<p>S is deciding between engineering at UMD and SUNY Buffalo. We live in NY and he has scholarship at Buffalo which makes Buffalo about 17,000/yr. Maryland is about 40,000/yr. Isn't sure what type of engineering but he does understand engineering is a demanding major and has always done well in math and science. I think Maryland might be worth it for future internships and jobs but I don't really know. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Which engineering major?</p>
<p>If it’s Computer Science, then save that money and go SUNY Buffalo.</p>
<p>Prob not computer. but he’s not sure. Mechanical chemical and aero I think he was interested in. He likes Maryland location, size, climate, etc but understands we would save a lot with Buffalo.</p>
<p>First of all, lets say both are very very good engineering colleges and leave it at that</p>
<p>40k for Maryland ? Will he have to take out loans or are you paying it out of pocket ? Maryland’s location is also nothing to write home about. </p>
<p>Are you comfortable with the fact that you will be paying 23k more every year (92k more for 4 years) when he could have gotten the same education for significantly less money ?</p>
<p>Also both colleges will land your son a great job so you won’t be missing anything by not attending UMD…</p>
<p>He’d take out the max federal loan in his own name if he goes to maryland I think that’s 27000 total over 4 years. I’ll pay the whole thing at buffalo.</p>
<p>Obviously, I’m a fan of Maryland… the links of info I could post are endless, but here are some to get you started:</p>
<p>[Which</a> state university grads earn the most? - CBS News](<a href=“http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_162-57573646/which-state-university-grads-earn-the-most/]Which”>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_162-57573646/which-state-university-grads-earn-the-most/)</p>
<p>[Kiplinger’s</a> Best Values in Public Colleges-Kiplinger](<a href=“http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/index.php]Kiplinger’s”>Best College Values, 2019 | Kiplinger)</p>
<p>Of interest for aerospace engineering - close (10 min away) to Goddard Space Flight Center for internships</p>
<p>[Clark</a> School Students? Human-Powered Helicopter Achieves Record-Breaking Flight | UMD Right Now :: University of Maryland](<a href=“http://www.umdrightnow.umd.edu/news/clark-school-students’-human-powered-helicopter-achieves-record-breaking-flight]Clark”>http://www.umdrightnow.umd.edu/news/clark-school-students’-human-powered-helicopter-achieves-record-breaking-flight)</p>
<p>[The</a> Neutral Buoyancy Research Facility (NBRF) | A. James Clark School of Engineering](<a href=“http://www.eng.umd.edu/facilities/nbrf]The”>Research Facilities | A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland)</p>
<p>Of interest regarding mechanical </p>
<p>[Clark</a> School Students Win National Energy Competition](<a href=“| A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland”>Clark School Students Win National Energy Competition | A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.eng.umd.edu/current/nuclear-minor[/url]”>http://www.eng.umd.edu/current/nuclear-minor</a></p>
<p>All engineering students take a unique and creative engineering design course in their freshman year</p>
<p>[Hovercraft</a> Invade Kim Building Again](<a href=“| Department of Mechanical Engineering”>Hovercraft Invade Kim Building Again | Department of Mechanical Engineering)</p>
<p>For chemical - internship opportunities at NIH and other government agencies</p>
<p>[Chemical</a> and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland](<a href=“http://www.chbe.umd.edu/location/index.html]Chemical”>http://www.chbe.umd.edu/location/index.html)</p>
<p>Maryversity that is exactly why I might spend more for Maryland. Unfortunately there’s no magic website that would compare the job offers of the class of 2013 from Buffalo vs Maryland. I keep hearing anecdotes about more federal agencies recruiting from Maryland. and it is harder to get into maryland engineering (s initially was accepted to letters and sciences but they changed it after seeing January grades). Based on what I know he would be with students with higher test scores than his at Maryland, lower than his at Buffalo.</p>
<p>How true (no magic website)…I think the thing to remember is that the most important indicator of success is what you do when you get to whatever school you attend…meaning not just doing well in class, but also taking advantage of out-of-the-class opportunities like research and internships. </p>
<p>Beyond the finances, of course, it comes down to a fundamental difference. A lot depends on whether you son will be more successful in a school where he is already at the top of the class or whether he will be more successful if he is more challenged to get to the top of the class. Which model works better for him?</p>
<p>What are you saying ? People that go to Buffalo are dumb ? He will be challenged at both places. </p>
<p>"Based on what I know he would be with students with higher test scores than his at Maryland, lower than his at Buffalo. "</p>
