Cornell, UDel. or BU (full rides) for preparation for grad work in Neural Engineering

Parents Forum
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<p>I was advised in another section of CC to post in here for perspective on my situation. First of all, I comprehend how blessed I am to have this dilemma, but it’s still driving me insane.</p>

<p>I’m having to pay for basically all of college myself due to my families financial circumstances, and as such my choices are most determined by financial circumstances. I’ve narrowed it down to the 3, in my mind, most realistic choices, but was advised to post here before making that final. I have a goal in mind: I’m almost certain that I want to end up doing Neural Engineering work as a graduate student, but that’s not a field that is available at the undergraduate level, and I’m unsure of how to get there. Engineering is necessary of course, but I have no idea whether I should be focusing on Biomed, or if Chemical is where I should be, or what.</p>

<p>My top three (I think) options are:
Cornell as a John McMullen’s Dean Scholar; net price of approx. $20,000 a year, great school for multiple different majors, obviously haha.
Boston University as a Presidential Scholar; net price of approx. $15,000 a year, and a fantastic biomed program.
University of Delaware as a DuPont Distinguished Scholar; absolutely full ride, down to the food, and a fantastic chemical engineering program.</p>

<p>Other options are:
Virginia Tech Honors; net price of approx. $25,000 a year.
University of Virginia; net price of approx. $25,000 a year.
Johns Hopkins University; net price of approx. $30,000 a year.
College of William and Mary as a James Monroe Scholar; net price of approx. $25,000, fantastic school but no engineering program, which I think is a deal breaker.</p>

<p>I don’t think any of my secondary options are worth it, but please let me know if you disagree. Out of my top three, is Biomed. Engineering or Chem. Engineering the better/equal option if I’m aiming at Neural Engineering? Boston is currently an option because I believed that Biomed was the better path but that doesn’t seem to be what people believe on here. And is Cornell worth the extra $20,000 over four years versus Boston, or the extra $80,000 over four years versus Delaware?</p>

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<p>My kids were instate in Virginia and we were very happy with UVa and VT. However, if your family cannot/ will not pay for college, Deleware sounds like a great option.</p>

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<p>You have some wonderful choices. If
You really have to pay it all yourself, go to UDel. We know a couple of engineering grads and they really loved the school. Four years from now, you will be extremely happy to have NO debt at all!</p>

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<p>Just curious- you have 3 Virginia schools on your list. Are you instate? If so, cost instate is not 25,000.</p>

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<p>sevmom: Yep, I am! Northern Virginia repping. and thats the cost I’ve been quoted for full net price from all three? They all came out to between 24K and 26K :&lt;/p>

<p>thumper1: thank you, I know, i’m incredibly grateful, wasn’t expecting it at all. any insight as to my biomed versus chem eng. conundrum?</p>

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<p>Well, not sure where you got that quote from but 25,000 is high. That being said, since you are saying you are paying for school yourself, Deleware sounds great .</p>

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<p>this is where I got the quote sevmom: [Tuition</a>, Fees & Estimated Cost of Attendance | Office of Undergraduate Admission](<a href=“http://www.admission.virginia.edu/admission/tuition]Tuition”>http://www.admission.virginia.edu/admission/tuition), although I’ll be happy to learn that that’s an overestimate! Do you think Chemical Engineering at Delaware is a good basis for Neural Engineering though?</p>

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<p>If you are going to be paying $100,000 yourself, who in your family is cosigning for the loans, and why will the bank accept them as cosigners?</p>

<p>This may be a much, much easier decision than you think, as you only have one choice.</p>

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<p>That includes travel,books,etc . As I said, if you have need, Deleware sounds like a great option.</p>

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<p>Agreed. The question I was trying to ask in this thread, that I think I ended up masking with too many details, was whether biomed or chemical engineering is the better route to neural, assuming Boston becomes possible, and whether a little more money would makes Cornell the indisputable best choice?</p>

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<p>Biomedical at Udel as a major is only a very recent addition. Just so that you are aware the program is in its infancy, first class to graduate from program isn’t until May 2014 if I remember correctly. Udel will apply for ABET accreditation after Spring 2014, currently it is not ABET accredited, all the other Engineering disciplines at UDel are ABET. </p>

<p>From the course requirements biomed seems to be more in line with your goals. However, according to the PhD grad programs, it isn’t necessarily a requirement to have an undergrad engineering degree to be admitted. Udel currently does not have a Biomed masters program.</p>

<p>Biomed careers with only an undergrad are slim.</p>

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<p>As the other thread indicated, you have one financially realistic choice, since all of the others have net prices that are greater than what a student can realistically be expected to cover with Stafford loans and some work earnings.</p>

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<p>I suggest you love the one you can afford. Those other schools did you no favor by accepting you, and then making it entirely impossible for you to attend. You are going to be paying for engineering graduate school by yourself too - there are very few paid fellowships to engineering grad school. </p>

<p>Cornell is NOT the best choice - it isn’t even a choice. And I doubt the others are either.</p>

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<p>My dad is in contact with the Boston and Cornell people and seems to be hopeful to lower our EFC to a point at which I can realistically afford it. If that doesn’t happen, I’ll go Delaware and not look back and be happy, as even that was substantially more than I hoped for. I’m just curious as to whether Chem E or Biomed is the better path towards Neural Engineering.</p>

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<p>I think it is hard for anyone to answer that for you. Sometimes people will pay for Cornell (or other private or reach school for example), because they are either wealthy, are legacies,get great aid, are willing to go into debt for a dream school,etc. Cornell over a free ride to Deleware would not compute for me but may for you-you need to decide for yourself.</p>

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<p>Hmmm. No, I agree. I’m probably making this worse for myself by not accepting that haha. Its just very hard to say no to Cornell? Especially when my dream field, Neural, is probably not best suited by the Chem E route at a school without a credited biomed program.</p>

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<p>OK, Just saw your last post. On what basis will your dad try to get Cornell to lower the EFC? Most families would prefer not to pay their EFC .</p>

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<p>He has a high income job but due to medical reasons and downturn in the economy, almost all of that still goes to debts to prevent us from declaring a second bankruptcy, with just barely enough for day to day expenses. Hoping to make it clear that there’s no way possible for any thing close to the EFC to be paid, and hoping that them wanting me plus actual need = more financial aid.</p>

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<p>Just so that you make an informed decision, you are aware you do not have to have an engineering degree for what your end goal is, there are many paths you can take to reach your goal. </p>

<p>Here is University of Minnesota’s Neural Engineering undergrad program curriculum so you can compare. [Neural</a> Engineering : Emphasis Areas : Undergraduate Program : Department of Biomedical Engineering : University of Minnesota](<a href=“Undergraduate program | Biomedical Engineering | College of Science and Engineering”>Undergraduate program | Biomedical Engineering | College of Science and Engineering)</p>

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<p>Actually, engineering PhD programs should be funded, although the grad student will be working as a research assistant or teaching assistant in most cases.</p>