<p>I notice engineers are a stubborn lot. I had a long discussion on another thread from a person who insisted that Purdue had a stronger overall national reputation in engineering than Michigan. Whether you want to accept it or not, Michigan is easily a top ten engineering school in this country and a way better university overall than the other two mentioned here. It is up to you to decide if the extra cost is worth it. Personally, I can't imagine going to school for four years in a community that is just plain boring.</p>