<p>Myself, my husband and son are in knots about this decision. Here's what it breaks down to:</p>
<p>Full pay at Purdue ($43K) and Michigan ($53K) and nearly full tuition scholarship for in-state Cincinnati the first year and 2/3 tuition subsequent years at Cincinnati. Honors invites for UC and Purdue.</p>
<p>Before applications were done, we told S that we could pay up to $40K max and he applied to Purdue and Michigan hopnig for merit money and he was a good candidate for it, but it didn't come through. We were all set to go with Purdue as it met our limit (with him taking out the minimum student loan amt each year) and told him Michigan was off the table. Michigan has been his top choice all along and now my husband says he's willing to bump are threshold to $50K but then UC came in with the scholarship offers a couple weeks ago. Since then it's been stomachaches trying to figure what's best.</p>
<p>We feel Purdue would be a good compromise and S would be happy to go there. Cincinnati was one of his two safeties and his least favorite vibe. He also does not think he wants the required co-op route as Purdue and Michigan both have a good number of students that go the internship route in the summer with good success. It's just so hard to decide whether the bucketloads more money for either Purdue or Michigan is worth it and sending my S off to school feeling like he's settling at Cincinnati. Finally, we would not have to take out any parent loans for any of the schools.</p>
<p>Honestly, if he isn’t going to be happy at Cincinnati, I’d say that it is worth it to seriously consider the more expensive options if you can afford it. Generally, a happier student will perform better, and if your son is miserable in Cincinnati, then there’s no telling how that will translate into his grades.</p>
<p>Thanks boneh3ad and fractalmstr, this is how we are thinking too although we can’t get out of our head passing up on an engineering degree for $15K per year! I know once he is at either Purdue and Michigan and thriving we will feel much better about it!</p>
<p>This reminds me of how I ended up at an expensive private instead of my in state options. Basically, your son is 17/18 and is NOT in a position to know where he is going to “fit.” I guess I’ll be the voice of opposition and say stick to what you’re willing to risk losing. I blew through 100k of my parents money before dropping out. Having attended a top engineering program, a community college, and a state school. I can say saving the money is almost always the way to go.</p>
<p>I don’t necessarily disagree with the premise, @da6onet, but I’d also argue that a student is less likely to end up in that situation if he or she is somewhere they are happy. It’s not foolproof, of course. That’s why I said what I did only if they can afford it and not if it will break the bank.</p>
<p>Seems to me the whole college choice thing is a risk as you really don’t know until your child spends a semester or two there, but there are factors that you can look at that might give you an inclination where might best suit your child. We can choose saving money and risk an unhappy child or spend much more (which we can afford albeit a slight stretch) for a thriving child. Or it could be the reverse just as easily. Ya just don’t know, really, so we are thinking on erring on the side of the better program overall.</p>
<p>I am not an engineer. I have a daughter attending Purdue studying ChemE. I have heard that Universities like Purdue and Michigan often have a more national reach when it comes to opportunities for employment after graduation. UCincinnati might have a more regional reach. My feeling is that UC’s strength in it’s engineering program is it’s well established mandatory co-op program. If your son isn’t interested in co-oping that becomes a liablity rather than an advantage. If money weren’t an issue I would lean towards either Michigan or Purdue, however, $100+k is a lot of money. My guess is that his future as an Aeronautical Engineer is in the opportunities he creates rather than the opportunities that are handed to him regardless of which university he attends.</p>
<p>That is true to some extent, however I would argue that the college experience can have a <em>significant</em> impact on a student’s view towards higher education in general, career outlook, and level of motivation. The school gives students the tools needed to succeed, but its up to the students to use those tools, and to use those tools properly. If a student is turned off by his or her peers, the campus environment, and/or the opportunities offered by the school, that student is much less likely to succeed, and less likely to follow his/her original career path… and in some cases, that student may even drop out of school entirely, or worse!</p>
<p>It looks like we will try and visit UC one more time since last summer’s visit and have my S look at it with new eyes and more focused questions. Perhaps he will be able to see himself there after all. He does have a good friend there now that might help sway him. In the end, we told him it is his choice and we will honor our commitment of paying more for his school if that is what he chooses.</p>
<p>From one young S to another, he has to be atleast a little happy where he is to do well, I echo that, so you guys should try and lean him towards UC, don’t push to hard. I too would love to go to UM , for AE, but I’m getting in state tuition to Georgia tech, and HOPE, no way I’d spend all that at UM. But hey if you guys can pay and hell be stoked, go for it…
Good luck</p>