Jasonb6

Hey I plan on majoring in environmental engineering but they don't offer that major at northeastern. My parents are pushing me towards northeastern because of their co-op program and record on getting you a job even in a tough economy. They are also supposedly better in engineering even though they don't offer my major. I like uvms campus and and town much better than northeastern. Im from a relatively small town and I really hate cities. Personally I think I'd be happier at uvm which is also much cheaper but it's far from home and I don't want to be stuck without a job after I graduate. At the same time I don't want to be stuck in Boston for four years. Edits:Well I could possibly major in engineering and minor in environmental science at northeastern I think or try and make my own major. Yeah the cost doesn't really matter that much but I definitely wouldn't mind saving 30 grand a year due to the scholarships at uvm. I should also mention I have friends going to uvm and got accepted into their honors program.I was also thinking of going to uvm for two years and then trying to transfer as a sort of truce. Any advice?

hornetdad

Check and see what UVM offers for internships. Since they have environmental engineering, which isn't offered everywhere, they may be able to connect you with internship opportunities in that field.

ucbalumnus

Northeastern: check to see if their civil engineering department has sufficient coursework in environmental engineering subjects -- at some schools, environmental engineering is a subarea of civil engineering.

Vermont: check how co-op jobs are handled there -- many engineering students at not-specifically-co-op-schools do co-op jobs anyway.

The difference of $30,000 per year = $120,000 total. That is likely to be an overriding difference for many people. Will your parents who are pushing Northeastern be able and willing to cover the difference, or will you have to take substantially greater amounts of student loan debt at Northeastern? Some recommend not taking more total student loan debt than the first year pay of a new graduate in your major; others suggest a more conservative limit of half of the first year pay of a new graduate in your major or the subsidized Stafford loan limit (currently $23,000), whichever is less.

happymomof1

If you haven't compared your financial aid packages yet, run the numbers here so you and your parents can see the figures side by side: FinAid | Calculators | Award Letter Comparison Tool

It is perfectly OK for you to contact the departments and the Career Center at each university, and ask about internship/coop/job placement for your intended major.