<p>This sort of thing comes up a lot. What's your view on it?</p>
<p>I say, assuming you're planning on continuing your education after the college level, and that both schools fit you, always go with the better school.</p>
<p>I think a common case is Cornell Engineering vs. Other Ivy Engineering (Harvard, Columbia come to mind as conflicts commonly talked about.)</p>
<p>Oh, and obviously there are extreme cases. If I definitely wanted to study BME, and got into Hopkin's BME program, that would be an easy choice over more prestigious schools.</p>
<p>I actually just recently has this issue. I was a freshman at Virginia Tech, studying Engineering, but now i'm off to University of Virginia for engineering for my next three years. I was constantly asked "why are you leaving a prestigious engineering school for a less well-known school (even though it's the #2 public school in the country)?"
My answer was so simple and easy to respond with, that it sometime seemed like I rehearsed it a million times: UVa fits me better than VT in so many ways that it outweighs VT being better in my major. I like the liberal arts side to UVa's e-school, as well as the opportunity to minor. VT is hardcore engineering, and even though I love engineering, I have other passions. I think that the move will make a me a more well-rounded student in the end, which superceeds any engineering-only program.<br>
I think when it comes to an issue like this, unless there is drastic difference in schools, and I mean huge differences in the programs, this issue should be ignored. Instead, the decision should be based more on which school feels better. I love UVa's history, atmosphere, social scene, greek life, ect, but never had that lovey-dovey feeling with VT. These kinds of things will make or break a college experience, so it's crucial kids look beyond the academics. Frankly, my thought was that being at an overall prestigious school is not going to sink you, even if it's program isn't as "strong" or "well-known". If the school is prestigious, then employers will know that you worked hard, no matter if it was prestgious overall or just in your major.</p>
<p>I think I'm going to be strugging with that one too.</p>
<p>Because of the siginificant chance of changing majors at some point during undergrad school, I'd lean toward a college that had strengths in many areas and a good overall reputation. Going to a highly specialized college carries some extra risk vs. a "well rounded" one. There are exceptions, of course - if the student has great aptitude and a lot of interest in a particular major, and has had some exposure to the field, the probability of a switch after a year or two is lower. In that case, picking a top notch department may be the way to go.</p>
<p>I'd add that when checking out individual departments it's important to find out if they have particular areas of specialization in their courses and research - knowing that a school is strong in a specific subtopic of interest is probably more important than nebulous "reputation" issues.</p>
<p>Stronger school overall. I always say this because you might go to a school that is only good for one program. So, let's say you get into the program but after doing some of it, you decide that you no longer desire to do it. IF the rest of your school is trap, you are screwed.</p>
<p>However, if you go a school that is deservedly more respected in every field, you will not have this problem.</p>
<p>The exception to this rule is if you are deciding between two good schools.</p>
<p>Definitely overall. Basically echoing what others said: there's the possibility your interests might change and undergrad dept. strength is less important than grad. Also, think about this: Let's say you had to take 32 courses for your degree. Your major is only going to comprise, what, ten of them? Do you want your other 22 classes to be totally lame?</p>
<p>The only exceptions I would say are: a tiebreaker between schools of similar quality or a combined-degree type of program that's really good.</p>
<p>Neither, you choose the school that's better for YOU. Pick the school that's environment is the most conducive to your excelling. Don’t worry about field or overall rankings.</p>
<p>But, that's probably not an answer to your question...it really depends on the person and how much interest they have in the field as well as the two schools in question. I did choose to apply early decision to Cornell Engineering (and not say Harvard or Columbia). In my case, even if i decide not to do engineering, it's not a big dropoff to any other field at Cornell. I'm fairly certain that even if my career goals change, I'm still going to major in engineering (we are somewhat bound to a specific school within the colleges so it was really between me choosing to apply to Cornell college of engineering or Harvard's college of engineering, meaning that a lot of my classes are going to be engineering related anyway so i might as well go to a school that's really good at it...not that Harvard isn't). </p>
<p>Although, I can honestly say that I took my own advice and did not choose to apply to Cornell ED because of departmental or overall rankings, but rather because it "fit" me best.</p>
<p>department department department! hands down. You have to go with a reputable department to give you the best education you can. Look at it this way:</p>
<p>If you think of Harvard, you think: WOW! What a great school. Thre's harvard law school, medical. And that's it. Who goes to Harvard for studio art? You know? Yeah, of course, it's done (if that's a major there) but say, at a place like carnegie mellon, one of the top ranked art programs in the country, you woudl probably get a more in depth experience, and become immersed in your passion. Do you see what i mean?</p>
<p>ALSO, in my case, i could've applied to yale because it's SUCH a great school. yes, of course it is, but not for music. that wouldn't make sense, so i applied to schools wehre music was strong to help further my cause of pursuing music :P</p>
<p>The overall reputation imo is better for undergrad.
