The OP doesn’t feel comfortable at Alabama.
Regarding the three choices, do the same companies recruit at all three? Are there lists of outcomes for mechanical engineers from each school?
Sounds like he’s in - but no - the auto merit you can still apply but you can’t get the additional after Jan 15. Not trying to steer it there though - he’s made a final 3 and we should go with that - and really it seems like he’s at a final one that he knows about - but another he’s yet to experience so he needs to confirm it’s legitimacy or remove after visiting (Ga Tech).
If money were important and he’s fearful of the South, then I’d sub in Arizona - same cost.
But - again, his question was OSU, Purdue and Ga Tech - and we killed that subject 
All 3 great choices . Consider price, vibe, logistics, etc. Where do you see yourself wanting to live after college?
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I think that’s your answer. No reason to not choose Purdue over the others, especially given the cost.
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Please do not embrace this logic. Because in the long run, it is completely illogical. Do not choose the school that seems like the biggest, shiniest medal on your chest in the eyes of others. Your acceptances are not awards, they are opportunities.
The difference between Purdue and GT is splitting hairs, with regard to program quality, opportunities in and after school, and job placement. Listen to your gut once you have visited both schools. Choose the one that feels right. And more importantly, don’t choose one if it feels even slightly off for you. In the long run, you will do your personal best at the school that fits best, and THAT (not a school name or trivial rank difference) will open the most doors after college.
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Here are the details from Purdue: First-Year Engineering Impact Report - School of Engineering Education - Purdue University
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Here are the GTech outcomes by major for 2019-20 (20-21 not public yet), with placement rates and salaries: Georgia Tech Career Survey Report: AY 2019-2020 | Office of Academic Effectiveness
OSU: https://ecs.osu.edu/sites/default/files/2021-02/2019-2020_career_salaries__accepts_and_offers_.pdf
Purdue: Purdue CCO (can select year, school, and major on right side)
Purdue CCO
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That’s a really cool graphic! Thanks for sharing!
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Great info. Hard to see Ga Tech data. But for MECHE I looked at OSU vs last two years Purdue. Looks like OSU may be a bit higher salary. Hard to tell. But again location and industry determine salaries more than rank I believe.
Thank you. Great advice. I am looking forward to visiting GT at the end of the month to see what it feels like.
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You have received great advice here. Curiously, my son has also been admitted to Purdue, GT, and a couple others. Like you, he has some people telling him that GT should be the obvious choice because it’s the one ranked higher from all his acceptances so far.
My advice to you is the same I gave my son. After in-person visits, go with your gut and choose the one that feels right, where you feel the most “at home” and be the happiest.
Both Purdue and GT are fine institutions and will prepare you exceedingly well, no wrong choice here. Your career outcome will ultimately depend on much more than just from which institution you graduated from. Your work ethic, perseverance, ability to remain laser-focused on your goals, networking skills, and so on are of utmost importance.
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If this is how you are thinking (and I agree with you 100%) then the choice is GT.
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There’s no such thing as “best value” because entry level jobs are determined by local markets, which vary widely based on housing costs. You can’t compare starting salaries. If you’re taking out debt, cost should be your very first consideration. If you’re paying 2 years with debt and GA Tech is $47k,that’s almost 100k in debt. That’s bordering on financial suicide. Even Ohio State is $32k, making it $60k for 2 years. Purdue is 80k. That’s still over twice the manageable debt load for a bachelors degree. The Federal debt cap is $27k for a 4 year degree. None of these colleges look like they’re affordable.
Here’s the real issue. All of that “might” be fine if all the stars lined up. But, unfortunately, life just doesn’t work that way. You might find out you hate engineering. That’s common for college students or even young professionals to adjust their career paths. There’s also future families, and you might have a child with health issues. Those kinds of contingencies happen in every shape and variety. Debt only puts limits on your ability to meet obligations that WILL come. I like to think of life as a spaceship and debt is a hole into space trying to suck everything out. How big of a hole do you want? I would say, as small as humanly possible.
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This is what has been worrying me for the entire thread. Perhaps I would say “doesn’t always work that way”. This is one of the reasons that I am nervous about university debt, although university debt for an engineering or CS degree (or an MD) seems better than for many other potential degrees.
Ohio State is a very good university and is ABET accredited for many types of engineering. I am wondering whether you could take some of the money that you would save during your first two years if you go there and apply it to your third year.
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I’m sorry if I missed it. Do you have any other options besides these three, even less expensive options? What is your home state?
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OP is down to the final three schools.
He expressed earlier - the tuition per se - isn’t a problem. His parents will pay.
But it appears they want him to have skin in the game - so they are requiring him to pay some or all of the final two years - not sure - but in essence he will pay them back although it sounds like he’ll take the federal loan.
It’s clear (at least to me) that he prefers the campus vibe of Purdue to Ohio State. He’s yet to visit Ga Tech but will in the next few weeks to see if he likes it there.
I know Alabama has been dismissed, which would be cheaper. I get it . Just not for him. The parents will pay, but only for the first two years apparently so I am unclear about the budget and the potential debt. Again, I think I’ve missed something.
Hope the visit to Georgia Tech goes well. Three great options.
Yep - if me, I’d look at Arizona then (or UAH). I like affordable - i.e. no debt - …but we are all different and an 18 year old doesn’t yet understand the impact of debt.
Nor does he understand how salaries are set - although reputationally (and that’s what most chase, let’s face it) - he understand Ga Tech and Purdue are both phenomenal - although it’s clear he thinks Ga Tech is at another level.
After all, if US News says it, it must be true
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Well, at least this time, you didn’t “throw out” or “take a look” at Alabama again. 
When someone mentions cost - it’s always Bama because a 3.5 gets you the top deal, UAH, or Arizona (but you need a 4.0 for the top deal) - price the same but Bama easier - if you have an ACT/SAT. AZ doesn’t require.
I kept it to the list he presented on this one but someone threw out Alabama due to cost. Only reason I even mentioned it. But thanks - yes, i know i have a reputation. For what it’s worth, while Bama is strong (surprisingly) and people who know say the engineering facilities are top notch, I wish my son was at Purdue - but that’s so i could live through him vicariously (with the rank) and so I can hear Boiler Up instead of the too way over used Roll Tide. I say this even though Bama is saving dad $80K or so. The difference is though - if my son was at Purdue, he’d have no debt because I’m committed to paying all four years. I even paid his housing last summer and let him pocket the $1K housing allowance his company paid him.
OP isn’t concerned with cost.
Who knows - perhaps his parents will end up covering all four years.
I get it - if you get into Harvard - it’s hard to say no - and for engineering, some would equivalate Ga Tech to Harvard - and Purdue is near - like Tufts or Bowdoin.
I think when people look at salaries - the delta probably isn’t significant and some of it can be chalked up to region. It was hard to tell, but in the data that others provided earlier it looked like OSU outperformed Purdue - perhaps I misread. But few would rate OSU better than Purdue in engineering.
Ultimately, OP has to pick the right school for him. Somehow he avoids debt - otherwise he’ll live at home for the next ten years
What I think many of us have learned about debt (especially large debt) - it’s easy to dismiss or justify up front - but once you’ll been whacked over the head with it like by a 2x4, you wish you never heard of the term!!
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