Hello! I am currently a high school senior looking to major in industrial design for college. I have already been accepted to University of Cincinnati DAAP and am waiting on a decision from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design, but I wanted to ask if anyone else is looking at these two design programs or can provide any insight based on personal experience to help better inform my decision. My decision might already be made out for me if rejected from CMU—I understand how competitive the admissions are, 7% is actually wild so definitely being realistic about it being a reach—but I cannot find much information looking at these two specific schools in comparison to one another.
And to better explain my current perceptions…
(1) What I like about UC: excellent co-op program, especially strong and well-known for industrial design, located within a larger university setting, design building is overall a better facility & contains more updated tools and resources, financially a better value as the tuition is much cheaper in comparison, appears to have an overall more positive student culture within DAAP (hardworking and stressful but in a positive way)
(2) What concerns me about UC: program is less interdisciplinary than CMU = less potential flexibility or opportunities to take coursework in other areas of design since it is so heavily I.D. focused, been told that the area surrounding campus is especially dangerous
(1) What I like about CMU: the track system would be beneficial to become a more well-rounded designer in consideration of larger systems which might be good for someone like me who has multiple interests, renowned for prestige in technological opportunities and integration throughout the school, ability to double major or minor in something like human-computer interaction (interaction design) which could complement design nicely,
(2) What concerns me about CMU: overall culture of the university seems to be super intelligent but also super stress/anxious (based on my observations from visits), track system might perpetuate a “jack-of-all trades” designer which have a stronger conceptual ability but less advanced technical ability, extremely expensive, much smaller class of design students (30-40 students total)
Feel free to correct me if I am making any inaccurate interpretations or judgements, I really am quite indecisive and would highly appreciate any info I can get about both schools 
The area around UC is better than it used to be. The university has redeveloped much of the area around campus to provide a buffer from the surrounding sketchy neighborhood. As long as you stay on campus, or in the immediate environs frequented by students, you should be fine, using ordinary precautions.
DAAP’s programs are excellent, but they are also intensive and fast-paced. It is a school for those who are matriculating already committed to a path, not for dilettantes and dabblers.