I have narrowed down my college choices between two colleges and I am having a very hard time deciding and I keep going back and forth between the two. My two choices are Baylor University and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. I am looking to major in engineering but have already chosen a different major for both colleges and would have to switch majors after my first semester at either college. Baylor is ranked 129 nationally for their undergraduate engineering program while UMass is ranked 114 for their engineering program. Overall Baylor has better education and is ranked better overall. Baylor also has a more defined and bigger campus compared to UMass, even though they have similar class sizes. However I resided in Massachusetts and have my entire life. I would prefer to be closer due to personal and Health reasons. Baylor is a 3 day drive from my home while UMass is a 45 minute drive. That also affects the cost of schooling which UMass is much cheaper because of In-State costs, which come out to be about $31,128, and Baylor is $62,914, this is about double the cost to attend Baylor. Overall Baylor has a better Campus, athletics, and an general education. Overall UMass has better Cost, Location, and engineering programs. I keep going back and forth between the two and I will take any suggestions and input. Thank you.
Only the very top tier is worth the extra 31k*4,
And only if your family can easily afford it.
Baylor, while a great school isn’t HYPSM
I am going to assume that you will get into the engineering program at either school. Definitely you should plan on working hard from day 1 whichever university you attend. For example if you can pull off good grades from day 1 that will help you get into the engineering program that you want.
With that assumption, the ranking of the engineering program matters a lot more than the overall ranking of the school. However, the difference between a ranking of 114 and a ranking of 129 does not matter. I am trusting you with regard to what these rankings are (I did not check).
I did check that U.Mass Lowell is ABET accredited for the obvious most popular engineering programs (including mechanical, civil, electrical, and quite a few others). ABET accreditation does matter.
The cost matters a lot. Being closer is a big plus. “better Cost, Location, and engineering programs” to me is what matters, and makes U.Mass Lowell a better choice IMHO.
Umass Lowell is the best value.
If you have a health reason to be local, you need to be local.
Hi, fellow MA resident. UMass Lowell’s profile in the state has increased a lot over the last 5-10 years, with the state awarding almost $12mm in funding for advanced manufacturing tech in 2017. It is worthwhile to check out the career office, to see what kinds of relationships have been built locally.
I have had a couple of UMass Lowell graduates work for me. Extremely smart, practical young people. Very effective.
Lastly, there’s the weather difference! Texas gets HOT.
You have a great experience and career ahead of you, either way.
UMass Lowell under the circumstances is the obvious choice for you. BTW, if you do incredibly well your first year there, is transfer to UMass Amherst an option for you?
It sounds like you want to go to UMass Lowell for many good reasons. Remember, you can always transfer from there to Baylor or somewhere else, should your opinion or situation change, or you could plan to go to grad school at one of the more competitive schools.