I’m a senior at a northern Virginia high school. I’m trying to decide between Virginia Tech and University of Michigan. I’m nearly positive I will get into VT and I have a connection at U of M, so I am sure I will get into both. I am trying to decide which I should attend. Is the marginal cost of attending U of M worth the marginal benefit? Note: I qualify for in-state tuition to VT. I am seeking a degree in aerospace engineering. Michigan will be about $60k a year including room+board and tuition. Tech will be about 20k a year (my parents have a Virginia 529 college savings plan, so they won’t be paying out of pocket for VT).
Is it worth attending Michigan? My parents can afford it but I don’t want to force them to pay so much money just for undergrad. I do intend on getting an MBA or going to law school.
Whether it’s worth it depends on the financial position of whoever is paying.
It’s not worth it if you are paying yourself or borrowing the money.
If your parents are paying, only they know their financial position. If they are worth many millions of dollars, they might not see $160,000 as that big a deal and might feel that it’s worth it. Ask them.
If they are struggling financially, it’s definitely not worth it.
VT engineering is highly respected and recruited. UMICH is somewhat more elite, selective, and competitive. If you are very competitive, want the extra prestige, and most importantly, have the money, UMICH might be worth it. It has international cachet, while VT is regionally/nationally known.
I’d generally say not though. The variance of students within the schools is much higher than the difference between the schools. For any engineering related career (including the MBA, grad school in engineering and an engineering job), both can open the same doors.