its also better in the case that u wanna go a good grad school.
at the grad level though I believe specific programs are what really count rather than just the overall rep.</p>
<p>It really depends on the major. I know that for my major (Sport Management), the department reputation is MUCH more important, because you get into the industry through your connections with the employers. Schools who have good programs have built up connections in the industry, and their graduates easily get the jobs. Other students have difficulty breaking in.</p>
<p>I think, it depends. If a student is planning on law school or business school after graduation then go to the best overall school. However, if a student is planning on working in the computer science field, for example, then choose the best department. I would hire a CMU CS grad over a Yale CS grad any day.</p>
<p>Unless you have a very specific major like visual arts or mechanical engineering or something, the best overall school is my pick - recruiters go to schools, not departments, and often recruit people in a variety of majors for many jobs.</p>
<p>Well, reputation IS good. BUt not necessarily the most important part. A 4.0 from community college looks better than a 2.0 from Harvard. Wouldn't you agree?! IT just makes more sense. Grad school in today's society is being valued more so than undergrad.</p>
<p>"I would hire a CMU CS grad over a Yale CS grad any day."</p>
<p>Exactly how many people have you hired?</p>
<p>I agree with most of the above posters, that it's better to choose the overall school than the better department. It's funny that the OP brings up engineering, because I'd been thinking about that same thing, Cornell has the best engineering in the Ivy League, but a lot of people choose other Ivies' engineering schools. Why, I'm not sure, since I'm not one of those kids... My guess, though, is because the other school (Columbia, Penn, etc) as a whole has a better reputation. So yeah, since it's undergrad I think that's a fine methodology. Although honestly, if I wanted to pursue engineering I might just choose Cornell... It's no slump school.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you think of Harvard, you think: WOW! What a great school. Thre's harvard law school, medical. And that's it. Who goes to Harvard for studio art? You know?
[/quote]
There is a reason schools like Harvard can afford create obscure majors like Folklore. These student can actually get jobs. Heck, I knew a Duke graduate who majored in Medieval Studies and went into i-banking. Mostly this was because employers know Harvard and Duke and know that they can recruit good students there. </p>
<p>The only colleges that offer a major in my own area of interest are Yale, Penn, Brown, Chicago, Johns Hopkins, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan, NYU, and U Memphis. A similar pattern holds true for a good many majors. The only exceptions I can think of are programs like nautical engineering at Webb or glassblowing at Centre, but even then a student would probably be just as happy elsewhere. Sure, colleges like UNCW and Eckerd offer marine biology, but that doesn't mean one should rule out Cornell or Stanford just because they don't have that specific major. After all, most students only take 10 or so courses in their major, and nearly half change their major.</p>
<p>The answer is not so easy to discern. In some cases (and majors) if you do NOT plan on going to grad school immediately (a good idea in my view) then the employers KNOW who has the best program in the field they are recruiting and they DO recruit there. Some employers go to schools and recruit for other reasons....the ethics and ethos thing, or simply a well rounded well grounded student.</p>
<p>An argument can be made that being at a smaller selective school helps you in job hunts because you are not one of THOUSANDS of kids on the street from that big state school.</p>
<p>And overall rankings are also suspect. A lot of times the rankings are really just a big popularity contest, bolstered by the SAT score gamesmanship that goes on in the admissions process. But good employers see through that.</p>
<p>Not all Harvard grads are hot commodities. And most American CEO's come from State schools. Fact.</p>
<p>And in this day and age where getting along in the office is as important as what you know, they LAST thing an employer wants is a pompous jerk who spends every free moment reminding his/her colleagues that he went to Harvard, Princeton or Yale...or UVa.</p>
<p>Personal fit for each student is a very subjective thing. Different people are looking for different experiences. Some want to be close to home, some want to be far away and adventurous. Some want school to be a country club experience, and some want it to be more urban and edgy. Some want the gothic bell tower some want Southern georgian brick or Ivy clad brick. </p>
<p>Some want to be around kids like themselves and some want a totally new social scene with people from somewhere completely different from where they grew up. Yankees are FLOCKING to the south. Southerners are FLOCKING up north and so forth.</p>
<p>In general you will know in your gut what the right move is. My D just went through this. She turned away opportunities to go to school with buddies and have another extension of high school. She turned away the southern country club setting. She turned away several chances....all for a private school in the northeast. Its her life, her choice and we support her.</p>
<p>We hope she finishes there. But if not, then she can transfer to where she wants.</p>
<p>But the first rule of success in life is to be humble. Being a prestige hound is being a bore. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>overall.</p>
<p>cooking degree from harvard is still harvard</p>