<p>My son is waitlisted at Duke and Columbia, and accepted to U Michigan. His interest academically is Mechanical Engineering. Comparisons/insights/advice would be greatly appreciated. Also any comments on non-academic things such as fun, balance general college experience.</p>
<p>there’s no versus because chances of getting off waitlist are slim so you probably wont have to worry about that</p>
<p>You don’t know that, and that’s not what i was asking. Anybody else with a helpful comment?</p>
<p>
you asked for “insight and advice.” bearcats’ post is both, and the truth is i have to agree.</p>
<p>dont know about mechanical specifically, but the engineering programs are MUCH smaller at the other two schools than at michigan, and come with all the advantages and disadvantages associated with that.</p>
<p>I said : “chances of getting off waitlist are slim”
You responded: “You don’t know that, and that’s not what i was asking.”</p>
<p>actually, I do know that. I know that chances of getting off waitlist are slim. That’s a universal truth. I did not however say that “you wont get off the waitlist”.</p>
<p>I answered what you were asking for, you asked for advice, and my advice is: worry about what you have and not what you have a chance to have, because fact is you dont have a choice as of now. You’ll be a happier person if you approach life this way. Focus on what you have, not what you dont have.</p>
<p>For Mechanical Engineering (assuming your son wants to be an engineer and not an i-banker), Michigan >> Columbia > Duke</p>
<p>For fun, Michigan = Duke >> Columbia (unless you are a big city person)</p>
<p>theglee:
you are just an overly optimistic parent who thinks your son is amazing. The cold hard truth is that getting in off of the waitlist is a slim to none chance. so be happy that your son will be a wolverine.</p>
<p>shameman:</p>
<p>And you are just an overly presumptuous waste of time for posting this comment, who doesn’t know me, my son or clearly, much else. If you do any more posting, i suggest that you make it something helpful or informative.</p>