Which should D18 choose and why?
TIA
Does cost differ and matter?
What are her criteria in choosing a college?
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THe schools vary in so many ways, but have strong engineering programs. Cost at U-M is defintely higher, D18 is OOS for both schools and was offered some merit at Mines… Mines is in a very quaint small town that c,oses down at 9-10pm. The achool seems to have a nice group of very academic and some outdoorsy students, but no traditional college or campus experiences. students can only live on cmapus freshman year. We are trying to figure out how important tthe school size, having more going on and the diverse student population into the decision. D18 can be both interovert and extrovert and is a self proclaimed nerd, I think she so would find her place at either college, but I wonder if the small town would limit her social growth or not. I didn’t attend college until I was an adult so its difficult for me to relay any experiences to her. She worries about making us (her parents happy) and not being any sort of a financial burden). She worked her butt off in school to get good grades and never thought she would get into U-M it’s nice to she her feeling the pride of being accepted at 2 great schools. ach so very different. Help… advice is welcome. Of course cost is always being considered, but we also don’t want that to be the only factor driving her decision.
UM is the school, that no matter where you go, everyone will know. It’s elite.
Mines is a very good school but few outside of the rocky mountain area know of it. You will go through life wondering if future bosses get it. It’s really strong - just not well know - like Rose Hulman.
Really this comes down to big, D1 sports, the overall diverse campus (i.e. majors, etc.) vs. STEM only and small. Mines is in a small town but does have access to skiing and then Denver via public transport.
In general, most will choose Michigan but that’s due to perception. You can always make a big school small - so yes, Michigan is big but doesn’t have to be.
It’s really a personal choice.
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In the engineering/tech world, Mines would be as well-regarded as UMich. Unless your aim is to impress relatives/friends who aren’t in the loop, what hiring managers know is really all that matters.
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Mines is definitely not known by all. I work for an auto OEM and they don’t know mines or Rose Hulman. I agree it’s a great school - but there are certain names that not everyone knows. You have to remember, most HR folks are recruiting for many disciplines and aren’t necessarily engineer types.
Also, those that look at rankings - there’s no comparison. I’m not denigrating Mines at all and if it’s the right school, it should just be pursued. I was just providing other context. It’s an excellent school.
I live and work in Silicon Valley and I never heard of the Colorado School of Mines before seeing mentioned here on this site.
heard of SD School of Mines or Rose Hulman. Both excellent - especially Rose. How bout Missouri S&T, Alabama Huntsville, etc. These are all fine institutions.
They just don’t have the branding that Michigan does. You helped prove that with CSM.
Not that rankings matter - they are overstated but in engineering Michigan is 6, Mines is 42.
I did not say don’t go to Mines if you recall. I do think you find the best school for “you”. You need to spend four years there. Michigan is big school, regular (i.e the arts, social sciences, big time athletics, etc). Mines is STEM - so dude heavy. Which is for you? I said that up front.
I simply added that if you are looking for name recognition, it’s a no brainer. But people that simply do that risk choosing the wrong school because they went for the wrong reason. Finances and Fit matter more than anything!!
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Before this site, nope. And that’s the first time I’ve seen Missouri S&T mentioned ever.
My D21 will be attending Cal Poly SLO this Fall, but there were several parents on the “2021 Parents” thread that had never heard of that school either. I think it’s regional thing.
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I think SLO has better name recogition. All these schools are great - and what matters most is ABET certification. Engineers will end up fine. Mines is really strong - but it’s what I said. Cal Poly has more - also a very good school. Good luck to your child.
Most HR folks just care if boxes are checked (level of degree, major, years of experience, etc.).
The competitiveness of the students is another factor to consider. Being surrounded by a group of more capable and self-driven fellow students helps elevate your kids to a higher level.
Fun discussion. Mines is regional and Michigan is international not just national. That’s the main difference. Both are great schools.
Just wondering… What type of engineering? My mechanics daughter just graduated from Mines and has a great job and had good internships. It’s what you do at the school to set your self apart. Michigan can become extremely small quickly. Also SWE and the like at Michigan is very close knit for women. https://www.swe.engin.umich.edu/
Think they have like the first few rows at football games reserved just for them. This alone is a reason to join 
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If you can cleanly afford it Michigan is a no brainer on every level. If it’s a financial strain then Mines, Rose Hulman and all the other schools mentioned are great options. Slo is close to Silicon Valley and has that advantage but 4 years ago in the Midwest when presented to my son… His counselor said in a slide show… "Great engineering but now let’s look at the pictures of the mountains… Lol 
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Also comparing Mines and Michigan at Michigan your paying for the facilities and faculty there. This doesn’t get enough attention. Both are world class on like every level. A lot of my sons professors are “The” experts in the field. They have the latest and greatest of like everything and like every company wants to work with them. My sons graduating from engineering next month. If you need convincing pm me… 
Mines is a very traditional college setting and offers all the typical college experiences like living in a dorm, fraternities and sororities in a Greek row, Division 2 sports (and they won the football championship a few years ago and I think it is track they just won something in a week or so ago), clubs and engineering societies. Most of the college buildings are grouped together, all walkable from the dorms (although it’s on a hill, at high altitude, so walking 6 blocks is a workout). Many students do live off campus as upper division students, but there are a lot of homes and apartments for rent right near campus.
Everything in Colorado has been closing at 10 pm because of covid. Golden isn’t wild, but I’m sure there are clubs and bars there that are open past 10 in normal times, especially on weekends.
As for diversity, most of the undergrads seem to be from Colorado (it is a state school) or Texas, but many of the grad students are from around the world. Like most smaller engineering schools, more males than females, more Asians than other minorities.
My daughter went to a similar school in Florida, Florida Tech. No one knew about the school - except other engineers! Really, no one in our area of Florida had heard of it except our dentist and it was 2 hours away, but when she was looking for a job in Colorado all the engineers from Lockheed or Martin Marietta recognized it immediately. Also lots of diversity, especially with foreign students. When the manned space capsule launched last year (the one with Doug and Bob), there was a Florida Tech grad wearing a sweatshirt in the control room, and my daughter knew her. Sometimes the small schools have the advantages.
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All of your feedback has been so helpful. Thank you for the input.