<p>Hello everyone! So, I have a dilemma on my hands. I have just received my college decisions, and I have received some results that have left me in much indecision regarding where I would like to go to school.</p>
<p>First, I would like to share how I want to study mechanical engineering and music, and eventually continue with engineering in graduate school. I also would like to go to a school with a vibrant community, lots of music opportunities, a great atmosphere, and the opportunity to set me up well in attending a great graduate program.</p>
<p>The three options:</p>
<p>Northwestern, where I auditioned/applied and gained admittance to both their engineering and music schools, and would have the opportunity to pursue a five year dual degree program.</p>
<p>Princeton, which would allow me to study engineering and receive a certificate in music performance.</p>
<p>University of Southern California, where I was fortunate to receive a presidential scholarship, which would cover half of tuition. This school also has a great engineering program and would allow me to minor in music.</p>
<p>If you have any input at all, or would like to ask anything about my situation, please feel free to comment! </p>
<p>One other school I was admitted into includes Johns Hopkins, if anyone needed another option, but I believe that one of the first three options is where I'll end up.</p>
<p>Thank you for your response! And no, there is no significant price difference, except for the USC scholarship would cover half of USC’s tuition. Also, due to my parents’ professions, about half of the tuition for all of the schools would also be covered from their work benefits. And none of the options would require any debt.</p>
<p>For USC, tuition would be covered, while for the other schools, about half of the tuition would be covered. </p>
<p>At this point in time, financially, I would be able to attend any of these schools, and ultimately believe that my decision will be either Princeton or Northwestern based upon the programs and other aspects of the universities than the costs. And so, USC becomes an option if it becomes clear that its programs are quite comparable to those of Princeton and Northwestern, where then the scholarship is a great added bonus. However, I would like to clarify that I currently do not need to base my decision on the finances, but rather which school would provide the best fit for myself, of which I am quite uncertain about.</p>
<p>Keep in mind in my response, I attend USC. So yes I am biased but also I have some first hand experience. </p>
<p>Each of these schools are great and surely have great programs. I know personally that the music departments at northwestern and USC are great. I know the engineering at USC is regarded as not only extremely well but currently climbing. But what I want to address is the vibrant atmosphere at USC. Please visit these schools before making a decision because I assure you that the energy at USC outpaces most schools. That’s the reason I chose usc.
As for specific programs, I would just go and assume they all are amazing. If the college experience is not as important to you as the quality of programs are, then don’t choose USC unless you figure out its programs are what you want. If you want the full package, I would consider usc heavily.</p>
<p>I would choose Princeton. Great engineering programs, smaller undergraduate-focused environment…less pre-professional and more intellectual vibe.</p>
<p>I also think it’s between Northwestern and Princeton. </p>
<p>Academically, Northwestern offers the best of both world; its ME is ranked similarly to Princeton’s and the music school is at conservatory-level without being a conservatory (especially if you are interested in Brass, it rivals Curtis and Julliards). The new music building is gonna be amazing but it won’t be open until the Fall of 2015. </p>
<p>Princeton has the most prestige that you can carry around to impress strangers; but in comparison to Northwestern, it really doesn’t make significant difference in the engineering profession.</p>
<p>One quirky thing about NU engineering is its emphasis on design. NU has a Ford Design Center and undergrads get to (actually required) design products for real industry clients during the first year.</p>
<p>I love how cavalier people are with $80K of other people’s money.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Do you want to continue with music performance? Would a minor be enough ‘music’ for you? If you truly want to stay in music then Northwestern is the only “full” option. Conversely, engineering is a tough enough track as it is without the practice and performance pressures of a music major.</p></li>
<li><p>Can you afford the extra $80K? Princeton and Northwestern are wonderful schools but it’s hard to see how their degrees are worth $80,000 extra over one from USC. Viterbi Engineering is a well known school, I doubt that the starting salary differences among the three schools justifies the added expense. Furthermore, if you’re serious about graduate school that will have a greater impact on your earning power than where you went undergrad. If you need to take on loans to cover this 80K difference you need to think long and hard about the financial opportunity you have at USC.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>If there’s no chance of you considering law or med. school (due to P’s grade deflation) I’d go to Princeton. If there is, I’d check out Northwestern.</p>
<p>Good choice. Princeton is a significantly better school than any of the others you were considering (and pretty much any other school other than maybe Harvard and Yale).</p>
<p>I do not think any university can accurately be described as “significantly better” than Northwestern. I agree that Princeton is a notch above and the logical choice in most instances, but, Northwestern can hold its own against any university.</p>
<p>Why thank you everybody! I don’t think Princeton is significantly better than the other schools I was considering. All of these schools were fantastic, at least in my opinion, for different reasons. The determining factors for me included visiting Princeton for the first time (unbelievable campus), learning that nearly all of the stereotypes I’ve heard about Princeton were false, and mainly, Princeton would allow me to hone in on who I want to be. At Northwestern, where I initially thought I would be going throughout the entire process, I began to feel like the five-year dual degree program would be a form of delaying my inevitable choice of what I want to focus on for a career. Also, getting the opportunity to study at Princeton would be so hard to pass up on. Plus, in the end, it would be about 50k less than Northwestern, which only solidified my choice.</p>
<p>I’m so excited for the fall. To all who read this, I went through this whole process thinking I would be so happy and so successful at any of the schools I was applying to/were accepted to. Being able to go to college is something I am so thankful for, and I just cannot wait for this next period of my life. Any student is capable of great things at any school. I am really happy that I was given this dilemma of choosing between schools that all would have been great for me. If anyone wants to ask any questions to a recently graduated senior who just went through this strenuous process, having applied to a lot of fairly prestigious universities, feel free to leave any questions below, and I’ll be more than happy to help out any way I am capable of. </p>
<p>Congrats to everyone who just graduated, and I wish everyone immense amounts of success in their future endeavors! Also, thanks again for everyone who supported me/gave me advice along the way!</p>