“Many of the M&T students turned down MIT or Stanford to attend.”
I do not doubt that. The M&T program is unique, exceptional and very specialized. Those who seek such a program cannot ask for better. That being said, I would recommend Stanford over any university on the planet for those who hope to go down the tech entrepreneurship path. Stanford alumni have gone on to found more successful startups than alumni from any other university, and it isn’t even close. I was merely pointing that that there isn’t a university or program in the US that is $300,000 better than Michigan.
“You think more highly of Michigan and less highly of M&T than I do. We both have our own biases though.”
I think very highly of the M&T program. If there weren’t such an imposing cost gap, I would have recommended M&T. But $300,000 is just too much to justify. Again, there isn’t a university or program out there that is $300,000 better than Michigan. Like I said, you underestimate Michigan.
“If $300k isn’t a massive burden, then it’s simply an investment.”
Define “massive burden”. Even upper middle income families would define $300k as a massive burden. Speaking of investments, if someone puts $300 in a moderate risk investment (7% annually over the long term), at the age of 18, how much will it be worth at retirement (say at the age of 65)? On average, does the average M&T alumnus save that much money over a lifetime over the average Michigan CSE alumnus?