<p>My son has been offered admission at Virginia Tech (General Engineering) and UIUC (Mech Engg.) We are in state for Virginia Tech so financially it makes a lot of sense. However, I understand that UIUC Engineering is higher ranked (#5) as compared to VT which I believe is #14 or #15. We have yet to visit UIUC campus but my son liked the VT campus when we visited (too bad classes were not on at that time). We are planning on visiting VT again and will go to UIUC as well. Those visits aside, I need help in making a decision to determine if it is worth paying $120k more over 4 years for UIUC because of its reputation and higher ranking. Will he have better job opportunities, internships, networks etc.at UIUC and if so, is the difference enough to justify the $120k cost differential? Fortunately, I can afford to pay (without loans) but need justification to do that. Should I save my money towards a graduate degree? </p>
<p>Appreciate your thoughts based on your personal experiences / opinions and any data you can share. </p>
<p>no. no school is worth $30K/yr unless your family is worth tens of millions. VTech is a very fine school. What matters more than anything is that he work his butt off when he’s there and be proactive in requesting research experience and internships. It’s all about him no matter where he goes, and not about the perceived superiority of a #5 over a #14. Save your money. Send him abroad. Enjoy retirement.</p>
<p>I’d be picking VT with no contemplation needed. That much debt for so little difference in schools is a financial no-brainer TBH. VT is a great engineering school, and if he wants to work in VA or close to it, is likely to be considered “better” on his resume than any farther away school regardless of rankings.</p>
<p>I have a different take! Since you can afford higher tution, it would be prudent to study the undergraduate job placement data of both the places. I have first hand experience of UIUC and assure you that it commands a high degree of respect in the industry esp. if you are Computer Science/ Computer Engineering major. I am not too sure about Mechanical Enginneering. In the midwest UIUC is a preferred brand. Now, with regard to VT, one wouldn’t hesitate to say that it has a very fine Enginnering School and it is no way inferior in terms of faculty quality or academic rigor. </p>
<p>VT, the two schools are very comparable and you would be hard press to explain why one’s engineering program is better than the other.</p>
<p>Also take into account where he may want to work, after graduation. It will be easier for him to interview for jobs/internships on the east cost, if he’s at VT (and VT will have more connections/networking/Alumni in your area). Also, it’s a lot easier (and cheaper) to travel back and forth from home. You’ll get a chance to see him on 3 day weekends, etc. Heck, it’s easier for YOU to visit him on the weekend. :)</p>
<p>Congrats! Two great choices. He must be a very strong student to be accepted at UIUC out of state! Does VT have an honors program for him? Would your son want to take the opportunity to experience his college years in a different part of the country? Does distance from home matter much to him? </p>
<p>My son is deciding between the same two schools! We are in state for VA as well and, while I would love to see him become a Hokie, he is interested in Materials Science and the program at UIUC is ranked #2 in the nation. You might want to look at the rankings for your son’s engineering major vs. looking at the engineering school overall and see if that makes a difference in your decision.</p>
<p>I’m a freshman mechanical engineer at VT. I’m not loving it here and I actually just received an acceptance from UIUC for fall 2014 (ME). So I might have to make the same decision soon. Illinois is definitely better, whether or not it justifies the extra tuition is (let’s be real here) impossible to determine. I’ll probably stay in Blacksburg unless I’m accepted to UMich or Stanford. </p>
<p>When did your son visit? I visited in late spring last year and the campus was beautiful, but it’s pretty dreary for much of the academic year. </p>
<p>just cause the rankings are 14 vs 5 doesnt mean its that much better. The thing to take out of that is that both schools are highly ranked in engineering and hed get a good education at either school. see which school hed “fit” into better</p>
<p>Thank you all for my replies to the original post. As suggested by some of the respondents we compared the recruitment data for the 2 colleges and visited them as well. The salary links that I used to compare are below</p>
<p>Starting salaries for UIUC Engg are slightly higher or equal for most engineering majors. IMO the difference is not enough to justify an additional $100k that I would be paying as Out of State for UIUC, I can understand paying a premium for UIUC Computer Science / Engg. but my son is admitted in Mech and not sure about pursuing computer sci. Also, we asked about transfer to CS just in case and they said you need A’s and B’s in order to be considered which seems a risky move.</p>
<p>Initial impressions about the visits to the colleges. UIUC seems to definitely have more resources and excellent labs but felt a bit spread out and impersonal. VT in comparison was more compact and has a more rural vibe. We did not get to see any labs at VT so I would appreciate feedback on that. My son is going to have more friends at VT and none at UIUC to start with.</p>
<p>The big question - Given these facts does it make sense to pay so much more for UIUC? I am willing to invest if a degree from UIUC will give him a significant edge over the longer term career. </p>
<p>Appreciate your inputs. Decision day is nearing. </p>
<p>Your son is going to get a great education at VT, and you will have demonstrated wisdom and moderation. And he’s going to have some fun, too. I don’t have a horse in this race, but congratulations seem in order.</p>
<p>Did you tour the new Signature Engineering building when you were at Virginia Tech? It has lots of labs. My son graduated last year so didn’t get to see it completed but it looks great. One of the labs: http:vtsil.■■■■■■■■■■/
Your son would have plenty of opportunities at VT at an instate price. The Engineering Expo is huge. A mechanical engineering student just won a Golwater Scholarship. Nobody here can tell you how to spend your money. There is obviously something that you feel your son cannot get at VT if you are prepared to spend so much more money for him to go elsewhere. I would not pay substantially more for a kid to go OOS at a much higher price, but I am not wealthy. Good luck with your decision. </p>