These are fair points - it’s hard to know - what you want in life.
After all, OP says to major in MechE but says he applied for a lot of CS. Why?
Desires / majors change.
My MBA friend’s son just finished at Brandeis in, I want to say physics. Took engineering classes at Tufts and now is in a Masters at Ga Tech - and OP may have a similar opportunity with the consortium to end up in an engineering Masters. My old neighbor’s kid did physics at Hillsdale and a Masters at Notre Dame in engineering - so I know it’s not common, but it is possible.
On the other hand, for those who say - Pomona is a once in a lifetime type opportunity - and I agree it is - but then I think about the thread started yesterday on only two Ivies have mid career salaries of at least $100K - and it shows much lower salaries than people would have you believe.
That isn’t the case with engineering. I’m not suggesting that a UAH is superior to Harvard or Pomona - but I know what engineers out far less prestigious schools make and when you compare to that story yesterday - well, it makes you think that - at least to me, maybe it’s the major.
OP does have options and we don’t know the budget. We just know that they have great aid.
So they really have to think this one through - but they asked the question, so obviously they want to do so.
I assume they’re in CS at Pomona but we don’t know that either.
I just don’t know why they applied there to begin with - unless they were unsure of the major.
And if they are or were unsure (i.e. it could change again), I agree that Pomona might be a great place to stay and explore through the consortium.
But if they 100% no they want to be a MechE, then I’d find a school like UAH - assuming they can afford it (if they have an ACT/SAT, likely no more than $20K-ish).
There was a recent thread of a young man who got into MechE schools - Clemson but went to BC because - he was prestige hungry.
Had no chance to be an engineer at BC - so he’s leaving after a year - to go study engineering at another school.
But he literally wasted a year.
So that’s not good either…but I do think there’s options either way - and OP asked a great question - and there’s lots of advice of varying colors.
Now OP will have to figure out - which advice they want to follow.
I wish them luck.