Anonymous wrote:How can we answer when we don't know anything about your DC, and you've given zero details?

It really depends on the person, and what your priorities are.

Size, location, price, access to profs, facilities, student community, teaching quality ... what are your DC's priorities OP?

Congrats on getting into both!

exactly, this is such a stupid thread. people are just weighing in with random opinions on criteria that may be of zero concern to this student.

How can we answer when we don't know anything about your DC, and you've given zero details?

It really depends on the person, and what your priorities are.

Size, location, price, access to profs, facilities, student community, teaching quality ... what are your DC's priorities OP?

Congrats on getting into both!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:60k difference per year.

There are certainly people who have good experiences at Tufts & say lots of positive things about it.

But it’s hard to identify any individual characteristics that separate it from the pack, such as name recognition, campus beauty, location, sports, weather, or alumni cohesion. So whatever the things are that excite the Tufts fans, they would seem to be rather subtle and idiosyncratic, & unlikely to be worth $60,000 per year.

I know and love both these schools, but are you saying you don’t think urban/suburban Boston is vastly superior to College Park? I can’t wrap my head around that.

Either is fine. If in MD, I would pick UMCP or UMBC over Tufts. If OOS in MD, then pick lowest cost.

$240k is a lot of money, I would think long and hard if it is worth going to tufts over UMD.

UMD has a better raw opportunity ecosystem

Anonymous wrote:60k difference per year.

There are certainly people who have good experiences at Tufts & say lots of positive things about it.

But it’s hard to identify any individual characteristics that separate it from the pack, such as name recognition, campus beauty, location, sports, weather, or alumni cohesion. So whatever the things are that excite the Tufts fans, they would seem to be rather subtle and idiosyncratic, & unlikely to be worth $60,000 per year.

60k difference per year.

60k difference.

Cost differential?

Maryland is the better engineering school. But you know that already. What's better for your kid? That's the harder question. I would assume a visit to both would probably help answer that question.

DC is majoring in Engineering (biomedical) at Tufts but is only a freshman, so still a ways to go.

So we faced a similar decision last year and came to the determination that many of the flagship state universities are as good or probably better for Engineering - particularly focuses like mechanical - but that most all ABET accredited universities are going to provide a strong foundation.

DC ultimately chose Tufts over two state schools for fit - size, location, higher academic standard from top through bottom across a diverse student body - deciding that engineering was only one part (though significant) of the college experience.

Electrical Engineering.

What kind of engineering? Chem, bio, computer, mechanical, etc. generally speaking, I would recommend UMD.

Thoughts?