<p>Which school has better engineering BU or Tufts? If I want to be an engineer which school should I pick if I had the choice?</p>
<p>Come to Tufts! Our engineering program offers an excellent undergraduate education in the environment of a liberal arts/medium sized university. Our student body makes sure that there is always something to do on campus. Our food is #2 in the nation as well. Eat well, be a happy Jumbo.</p>
<p>You've probably seen me talk a lot about Tufts in a lot of Tufts related posts, so feel free to browse my post history if you need more information.</p>
<p>tufts kids must like to eat... everytime I hear from any of them I hear "...and we have the best food in the world!!" or some variant, even if it's completely not relevant to the subject at hand... like engineering for instance...</p>
<p>ay_caramba--> Is that a swipe against Tufts? Are you recommending BU?</p>
<p>Well I'm a bit lazy in describing and defending the engineering program because I've had to do it very often. I was merely trying to find something positive to focus on.</p>
<p>Both schools have a good engineering program. But I think tufts is overall a better school than BU (especially for undergraduates). Also here are the USNews rankings for engineering (graduate, but it also applies to undergraduate):
48. Boston University (recruiter assessment of 3.1/5.0)
75. Tufts University (recruiter assessment of 2.9/5.0)</p>
<p>BU has a very good biomedical engineering program. Other than that, neither of these schools has a particularly noteworthy engineering school. What are your stats like, and why are you looking at BU and Tufts?</p>
<p>tufts is a pretty good school for engineering, obviously it's not MIT, but it isn't too shabby either. That's my pick anways</p>
<p>^Why do you think that Tufts is a "pretty good school for engineering"?</p>
<p>Can anyone give me specific reasons why Tufts or BU is better in engineering. My interests lie in mechanical and electrical engineering.</p>
<p>Neither schools are known for engineering. According to US News undergraduate engineering ranking, BU is 60 and Tufts is 74. Both have decent engineering program, but not in the same league as MIT, UCB, Cal Tech, UIUC, Michigan, etc. Trying to differentiate the engineering programs at BU and Tufts is like spliting hair...rather meaningless.</p>
<p>It makes more sense for you to consider the overall environment of the school, in particularly the undergraduate education, and decide which one is more right for you.</p>
<p>Let me propose it this way - which would you choose to go to? Harvard's engineering school (undergraduate ranked 29th) or Ohio State University (ranked 30th)? Both schools are of equal calibre according to US News. Now put this into perspective with Tufts and BU. The disparity between the school quality may not be as great as Harvard, but think about the student body, the level of resources that one can get at an institution of size, and the level of education one will receive according to the school's reputation.</p>
<p>This is why I find USNews faulty in determining which is a "better school" with a "better engineering program." If one can honestly say that Univ. of MinnesotaTwin Cities (ranked 20th) offers a better program than many of the ivy leagues and suitable counterparts, perhaps there is much to reconsider. Will students be of the same calibre at those two levels of institutions? I can honestly give an emphatic no.</p>
<p>I don't give a care about rankings except to determine which schools are in the range I'm looking for, I just thought Tufts was better than BU at EE, and also a better overall atmosphere</p>
<p>BU's EE program is slightly better than Tufts, and they're about the same in MechE. I would make the decision based on non-academic factors, such as cost and environment.</p>
<p>I've used this example before and its still relevant. The OP is asking the equivalent of "Which school is better for a history major between CalTech and MIT?". It doesn't matter which school you "like" better and is a better fit.
Its more a question of "Why would you limit your choices between Tufts and BU for engineering?"</p>
<p>If you have the profile to get into either school (particularly Tufts since it is more competitive), there are sooooo many other better schools that you have at your disposal. I don't get it here!</p>
<p>Kiddly, maybe he wants to go to the Boston area. If so, that limits his choices. It is not all about going to the best school for a certain field. It is going where you want and where you will be happy. i am sure the poster would much rather go to Tufts or BU to study engineering then somewhere much better, but would not feel at "home".</p>
<p>Kiddly - maybe you could (ahem) stop taking every opportunity to trash Tufts. Bitter reject? </p>
<p>US News rankings are meaningless. Harvard's engineering programme is in its infancy and just not good. It is ranked #29 because of H's prestige, not because of any merits of the programme. Practicing engineers in MA either don't know that H has an engineering curriculum or don't take it seriously. Contrast Tufts, which is highly regarded in Boston. </p>
<p>Tufts and BU will offer very different engineering environments. Tufts is almost exclusively undergrad (hence the low USNews ranking, which tends to, intentionally or not, give more weight to schools with prestigous grad programmes) - you would get a ton of personal attention and research opportunities if you went there. In chem-e, it is completely normal for students to research with their profs; most other engineering majours are the same way. </p>
<p>BU is a huge school. Not sure if you would get the same level of research opportunities, but you would have more choices for courses.</p>
<p>Gosh, I am so impressed Ariesathena. You must be smart since you employ the British spelling of words!! Programmes? Huh? I'm pretty sure you are not British. </p>
<p>Its interesting how you dismiss Harvard's engineering and suggest that its only riding on the coattails of Harvard's overall reputation. I happen to hold the same opinion regarding Tufts engineering program, although obviously I think the rankers get it right in the case of Tuft's engineering. Tufts is hardly well-reputed for engineering in the Boston (or anywhere else, for that matter) area. The relatively small number of companies recruiting at Tufts for engineers speaks volumes. </p>
<p>If stating the reality that Tufts has a mediocre engineering program is considered bashing, then I plead guilty as charged.</p>
<p>Acid and childlike responses don't build your case Kiddly - you can put on the saccharine pretenses as you like in trying to make a point, but most people in searching your post history can see an underlying bloodthirst for attacking Tufts. You haven't provided anything solid other than insults. Perhaps it's time you return to your Northeastern threads. Perhaps you'll enjoy stating your mediocrity there.</p>
<p>goblue81 writes It makes more sense for you to consider the overall environment of the school, in particularly the undergraduate education, and decide which one is more right for you.</p>
<p>This is 100% correct. Undergrad engineering programs are standardized by ABET so you'll cover the same material no matter where you go. Trying to distinguish between schools in the same tier on academic rankings is a waste of time. Decide which school gives the type of attention you want (school size, class size, attention faculty pays to students), the setting of the school, and all the other factors that go into the overall school package.</p>