Hard decision

Hey, I figure I'll post here since I've tried everything else and can come to no conclusion. Here's my dilemna: I have to choose between two colleges VERY soon (tonight). The choices are Michigan Tech. and Lawrence University. Lawrence is a top 40 liberal arts school, and MTU is an engineering school in Houghton. It will cost me about $6,000 a year more for Lawrence, however, I will only be at Lawrence for 3 years, then will switch schools for 2 more (probably UW-madison) to complete my engineering degree. So, 5 years, 2 degrees. At MTU i will go for 4 years and get one degree (comp engineering). There is another factor though--I am an avid hockey player, and I have a chance to play Division III college hockey at Lawrence for the three years I am there. At MTU, I will be playing maybe 10 times a year in an intramural league. I guess this wouldn't seem like such a big deal if I wasn't very serious about hockey, but it is the one thing in my life I really love, and I have basically played year-round at least 3 times a week since I was 6 years old. So it will probably cost me about $40,000 more to go to Lawrence and Madison, but is it worth the opportunity to play hockey and get two degrees (the other would be comp. sci.) at Lawrence??? I have talked to everyone I know, and I have no idea what to do. Any thoughts would be appreciated. MTU would cost me only room and board for the 4 years I am there. ------------------ And furthermore, I believe that Carthage should be destroyed. __________________ I would go to Lawrence. IMO its worth 40 grand to go to a better school. Plus your going to earn the money to pay it off sooner than you would with MTU. __________________ Yeah, but for engineering, MTU is hella school...they place 99% in either jobs or grad school, and last year Dow chemical offered all graduating chem eng's $55,000 a year starting...so they're both good school, just so you know. __________________ While you are trying to decide which schools you have a lot of factors to look at. Are you super sure that you are going to do engineering? You might want a school that gives you lots of options incase you decide to change your major, I know I started out engineering and hated it so am now comp sci (woo hoo programming.. blah) And the price difference is not going to be that huge of a factor in the long run, if you are looking at both of these schools then you can obviosly afford them and in 10 years 40k won't be much money at all. At the same time you want to go to a school where you will not only get the best education but have the most fun, I go to school in the middle of boston and it is just awesome. And have you visited both schools? Seeing the campuses can really help you make a decision. Oh ya my school (Boston University) is awesome at hockey, we won hockey east last year __________________ Big agree with the above. I know so many kids that were absolutely convinced they were going to an X major, and ended up doing the diametric opposite. Honestly, and I think other college grads can back me up here, while the reputation and quality of a particular program is very important, the real value of a college experience is predominately in the life outside of class. I can say confidenty that I learned so m uch more just talking and experiencing and living than I did studying for classes etc. I would reassess those two schools from that perspective, and that will often make the choice much more clear. It did for me: Brown was about as far away from what i wanted out of an education, even though their school was highly esteemed. I ended up at a small liberal arts college Pomona), and have never ever questioned my choice. __________________ Laurence all the way. Play hockey. You might find you like some other field of study. Maybe something as awful as English, like yours truly. Follow your heart on this one. Good luck. PS Man, I feel old. And poor __________________ how can you feel old?!?!?! your only 23!!!! __________________ Thank you all for your input. Really, I appreciate the fact that there are people out there willing to help others when there is no profit in it for them. I'm still not sure where I'll end up, but I am going to look at it again with your advice. Thanks again for the help! __________________ quote: Originally posted by carpenoctem: Thank you all for your input. Really, I appreciate the fact that there are people out there willing to help others when there is no profit in it for them. I'm still not sure where I'll end up, but I am going to look at it again with your advice. Thanks again for the help! WAAAAIIIIIT a minute .....you mean to tell me we just gave free advice?!?!?! As in we're not getting anything in return???? I've been posting here for quite a while and this is the first time i've seen such a thing. j/k __________________ wait a tick. first of all, i spent 4 years up at tech and yes, you know your engineering sh!t by the time you get out. you said that hockey was a big focal point for your decision. i guess what i'm wondering is why can't you play husky hockey? hockey is way popular up there. and you're right, the job offers are really that good. ------------------ strength and honor __________________ well, I would get to play intramural hockey, but not husky hockey--I'm not that good, or that big! I would probably end up as one of those advertisements in the boards! But I'm curious, how was your experience at tech., what was your major, and where are you working now? just interested... __________________ forget college...join the circus