<p>I am torn and do not know which school I should go to. I want to major in mechanical engineering, and hopefully work for a US automaker. </p>
<p>I am in state for Maryland so tuition would only be roughly $9,000 a year for University of Maryland College Park. I believe it ranks 22 in all engineering schools according to US News. I have also heard good things about its engineering program and overall education quality. </p>
<p>Kettering University (Flint, Michigan), a private school, would be about $33,000 a year, but their co op program really interests me. Plus I'd make 40-65 thousand all four years from this program to help defer the costs of the pricy tuition, but it still won't be cheap. Also, Kettering ranks 1 out of mechanical engineering schools without doctorate degrees. It also has strong ties with the auto industry, where I want to work eventually and apply for internships in college. </p>
<p>(Just FYI it's Kettering UNIVERSITY, not Kettering COLLEGE)</p>
<p>Would it be worth it to go to Kettering? Thanks in advance! :)</p>
<p>I presume you think this is what you’ll have to pay because you’ve run net price calculators? I wasn’t aware UMD offered such big discounts. I’m glad our state will do this for its citizens.</p>
<p>What will you have to do to make up the 24K difference? where are you going to find that money? You cannot borrow it yourself since you probably already have 5500 in your FA at both schools. For you to borrow more would mean asking a family member to co-sign for 100K, debt they would be responsible for even if you declared bankruptcy. Will someone do it for you? Have they the collateral to do it for you?</p>
<p>Students change their majors all the time. Is risking this much debt worth it if you find out in two years that engineering isn’t for you and you want to do dance? Kettering is an engineering school; if you decide engineering isn’t for you, you’ll have to change schools? If you want to or have to change institutions, will you be able to transfer from Kettering (to UMD? and will the UMD FA still be available to you then?).</p>
<p>It sounds like I’m leaning toward UMD, and I do have a son who goes there, but I’m really just working out the risks to the plan you’ve presented. It’s early in the process yet, and this stuff bears thinking thru. Has UMD, for instance, any history of placing MEs into the auto industry? Do the auto manufacturers recruit at UMD?</p>