<p>Originally, I thought there was NO way I could ever afford Wash U. However, after collaborating with the financial aid office and a change in financial situation, Wash U has become some what affordable, but honestly it's only borderline affordable. The cost would be around $20,000 a year that I would eventually pay off as a loan or directly to my parents. (That's the deal we have.) If I choose to attend Wash U, I'd major in biomedical engineering, and Wash U has one of the strongest BME programs in the country. I would not plan on continuing on to grad school. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I have been one of two students selected to recieve a full-tuition scholarship at a liberal arts school in SoCal. This school has tons of opportunities for students due to the amount of connections it has with companies in the LA area. Although the school isn't ABET accredited, the amount of experience students at this school recieve makes up for it. If I choose to attend this school, I will without a doubt attend grad school. In terms of lifestyle, this school would be much easier to adjust to due to the fact that I'm from Phoenix and it has the west coast vibe going on at the school. But I would actually love to experience the whole mid-west vibe Wash U has. </p>
<p>I'm planning on visiting Wash U one more time since they have offered to pay for airfare and accommodations. </p>
<p>What insight do you have to offer on my situation?</p>
<p>It sounds like you would be quite happy at the liberal arts school you’re considering. I guess the two questions you have to ask yourself are these:</p>
<p>1) is WashU THAT much better than that school? It sounds like you’d be happy at that school, so is WashU $80,000 better?
2) Do you want to go to grad school? Grad school would be a much better experience than undergrad at WashU, in my opinion, when it comes to finding a job, etc. If you don’t want to go to grad school and you just think of it as an unwanted necessity, then WashU might be a better choice. In the end, grad school would probably cost that $80,000 anyway.</p>
<p>Personally, I’d pick attending the liberal arts school. I have always liked the lib. arts atmosphere, and doing it for free would be excellent. In the end, the grad school will get you further, so a free undergrad background would be great preparation.</p>
<p>Pretty much agree with luked. You might find BME isn’t for you at all. There is another thread on here that clearly shows there is a high weed-out rate in BME at Wash U, although it got started as a side discussion in “WashU Workload” and took off. Take a look and see what you think, it starts about halfway through the thread I think.</p>
<p>Anyway, people change their minds on majors all the time. I know you don’t think you will, but if you do, it will be better if you go where you will be happiest #1, and balance that with affordability, both immediate and long term. Remember that costs go up, so that $80K might stay the same, or it might creep up to $90-100K.</p>
<p>Also echoing luked, if you do go on to grad school, it is that nameplate that will matter for your professional career. You say if you go to Wash U you probably would not go on to grad school, but you cannot really know that before you have taken a single course in your subject. After 3+ years of getting immersed in your field (I am assuming you stay with BME, but this would be true even if you change), you will have a very different perspective on what your plans should be. I suspect your plans 3 years ago as a 15 year old were pretty different than now in many areas of your life. Think how much they might change after 3+ years at a great university where you are on your own for the first time. Long way of saying go where you think you will get the best overall education, where you will be in an environment that fits you, and that you can handle financially.</p>
<p>FYI, I cannot say for BME, but in most of the sciences grad schools waive tuition and even provide a decent stipend for teaching undergrads in the labs and/or study sessions. That was how it was for me in chemistry at every school I applied to. So if that is true for BME, and you can check that out pretty quickly at 3 or 4 of the top BME grad schools on the web or with a quick phone call, then you can know if you need that money for later.</p>