<p>My current impression is that in overall academic quality and in quality of college life, WashU is better than Case Western Reserve University. In the specific area of Biomedical Engineering they could be considered comparable or perhaps Case might have the edge. If anyone wants to give an alternative view or confirm my current viewpoint, please do so.</p>
<p>Assuming that my assessment is correct, what I need to know is what premium or cost difference would be acceptable to choose WashU over Case? Currently it would cost us $15k per year more to attend WashU rather than Case. I think that is too much to justify, but I am looking for other opinions. </p>
<p>Do you think you are likely to go on to get a PhD? This is an important factor. If the answer is yes, pick your school based on which fits you better overall and the value you perceive for the money, not the details of the major. I know you don’t think so now, but you might change your major. Well over 50% of students do. And if you go on to get a graduate degree, that is the nameplate whose rep will matter to employers. Undergrad is more about enjoying the whole experience, believe me. So try and figure out which fits you better as a person. That is plenty hard enough!</p>
<p>How likely do you think you will stick to biomedical engineering or possibly another engineering major? If you stick to engineering, I think Case is just as good if not better than Wash U. But if you think you might switch to (or double major in) say English or Business or Art/Architecture, Wash U’s strength in the other areas may be worth the extra cost. The two schools’ academic environments are actually quite similar, as well as their local feel situated near the cultural centers of large midwestern cities. I like both Cleveland and St. Louis (having lived both places and actually having attended both schools), but I will have to say I do prefer St. Louis, and I do prefer Wash U’s campus life. Cleveland winters are definitely more brutal than St. Louis winters, but the summers there are nice!</p>
<p>spenier - having just gone through this exact thought process (I am the parent also), although with Wash U vs. Tulane instead of Case, I think there is no way to answer that question about the premium. It all depends on your financial circumstances now, how much debt you and/or your child are comfortable with, the future plans of the child, and so many intangibles, e.g. how important is the quality of the dorm and food (from what I hear Wash U beats Case easily in these departments, but I only have first hand knowledge of Wash U, and it was pretty awesome. The dorms beat Tulane by a lot too, but the food in New Orleans, well…and on campus pretty good too). It is such an individual thing. I will say that my own experience and knowing the experience of many others, people tend to inflate the importance of going to one school vs. another when at this “crystal ball” stage, especially when both schools are very very good.</p>
<p>My case was kind of easy, even though Wash U was my daughter’s first choice. Tulane awarded her a full tuition merit scholarship, guaranteed for four years (assuming she maintains the required grades, etc.) no matter how much tuition goes up. Wash U didn’t award her any merit money (other than the relatively small NMF she would get, which she also still gets from Tulane in addition to her scholarship), so even though Wash U is certainly a higher ranked school and has a stronger program in one of her two anticipated majors (Tulane is probably a little stronger in the other, but it is close), she will go to Tulane. We wouldn’t qualify for any need-based aid on the surface, and even if they gave us some anyway (long story, but I did talk with the head of their financial aid department and they could possibly could give us some), there is no way it would come close to the “deal” Tulane is offering and besides, it wouldn’t be guaranteed year-to-year. So we are looking at a potentially huge difference at the end of 4 years, and I would put her odds at 4-1 that she will go on to a PhD. She can pick up the Ivy (or similar) nameplate then. Bottom line, for her Wash U wasn’t worth close to that kind of premium, and for that matter neither was Harvard or Dartmouth.</p>
<p>The only other thing I can say is that every school has its own personality and “feel”, and staying overnight a couple nights so they can attend some classes, talk to a couple profs in their anticipated area(s) of study, and do a couple of social things is the only way they can begin to assess this. If they have not already, it isn’t too late to do that, but better hurry. They have to make a choice, and finals are coming up for these students and they won’t want to host anyone.</p>