Answered by harri188
Check out U.S. News and World Reports Best Colleges: www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankindex_brief.php The list can help you compare how each school ranks up with each other, as well as how large the campus is, what type of setting it's in (suburban or urban) and other info. You can even go down to the search box on the front page and search for the specific schools you're looking at. As someone who graduated from college 5 years ago, I'm seeing now that where you went to school doesn't matter as much as other things, such as whether you had internships in college, how well you did in your classes, how tough your classes were, whether you are intelligent and represent yourself in a professional manner, etc. I think many employers understand that people often choose their college based on financial circumstances, so they don't rule out people just for going to a lesser known school. I wouldn't worry about your college choice affecting your job prospects as long as you make the most of your education whereever you go. I would pick your college based on where you think you'll feel most comfortable (big campus or small campus, far from or close to home, etc.) Tuition cost can be a big factor, but remember that financial aid and student loans can often help offset those costs. If you're going into mechanical engineering, your salary after college will probably be high enough that paying back student loans shouldn't be a huge problem if you do go to a more expensive school.