No classics programs at either school. Besides - too late - we’re down to Hopkins, Harvard or Maryland.
Second: you can't beat FREE. If, as you say, Maryland is no longer a party school, but has good engineering and classics, go for it.
Third: The reason I say the second, is that it's the Master's and/or PhD which counts, not the undergrad. I'll Freepmail you later on that.
Fourth: Remember, that the attitude and treatment you get from the school NOW, is the *BEST* you'll get: they're wooing you. And if Hopkins is treating you like this, they won't get any better later. If it were pre-med, maybe I'd overlook it, but it's engineering. I find it a good sign that Harvard is wooing you more. And don't forget btw the crime issues in vicinity of the Homewood campus.
Fifth: Harvard has a cachet that nothing else on earth does ; and your son can carry "Harvard" around the rest of his life. Keep in mind the limitations on the civil vs. mechanical engineering degree, vs. the possibility of "Harvard" opening the door to management even if his undergrad is in a different sub-specialty. There are some fields for which an Ivy League degree is a prerequisite (e.g. Wall Street). But engineering is NOT among them.
On the other hand, if he goes to Maryland and aces things, he could presumably go to Harvard for grad school.
It sounds like your son is in the enviable position of having NO poor choices here: and I agree with your narrowing down to these three finalists.
The last point would be, did I see you mentioned one other sibling? How much money will they have left for college if you go the Hopkins / Harvard route?
Finally -- recall that if your son is going into engineering, there is a "glass ceiling" of sorts: as I mentioned earlier, it is not Wall Street with an unlimited top end: and as long as he finishes the B.A. / Master's from a "good" school and thus gets offers, the exact name on the diploma won't make much difference to his earning potential -- just the life experience whilst on campus, and contacts / bragging rights thereafter. If he has a few firms or a geographical area he wants to settle in, you might contact the HR department or managers from firms there to see what *their* preference is for incoming grads. Best of luck to the whole family.
Oh, and Happy Easter.
Cheers!