Carnegie Mellon vs UVA where would you go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the PP who thinks that only rah rah kids, versus math/science kids, would choose UVA over CMU, that is just false. Our DC (TJ grad) chose UVA, other grads the same year chose CMU. The difference was not based on who was / was not interested in math or science - they all were. The difference for our DC was just that UVA felt more welcoming and more in line with what DC was hoping for from a college --- and from what I have seen, UVA seems more flexible with other courses (DC will have a dual Engineering and Arts major at the end) and possibly less stressful/more like a traditional university campus experience. Both seem very rigorous for the engineering degree.

No I said that is what I saw from DC's class last year. I can't speak for all kids. And DC is not TJHSST.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When considering colleges, it's always useful to attempt to project a college's reputation 20 or 30 years hence.

Here's a potential problem with CMU. Currently it occupies a position of approximately 25th among national research unis.

But what's gonna happen if the Asians' lawsuit against Harvard succeeds, and the unstated (but rigid) quota system at the Ivies is ruled illegal?

As you know, the Ivies all somehow mysteriously/coincidentally limit Asian enrollment to 20%. This means that a school like CMU, which does not discriminate against Asians, is a beneficiary of the Ivy quota system.

If that quota system is eliminated, the demand for spots at CMU will decline. CMU will quite possibly fall in the rankings. Perhaps precipitously.

Just something to consider. (Especially if you're contemplating an additional spend of $40K/year over a degree from UVA.)

Your flaw in logic is that you think that CMU’s reputation is tied to the ivies, and that it is a second choice for Asian students. CMU is a very different type of school.
Your second major flaw is that you think the number of science and math grads we will need will decrease.
Are you also arguing that MIT and Hopkins will decrease in value? CMU is much more closely aligned with these schools than the ivies.
The schools whose fortunes might be tied to Obie’s would be places like UMich and GA Tech

[Anonymous]

This isn't even close--UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read all posts, very helpful discussion. So the argument is basically about the money, right? If money is not an issue, people will always choose CMU, am I right?

It depends, but mostly yes, it's a money issue for a lot of people that get admitted. Though even if I would have HHI 250k, I would still think about 50k more per year vs in-state UVA. Also, I want my DC near by.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read all posts, very helpful discussion. So the argument is basically about the money, right? If money is not an issue, people will always choose CMU, am I right?

It depends, but mostly yes, it's a money issue for a lot of people that get admitted. Though even if I would have HHI 250k, I would still think about 50k more per year vs in-state UVA. Also, I want my DC near by.

And happiness. Some people say that when you know you'll get an excellent education at two schools, you should pick the one that has the non-academic qualities that will make you excited to be there.

[Anonymous]

What do I have to give up to make that $40k happen? CMU is more expensive for some good reasons. Worth $40k?

A) we won’t go to Europe every summer and ski every winter. Then spend it.

B) if kid takes an extra semester (Kids get sick, change plans) we’ll be financially ruined. Then no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When considering colleges, it's always useful to attempt to project a college's reputation 20 or 30 years hence.

Here's a potential problem with CMU. Currently it occupies a position of approximately 25th among national research unis.

But what's gonna happen if the Asians' lawsuit against Harvard succeeds, and the unstated (but rigid) quota system at the Ivies is ruled illegal?

As you know, the Ivies all somehow mysteriously/coincidentally limit Asian enrollment to 20%. This means that a school like CMU, which does not discriminate against Asians, is a beneficiary of the Ivy quota system.

If that quota system is eliminated, the demand for spots at CMU will decline. CMU will quite possibly fall in the rankings. Perhaps precipitously.

Just something to consider. (Especially if you're contemplating an additional spend of $40K/year over a degree from UVA.)

Your flaw in logic is that you think that CMU’s reputation is tied to the ivies, and that it is a second choice for Asian students. CMU is a very different type of school.
Your second major flaw is that you think the number of science and math grads we will need will decrease.
Are you also arguing that MIT and Hopkins will decrease in value? CMU is much more closely aligned with these schools than the ivies.
The schools whose fortunes might be tied to Obie’s would be places like UMich and GA Tech

The further flaw in their logic is that from a rankings perspective the dominant trend of the last 30 years was improvement in rankings of private schools at the expense of public schools. Since public support for higher education will likely continue to decline because it is crowded out by other priorities, this trend may very well continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn't even close--UVA.

You seem to have overlooked or not addressed these points made earlier:

Carnegie Mellon has a 40-year projected NPV (Net Present Value -- factors costs and income) of $1.75M. UVA has a 40-year NPV of $1.29M.

https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/collegeroi/

If you want a "value added" analysis, Carnegie Mellon has median near term earnings of $72K/yr. vs expected earnings of $63.8K (expected is based on selectivity and the majors selected by graduates), for a value add of $8,200 per year. UVA has median earnings of $58.6K vs expected of $61K for a value add of negative $2,400 per year.

https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/college-rankings/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read all posts, very helpful discussion. So the argument is basically about the money, right? If money is not an issue, people will always choose CMU, am I right?

The cost savings is one factor. Another is this: do you want your kid to have a normal college experience? If so, choose UVA.

So you define a "normal" college experience as UVA's? And experiences at other colleges like CMU are abnormal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read all posts, very helpful discussion. So the argument is basically about the money, right? If money is not an issue, people will always choose CMU, am I right?

The cost savings is one factor. Another is this: do you want your kid to have a normal college experience? If so, choose UVA.

So you define a "normal" college experience as UVA's? And experiences at other colleges like CMU are abnormal?

I'm not saying this is good or bad, but at UVA, most of the students will have spent their lives in VA - a different story at CMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read all posts, very helpful discussion. So the argument is basically about the money, right? If money is not an issue, people will always choose CMU, am I right?

The cost savings is one factor. Another is this: do you want your kid to have a normal college experience? If so, choose UVA.

So you define a "normal" college experience as UVA's? And experiences at other colleges like CMU are abnormal?

I'm not saying this is good or bad, but at UVA, most of the students will have spent their lives in VA - a different story at CMU.

Do you mean most UVA students will find jobs in VA after they graduate while CMU students may work anywhere in the country?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read all posts, very helpful discussion. So the argument is basically about the money, right? If money is not an issue, people will always choose CMU, am I right?

The cost savings is one factor. Another is this: do you want your kid to have a normal college experience? If so, choose UVA.

So you define a "normal" college experience as UVA's? And experiences at other colleges like CMU are abnormal?

This is my question too, several posts seem having concern about the experience in CMU. What is exactly the concern?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read all posts, very helpful discussion. So the argument is basically about the money, right? If money is not an issue, people will always choose CMU, am I right?

The cost savings is one factor. Another is this: do you want your kid to have a normal college experience? If so, choose UVA.

So you define a "normal" college experience as UVA's? And experiences at other colleges like CMU are abnormal?

This is my question too, several posts seem having concern about the experience in CMU. What is exactly the concern?

It is probably more the typical UVA conceit on this board that everything is better there.

[Anonymous]

UVA, but it isn't my choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read all posts, very helpful discussion. So the argument is basically about the money, right? If money is not an issue, people will always choose CMU, am I right?

The cost savings is one factor. Another is this: do you want your kid to have a normal college experience? If so, choose UVA.

So you define a "normal" college experience as UVA's? And experiences at other colleges like CMU are abnormal?

This is my question too, several posts seem having concern about the experience in CMU. What is exactly the concern?

Not sure, but here's a guess. Is it a normal college experience if half of the student body, and half of the professorate, don't speak English as a primary language?