<p>Hi. Guys I was accepted into 4 schools, and waitlisted in 4 schools. Now I regret that I should have applied some generous Liberal art schools. I was really inexperienced when I started my application process. The scholarships and financial assistances I got are little bit disappointing for me. Even though my family income is low, my parents told me they will do their best to afford my tuition. Now I have 3 choices :</p>
<p>Grinnell...........................24k........................43k
WPI...............................26k........................49k
American University..........30k........................47k</p>
<p>American University sounds really better to me. But I am really interested in WPI, my interest is Engineering though. But some people say "Where you acquired your bachelor doesn't matter, where you acquired your master matters". That is why I am hesitating where should I go. If you guys were me, what would you do? I haven't considered about loans and other scholarship opportunities. I will live off-campus and do work on campus to gain money. I want my family spend at most 12k each year, because there are two of my sisters need money to study. Please help me guys!!! It is kinda urgent, btw</p>
<p>Also I was waitlisted in Gettysburg, Macalester, RPI and Franklin and Marshall. But I don’t think they will give me more than accepted schools, since I am in their waitlist</p>
<p>Can you try to ask for more aid at WPI? Like telling them, “hey, AU gave me this much, but I like your school better, so could you come up with better offer?”</p>
<p>These are such different schools-WPI is a tech institute in a NE suburb, American is an urban school in Wash DC and Grinnell is the classic SLAC in the midwest. Figure out which school’s experience most closely matches what you want and then ask their financial aid office to help you. Tell them your best offer-and how much you’d rather attend their school: Can they help you make it work out at their school? Most FA offices can help you put together a package that is feasible, if they want you and they know that money is the only barrier for you.</p>
<p>Thank you all. My decision is killing me… Now I just want to know 2 things:</p>
<p>1) Is AU’s Computer Science department better than Grinnell’s?
2) If there were 2 alumni from AU and WPI, whom would have a better chance to have a good job in good company? Like Microsoft, Google etc… ()</p>
<p>I second whoever said “consider living expenses.”</p>
<p>Washington is extremely expensive to live in, so don’t expect to save too much by living off-campus. “The current Fair Market Rental price for a two bedroom apartment in DC is $1,286/month” (<a href=“http://www.some.org/docs/factsheet_housing.pdf[/url]”>http://www.some.org/docs/factsheet_housing.pdf</a>) Add utilities and transportation expenses, and you will be paying $1000 per month just for housing if you share are a two-bedroom apartment with someone else. Add food and living off-campus will be more expensive than living on campus with a meal plan. Also consider that you might have to buy a lot of furniture and equipment (bed, microwave, vacuum cleaner etc) yourself that you might otherwise be able to use from the college. And don’t forget additional expenses like health insurance etc.</p>
<p>Go on line at each school and check the college course catalog regarding course offerings at each school in the area(s) you are interested in. The differences in breadth and emphasis should be apparent to you. A passionate and commited alumni association is also important for networking when you graduate. Hard to gauge passion sometimes, but percent of grads donating to the school might be a clue. And find out who recruits on campus-compare the two. Finally, what kind of support do the career centers offer: How personalized is their support. Do they help with resumes, mock interviews, keep a list of alumni willing to be contacted for informational interviewing, etc…</p>
<p>I also know that Grinnell has a week-long program for incoming freshman (minority and women) in the sciences (including computer science) called the Grinnell Science Project. Its on their web site. The program starts on August 16th this year, and it’s free. Not sure if American offers anything comparable.</p>
<p>If you want to major in engineering, I’d say go to WPI and, after you graduate, apply for a master’s program in a top 10 school (e.g. MIt, Berkeley, Stanford, Caltech, GAtech, Michigan Ann Arbor, Illinois Urbana, CMU, or Cornell).</p>
<p>Why I can’t get in to those school after I graduate from American University? I really want to go WPI, but money is the big deal. I already decided to go AU after my long time doubt</p>
<p>Correct if I’m wrong, but I believe American University doesn’t even offer an undergraduate major in engineering. Getting into graduate school for a master’s or PhD in engineering without having majored in engineering at the undergraduate level would be comparatively far more difficult, though not outright impossible.</p>
<p>@bruno123 : Maybe you misunderstood because of my mistake. My major could be Computer Science or Computer Engineering. I really don’t know the big difference between them</p>
<p>@bohogirl : I haven’t received answer yet. Maybe they are ignoring me. Now I need to send my matriculation form with money as soon as possible.</p>
<p>Very simplified, the difference is this:
Computer Science is about the software of a computer while computer Engineering deals with the hardware.</p>
<p>Which courses sound more appealing to you: </p>
<p>Discrete Math, Analysis of Algorithms, Principles of Programming Languages => Computer Science</p>
<p>Physics, Circuit Analysis, Signal Processing => Computer Engineering</p>