<p>Intent to major in CE. Reviewed the background of the faculty members listed online. Understandably, most of them hold degrees from elite institutes, and have lengthy list of awards and honors (to the extent of squandering its creditability). However, they do appear to seriously lack industrial experience, a few years in R&D the most. Joining the department straight after post-doc seems to be the norm. No doubt about their academic accomplishments. </p>
<p>My questions:
Are they engineering educators rather than real-world engineers?<br>
Bottom line: Will I be prepared in four years to contribute in running Exxon Refinery and making it more productive?</p>
<p>Chemical...
Computer... (which is not a major at tech btw)
Civil...</p>
<p>?</p>
<p>Based on your comment regarding Exxon I'm guessing you mean ChemE.</p>
<p>I don't know much about the ChemE department, but in general Caltech focuses more on the theoretical side of things than the practice side... and also, in general, Caltech prepares its students for grad school. If you're looking for a very practical-based degree Caltech may not be the right place for you. Of course, the teaching strategy here may not affect your chances of working for Exxon, and may benefit you in other ways... but I couldn't really say.</p>
<p>I basically took all but two of the requirements for ChemE at MIT so I'm somewhat familiar with chemE. </p>
<p>I don't know much about chem E at CalTech but I wouldn't worry about it. They definitely have a smaller dept. than MIT, but I don't think they have any less industrial experience than the people at MIT. The first 3 years will be of similar quality an emphasis at both MIT and CalTech. Senior year at MIT they have a two semester class which is designed to apply everything you have learned to industrial problems--I forget what it was called as I didn't take it. However, the more important thing I think is where you would enjoy spending your undergrad years because the first 3 years of classes will be similar and you will eventually get the industrial experience regardless. MIT also has an 1-year Masters in Chemical Engineering Practice where you take classes and are sent to work in industry. I don't remember if it is open to people from other universities but I think it is. It is harder to get into the masters program from CalTech than from MIT, where you are admitted automatically if you have a 4.3/5.0 GPA.</p>