Choosing between Northwestern and UIUC for Biomedical engineering…by tomorrow!
Cost is a major factor for me. I would be able to graduate debt-free from UIUC, and with AP credits, might be able to graduate a semester early. At Northwestern, I would have to take out loans for the last year, which would be around 100,000. I also plan on going to grad school, so I am worried those loans could become a large burden.
One major consideration for me is the academic environment, and one of my concerns about UIUC is that I will be too limited to engineering, and I won't be able to explore different options like I could at Northwestern. I am also worried the school's overall academic environment will be less motivating than Northwestern's. However, I am really not sure if Northwestern is worth the cost if both programs are strong in Biomedical Engineering, but I am willing to take the financial risk if it would pay off and will open a lot more opportunities for me in the long term.
I would really appreciate anyone's insight, especially current students at Northwestern or UIUC.