<p>DD accepted to UMich CoE and CMU engineering (waitlisted at MIT, accepted also at GaTech, Purdue, Northwestern, MSU) UMich is in-state tuition and CMU is well, CMU at $59k/yr. Make too much for fin aid (although CMU gave about $6k scholarship) but don't make enough to pay $60k a year. Seems like A LOT of debt for dd to take on. She is planning on studing electrical engineering and is very involved in vex robotics (attending World Championships in Anahiem CA this week) It seems like job prospects would be comparable from both Universities. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Sounds just like my son. He was involved in Robotics since 7th grade, went to the Championships every year from 8th grade on. Would be going to Anaheim this weekend if he hadn’t graduated last year :). He’s majoring in Computer Engineering at Michigan. Really, unless your D was to go into Computer Science, Michigan is a better all around school. The only advantage to CMU is that it’s a smaller school (if that matters), but being in the engineering school at UMich, is a way to make a large university smaller. My son loves it there and has said that he couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. He works hard, is engaged and active in the school and is very happy. Given the $35,000 difference in tuition, I can’t see a reason to pass on UMich.</p>
<p>thank you umich8790, confirming much of my thoughts. CMU is #2 after MIT for Computer Science but she was not looking at a straight CS degree, so I also can’t see how the additional expense could be justified. CMU has some fancy name cache` but don’t think that’s going to matter all that much down the line and it seems UMich CoE is pretty highly thought of and ranks high in all the ratings (for whatever that’s worth! 
)</p>
<p>You already said you can’t pay $60k a year, so why are you asking? 
Oh, I see - the question is whether dd should go into hock. </p>
<p>Would she ever forgive you if you let her do so?</p>
<p>Seems like you have answered your question, OP. U of MI is a great U; my nephew is reluctantly turning it down for Creighton, who is offering a LOT more $$ (lower COA to him)! Now, if she REALLY loves CMU or MIT, perhaps for grad school, with them providing funding?</p>
<p>I suggest Michigan. Call me condescending, but I do not think Vex robotics has given your daughter enough of an exposure to neither EE nor CS. If it’s not her thing, she can then transfer into any of the other Michigan majors. CMU, not so much (unless you are looking for arts, but I highly doubt you want to pay that much for school).</p>
<p>@ mini: Well just wanted to learn if there was anything I was missing in this equation (other than apparently hubby and I should have lived on oatmeal and mac n cheese to be able to save enough for these ridiculously huge tuition amounts) In otherwords as my last sentence states, are employment prospects significantly different graduating from one of these schools other the other.</p>
<p>@HImom: Thanks! yep, after speaking to many, there is a consensus that grad school is what really “counts” and would be the time to perhaps spend more bucks but better yet have the school foot more of the bill.</p>
<p>Thanks David, yes I agree that her vex robotics is not enough to be a deciding factor for future career. But this one didn’t fall far from the daddy apple tree (he’s engineer by training), she is an engineering geek at heart and hubby pointed out same thing you did, many more options at UMich and unless she were going straight computer science there doesn’t seem to be much justification for her going into hock for years to come for a CMU degree. Plus, some seem to give UMich CoE more kudos than CMU private school degree. Just the mom in me trying to make sure UMich is the best choice.</p>
<p>Employers will sometimes foot the bill as well, especially in engineering. S will be exploring that program with his employer, who DOES have a program that funds grad school. U of MI is a great U–wonderful that it’s in-state! Have a friend whose older S went to CMU (who did major in engineering). He was underwhelmed & did not send his 2nd S to CMU (lucky for the S, since he switched out & ended up majoring & mastering in Psych at USC for similar or less $$ out of their pocket!)</p>
<p>From what we’ve heard, U of MI is a very well-regarded engineering U, that also has many other highly respected fields and will give your D MUCH more flexibility (not all that many 17-19 year olds are POSITIVE they really will love the field they start in as a freshman!</p>
<p>Seriously? Look, I’m not saying that any school is worth taking on a ton of debt for. But one cannot pretend that CMU is a lesser school for ECE, CS, or robotics than it really is, to justify a decision. A large amount of debt is reason enough not to select any school.</p>
<p>But…if you were to look at the over 120 employers that were recruiting at CMU’s last career fair, for jobs and internships, mostly tech companies looking for computer science and ECE, it was a plethora of the biggest name companies, looking for a relatively small number of people. I know U Michigan is a fantastic school, but is it really just as strong in those majors?</p>
