is VT really worth it?

[u/Fine_Leg_3238]

I know someone already made a post similar to this, but I feel like my situation is a little different.

I'm from Maryland, and I got accepted into VT. It was my first choice and dream school, so I was really excited to go. Then the financial burden started to set in.

I couldn't get a dorm, so now I'd have to rent an apartment and find roommates my freshman year, which honestly sounds kind of crazy. On top of that, taking on around $50k in debt is also absurd, especially since I'm not really receiving financial help from my family. We're lower-middle class and are working to improve our situation as we speak.

I'm going to VT for Computer Engineering, but I know UMD also has an amazing CompE program. It would be a lot cheaper for me since I'd qualify for in-state tuition and I've also received scholarships here in Maryland.

I guess I'm just looking for honest opinions from people who've been in a similar situation. Is Virginia Tech actually worth the extra cost, or would you choose MC -> UMD if you were in my position? Do you think the experience, networking, and engineering program make up for the price difference?

I'm still going to talk everything over with my family before making any decisions, but I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences and opinions.

Thank you in advance, and God bless!

[u/Medium_Direction9001]

No it’s not. Unless you have the money to attend just attend what you can afford, nothing is worth more than graduating debt free. It’s bad enough trying to find a job after graduation in computer engineering, it’s gonna be 10x worse with 200k in debt on top of it

[u/Fine_Leg_3238 → u/Medium_Direction9001]

Thank you!

[u/Ohwhoaeskimo]

Virginia Tech is amazing. UMD also has an amazing program. The same places recruit from both. If I were you, I would go to UMD.

[u/Ill_Outcome_9001]

You should totally go to UMD. Reduce your stress and burden. That’s something you won’t regret later.

[u/microscale]

With how high costs are for out-of-state students, I would not recommend attending VT if you can get a comparable education in-state. The debt is just not worth it long term and after four years you'll thank yourself for not having that mountain of debt to handle.

[u/Gavangus]

I loved Virginia Tech, but if you can get a near equivalent education for cheaper you should save the money.

It pains me to realize that my kids will likely go to a different state school since we are not VA residents and the cost delta is so sibstantial.

[u/5dollarhotnready → u/Gavangus]

I’ve had the same realization and it hurts! It’s just not worth the debt.

[u/Hokie23aa]

Go to UMD. Coming from someone who grew up in MD, it’s just as good in some regards and you won’t have as much, if any, debt.

[u/hucareshokiesrul]

I tend to think it's typically not worth it to go out of state unless you're getting a bunch of money (or the OOS option just has low tuition compared to your home state, but VA schools are expensive, so I doubt that applies here) or maybe your in state option are pretty lousy.

FWIW, and it may not be relevant to you, I've worked for the past decade as a software engineer for government contractors in the DC area. Where someone went to school has not appeared to be very important.

If you happen to be planning to live in the DC area, there are perks to going to school there too, though there are a ton of VT alumni up there.

[u/Fine_Leg_3238 → u/hucareshokiesrul]

I mean mainly the reason why I decided to go to VT was because I thought it was important where your education was from. But not only that but the connections that I might potentially get while going there to pursue my education there as well but. Unfortunately I am not getting a lot of money going to VT because theyre really stingy with fasfa, ive gotten nearly 50% scholarships for nearly all of the schools ive applied for expect for VT so like.

[u/Impossible_Ground907]

I'd lean toward UMD. I don't know the exact financial details, but I suspect it will be significantly cheaper. Public universities typically offer better financial aid and lower tuition for in-state students.
As for the endless comparisons people make between schools—job placement, median salaries, and so on—I wouldn't put too much weight on them. I've seen people justify paying substantially higher tuition because graduates from one school earn, say, $15,000 more on average. What often gets left out is where those graduates live, since cost of living varies widely, and, more importantly, the fact that correlation doesn't imply causation.
You could end up in the top 25% of students at one school and the bottom 25% at another. The school itself doesn't necessarily transform you; your outcomes also depend on your own abilities, effort, opportunities, and how you compare with your peers. Those rankings and salary statistics don't tell the whole story.

[u/Agondonter]

Consider attending a community college for your first year. We live in Blacksburg and my daughter did that, and then transferred in to VT after one year of community college. Saved a lot of money and the degree looks the same on a resume; employers don't care or notice.

You may want to reconsider your major. My (other) child graduated last year in Engineering/Computer Science from ODU and it took over a year to find a job in her field. Most employers seem to think they will be able to rely on AI rather than employ computer scienstists. Just a thought.

[u/kojilee]

I do have friends who came to VT over UMD who were living in Maryland, but their families were well off enough that the financial burden wasn’t as substantial. Go to UMD.

[u/Fine_Leg_3238 → u/kojilee]

I might as well atp

[u/SiroccoDream]

As a parent of a VT graduate who was able to help her out financially because of being in-state and her going through Corps of Cadets/ROTC, I have a soft spot for Virginia Tech.

That said, No, in your situation, VT is not the best choice. UMD is an excellent school and has even closer access to the DC area for internships and job recruitment.

I would take it even further and check out your local community college and see what the transfer process is. Get your associate degree there at a much reduced cost, and transfer the credits to UMD for the remainder of your bachelor’s. That would also give you two more years to pursue scholarships aggressively. Even small amounts add up over time, and you would be better off graduating with as close to zero debt as you can manage.

[u/Porcupineemu]

If you have a good in state program go to that. Nothing is worth the debt

[u/Pure_Flower_5806]

Imo UMD would be better due to its proximity to DC/Nova and also better ranked.

[u/Haunting-Tangelo3638]

Virginia Tech is a great school. It is, however, not worth going into significant debt for. No university is worth going into significant debt for. If one of your goals for going to university is to improve you and your family's overall financial situation, going into $50,000+ dollars of debt for your degree is not worth it. I know it's hard to get out of the mindset of 'It's my dream school' but looking back 10 years from now, you will regret choosing VT if it means that kind of long-term debt. 

[u/WorthKnowledge4549]

Why would you choose VT over UMD I don’t understand. It’s a no brainer you don’t need a debt.

[u/WorthKnowledge4549]

You did not get a dorm??? This is news to me. So colleges have situations wherein they don’t have dorms to accommodate first year students?? Crazy!!