<p>Well, as the title indicates, I'm kind of torn between UMich and Rutgers (I'm a rising Junior) right now. I want to major in Chemical/Aerospace Engineering, so I decided long ago that I wanted to go to UMich at Ann Arbor because I know it's a great school for engineering. But lately, my mom's been bugging me to think about going for Rutgers, as the tuition is a lot cheaper and I'd be well over average there (I mean, no offense to anybody, I'm sure everybody is smart at Rutgers. But I have a 4.0 GPA with 36 ACT score). So basically, I could get a lot of financial aid and I could bag a couple of scholarships as well. She said that if I wanted to go to a top school so badly, I could do my master's/MBA at Harvard or MIT or whatever.
But the problem is, I still really want to go to UMich. I know I'm being stupid, we earn like 40k, and in New Jersey, I could live with my aunt and save a bundle of money through commuting and more college credits than what UMich will give me. So what should I do ? Should I go to UMich, which is a great school, and struggle with the cost, or go to Rutgers, which is also a great school, but lower ranked (especially in engineering) and not worry about money at all?</p>
<p>Any help would be appreciated! :)
Edit:
I'm out of state for both. But admissions will be no problem, I'm almost sure I can get in.</p>
<p>Are you sure you can afford Michigan? I’ve heard they’re pretty bad with financial aid.</p>
<p>When you get a chance, try using their net price calculator.</p>
<p>You’re only a rising junior. That means you still have over a year to explore more options and visit more schools that you will perhaps fall in love with. NJ has some good engineering schools other than Rutgers, but with a 36 ACT and 4.0 GPA I’m sure there are plenty of schools that will give you either half or full tuition.</p>
<p>University of Michigan has some scholarship/society that gives you full tuition + housing if you get it (forget what it’s called, Michigan’s alum’s can probably tell you what it’s called though.)</p>
<p>If you get it you’d get it, you wouldn’t have to worry about housing. Use the next price calculator. Don’t let your mom or anyone else make any assumptions about what aid a given school will offer you.</p>
<p>Apply to them both, and try to visit a few other schools just in case Michigan isn’t affordable, but another school you like gives you a full ride.</p>
<p>My reasonably high stats ds (2150sat, 4.25) applied for all the scholarships at UMich (as OOS) and got nothing and in-state got $4500 from Rutgers. Rutgers would have been about 22K whereas UMich would have been $55K. Public schools (usually - there are exceptions like UA) put more effort in meeting need or making it affordable for their in-state residents. With great stats like yours, you might find more opportunity for aid at private schools or your current state’s public. Do the net-price-calculators - and look for what their finaid pages say “meet full need” “strive to meet need” “meet need for those applying ED” - that will be important to know. UMich might be a great experience - but there’s lots of great experiences out there - nothing is perfect.</p>
<p>I don’t think you can decide this until you’re admitted and have financial aid offers on the table. Michigan does give some substantial merit awards, but you can’t count on it. I have no idea what Rutgers gives, but OOS tuition there is not cheap: tuition and fees come to a little over $25K, which is not affordable on a $40K household income. So you’d need a lot of FA to attend Rutgers, too. But go ahead and apply to both, and see what kind of FA, if any, they come up with.</p>
<p>I think you also need to consider your in-state public flagship, and apply to some private schools that meet 100% of need. Northwestern, for example, has an excellent engineering program (very strong in chem e) and is pretty generous with need-based FA. You might find that when all is said and done, a private school is your cheapest option net of FA.</p>
<p>I say this, by the way, as a loyal Michigan alum. I hope you apply & are accepted and get boatloads of money, and that you end up at Michigan. But in your financial situation, it would be a mistake to set your sights on any one school, whether it’s Michigan or Rutgers or whatever. You need to shop around and get the best deal. With your stats, you have a good chance of being accepted at many fine schools. You need to go to one that’s affordable.</p>
<p>With your stats, you should really be applying to the Ivies, Stanford, MIT, etc. for Chemical Engineering. These schools will meet 100% of your need if you are accepted.</p>
<p>Here is how you should craft your list of schools to apply to IMHO:</p>
<p>Reach
Princeton
Stanford
MIT
Caltech</p>
<p>Slight Reach/Match
Cornell
Northwestern</p>
<p>Safety
University of Minnesota
University of Delaware</p>
<p>I don’t know what Rutgers’ reputation is in the field of Chemical Engineering but all the above schools from the Reaches to the Safeties are fantastic in the field. Those safeties will most likely give you full rides.</p>
<p>Thanks all of you!! I’m visiting Rutgers next week, and hopefully by senior year I can decide in the affirmative.
Yes, and Univeristy of Minnesota was one of my safeties. I didn’t think of University of Delaware, though. I’ll check it out Oh, and Erin’s Dad, a local college offered me a full ride if I could maintain my 4.0 GPA, but I don’t think its ChemE program is that great.</p>
<p>To the OP, do not give up on Michigan. With your stats, you have a realstic shot at a full ride scholarship. Assuming you wish to keep your options open between Aerospace and Chemical, Michigan is arguably your best bet after MIT and Stanford.</p>
<p>I definitely agree with Delaware, Minnesota-Twin Cities and Wisconsin-Madison are excellent safeties, although it should be noted that Delaware and Wisconsin do not offer majors in Aerospace Engineering, nor do a couple of the schools listed by goldenboy (namely Cornell and Northwestern).</p>
<p>Check the net price calculators at each school to see if they are affordable on need-based aid. Schools that are not affordable on need-based aid and/or guaranteed-for-your-stats scholarships cannot be safeties. Admissions is unlikely to be your problem at some of the schools; getting sufficient need or merit aid may be what puts some of these schools into the “reach” category even though mere admissions may put them in the “low match” or “safety” category.</p>
<p>For safeties, there are some full or near-full ride schools with chemical engineering: University of Alabama - Huntsville, Louisiana Tech, Prairie View A&M, Howard. University of Alabama - Huntsville also has aerospace engineering (and NASA nearby), although aerospace engineering is often a subspecialty of mechanical engineering.</p>
<p>There are also some full tuition schools like University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa (has both chemical and aerospace engineering); you might be able to stretch Pell grant, Stafford loan, and work earnings to cover the remaining cost of attendance at some such schools.</p>
<p>Of course, some in-state publics may be substantially more generous with financial aid and scholarships for in-state students than out-of-state students, so check them. (Which state do you live in?)</p>
<p>More schools with competitive large merit scholarships include NCSU (Park) and Georgia Tech (President’s).</p>
Oh, and Erin’s Dad, a local college offered me a full ride if I could maintain my 4.0 GPA, but I don’t think its ChemE program is that great.</p>