<p>This is for a friend. He got into UIUC for Engineering, as well as other big schools such as Princeton, MIT, and Stanford. He has a full-ride for UIUC and would have to pay a signifciant amount of money per year (think about $15000-20000) for the other schools - do you think he should go to UIUC and just save his money for grad school? Or are those experiences at the other schools "irreplaceable?"</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>An 80K difference over 4 years is worth it for MIT Engineering.</p>
<p>With all due respect, not exactly sure about the excitement surounding the MIT football and basketball programs. The textures of a Big Ten experience are difficult to match. There’s also Krannert, Green St. and the Greek scene. Education on many levels.</p>
<p>Thanks! Keep in mind he wants to go to either grad school or med school; he also does like uiuc. He would have to take out the loans himself.</p>
<p>Heh, I’d agree with you Savant if we didn’t dump both coaches this year. Education on many levels yes, but only one of them actually helps your career. MIT has alumni too. I love U of I but we’re talking about MIT here for engineering.</p>
<p>if you’re sure about grad school, going to illinois will not hurt your chances as long as you do well. you can go mit for grad school, and save $$ now. if you are not sure about grad school, pick mit.</p>
<p>OP, how did your friend get full-ride at uiuc … not very common … someone that good will do well anywhere. save your $$.</p>
<p>I have been pondering over this too. Can somebody (maybe Balthazer) please give concrete examples of why it might be worth paying $80K more for MIT than for UIUC, when the student
knows he is going to pursue graduate studies? How, precisely, is (UIUC ugrad followed by MIT grad) less attractive than (MIT ugrad followed by MIT grad)? I understand the subjective issues such as perceived glamor or prestige, but can someone give us, for the above two
scenarios, objective metrics, such as higher average salary after finishing PhD, more job offers after PhD, earlier tenure&promotion for academic jobs, etc? Thank you.</p>
<p>@itsme123 he was very very lucky… he received generous scholarships! I’m in shock too</p>
<p>@publicstatic this would be extremely helpful information to know. Thanks for the question.</p>
<p>I think it’s fairly simple, really. He has an offer from MIT now. Who knows what will happen in 4 years? You say the student “knows” he’s going to graduate school in 4 years. Really? Can you give me your crystal ball after you’re done with it? How does he know that a MIT offer for graduate studies will happen in 4 years? A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. </p>
<p>I’m a big U of I supporter. A degree from UIUC in engineering is great, and the professors are outstanding, but MIT engineering is clearly better, and I don’t say that of many schools. If you were a professor of engineering, and you got an offer of employment from MIT and UIUC, which would you take? Your peers at UIUC are all proven academically, but MIT can pick and choose from the top students in the world. And at a 15-20K per year difference, I wouldn’t bat an eye.</p>
<p>I updated him on the comvo. Considering financials and his family’s advice, he says he is pretty sure he will go to UIUC. Although he liked mit and Stanford a lot, he really likes UIUC and the opportunities he is being offered there.</p>
<p>@Balthezar He understands your thoughts and usually follows that logic in his life. But he thinks he will be better able to make those decisions…whether or not he in fact wants to go to grad school, for example…without any debt on his back :)</p>
<p>uiuc followed by mit or the like is just as good or better than mit followed by any other school. </p>
<p>things to consider other than finances are chance of doing extremely well at school (gpa 3.8 and higher), and being in a prime position for research and mentoring at uiuc etc. this will catapult him ahead of some what better than average mit grad (gpa ~3.3, for example). many studies have shown that students of caliber that can get into mit and the like will do just as well regardless where they start. </p>
<p>just like one doesn’t have crystal ball that he will go to grad school (let alone at MIT), he/she doesn’t have crystal ball that he/she will do very well at mit. a below average mit is just a dud otherwise having paid a lot. and about half mit grad s are below average!</p>
<p>so, let’s not all drink very expensive mit cool-aide!</p>
<p>as a poster suggested here, I bet that this guy will make the best of whatever path he chooses and will make it as productive as can be. that being said, if he chooses uiuc , at a minimum he’ll have 80k that he does not have to recover after UG.</p>
<p>@Kudasai - I understand his logic. He is aware of his capabilities, and being 80K in debt certainly is a factor when it comes to considering graduate school. Getting a full-ride at UIUC is rare, and it means he must be a very impressive student. UIUC won’t let him down, and will definitely challenge him.</p>
<p>@itsme123 - I accept your opinions at face value. I’d go to MIT, if I were in the same situation. Oh, and it’s Kool-Aid, not cool-aide.</p>
<p>Balthezar - for the College of Business - what are your thoughts on UIUC College of Business Honors Program versus University of Texas Austin Business Honors Program (which UT claims is one of the best as MBA professors are teaching the BHP students in case study type classroom environment)? </p>
<p>Let’s assume cost is marginally different with UT being OOS.</p>
<p>@Balthezar I certainly hope so! He’s the sort that loves challenges. And he’s not taking any of these acceptances for granted, he’s pretty humble…he’s quite a person!</p>
<p>@Hoopin - I only know that Both Schools have very highly ranked business programs. You can’t go wrong attending either university. If you’ve been offered the BHP at both schools then you’ve got an impressive application that includes some outstanding extracurriculars that show your leadership potential.</p>
<p>@Balthezar -
Thanks. Courses would be different at each school. UT-A is case study based with supposedly the MBA professors teaching the BHP classes. UofI would be traditional classes with some Honors lecture serioes (outside of classroom), one course with a dean, and earlier registration. Being form the midwest I stumpled upon UT-BHP (which is actually a major and then you can add another business major). </p>
<p>UT-A has #1 ranked faculty. U of I might be more Lecture with a TA.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input.</p>