I am facing a dilemma choosing between these universities. I am planning to major in Computer Engineering/ CS at UMich or Georgia Tech but am majoring in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Management at Imperial if I end up there. I have an interest in business/ management and aim to work in project management at a tech firm so my interests are not purely technical. I feel that UMich would provide me with many opportunities to engage in business outside the classroom with clubs/ competitions and has a track record of notable alumni (Dick Costolo, Larry Page, Eric Lefkofsky, Tony Fadell). However, the course at Imperial is ideal for my career aspirations and Georgia Tech is known for its reputed CE and CS program.
After my undergrad, I either want to begin working directly or get an MBA or MSc CS. If I go to Imperial, I’d definitely take a masters course in US but at UMich/ GT it could go either way. Which university has better grad school prospects and job opportunities specifically for the fields I’m interested in?
As for location, I feel Ann Arbor would be a better city to live in than Atlanta other than the weather (since I’m an international student). London would be very different from Ann Arbor but I have visited the city and I think I’d love living there as well.
Thank you in advance and I’m happy to provide any more information!
Is there a cost element to consider? All three as amazing, so it comes down to fit. Do you like an urban environment or do you prefer a college town setting? Do you like a strong campus culture and school spirit, or do such things not matter to you? Are you certain of your major, or do you think you may change your mind? Do you intend on working in the UK or the US after college?
@Alexandre Thanks for the response! With regards to tuition, I will be paying full international tuition for all. That means UMich and Imperial would be roughly the same (maybe about a 2-3k more for UMich) but Georgia Tech would be about 10k cheaper. However, although cost is a factor, the 10k difference won’t play a big role in my decision. I am comfortable with any safe location with access to decent entertainment options for the weekend so urban vs college town also won’t also be a big factor…however I have lived all my life in an urban environment. I would definitely prefer a uni with strong school spirit, which would push me to UMich, but other factors would play a bigger role in my decision. I am pretty set on pursuing CS/ CE and am planning to work in US after college. That’s why I’ll probably end up with a Master’s from US if I go to Imperial.
I would go with GT. You can fly almost anywhere easily from Atlanta, and there’s pretty good public transportation. GT’s reputation is a given. You could do a semester or two at GTL for in-state tuition fees (I think?). It’s really hard to go wrong with GT imho.
UMich is a great school too but I would not want to deal with Michigan winters (as trivial as that sounds) and traveling to and from Michigan.
Not familiar with Imperial.
You must be a terrific student to have these options - congratulations and wishing you all the best!
“UMich is a great school too but I would not want to deal with Michigan winters (as trivial as that sounds) and traveling to and from Michigan.”
Weather is not that big a deal. I grew up in the hottest place on earth, and I had no trouble adjusting to Michigan winters. Some people really cannot deal with the cold, but most adjust nicely.
As for getting to and from, you do realize that the Detroit Metropolitan Airport has nonstop flights to as many destinations as Atlanta. There are nonstop flights to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Tokyo.
If cost is not a factor, I would recommend Michigan over GT. Both are great in CS/CE, but in most other ways, I think Michigan has more to offer.
OK, @Alexandre I apologize. I didn’t realize that Detroit was that close to Ann Arbor (30 minutes?). Also, I thought Atlanta was more versatile in terms of international flights but I could be wrong.
Nevertheless, ugh on Michigan winters. I can’t cede that point.
Detroit (fortunately) isn’t that close to Ann Arbor. But DTW airport is only about 15 minutes from UM. It’s a hub for Delta and you can get anywhere from there. Don’t let airport convenience make your decision for you.
I’ve attended both UM and GT. Both are great schools for internationals with an excellent support staff. GT is a little higher ranked for CS, Michigan for business. At Michigan you could also double-major with CE/CS and business between the engineering school and Ross. Going directly to business school for and MBA is probably not the best idea, most people work for 3-5 years before going into a regular business school or 10-15 for an executive program. You really need some real world experience to get the most out of an MBA.
Ann Arbor is a mid-sized college town with the university the focus of the town, and rated #1 or #2 in the US for college towns. M/F mix is 50/50 at UM. Atlanta is a major city, and GT is a mid-town urban campus with M/F ratio of about 60/40. You will meet a more diverse group of people at UM - lots of artists, dancers and musicians, GT is more technology and engineering focused school but has ties with nearby Emory University. Atlanta will have more internships available in the local area.
Michigan has more of a sports culture and more of a college ‘experience’ but GT does a good job too. The GT campus is a little quieter.
Detroit Metro airport is 30 min from the Ann Arbor Campus, there are taxi, limo, and bus services and it (along with Atlanta) are Delta hubs. GT is accessible via the MARTA rail system (about 25 min, then 10 min walk/bus to campus)
Weather wise it might be fun to experience the cold if you come from a warm climate. Wintertime temperatures in Ann Arbor range from -25 C to + 20 C (today!) , Atlanta is 5-7 deg C warmer on average.
As for Imperial , you get to live in London, arguable the greatest city in the world.
UMich and GT are both great universities, but Imperial is arguably in the top 10 engineering schools worldwide, plus you get to study in London (London > Ann Arbor > Atlanta). Since you plan to do a masters in the US and seek employment in the US, I’d recommend seizing the chance to study in London for your undergrad. Another country opens up a range of different opportunities, connections, and views which are beneficial especially in this day and age. (With 50% international students, Imperial connects to the world.)
@TooOld4School also makes a good point about MBA programs, and I would go further: no well-ranked program will take you straight out of undergraduate- 2-3 years work experience is considered essential.
Finally, although CS is a field in which it is possible to get a work visa for the US, for a newly-minted undergrad it is still going to be tough. The MSc is probably going to be necessary, even if you have made great connections through internships / work placements in your undergrad program.
So, my advice would be to look hard at both the course structure and the work placements for each program (both options and required).
Yes, he is international but obviously not from UK. So it’s a whole other set of opportunities/perspective. Since he’ll come to US to do a masters, having that additional experience in UK could prove beneficial.
Since you have lived in urban environments your whole like, take note of the fact that people keep calling Ann Arbor a “town” centered on the university. That means a small city. You may not find the resources and diversity there that you would find in a larger city like Atlanta or London, and that you may be accustomed to. Also, most cities in the US – Atlanta included – are not compact, walkable, and filled with exceptional public transportation options the way cities are nearly everywhere else in the world. In London you won’t need a car. In the US you can get by at those two universities without a car, but you will wish you had one.
What’s more, in the US you will be treated like a child and subject to arrest or disciplinary actions at your university if you even drink a beer (assuming you are under age 21), whereas in London you will be considered an adult and served alcoholic beverages at university functions. Perhaps you don’t drink, but I point this out because it affects student behavior in the US and what places they can go hang out in the evenings – they cannot legally enter many places where alcohol is served. London has a robust pub life by contrast that welcomes students.
Assuming you are full pay for both UMich and GTech, there is no reason to pay $11k/year more to go to UMich for CS/CE. I did not for my D2, who was accepted to both.
I will have to defend/promote Michigan here. Take into account student life. It is a no secret that at Georgia Tech, you will spend a lot more time studying, and a lot less time socializing- based on accounts I have heard from students/alumni from both UMich and GTech. Also, while GTech leads Michigan by an almost negligible amount in rankings for CS/CE, Michigan leads pretty significantly with business.
Bump…I have also been admitted for Computer Science and Engineering at UCLA. As of now I’m leaning towards UCLA/UMich however I’m still considering Georgia Tech. I decided that a UK education would probably not be the best option for me since my plan is to work in US.