<p>Penn State. You don’t need all the stress of all that debt. Plus you will be in honors so there must be great benefits.</p>
<p>Yes, Cornell has the big name, but you’ll have big debts. </p>
<p>What you need to do is weigh the big school versus the small school. If you like the big school (and honors program), go to PSU. Not everyone likes big schools. Of course, CMU is in a city. Do you want to live in a city? (Of course, with PSU’s size, someone could make the argument that PSU is a city itself!)</p>
<p>Either way, you have some wonderful opportunities. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>Given the change in financials at CMU, I would agree that it has to come back in the discussion. The cost differential with PSU Schreyers is now relatively small and I wouldn’t let the finances drive the decision.</p>
<p>Assuming you have visited both colleges, I’m sure you can appreciate the vast differences in the campuses and student life and vibe of Penn State and Carnegie Mellon. I would personally prefer Penn State, but it can seem a bit isolated to some and things like internships for students provide limited local options, eg, Accu-Weather is one of the few local, private employers. The attraction of State College is the great breadth of what it offers and the life that it offers its undergraduates. It can be an exceptionally energetic and fun place. It can also be a little overwhelming.</p>
<p>As for CMU, this school does not get much attention on CC and Pittsburgh gets even less. I think that is a shame for both. Carnegie Mellon is physically overshadowed by next door neighbor, U Pitt, but academically, socially, athletically, and maybe even intellectually, CMU is the real power. I think you know that you will find a very different type of experience at U Pitt from what you’ll find at PSU. </p>
<p>I personally think that Pittsburgh is very underrated as a city and has some very interesting sections, including some of the areas close to CMU. And the school is undeniably closer to some major employers, including many in the technology industry. There are also some budding entrepreneurial groups in Pittsburgh that look kindly at CMU students/grads. This could be valuable to you if you were looking for summer internships or postgraduate work. Not that PSU couldn’t also tap into that, but it’s less likely that PSU students will migrate to Pittsburgh unless they came from that area. </p>
<p>Maybe others could help you further compare and contrast these colleges if you provided some more detail on interests beyond the classroom, including social, athletic, professional interests, etc.</p>
<p>Hmm actually I didnt see your update post…CMU and Penn State is essentially a wash. Now does this include your parental contribution? I think 20K in debt is definitely manageable so visit both places (PSU and CMU) and go with where you like it best. If you are in honors you will still do very well once you get out.</p>