<p>So basically, I applied to way too many schools for my own good... and now I have no idea where to go. </p>
<p>I was accepted to Washington University in St. Louis, Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Purdue, and UW-Madison. </p>
<p>I like the private universities better because I prefer their smaller class sizes and academic environment. </p>
<p>The state universities have stronger programs and more areas of specialization (especially for my major), but I feel like they're way too big for me. I live in Illinois and I suppose it would make sense for me to go to UIUC, but pretty much everyone from my high school is going there (i.e., all the people I've been trying to get away from for the past four years). Additionally, it would be cheaper for me to attend WashU than UIUC. </p>
<p>Some people say that where you go for undergrad doesn't really matter as long as you work hard... is that really true? </p>
<p>In that case, Northwestern. I think class size applies to humanities/liberal arts majors more than engineering. Engineering classes are lecture style everywhere.</p>
<p>You know, with a student body of 40,000 kids at UIUC, it is highly unlikely that you will be forced into extended interaction with any the people you were trying to get away from.</p>
<p>If you want to do engineering at WUSTL, look into it...I've heard from other members on this board that there are recent problems with the department. I'm not in a position to comment since I don't know anything about it.</p>
<p>How much will NU cost you over UIUC? (Don't count student loans as aid, since this doesn't lower your overall cost).</p>
<p>Realize that if you want to pursue engineering, and have ambitions to work as an engineer career-wise, no premium is paid to students who graduate from prestigious private schools over larger publics (In other words you won't command a higher salary if you graduate from NU or WUSTL compared to UIUC). Therefore, if the privates cost a lot more, you will not see a big return on your investment.</p>
<p>I'd also like to point out, just for fun, that NU IS a Big Ten school- solves your problem right there, no? ;) And if that's the price difference, I would really strongly suggest Northwestern.</p>
<p>NU is huge on undergrad research. It's a major participant of the Chicago undergraduate symposium and they also hold one of their own every year.</p>
<p>Would it be worth going to WashU if it was the best (financially) for my family? My only concern is that it seems to be a risky choice, especially w/ the current state of their engineering department.</p>
<p>What <em>is</em> wrong with the Wash U Engineering school...? This is the first I've heard of there being trouble with it. I know some folks who went there who ended up being really great engineers.</p>
<p>Wash U would be about $1000 less than Minnesota, $2000 less than UIUC, and $5000 less than NU (my parents are planning on appealing the NU financial aid, but I don't know how that will turn out). </p>
<p>From what it sounds like, WashU is currently in a transition period. Their last dean was unpopular and recently resigned (I don't think she has been replaced yet). Supposedly engineering students had problems with course changes as well. I don't know much about the whole situation and I'm not really in a position to judge, though.</p>
<p>Kind of sounds like it's at the tail end of the troubles, though. I mean, while I was at Rice, they literally <em>did away</em> with my major, civil engineering, for an entire year, my junior year. We opened up the course catalog, and we were like, "Woah, ha ha, look at this! They left out our major!" After some further digging, they actually CANCELLED our degree program to "reorganize" it... It made front page news of the university paper... </p>
<p>It didn't affect the reputation of the degree, though, and I still wouldn't have gone anywhere else or done anything differently. It turned out to be not as big a deal as we'd originally thought, and it didn't set any of us back at all. I'd say that if you like Wash U, to be aware of the situation, but not necessarily to let it talk you out of going there.</p>
<p>Sounds good.<br>
I just visited WashU last weekend & I liked it a lot, but a lot of people think I'd be silly to turn down UIUC's or Minnesota's ChemE program for WashU's.</p>
<p>
[quote]
but a lot of people think I'd be silly to turn down UIUC's or Minnesota's ChemE program for WashU's.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, a lot of people are silly! (end indignance)</p>
<p>But really, a lot of people forget to include personal fit when they look at colleges. I went to the top program in my field for grad school and it was a bad fit... It nearly killed my interest in engineering. If you really like WashU, go for it! You'll get a great education, you'll get a lot of opportunities, and you'll have a great experience.</p>
<p>For ChE, I'd choose either Minnesota or Wisconsin, both programs are ranked in top 5 for over 40 years. For ChE, class sizes are small and you take pretty much the same classes with your ChE buddies.</p>
<p>If you prefer a private school environment, Northwestern is the obvious choice. Being a Big Ten school, it has the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>"Kind of sounds like it's at the tail end of the troubles"
"You'll get a great education, you'll get a lot of opportunities, and you'll have a great experience"</p>
<p>aibarr,</p>
<p>Unfortunately, this is not quite so simple.</p>
<p>The OP has been accepted to 5 top engineering programs (Northwestern, UIUC, Purdue, Minnesota, Wisconsin). Wash U's overall academics are excellent, but their engineering school has some significant problems. This is not the "tail end" of these problems by any means:</p>
<ol>
<li>The school is now without a dean after the last was forced to resign due to a rebellion led by faculty (with the support of students and alumni)</li>
<li>The finances of Wash U's engineering school - specifically - are a major problem and were the primary impetus for hiring the previously short-lived dean from outside the institution (i.e. cuts, financial housecleaning)</li>
<li>Student complaints about teaching quality in the program abound and are not typical of the rest of the university</li>
</ol>
<p>Great education, opportunities and experience? Maybe not, I fear. Caveat emptor.</p>
<p>
[quote]
1. The school is now without a dean after the last was forced to resign due to a rebellion led by faculty (with the support of students and alumni)
2. The finances of Wash U's engineering school - specifically - are a major problem and were the primary impetus for hiring the previously short-lived dean from outside the institution (i.e. cuts, financial housecleaning)
3. Student complaints about teaching quality in the program abound and are not typical of the rest of the university
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Okay, theeeeese were the sorts of things I was hunting for but hadn't found yet... If there are student complaints about teaching quality (and not just of the typical "this professor sucks" type that are characteristics of all universities, from time to time), then that might be cause for serious worry, coupled with a lack of motivated leadership to recruit better teaching professors... A lack of financial support is also troubling.</p>
<p>Caveat emptor, indeed... </p>
<p>wbwa, are you a student at Wash U? Where are you hearing these things from?</p>