Princeton vs. Georgia Tech vs. UVA vs. VA Tech

College Search & Selection
1

Hello all,

So I have recently gotten the last of my decisions, and I’ve narrowed it down to 4 main schools:

University of Virginia
Virginia Tech
Princeton
Georgia Tech

I am seriously having a very hard time figuring out where to go, and I was wondering if anyone out there had some advice for me. Like most everyone else, my main conflict is a result of cost versus interests versus general indecisiveness. Here is some brief information about me as well as my admissions/financial aid—

I’m a Virginia resident who desires to be an engineer. My main interest is in biomedical engineering, specifically research into drug delivery and disease treatment. I’ve done lots of work with trying to develop non-invasive cancer treatments, and am endlessly fascinated with stuff like nanotechnology and novel cancer therapy techniques. After undergrad, I plan to get my masters, and then go into industry. I’m really focused on going to a place like NASA or SpaceX, working on the mission to Mars (bio related stuff). My secondary interest is in aerospace engineering, astrobiology, and astrophysics type stuff, so I was truly hoping to get a minor of sorts in that area during undergrad.

VT I am accepted into engineering and their honors program, and also received a scholarship that actually would mean I’d take out no loans at all. They have a major called Engineering Science and Mechanics, but not Biomedical Engineering like I hope for. Very open to customized major stuff.

UVA I was accepted into the Rodman Scholars program and they are also the 2nd most inexpensive due to my residency. They have Biomedical Engineering and also I think because of the medical stuff they offer that they’d be great for undergrad research.

Georgia Tech is the most expensive (still doable with loans), but their course offerings in BME (the major I was accepted into) seem so in line with what I am interested in and they have a minor in Aerospace Engineering which is quite unique.

Finally there is Princeton which literally came out of nowhere. They don’t have BME, but they do have Chemical and Biological Engineering with concentration offered in Biotechnology. They also have certificate programs for Engineering Biology and Planets & Life. They are 30k less than GT with the aid packaged offered, definitely doable for OOS.

I’m just very conflicted because Princeton is of course the most highly rated college, but I am terrified I will fail there and/or spend all my time studying, studying, studying and never have time to do anything else. Also many of the CBE courses are focused on the Chemical over the Bio… Georgia Tech is awesome in terms of academics offered but quite expensive and campus is in the city which I’m unsure about. UVA is inexpensive and I have that cool Scholars program, yet their BME isn’t the most highly regarded (compared to GT #1) and also I’d be staying in VA for another 4 years. VT is same as UVA but they don’t have BME.

I know this is a huge post, but if anyone has any words of advice they could share about my situation as a whole or even just one particular school, that would be 102832% appreciated. Thank you all very much for your time!!

2

IMO, GTech is out. No way to justify the cost.

3

In general, I think people spend too much time on perceived small academic differences and should probably spend more effort focusing on affordability and fit, but in this case my view is Princeton is Princeton and the others are not Princeton. It is at another level.

4

Eliminate Georgia Tech from consideration… makes no sense at that price differential.

5

@harvardandberkeley Thank you and also @PurpleTitan for your say on that. You’re right that GT is definitely really expensive compared to the others, and that’s something I shouldn’t gloss over as much as I currently am. Thank you!

6

@IzzoOne Thank you for that piece of advice. I am visiting all 4 schools soon— for Princeton, I signed up for an overnight type of campus visit. Hopefully that will allow me to not only see if I fit at the school, but also learn more about the alignment of my interests with the offered academics! Thanks again!!

7

/bump for possibly more feedback or insight about these schools?

8

I can’t offer any insight into the relative merits of each school for your area of interest. But I will say this–if Princeton offered you admission then Princeton believes you will be successful. Trust their judgment. If Princeton is confident you’ll be successful there, you should be too. Good luck!

9

Pick Princeton. And if you find yourself not liking it for some reason you can always transfer to UVA or VaTech. Its nearly impossible the other way around.

