<p>I know there's a ton of these, but I'm willing to try anything to help me decide. As May 1 gets closer, I'm getting more and more stressed and I honestly don't know what to do. I'm torn between University of Miami and Northwestern University. My major is currently undecided but I'm seriously considering engineering. Northwestern is obviously more prestigious and has an awesome engineering program. It's close to home and chicago, but the weather's crappy and it'll cost us 34k/yr after aid, which is a lot for us. At UM I would be in the honors program and a Foote Fellow (however if i do engineering, the gen ed exemption is practically meaningless). Miami's weather is nicer and it'd cost about 10k less/yr than Northwestern, but UM is much farther from home, not as well-known, and I'm uncertain about its developing engineering program. Other factors to consider: I have a feeling I'd be much more stressed at NU than at UM, but I'm not much of a partier and UM's party rep intimidates me. Logically, when I lay out all the pros and cons, miami seems to be the better choice. However, my gut is telling me northwestern, which seems to be a better personal fit. I don't know what to do! Please help!</p>
<p>Last year I was torn between Miami and UChicago and decided to attend Miami. I couldn’t have made a better choice. I am also a Foote Fellow and we really have a nice community of students and there are different events such as dinners, brunch and then seeing a play, tours of the art museum, and other fun things. There is also a freshman seminar class offered only to Foote Fellows which is really great. The weather at Miami is far superior to Chicago and you don’t need to party to fit in. There are always alternatives on campus, tonight we had a carnival on the Green. There are also movies on campus, a nearby bowling alley, and fun things to do. Among my friends we generally hang out and watch movies some nights, and go out on others but you can really find friends who do whatever and no one will judge you either way. I really was leaning towards Chicago last year and thought it would be a much better fit but I honestly could not imagine myself anywhere else because Miami is an awesome school. Hope to see you next year at the U!</p>
<p>Son is at UM- also a Foote Fellow.
Younger son will be a freshman in the fall majoring in engineering, not at UM. (Refused to go to a school in a warm climate).</p>
<p>Did you apply as undecided? If you are thinking about engineering, can you start the program in the fall? Are you waiting to start engineering until a later date, when you decide if engineering is right for you or something else?</p>
<p>The problem with not starting engineering curriculum immediately, is that there is little room for any other class. It may extend your stay and that adds another year of cost/loans.</p>
<p>If you are a Foote Fellow, I assume you have taken many AP classes. You may be able to cut off a year or so of school and graduate early and save a years cost. (My son can graduate in 2.5 years though we are hoping he stays for the full third year.) This only works if you are not an engineering major.</p>
<p>Northwestern is the school for engineering between the two but this does not mean you can’t succeed with an engineering degree from UM. Everyone has heard of UM so really, it won’t hurt you in a long run. </p>
<p>I probably didn’t help you much as it is a tough decision, but hope I added some things for you to think about. </p>
<p>Good luck in your decision.</p>
<p>Crazed --I applied undecided, but I’ve talked to the admissions ppl and they can transfer me into engineering today if I wanted, so I would most likely do that.</p>
<p>Currently, I’m leaning towards miami. However, I am concerned that UM’s engineering program won’t be as strong. But if I decide I don’t like engineering, UM has a lot more options of majors that I’m interested in than Northwestern. It’s also hard for me to give up the dream of Northwestern, which I’ve been dreaming for a long time. But I think that that “dream” may have blinded me from seeing a lot that I didn’t like about NU, like the campus, the weather, and the general attitude of the students and administration. Miami has gone out of their way to make me feel welcome and like they would feel privileged for me to attend their school, where as at Northwestern I got the impression that I should be the one to feel privileged about attending their school.I think in the short term I’d get more enjoyment out of saying “yea, I go to Northwestern,” but in the long run I think I might enjoy my memories at miami more. sorry i’m starting to ramble, but I have to decide tonight, so any reassurances would be helpful :)</p>
<p>1551,</p>
<p>Hard decision for sure. All I can tell you is my son, an excellent student like yourself, has done really well at UM. Like New42, he has enjoyed the cultural experience at UM just as much as South Beach.</p>
<p>My son was able to transfer from physics to business in one day if that is any help, all facilitated by a university-level official who gave a parent her card when he asked about transferring majors…I have remained impressed since.</p>
<p>You will do great no matter which one you go to, but you sound like a future campus leader to me, so the I hope you choose UM, you will not be disappointed…</p>
<p>I have friends who go to Miami who also were deciding between Northwestern and Miami. They are all extremely happy here. The Foote Fellow program is really nice and it is nice to feel wanted. The administration really looks out for us and we have a nice community of Foote Fellows. I don’t regret my decision to come here at all and I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else even though that sounds kind of cheesy. I remember how stressful it was deciding where to go last year but just relax, enjoy the end of your senior year, and know that you will probably be happy wherever you go as long as you make the most of your college experience.</p>
<p>Do you plan on going to grad school? Because then I would go with Miami; it’s still a great school and it’s cheaper so you can save money for grad school. Miami is a great school, Northwestern was my dream school and I didn’t get in. I’m so glad I didn’t get in because Miami is the perfect school for me and every day I think about how lucky I am that I get to go to school here. That’s a tough decision, and maybe Miami isn’t AS good, but it’s still a great school and you will get a great education, have a lot of fun, and save a lot of money.</p>