<p>I was accepted to college of engineering Umich a few days ago. It has been my top choice and I'm absolutely thrilled to go there ...
I want to confirm my decision but before that i want to make sure I'm making the right choice ...
I want to major in aerospace engineering. The only colleges i applied to that i think compare to Umich are UIUC, Gtech and UT Austin, UCLA.
I'm into a lot of ECs and i want to keep up with them ... but i don't want to sacrifice a good engineering program for that. I don't real mind the weather. I want to go to a school that isn't boring, which is academically driven but also allows you to have fun. Also i want to go to a school with good placement and stuff !
Is Umich the right college for me ? Should i go ahead and confirm it ?
Appreciate any advice :)</p>
<p>Are you a resident of CA, GA, IL or TX? Will cost of attendance make a difference? From a purely academic/fun perspective, I think Michigan is the most well rounded option, considering you are intent on majoring in AE, but cost must be accounted for. </p>
<p>You’re an int’l. </p>
<p>what are your parents saying? Will they pay $55k per year for Umich? If so, go ahead and confirm and cancel your other apps to free spots for others.</p>
<p>I’m an international student and cost isn’t really an issue … @mom2collegekids @Alexandre </p>
<p>Then I would say Michigan is your best bet. Georgia Tech is as good as Michigan in AE, but I think Michigan offers a more balanced/fun campus environment. UCLA and Texas are a lot of fun too, but they are not as good as Michigan in AE.</p>
<p>yeah true …
also i like umich over tech is because i feel its a better school overall ?
if i change my mind later to do something else, over all isn’t umich slightly more well respected ? @Alexandre </p>
<p>If by “something else” you mean something tech related (CS or another branch of Engineering), then no, Michigan ios not more respected. Where Engineering is concerned, GT is every bit as strong as Michigan. </p>
<p>But if you mean a social science or Business, then yes, Michigan is more highly regarded than GT.</p>
<p>The other posters have made their statements pretty accurately. From your profile I guess you are an Indian applicant. I am pleasantly surprised that you got in to UMich COE with a 2090. Your ECs must be outstanding. In any case, congrats!</p>
<p>Does it make sense to pay 20-25% more to go to UMich instead of GTech ? It will depend on the premium you are ready to pay for a better overall college experience. My D2 chose GTech over UMich for ChemE as we were not ready to pay this premium.</p>
<p>Having said this, I will advise that you join one of the 5 original IITs… tremendous value for money for an Engg. education. If you do well there, all gates to the best jobs (direct campus recruitment for the likes of Google, McKinsey, etc.) and post-grad schools (Stanford, MIT, etc.) are wide open.</p>
<p>i012575, for a girl, GT’s 2:1 male to female ratio is ideal. Not so ideal for boys though! ;)</p>
<p>Most families will find cost to be an issue. However, the OP has stated that cost is not a concern. If that is the case, I think Michigan is a more well-rounded experience than GT or IIT, especially from a non-academic point of view, or from a non-Engineering (if he wishes to change majors) point of view. </p>
<p>Finally, from a graduate school admissions point of view, I agree that IIT holds its own nicely with the likes of GT or Michigan, but I am not sure if IIT graduates have access to the same jobs in the US market. I do not doubt that all multinational companies recruit IIT graduates for the Indian job market, but the US?</p>
<p>Michigan is more “fun” than GT and better rounded academically. If costs are not an issue, this isn’t too dificult of a decision to make. </p>
<p>Those IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) probably have more raw prestige, but quality of education is debatable and quality of life is clearly better @ Mich. Costs for IITs are lower though. From what I have seen, an IIT degree is similar to an MIT/CalTech degree in terms of value to employers.</p>
<p>Ha…ha @yikesyikesyikes , yes, I hail from one of these IITs. Not desiring to hijack this thread, but I have a few clients in the Bay Area/NYC and they seem to always call out my IIT degree (in MechE) rather than my M.B.A. from one of the top 3 US Business schools. So I do my share in trying to sell/promote the IITs to smart Indian kids.</p>
<p>@Alexandre , you are correct. The hiring at the IITs by the multinationals are primarlily regional, though of late, quite a few US hires have been made by hi-tech and consulting companies.</p>
<p><a href=“Business News Today: Read Latest Business news, India Business News Live, Share Market & Economy News | The Economic Times”>Business News Today: Read Latest Business news, India Business News Live, Share Market & Economy News | The Economic Times;
<p>One of the strongest argument for Michigan is that it is EXTREMELY cross-disciplinary and for that reason has MANY joint programs within and between schools. The theory at UM is to break down silos. Everybody says this, but UM does it. If you go for engineering at Michigan, you’ll also be able to cross-link to the business school, the law school, the medical school and the school of natural resources. Some of those linkages are joint degree programs, some comprise venture capital funds internal to one or more of the schools. Those funds may help put you on track to fund a business idea. When you graduate, you will have access to a large/huge alumni body (both the engine school and the broader alumni framework) with significant hooks into major domestic firms.</p>
<p>@i012575 My parents and i had decided that i should pursue my undergraduate education i the US, because of this i gave up all preparation for IIT. Also, I’m int lots of yoga, football, guitar and golf. I think Umich will give me more opportunities to keep up with these activities. I had discussed the issue of cost with my parents and we think that the overall experience in a college like UMich beats IIT, so they’re glad to pay the amount.
So from all the replies i gather that UMich is well respected in lots of aspects and it is a very fun well-rounded school.
So i think that this is the perfect fit for me … </p>
<p>First, IITs are extremely difficult to get into - none of the “holistic” stuff, just a brutal entrance exam with an admit rate of less than 1 in 50. So, it’s not a choice about whether one can go to IITs just because one wants to. Second, remove the hype from Michigan and look rationally. US News Aerospace graduate program ranking is Michigan (4), GA Tech (5), Purdue (5), UIUC (7). You’d be hard-pressed to see the difference between any of these programs in terms of reputation or quality - particularly at the undergrad level. Even if money is not an object, spend wisely and save it for future.</p>
<p><a href=“http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/aerospace-ranking”>http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/aerospace-ranking</a></p>
<p>For undergraduate aerospace engineering, Michigan is ranked #2 just behind MIT. </p>
<p><a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/engineering-doctorate-aerospace-aeronautical-astronautical”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/engineering-doctorate-aerospace-aeronautical-astronautical</a></p>
<p>“Even if money is not an object, spend wisely and save it for future.”</p>
<p>QOL and fit should be major considerations when figuring out where to attend college. One can always “spend wisely” but might end up making themselves miserable. Four years is a long time not to be happy.</p>
<p>Not taking cost into account, I would never choose GT or IIT over UMich, but I’m also from the midwest so I’m a bit biased.</p>
<p>My parents can afford UMich, i have spoken to them about it. Thats why we aren’t taking it into consideration. Now unless i get a hefty scholarship from GTech (But thats highly unlikely), price won’t matter. From a purely academic/extracurricular point of view i have always thought UMich is better than GTech.
US news and QS both rank UMich higher than GT.
But as i know rankings are not everything, i want to know if I’m right in thinking UMich is the better school for me. @anxious00 @rjkofnovi </p>
<p>If you want to attend a world class institution of renown in a fantastic college town that is welcoming to all students, then Ann Arbor is your best choice. </p>
<p>OP, you may eventually not have to make a decision. UTAustin, GTech and UCLA are all iffy with a 2090 for an OOS COE applicant. GTech EA results are out early Jan. Cross the bridge when you do have these options. Good luck !</p>