<p>I have honestly no idea where I would like to go. They are all great schools, but I need a second opinion on where to go.</p>
<p>I intend on majoring in Chemical or Biomedical Engineering and I will apply for need-based aid because my EFC is only around 5-6k. I also live in Minnesota.</p>
<p>I live around 4 hours away from the U of MN and I could care less if I'm close to home or not. What really matters to me is which college would give me the best bang for my buck, and the best experience during my undergraduate studies. </p>
<p>I have already been accepted to U of MN and I will hear from U of MI in December, and I do consider NU a reach. But how much aid does U of MI give to out of staters because it's more than likely U of MN is going to be way cheaper due to in-state tuition and the $1,500 MN in-state grant. And if I did get accepted to NU, would it be cheaper than U of MN and U of MI?</p>
<p>So should I just confirm with U of MN because it's the most logical choice for me at the moment, or should I wait to hear form U of MI and NU?</p>
<p>Thanks for taking the time to read this and I would appreciate any advice.</p>
<p>Minnesota (Twin Cities) is one of the top schools for chemical engineering, so Michigan or Northwestern would have to come up with enough aid to make them cheaper than Minnesota in order for them to be more attractive on the basis of cost versus reputation in your major.</p>
<p>Congrats! As stated above, UMN-TC is a fantastic choice for chemical engineering. Since you’re already in, you can relax. Being in-state makes it a bargain. Wait for your other acceptances and see if financial aid makes them competitive. If they do, come back to this board for opinions. Don’t go in debt/spend a lot of money for higher ranked program (though Minnesota is ranked very highly) as you will not get compensated in your job to get a return on that investment.</p>
<p>I doubt Michigan or Northwestern will give enough aid to make them competitive. Are you under a deadline for submitting your statement of intent to register at Minnesota? Do you lose any benefit?</p>
<p>You should consider NU. If you get in, it will be affordable, because NU will meet your need. My D applied for ChemE and was admitted to UIUC, Iowa State, Purdue & Rose Hulman, and it was cheaper for her to go to NU. She paid off her loans 1 1/2 years after graduating. </p>
<p>Good luck with the decision - it’s got to feel good that all your choices are good ones! :)</p>
<p>I was favoring ChemE over BME because ChemE is way more versatile, what is something a ChemE can’t do that a BME can? The main reason why I’m considering BME though is because it is a possible path towards medical school if I decide to take that route. However, it is unlikely that I do take BME.</p>
<p>And for your previous questions UCBChemEGrad, the deadline to register for UMN-TC is May 15th, but I do want to confirm my decision as soon as possible. Reasoning being is so I can research companies and corporations who give scholarships and apply for them. Say if I went to UMN-TC, then it would probably make sense to apply for scholarships for 3M, Xcel Energy, General Mills, and Federal Cartridge because those companies are based in MN. Basically in the nut shell, once I know where I’m going; I gain that peace of mind and I can focus more on school and applying for Third-Party scholarships.</p>
<p>Also, UCBChemEGrad, what is UMN-TC’s reputation in the ChemE world, apart from their USNWR ranking?</p>
<p>Moneywise - Michigan is expensive, and as far as I know, bad with need-based aid. On the other hand, Northwestern is making it a point to put emphasis on meeting full need. I would consider Northwestern, it’s a great school and can meet your financial need. (My first choice)</p>
Go ahead and start looking at those companies for scholarship opportunities (you perhaps can apply those funds to any school you choose). You should hear from NU and Michigan soon. </p>
<p>
UMN-TC has a very strong reputation in the ChemE world. The reputation is enhanced by the strong industry it helps support in the Minnesota area (i.e. the companies you mention). Since UMN-TC is located in an area that has so many great companies that hire chemical engineers, the on-campus recruiting opportunities are fantastic.</p>
<p>Have you considered Wisconsin since you get in-state tuition there too? It has a nicer campus and more of a college town. The ChE program there is just as good as Minnesota’s although the emphasis might be slightly different.</p>
<p>Michigan doesn’t meet 100% of need for OOS students, though it comes closer than most publics. No harm in waiting to see their offer, but I doubt it will be competitive with UMN. Northwestern’s could be competitive, depending on your financial situation. If you have a high EFC, UMN is likely cheaper, maybe by a lot. If you have a low EFC, Northwestern could be competitive or even cheaper. But you won’t know that until April. </p>
<p>I second the suggested that you consider Wisconsin if you’re really looking for an alternative to UMN. With tuition reciprocity between Minnesota and Wisconsin, the cost should be roughly comparable (though I don’t know what Wisconsin does with FA for Minnesota-domiciled students). </p>
<p>Bottom line, though, for ChemE it’s hard to beat Minnesota, and it’s cheap. It’s even cheap for OOS students. For a full-pay Californian, UMN COA at OOS rates is cheaper than UC Berkeley or UCLA COA at in-state rates.</p>
<p>It’s not so much that I’m finding an alternative to UMN-TC, I applied to UMN-TC, NU and UMI only 1 week apart, but more in the sense of keeping my options open. However, I have considered UW, I could only see my father’s reaction haha, but I just get the sense that UW won’t have the internship oppertunites during school as UMN does, due to the TC being the UMN’s ‘backyard.’ But I could be wrong, if someone who knows more about internship oppertunities on UW I would like to hear it. Then I may also apply there as well.</p>
I don’t know if you can do an internship during the school terms while carrying a full or even a half load of chemical engineering courses. Both of these programs have very strong industrial connections and alumni network (think of all the PhD’s graduated from either program). You shouldn’t have any problem finding a job if you do well in the program.</p>
<p>UW places all over the country for internships and co-ops. Here’s a recent listing of the companies that recruit on campus including interns and co-ops. Most people that want one get one.</p>