Thank you to those who provided comments about valuable info for each of the 3 schools I posted. Going to see GT soon and will decide between Purdue and GT.
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Double post
I do have a budget planned. All the other schools except Alabama are way more money. I do not have an âaffordableâ flagship state school to attend. It cost more than Ohio and Purdue. I live in a very expensive are of the country.
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Donât worry I wonât be living at home for 10 years⊠I donât think having 60k debt and making 70k will mean I will live at home for 10 years.
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No one can ever know if the stars will line up. All, I can do is try to prepare for a future career. I am sure many people who have taken risks with money have had many losses. But, you canât make money without taking risks. Nothing in life is for sure. At least I know a college education will help me out. Spending money on fancy cars, boats, homes, would not be wise. I would like to think that a reasonable amount of college debt will be worth it for a degree in Engineering at a top school.
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Although many of us are fans of no debt, I donât disagree with you that going into debt with an expected started salary of $70k is going to be terrible for you. But the options youâve presented are the difference of $40k of debt (Ohio State) vs $70k of debt (Georgia Tech). $30,000 is not chump change. And what happens if you decide you donât want to go into engineering and instead major in something elseâŠsomething that might not be as lucrative but that interests you far more. When you have less debt you have more options. More debt, fewer options.
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Hmmmm. U might want to throw your #s in a calculator to see what $60k meansâŠwith interest.
Ps nothing wrong with living at home.
Iâm not a debt wizard. But I put in $60k at 5% for ten years. 5% may be low given weâre headed into multiple interest rate hikes. Thatâs $636 a month.
They say not to spend more than 10% of your after tax monthly salary on debt.
So this would be. Maybe my interest rate is too high (but Iâm guessing low) or 10 years is too little (I hope not)âŠ.but $60k seems high based on what I just read vs a $70k salary - but someone else could better address the inputs.
I hope the job market remains high but typically when the fed tries to brake the economyâŠwell in four years the job market may be different. Never in my 50 years has it been like the last year.
With age Iâve developed caution. Plus Iâve âsurvivedâ but been around many layoffs.
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$60,000 in debt (plus interest) is very risky on a $70,000 salary. Please be careful with how much debt you take on for an undergraduate degree. Good luck with your decision!
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Wish I never mentioned the cost. I am just looking for info on the 3 schools for the quality of education, fit and value.
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There all awesome schools; I personally got into purdue for engineering and am beyond elated. You canât go wrong!
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U can mute it. Ha.
U have your advice. You like Purdue. You will see if u like g tech. Good luck.
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Thank you.
I donât mean to minimize debt, but am trying to put it into some perspective. $60k paid off over 10 years is $6k/yr plus some interest owed (8%?). Unless you are into FIRE and want to retire at 40 and live off of your home-grown veggies and drink acorn tea, $6k/yr is not a life-changing amount in the greater scheme of things. You can drive a used car for a while or find a number of ways of making that difference up.
It sounds like your parents are backing you to some extent, so it is not a question of having to drop out due to lack of funds. You should go to the low cost institution if you think it is almost the same as your preferred school. But if you feel that one school is going to offer you a noticeably better experience, you will not regret spending a bit more on that and paying it off later. Donât go $200k into debt, but $60k is probably not that bad, depending on your circumstances.
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Around these parts itâs like âhyenas feeding on a dead carcass.â 
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Some of us have no lives - obviously. So this is our entertainment.
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And @tsbna44 , from the very first post, the OP mentioned cost/money. So, doesnât seem like a surprise that the financial angle has been addressed. All the best @DHark !
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Yes, that was my mistake! But, I know everyone means well.
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I donât know OSU.
BIL went to GTech, and have friends who went (or are still going)to Purdue. I donât think there is much of a difference, especially for ME. Both schools are known for their grind, but arenât most ENG schools? Those who tout GTâs Co-op over Purdueâs havenât done their HW. Purdue has had a terrific Coop for decades.
If you feel at home in Purdue, go there. I have three ENG in the family. The most successful (arguably) went to the least prestigious for undergrad('mediocre" State school). He is now a PHD from a top school, has been working in Silicon valley for years, and has many, many patents in his name.
FWIW, S2 is accepted to Purdue, but might end up going to a âlesserâ school. All three of his uncles agree that either will be a fine choice.
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My concern here is weâre asking the right questions for the wrong thing. If youâre going to go into large sums of debt, none of these schools should be on the list, in fact, I usually advise NOT to apply to them. Cost is a precondition. Itâs nice youâve come this far and you have 3 good options, but all you need is a decent affordable ABET accredited school.
When you go to look for a job, youâre going to get a market rate entry level position, no more no less. Thatâll be based entirely on the local market. If they go any higher, then they can hire an experienced professional to do the job. The âbig salaryâ entry level jobs are mostly a myth. âbig salaryâ usually means high cost area, which offsets the salary to entry level.
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I do not have any financial issues with covering the cost. I understand cost is a precondition. That is why I applied to lower cost schools. In my area, COA is 70-80k for the majority of schools.