbor is that much colder than boston, if at all. yes, mich is a lot of money oos but MIT must be at least same, and most likely more.</p>
<p>If you're good enough to get into MIT odds are good you'll get quite a bit of money from UM. So the cost won't be an issue. In fact for many people I knew last year making the decision between the two schools, UMich was free while MIT was the normal 45k a year or so. The money tends to become a plus for UM.</p>
<p>I woull actually cut GT from your list. You seem to be hesitant about MIT because it is so one-dimentional. GT is not much better. At least MIT is MIT! I would definitely apply to MIT and Michigan. Given your national merit finalist achievement, you have a good chance of getting a very good scholarship from Michigan, so definitely apply.</p>
<p>Wait, so National Merit Finalists are likely to be recruited by Michigan even if you're instate???:) Haha, for a second there I thought schools like Michigan didn't care if you were NMSF or something since so many people in the country seem to have that honor.</p>
<p>Semi finalists do not necessarily get much in way of scholarships, but finalists usually do. Like Tetrahedron said, if one is good enoug to get into MIT, one will usually get serious scholarship money from Michigan.</p>
<p>Alexandre, do you mean commended students instead of semi-finalists? 15/16 semi-finalists become finalists, so I mean, a semi finalist would be a rarity.</p>
<p>I am considering applying, and well, every bit helps :>. thanks</p>
<p>MIT isn't as geeky as you make it out to be. They still have frats and parties and all of that stuff, and you're in close proximity to about 5 other major schools.</p>
<p>Also, isn't biomedical engineering something that's a little too advanced to be something that is it's own major? I'd think you'd do biology and engineering classes for undergrad and then put them together in graduate school for biomed engin.</p>
<p>I would apply to both MIT and Michigan and see what kind of options and choices you have, financially and otherwise. Why limit yourself to 5 applications? Ok, ok, if you parents want 5, then accede to their rules insofar as what they wilk pay for - but heck, you can babysit or cut a lawn or two to pay for the LSU application. You will, as you know, get in to LSU in a heartbeat - it has to be one of the least challenging state universities upon which to gain admission - and in many respects is a sports stadium with a school attached - and since it is so disparate from your other choices, don't, in essence, count it as one of the 5 and scrape up a little dough on your own to pay for that app. You are only 17 or 18 once - don't limit yourself.</p>