re: Bama offering full ride. . .vs paying more to go to a better school

Take the full ride over paying out the arse for a “better” school

I’ve ran engineering firms, have done recruiting and hiring. To me it’s the full ride no questions. Unless he’s looking into something like software engineering (which a degree isn’t really necessary anyway) or a niche engineering field where the college name matters more. For all other engineering fields, doesn’t matter. #1 thing most will care about is communication and interpersonal skills.

Do juniors ever transfer from GT to Harvard or MIT?

Duke, no. Harvard, MIT, and Stanford with the connections he could make. Maybe. But your math is a fallacy anyway. I’m not just giving him the difference. Sure he will get it when I die, but it isn’t like I am saying here is 100k a year, spend it how you like.

Alabama is a fine school. Graduating without debt is awesome and puts you ahead of most of your peers.

That said, could you “pay more” for a better school and not have debt? Georgia Tech is one of the best engineering programs in the nation.

When he hits 40, what I have in my retirement account for him and his sister will be just fine.

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You think the name brand school would put him ahead in life over $400,000 sitting in a retirement account when he graduates at 22?

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That depends on what he wants to do.

He doesn't seem to be aiming for an elite job, so GTech is likely the better financial decision.

If he was trying to get into IB, entertainment (management, agency, etc.), Big Tech, major politics, etc., the name brand means a LOT, and the potential economic rewards dwarfs the $400k.

Alabama is known for giving very generous packages to bright out of state students. To the point where in-state families are getting pissed.

My niece went Chemical Engineering at Bama in a weird way. She got a full ride at State and went through Orientation in June. While she was at MSU orientation, Alabama called her and said that a scholarship recipient had decided to go elsewhere and she was being offered one of the prestigious scholarships at Bama so she switched and went to Alabama.

Graduated with $0 in debt and never paid for a meal. It was one of the most amazing scholarships I've ever seen. She only had a 32 ACT.

That being said, here are the rankings of Engineering schools (SEC/Southern/notables)

1. MIT
2. Stanford
3. Cal
4. Purdue
5. Carnegie Mellon
6. Georgia Tech
7. Caltech
8. Michigan
9. Texas
10. Texas A&M

22. Duke
23. Harvard
25. NC State (wow, what a value if you live in NC!!!!)
42. Vanderbilt
47. Florida
55. Auburn
57. Tennessee
73. Alabama-Huntsville
85. Mississippi State
92. FAMU/Florida State (joint Engineering school)
95. Kentucky
99. Alabama
103. Missouri
104. Arkansas
106. South Carolina
110. Oklahoma
112. UAB
113. Georgia
121. LSU
170. Ole Miss

This isn't a conundrum. Free school is always better than non-free if you are getting the same degree. College is about the experience not the education. Employers are going to to look at skill sets that aren't on the grade card.

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doesn't seem to be aiming for an elite job, so GTech is likely the better financial decision.

If he was trying to get into IB, entertainment (management, agency, etc.), Big Tech, major politics, etc., the name brand means a LOT, and the potential economic rewards dwarfs the $400k.

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Elite is an interesting word choice. Name brand is what we're talking about. Prestigious is probably the most accurate word choice.

Really elite outcomes are not achieved by applying to existing companies and impressing middle management with the prestigious name of the school.

The guys who end up with the top 1% of 1% outcomes don't do that though. They start their own companies or political brand names.

Getting into politics or tech or engineering as middle management is much easier with a prestigious college on your CV. At least that would be my default guess without seeing an actual analysis of statistical outcomes.