<p>“If it’s not her thing, she can then transfer into any of the other Michigan majors. CMU, not so much (unless you are looking for arts, but I highly doubt you want to pay that much for school).”</p>
<p>^^What does that mean? That there aren’t many other majors at CMU? Or that she couldn’t transfer? Or that it’s not worth the money for other majors? No idea what he is talking about. But even as a huge advocate for CMU, and a full pay parent…if me or kiddo had to take out large debt for it, I don’t think he would do it.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that if your daughter’s really really into robotics and wants to go to grad school for a PhD, CMU will actually pay her to attend. ;)</p>
<p>Yup, do well in UM under and apply for CMU for robotics in PHD. Nothing better than that.</p>
<p>“In otherwords as my last sentence states, are employment prospects significantly different graduating from one of these schools other the other.”</p>
<p>Not significant enough to load her down with debt for the next 20 years.</p>
<p>While I’m not up to date on robotics and which colleges are best, I can’t imagine that a degree from CM would be as recognizable as one from UMich. Seems like a no brainer to me!</p>
<p>It would seem to me a degree from CMU in CS or ECE in MUCH more recognizable for job prospects in these fields. My S will be graduating next month from CMU w/ECE degree. Last fall he was interviewing on campus and even being flown to NY, DC and the west coast for follow up interviews. He received 3 very good job offers. </p>
<p>That said I don’t know if it would be worth it at current tuitions. CMU will be 10K more for freshmen than it was when S started. The way I see it, if money isn’t an issue, CMU is better based on reputation but we all know money is more of an issue every year.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Pretty close. To at CMU is “MUCH” more prestigious and leads to “MUCH” better job prospects than Michigan is silly. It is a little more prestigious, and might lead to slightly better job prospects. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This happens all the time from Michigan. It’s not uncommon at all.</p>
<p>Great Posts! Very helpful, thank you to everyone. From our research, if D wanted straight Computer Science it might justify, and that still seems difficult to fathom, so much more debt. (Seeing other posts on CC I’ve learned that the $60k price tag at CM is significantly more than even just a few years ago.) She was accepted to both engineering and School of Computer Science at CM, but SCS was and still remains her 2nd choice. So I believe she’ll be a wolverine, Go Blue, and start life on more responsible financial footing at UMich. </p>
<p>PS: can’t remember who said I was justifying CM’s SCS and Robotics and EEC to be equal to UMich’s programs, I’m not. It seems clear that SCS at CM is hands down the best after MIT. Robotics too, since they have “Red” Whittaker, the “father” of robotics there. UMich might have an edge on EEC’s. But I agree that overall UM offers more options as she continues to mature and decide what she really wants. D could pursue her robotics interests, if she still has them, in grad school. </p>
<p>Also as a side note: I spoke with UM CofE Scholarship office today, they have about 1200 new engineering undergrads for 2012 and 600 of them had ACT Composite of 34 or above. He rattled off various other stats, suffice it to say that they certainly are highly competitive! So I think D should be very happy with her choice and we are of course very proud of her!</p>
<p>“PS: can’t remember who said I was justifying CM’s SCS and Robotics and EEC to be equal to UMich’s programs, I’m not.”</p>
<p>That was me. But I was referring to the posts after yours, your posts didn’t say that at all. I think that with a degree in the tech field from a very strong school, a female who is skilled in that career field is going to have amazing job opportunities no matter whether she goes to school A, B, or C.</p>
<p>While CMU does have slightly greater prestige/name recognition than UMich in STEM, the difference isn’t enough to justify the greater pricetag you/your D is facing. </p>
<p>More importantly, I second other comments about the greater flexibility to transfer into other strong fields at UMich as opposed to CMU. From what I’ve heard from dozens of CMU alums among older HS classmates and colleagues…CMU’s main strengths are in STEM fields and the Fine Arts. </p>
<p>None of them would send their kids to CMU if their kids had a social-science/humanities interest they’d want to take up through double majoring or moreso…solely majoring in it. </p>
<p>From their experiences…the social science/humanities courses are on a markedly lower academic level than the STEM and Fine Arts courses. In fact…they felt the difference is so extreme that if humanities/social sciences were their kids’ sole interest…they’d insist their kids apply elsewhere to get a better education.</p>