<p>My dd and I will be visiting several colleges next week. Due to scheduling issues we can go to either Purdue or Case Western, but probably not both. She has a primary interest in Biomedical Engineering with possible switches to or combinations with Aerospace Engineering and/or Neuroscience. Long-term she wants to be involved in research and is definitely not interested in a pre-med path. I believe that both schools would be matches for her, but she would need merit scholarships and/or financial aid to bring the cost down to the $18-22,000 neighborhood of the flagship university in our home state. Colleges she wants to apply to must have a reputation of strength in her possible areas of study, but she would also like a school that is academically strong across the board as well in case she decides to switch majors. So, would anyone care to offer reasons for why we should visit one over the other? It is possible that we could do a formal info session and tour at one of them and just visit the campus of the other late in the afternoon or early in the evening. Thanks!</p>
<p>Both good schools, but in VERY different settings. I'd say go to the one with the setting that is most questionable. Go to Purdue if you're daughter would most prefer a city and go to Case if she'd most prefer a rural setting. Either way, apply to both and visit the other if she's accepted and offered the aid she'd need to attend.</p>
<p>Schmoomcgoo,
um...I think you got the locations mixed up.
I don't know too much about Cleveland (where Case Western is), but Purdue isn't really in a city setting.
maybe it's just me</p>
<p>dont listen to schmoomcgoo.</p>
<p>Case is in a strictly very urban area (Cleveland, OH)
Purdue is in a traditional college-centered town surrounded by a ruralish area but close to enough to cities.</p>
<p>I don't think schmoomcgoo was saying that the setting for Case is rural and for Purdue its urban. schmoomcgoo was just saying to visit the school that was in a setting most different from what my daughter would prefer. So, if she prefers rural, visit Case which is the opposite of rural, but if she would prefer urban, visit Purdue which is the opposite of urban. My interpretation of the intent was to use this trip as way to perhaps eliminate 1 of the 2 from her application list. I thought it was a good recommendation for making use of a limited resource (time in this case).</p>
<p>Also remember that Case is private. They meet more of the need-based aid with grants than loans whereas Purdue's need-based is a majority loans/work-study. Just something to keep in mind with most public vs. private.</p>
<p>Right, Spenier, that's exactly what I meant.</p>