These schools were all on my daughter’s list and I will tell you why she chose Pitt. Pitt’s First Year program is very structured and supportive and includes housing options. They have a staff that supports this program and their freshman retention is high. Pitt has several study abroad options specifically geared to freshman engineers and for later in the curriculum. Pitt’s Honors College is very strong and includes a program designed for engineers (UF really needs to work on their Honors College). Pitt also boasts a very positive percentage of women in engineering majors and a strong chapter of Women in Engineering. The facilities are impressive and the students/faculty we met even more so. The friendly vibe on campus and the really cool city of Pittsburgh sealed the deal. Having visited each of these campuses, I can tell you they are very different in “feel” and I would encourage you to visit before your decision.