<p>Hey everyone. As the titel suggests, i have to decide between the above universities.</p>
<p>I have applied and been accepted in all 3 for Electrical Engineering. However, most of my friends usually transfer out of these courses, or take Business.Management and finance as extra majors. Heres my dilemma: All the universities are ranked high for the above majors, and i have to chose soon.</p>
<p>Most people say that UIUC is overall better than Purdue. It has a harder grading system, and the courses and students are more competitive. It has been rated higher for Engineering and Business by USnews but that is not too great a deciding factor. A frend graduates soon from there and has a great job lined up, but that may not be the case for everyone.</p>
<p>Purdue has offered me a merit based schol, not much, but brings total cost down by 14000. they have a grat campus, lota indians (i am indian) foods better and my friend goes there currently and LOVES IT!</p>
<p>Gerogia is ranked higher for engineering and USNEWS rates it better overall uni. Its cheap and has good placements</p>
<p>As of now, i am leaning towards UIUC, but i would like all your opinions. Please be frank and honest</p>
<p>Also, if another thread has already been posted on this topic, i am sorry, and can someone gimme the link to that</p>
<p>Well based on just the programs I'd rank UIUC & GTech first then Purdue. But hey they are very close and you should try to pick the campus where you feel most at home. You didn't really ask a question. If rankings aren't much of a basis and you just listed competitiveness and academics as points for each school, I don't really see what criterion you want to pick a school as. See what you're looking for (Purdue and UofI are big schools, do you want that? Layfayette is boring, do you want that?).</p>
<p>I would say UIUC but I'm biased as many on this thread would be. But hey, try asking a question and you will get answers.</p>
<p>Any one of the three would be fine for engineering. Some considerations:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Cost: how important is it to you? UIUC is the most expensive of the three for internationals. Can't tell what you mean by the $14,000 scholarship at Purdue but since you say it is "not much" I am assuming that is for four years (if annual, it is a big amount) but makes Purdue less costly than UIUC and Gtech is probably still the lowest of the three.</p></li>
<li><p>Weather: are you accustomed to cold weather. Winter at UIUC and Purdue is cold and snowy (they can get days below zero Fahrenheit). Atlanta is mild -- if it has more than 15 days in the 30's that is considered a brutal winter.</p></li>
<li><p>City life: not at UIUC or Purdue, more college town life; GTech is in a large city.</p></li>
<li><p>Terrain: Outside of the city limits for Purdue and UIUC is mostly flat terrain with forests and farmland 50 miles in any direction. Georgia has hills and mountains.</p></li>
<li><p>Gender ratio: UIUC is about even male/female; Purdue closer to 60/40; at Gtech it is close to 75/25.</p></li>
<li><p>Other majors: if you switch out of engineering, UIUC offers the most variety to switch to (including a high ranked businees school), followed by Purdue; GTech is still mostly a tech school.</p></li>
<li><p>Populus: Vast majority of students at UIUC come from Chicago and its suburbs; for Purdue from Northwest Indiana (almost the Chicago area) and the Indianapolis, South bend and Fort Wayne areas. Both are Midwest values, somewhat conservative, generally friendly, but mostly unimpressed with things outside the midwest -- if you tell most of them you got into Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Stanford, you are more likely to be met with a yawn rather than a wow. Gtech is more eclectic, attracting a good contingent of students from the east, but still the "south," with distinctive accents and mostly conservative views.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I want to be able to switch majors and get a good job after. Ive heard UIUC grading system is harder. Does that make a difference when it comes to jobs after?</p>
<p>Yea rishi i did meet u online. THe estimated costs for UIUC is around 33000 for 2005 - 2006 students, but they say assume 40000 overall for first year. That is a big factor, however, i can pay off atleast three years due to saved money and the rest i can take on a student loan. I think that 40000 on education is well spent. But the main thing is the JOB AFTER. Could anyone tell me which is better?</p>
<p>saved money? eh didnt quite get u. how old r u? i think UIUC is def. the best in employment ratios. approx 96% of the graduates get jobs within an yr of graduation so until ur in the rest 4%, u should do well. Purdue sucks in employment of intl students, hardly any campus placements for intl and after that only god knows, Gatech i dun have much idea but i think UIUC is overall a much better skl,good campus life, btw u mite wanna check out Princeton Reviews Best 361 Colleges
GATECH is in the list of "MOST UNHAPPY STUDENTS" and "CAMPUS SMALL & TINY" n many others..which do not give a freshmen a good feeling abt the coll, so if u wanna decide decide between GATECH n UIUC</p>
<p>I have a question on the same topic. The UIUC website states the total cost for an out of state student to be 44,000 per year for Tuition+boarding etc. Does it really cost that much to study at UICS (Computer Science) or this number is on higher side. Any information you can provide is very much appreciated. How do UICS compare with UT Austin vs Purdue on cost of education front for out of state.</p>
<p>Serious question. Given Illinois’ massive budget problem how will they be able to keep tuition flat for all four years? Seems like a nice idea that might not be workable in this economy.</p>
<p>^Each freshman class is guaranteed same tuiton for four years but that does not include fees or room & board which can rise. When next freshman class comes in, they have a newer and higher tuiton rate which is then guaranteed for them for four years. In other words, don’t be concerned as to whether they can maintain the same tuiton for any particular class for four years because they have other ways of increasing income. Much of the crises now is due to appropriations. State said UIUC was going to get certain amount for this fiscal year, which started last July. Budgets for fiscal year were based on including what State said it would provide for the year. As of January 1, State had actually provided only about 7% of what it said it would provide for the year, and as a result stern measures are currently needed to reduce costs.</p>
<p>Yes and as appropriations and tuition are big parts of the income pie for any state university it seems like a very expensive plan to keep flat tuition for each entering class. Given the other side of the income pie is shrinking I would guess that flat tuition is on the chopping block sooner or later. .</p>