As an engineer I'd consider the following -
1) find a school with a co-op or internship program - look carefully at how hard it is to get into and percentage of students successfully placed (the program only helps if YOU get a job each work term). I can't say enough good things about these types of programs to gain valuable job experience and while earning money to ease the debt. I can't remember the last time we even interviewed a new grad that don't have coop or internship experience (I'm in Canada - I assume it is similar in the U.S.).
2) class sizes - do they pack 500 freshman into lectures the first year or only 100? Large lectures aren't necessarily the end of the world as long as there are smaller tutorials and/or accessible TA's and profs. Large lectures with limited office hours can mean you're on your own to figure things out. Often 1st year classes are huge and then it gets smaller as people drop out or specialize. If they are still putting hundreds in a lecture in 4th year I would be wary.
3) specialties offered and when you have to pick your specialty - I did two years of common engineering and then 2 years in a specialty (civil, chem, mech, electrical, etc). Other schools make you pick 1st year. Advantages to delaying - you get to have a taste of everything and see what interests you and what you're good at. Disadvantages - you have to take courses like Organic Chem even if you are going into Electrical (I think I'm still slightly scarred...). If you do have to pick going in or early, how hard is it to switch?
4) jobs, jobs, jobs - companies tend to recruit from the same subset of schools. Many large companies hire from all over but smaller companies tend to look at a couple of schools and tend to focus on closer schools. If you're thinking of going into a smaller specialized field then it can be advantageous to know where they recruit from and/or geographically where there are lots of companies in that field.
5) team work - not sure how to put this in words but having a tight knit group to survive the experience was invaluable. Our faculty had an engineering library where many of the 1st and 2nd years would gather (after 2nd you had a homeroom). The first year in particular it was crucial to find people to work with. For most of us it was the first time we were challenged and had to study. Team work was essential to getting through the volume of work with good grades in the end (and it was much more enjoyable). Profs weren't always around to answer questions but that room was usually packed and you could usually find someone who could answer it (and then turn around and help them with something else in return). Many of my friends outside of engineering were jealous of the team work vs the every person for themselves mentality that was prevalent in other faculties.

That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure others will have more.

Last edited by chay; 03/21/14 11:44 AM.