Avoid elite Chemical Engineering programs - advice from a grad student

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>Just as a slightly different data point here.</p>

<p>I was an undergrad at a “top 25” school and am now at Caltech for grad school. We don’t offer a formal Materials Science undergrad degree here (my degree from undergrad), but there are a few classes offered by the department for undergrads. I’ve found them, even at senior level, atrocious at the material, stuff that I had covered my freshman year. TAing one of those classes, I feel like these kids should be at a community college. Then, when I take a math or physics class with them, they totally destroy me.</p>

<p>Have you had to TA multiple classes yet? How have the graduate classes compared to what you did in undergrad?</p>

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<p>So far I have just TA’ed one. Not surprised to hear the Caltech students are math and physics whizzes =)</p>

<p>The graduate classes are pretty unstructured compared to what I had in undergrad, but that is a pretty general observation. I have taken grad classes in other departments here that I liked better.</p>

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<p>I posted the same thread in another forum and it actually evolved into a pretty lively discussion. It may answer some questions others have about chemE programs in general: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1168585-avoid-elite-chemical-engineering-programs-advice-grad-student.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1168585-avoid-elite-chemical-engineering-programs-advice-grad-student.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;