<p>Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some safety colleges to apply to this fall. I live in Colorado, so I will pay in state tuition for both Colorado school of Mines and New Mexico Tech. If I go to New Mexico tech I'll pay almost nothing. I'd like to know which college is stronger in engineering and sciences, and what are strongest majors of each college so that I'll have enough information to decide which one to apply to.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>Tough question! Here’s my way of thinking on two subjects:</p>
<p>ACADEMICS
If you want to major in engineering and go straight into the workforce, I would give a very slight edge to CSM. It has a better reputation with employers (at least up here). However, the sciences are definitely stronger at NMT (they have a superb physics department). NMT grads are a bit more likely to go to grad school, from what I’ve heard. They are a stronger research school in general, and you have plenty of opportunities.</p>
<p>LIFE
Both are tech schools and therefore a bit “nerdy”, but CSM is known as a slightly more fun place. The location at CSM is far better - Golden has amazing outdoor recreation but is still within reach of Denver and Boulder (especially if they can finish the light rail line). The desert has a rugged beauty and amazing outdoor possibilities, but Socorro is a completely dead town in almost every other way (the last time they made national headlines was when a man forgot his wife at the WalMart).</p>
<p>To sum up my previous post:</p>
<p>If you are passionate about engineering/science and are at least considering grad school, I’d go for New Mexico Tech. Between classes, mountain biking, and blowing random stuff up in the middle of the desert, you’d probably keep yourself occupied. If you want to go straight to work and are more interested in engineering than pure science, Mines might be a better choice. The location is nicer and the career services are great.</p>
<p>Thank you, noimagination! Are you currently an undergrad student? I dont see many people on CC know Colorado school of Mines that well. (there’s not even a sub-forum for Mines.)
So NMT is strong at sciences. But do you know how strong they are compared to schools like MIT, Caltech, Columbia?</p>
<p>^ No, I’m a junior who is desperately bored by the high school curriculum and is wasting his time here :)</p>
<p>That question is difficult to answer, and it depends on your field. First, not all sciences at NMT are equal. Physics is by far the star program, and while the others are good they are not on the same level (though I believe they do some serious cryptography). Still, there are few places in this country (Caltech and MIT are two of them) that offer more opportunities for undergrad research, and that’s a great thing to put on a grad school application.</p>
<p>The three schools you listed are better in the vast majority of areas, and nobody will dispute that. The biggest difference is the student body; while NMT has some smart students, you can be surrounded by the best of the best of the best at Caltech or MIT. The same is true of professors and facilities. If you have the choice, it really isn’t a choice (unless costs are a major issue and you don’t qualify for need - even then, I would strongly consider doing whatever it takes for MIT).</p>
<p>You should note that in physics, the NMT program really is outstanding. While it still isn’t on the same level as Caltech/MIT, NMT has the fourth highest ratio of physics PhDs (at other schools, obviously) to undergrads of any school in the country. Only Caltech, MIT, and Harvey Mudd are higher. Plus they have the control center for a Very Large Array right on campus.</p>
<p>EDIT: The only reason I say that Caltech and MIT are better for physics is that they have the best grad programs and take their own. The best way to get into MIT grad school is to do your undergrad at MIT (this is debatable, but I’d like to see the argument against).</p>
<p>Not sure if I’m stating the obvious, but CSM is stronger in civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, mining engineering, and the likes. </p>
<p>It was a school that I had looked at and I’m all the way on the east coast. It’s probably not talked about that much because it’s such a niche school.</p>
<p>@ken285: I think that’s obvious in the Rocky mountain region. Are you out of college now? How is CSM reputation on the East Coast?</p>
<p>Yes, I am out of college now. CSM doesn’t get mentioned often, but when it does it’s usually regarding geotechnical engineering / underground construction. The chief engineer of one major heavy civil general contractor spoke highly of the research and facilities there. A VP at a different heavy civil general contracting firm spoke well of CSM as well based on his interactions with alumni at that company.</p>
<p>Well, it helps if people have heard of a school outside a state…which people have heard of CSM… I have never heard of NMT.</p>
<p>^ Grad schools have obviously heard of NMT, judging by the number of physics PhDs who started out there. But I agree with you when it comes to going straight into the workforce.</p>
<p>Mines has an excellent reputation up here, but that’s mostly because this state is full of geological and petroleum engineers.</p>
<p>I had not heard of NMT before I came on to this forum either.</p>
<p>Mines forces you take Calc I and/or II if you get less than a 5 on the AP. </p>
<p>Still, they don’t recommend you advance to Honors Calc III even if you do get a 5 on BC Calc. The reason is b/c at Mines, they want all of their classes to be geared towards engineering.</p>