<p>I don’t think this is the right way to decide which college to attend. You goto a college because you like its program, what it has to offer, its faculties, college atmosphere etc. not because people attending it have higher SAT scores. Just .02</p>
<p>No of course Buffalo students aren’t dumb. I have another kid at SUNY in a different program, mothing against SUNYs…but actually a lot of people do decide what college to go to based on the objective scores of the students who attend…</p>
<p>XtremePower, I don’t think the question posed in any way knocks SUNY because it is well known as a good school. </p>
<p>Engineering is without question one of the hardest and most demanding majors to begin with. Anyone that selects that for a major is already a good student and very bright. The question is more akin to where a particular student may fall on the curve for a very difficult test.</p>
<p>Agreed. The SAT’s should be a factor but should not a sole reason to base your decision on. I would say save money and send your son to SUNY at Buffalo.</p>
<p>Well the weather is way better in Merry-land. </p>
<p>Your son may be able to earn some pretty good summer money in internships around College Park, which could lower the overall cost.</p>
<p>Maybe you could contact Buffalo’s job placement center and get some info (i.e., what companies recruit there, how many graduates have offers at graduation, how many go to grad school and which grad schools).</p>
<p>If graduate school etc is a major topic, then UMD is going to give your kid the best opportunity. UMD is just a much better engineering school. However, most hiring practices tend to lean towards graduates from the surrounding region. If your son went to Buffalo, with the idea of working in MD/DC/VA (since it’s probably the largest engineering job market on the east coast), he’d be at a huge disadvantage since he’d be competing with UMD, Hopkins, Va Tech, Penn State, Carnegie Mellon, etc grads.</p>
<p>You’re right though, if your son went to Maryland he would absolutely be challenged more. They admit a “smarter” student body and great engineering schools (which Maryland is) grade their students on a curve. Your son could flunk a test a MD that he’d ace at good engineering school. </p>
<p>All this being said, it’s all about setting yourself up for the best “first job” because your next job will primarily be about your current experience, not necessarily what he did in college. If you think Buffalo is going to give him great opportunities then he should go there to save the money.</p>
<p>Okay, my kid who is an EE student at SUNY Buffalo, graduating this May, has had a very good experience at UB. It’s saved us a ton of money (scholarship for 2 yrs). </p>
<p>I don’t know anything about Maryland, since we’re in California, but she was accepted at Johns Hopkins. The weather, has not been an issue because, although it has been cold, the weather from the coast typically did not reach Buffalo. Lake effect snow was there but not severe. Often, she missed all of the bad weather because she was on break at home.</p>
<p>Jobs, she had a nice choice here in California for internships. She worked in San Diego for two summers. They were very impressed. The SUNY’s are becoming more well known and respected on the west coast. </p>
<p>It sounds like neither you, nor your child want to take advantage of Buffalo, so don’t even try it; it doesn’t sound like you want to encourage your son to do it. Our DD has really loved her school and the opportunities it has given her. I’ll be in Buffalo in May for the graduation. She’s coming back to California for her job.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions! aunt Bea, no, I’m very much in favor of Buffalo,but he wants Maryland ( he will go to buffalo if I tell him we can’t afford Maryland). he’s going to Maryland today for accepted students day.</p>
<p>I work as an engineer in upstate NY where technology is growing. So, yes, the MD/VA/DC area is great for IT and defense related work. But, there are plenty of IT and other engineering/manufacturing companies all over the east coast: Massachusetts (many software companies in Boston area), Connecticut (Pratt and Whitney), NY (GE, semiconductor, IBM), The Carolinas (manufacturing), etc. </p>
<p>Maryland is an excellent school. I just wouldn’t assume you need to go there to get a good job. You need to investigate who recruits at Buffalo. And, understand you might have to work a little harder to get that dream job. No doubt, schools like Penn State and MD are more heavily recruited than Buffalo. But, plenty of Buffalo engineers get good engineering jobs.</p>
<p>muffy: DH (also an EE) works for NG and they have a facility at Buffalo. NG is often at the career fairs as well as many east coast firms, GE wants her, as does a bunch of the car companies in Detroit. Amazon in Seattle has tried, but she wants CAL. Since we’re from so cal, she gets her pick of: NG, General Atomics, Sony, HP, BAE systems (her internships), Qualcomm, ViaSat, etc.</p>