ChemE at UT vs. ChemE at UIUC

<p>I'm from NJ and I got into both schools, but as an undeclared major at UT and ChemE at UIUC. I want to work for a biotech company (preferrably one in California that focuses in genetic engineering like Genentech) or a renewable energy company (preferably biodiesel/biogas but I like the idea of the Bloom Box which was invented by a graduate of UIUC). Which school would offer me better opportunities in this sense? Also, if I wanted to pursue i-banking or something business-related down the line before I got my MBA which school would put me at an advantage assuming I had similar performance in both. Which school has the harder ChemE curriculum?</p>

<p>Well given Texas is much closer to California then UIUC you are probably better off at Texas, though both schools are very large and well known so Im sure its not that big of a difference. They are both going to be very hard so there is no real difference there and as far as MBA neither has real advantage over the other.</p>

<p>Companies from all over recruit at UIUC, including western firms.
Although it is a different field, Microsoft is well known to pull away some of the top computer engineers from UIUC. </p>

<p>So location doesn’t factor in as much as one might think when the school is ranked in the top 5 in engineering collectively, but 8th in chemical.</p>

<p>I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but if your GPA is high enough and you show enough promise, you’ll get the opportunities you want as an engineer, where the same can’t necessarily be said for a law student or business student. UT and UIUC are about the same for ChemE undergrad.</p>

<p>What is known, though, is that UIUC is guaranteeing you a spot in their engineering program, but UT is not. The overall better engineering school is showing you more love, and that is something to think about.</p>

<p>Regardless of which you pick, you’ll be fine though, quite honestly. How your future fares will be mostly up to you, for the schools are the same in the specialty.</p>

<p>Chemical Engineering at UIUC is NOT in part of the College of Engineering. It is part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Chemical Engineering and Chemistry share the same building. The engineering classes for Texas and Illinois may close but review what is needed to graduate from College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.</p>