10

OK, my in-laws are very prominent professors at a school that shall remain nameless. They say that there are some schools that, if you get into them, you just go. Princeton is one of those schools.

If you can’t justify the cost, I think UVA sounds like the most logical second choice.

11

I agree with what Trixy34 wrote. For the most part.

So many factors have to be taken in to account. It is clear why Princeton chose you-the flip comment people make about Princeton/Ivy League admission is “you have to have come up with a cure for cancer to get in”. And there you are, delving in to just that. Having the Princeton on your resume goes far but ironically, of the four schools, they may offer the least bit as far as your intended course of study. You have to consider that, too.

Given your interest, it isn’t going to matter quite as much where you go as it will for students less evolved in knowing their interests or with less lofty goals.

Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech are probably your best two options in terms of the hard technical learning opportunities for you. UVA is outstanding overall and as a Rodman Scholar, the carpet will be rolled out for you. Students seem to truly enjoy being there while being challenged. The other three school environments may be more intense overall, but as someone else wrote, if Princeton thinks you can do it, you can.

All of your options are superior so I don’t think you would lose if you let cost be a factor.

FWIW, I don"t think Princeton takes transfers so this is your sole opportunity to go there.

12

Princeton started accepting transfer apps this year.

Seems like Georgia Tech is the best school for your interests, followed by Virginia Tech.

13

@Publisher thanks for that update. Had not heard.

UVA may be the best school, too, since they have the BME and medical facilities to expand research opportunities. None is the obvious front runner.

14

I’d go with what you want to do as long as the loans you are talking about are the basic student loans and not some lofty number. Having a program aligned with exactly what you want to do vs those that aren’t similar wins to me - not name of school. It’s not like GT is a horrible name anyway. If the loans are a lofty number, then I’d look for the most similar program that is affordable.

15

University of North Carolina has the Carolina center for cancer nanotechnology excellence. University of Illinois offers a graduate degree option for cancer nanotechnology. Rice is another heavyweight in nanotechnology.

16

If Princeton is $30,000 less per year than Georgia Tech, and Georgia Tech costs $47,000 per year for non-residents, then Princeton will only cost you $17,000 per year ! Do I have that right ?

17

Thank you everyone with your words of advice! I will definitely be sure to consider Princeton a lot more than I am now. I suppose I had just pushed it so far out of my mind because I truly had no expectations of getting in. I even did a very brief tour over the summer and didn’t even buy a t-shirt from the book store because I didn’t think there was a point! To @oldschooldad , thank you for your kind words-- I have always had a difficult time with “imposter syndrome” type thoughts, so I will be sure to keep positive thoughts in mind regarding potential for success. To @dowzerw , I really appreciate your very thorough response about all the schools I mentioned! I completely agree that there is a big battle between opportunities, alignment with what I desire to study, and cost. The more I’ve been looking into Princeton, I find that there exists a track for biology engineering students that have the same type of courses that piqued my interest so much at GT. In short, I’ll probably just need to take full advantage of my upcoming tour of the school and talk to some CBE majors about customization/certificates. Finally, @Publisher , I believe I worded my original post incorrectly! Princeton is $70k a year for OOS, and I received is $36k a year plus $3k for a job. Multiply this over four years, subtract college savings and stuff, it becomes a total of about $60k over four years. GT is estimated to be $90k over four years with the same application of current college savings. Of all my OOS schools, this makes Princeton the smallest financial burden in terms of loans, etc.!

18

Princeton…
Then UVA
VT - Meh
GT - OUT (too $$)

19

I agree with @sunnyschool. Princeton, or if you hate it when you visit, UVa.

20

Princeton or VT. UVA is not strong in engineering in comparison. Since you are inclined to attend graduate school, keep in mind that you do not need to major in BME to get an advanced degree in that field. Actually many posters in the engineering forum recommend different concentrations, such as mechanical engineering, before switching to a more concentrated area of interest in graduate school. Peruse the engineering forum here on CC and post a new thread there. I’m sure you’ll receive more informed opinions there than here on a general forum.