Hi, I’m a high school senior deciding between my state school for mechanical engineering and Duke engineering. The cost is 10,000 per year v 28,000 per year respectively. My parents are hesitant with the steep price difference. If possible, I’d like to seek multiple degrees and advance my career as efficiently as possible after graduation. Would Duke give me a considerable advantage?
@Owlstorm in general no school is worth going into substantial debt or really straining the family budget. the school doesnt make you or break you. which state school is it?
that said it also depends on your intended career. i feel the only case Duke could make a substantial difference would be if you are planning to go into wall street/consulting.
Otherwise, while you will definitely have a better academic experience at duke, it is probably not worth it if the extra cost will really strain your family financially.
I’m in South Carolina, It would be Clemson. My justification of duke is possibly not having to get a master’s.
Thank you for the advice
You don’t have to get a Master’s in any case if you stay in engineering.
Picking up a prestigious Master’s/MBA may make sense if you want to switch careers.
If the difference is all in loans, then I would go with Clemson on the basis that it is a very good school and more affordable. $72,000 is a LOT of money. I will admit that I don’t know what yours or your parent’s finances are like. I do know a few people for whom the difference would be affordable, but for most of us saving the $72,000 would be the better bet.
Of course if you change your majors part way through and end up with an extra year (not all that unusual an event), then the difference in cost becomes even more important.
If it is all financed with debt, it would be hard to argue that any school, MITs, Stanford’s, etc. included, are worth the debt. Couple that with the fact that Duke’s engineering is OK, but certainly not powerhouse level, I’d choose Clemson. Go Tigers!
Clemson has a much larger undergraduate engineering program. It was 21st largest in the country. I don’t think there are that many Duke people out there with only an undergrad degree in engineering, most of them go on to medical, law school or into a research field. I think Clemson has a better rep for engineering with employers than Duke which is viewed as a liberal arts and feeder school for professional programs school at the undergrad level.