<p>Which school do you choose?</p>
<p>which type?</p>
<p>definitly Cornell!</p>
<p>Not so fast. As an adult who places IT and eng I speak to a lot of entry levels in the field. My son, in Computer Science, picked Rice over Cornell (and loves the Rice experience), because he wanted smaller classes and a smaller school; so when I was called by an entry level engineer from Cornell I was very interested to speak with him. He felt Cornell was good, but it was very theoretical and very large. He felt he might have picked a different school if he had known, but hadn't felt the need to transfer, especially since Cornell's reputation was good and the training was good, if not what he would have preferred. The fact is, it depends on who you are and what you want and which part of the field you are most interested in. No school, no matter how fabulous is perfect for everyone.
In this particular case, I can't judge for you, but you should know to ask the differences before you make a blanket statement, based on questionable "rankings".</p>
<p>I am looking to go into Computer Science</p>
<p>As I said, my son loves it and from what I understand companies comptete to get Rice's graduates, with many students getting multiple offers.</p>
<p>rice>cornell!!</p>
<p>Cornell has a co-op program for engineering students, where during one semester, you get a full time job and take your courses for that semester the previous summer--this definitely sounds enticing</p>
<p>Everyone can come up with justificatios, but the plain fact is that in the real world Cornell is a Mercedes and Rice is a Honda Accord. Cornell evalautes and accpets tomorrow's leaders; Rice acceptances are driven by their desire to boost their SAT scores and go up the ladder on US News. They are perceived as a regional school.</p>
<p>Rice has a great reputation and so does Cornell. Neither will guarantee you a job in the real world, and in the real world employees do not hire in a hierarchical fashion, taking Harvard grads over Yale, then Brown, then Rice, then Cornell; nor do grad schools choose their students that way. The "real" world operates on relationships and recommendations and experiences. Now, decide where YOU want to experience the next four years of YOUR life and go from there. If you want to look at opportunities for Rice students in engineering, there are many also - including study abroad internships which I believe are paid. Rice has a 5-1 student faculty ratio vs. 10-1 at Cornell, Rice has 60% of classes under 20 students (vs. Cornell 44%) and 10% classes over 50 students (vs. Cornell 22%). Both are wonderful places - but don't choose one over the other based on your 17-year-old ideas about "prestige". The real world does not operate under your paradigm!</p>
<p>I belong to LinkedIn and noticed that one of my "connections" had Rice on their resume. I clicked on Rice and out came a list of Rice graduates and their current positions. ( LinkedIn is a professional networking website). They were the leaders in the Computer Industry, not only in the South, but everywhere.
My son is at Rice and I was thrilled when I saw where the graduates had ended up. Cornell has a large department and lots of graduates, Rice has few. You can go to regular university and still do well in life or go to a top school and end up going nowhere. It's only what you do with a degree that counts. Considering I am an IT and engineering recruiter I will say that the first job out of college does not dictate where you will end up. Rice has an excellent placement rate in Comp Sci. The two schools are totally different experiences while in college. My son picked Rice and i was totally behind him in that, because that Cornell is gigantic and you don't have the same guidence. (I went to school in Ithaca and knew Cornell and their students very well.)
I know that my client companies are very impressed with Rice graduates and that's all that counts. I'm sure that companies are generally impressed with Cornell graduates, but you're just one of many graduates from there once you're out.
Another important point is that companies in the south don't have as many "top" schools to choose from, but that area is growing fast and they look to Rice to staff them. The Northeast has so many "top" schools, you're again just one of many.</p>
<p>From the Rice Thresher - feb 10, 2006 issue</p>
<p>Rice EWB (Engineers without Borders - student-run organization)
The Rice chapter of EWB currently has four work sites: two in Nicaragua, one in Mexico and one in El Salvador. The chapter has previously completed a project in Mali.</p>
<p>The team in El Salvador built a 40,000-liter water storage tank and distribution system in San Jose Villanueva and continues to examine methods of addressing water contamination issues in the community.</p>
<p>The Mexico team is also working on water purification and on conducting land and health surveys in Piedritas.</p>
<p>One of the Nicaragua teams is working in Panama and Aragon to design a bridge, and the other team the newest of the four plans to install solar power and water purification facilities in Bernardino Diaz Ochoa.</p>
<p>One problem we commonly run into is a lack of fresh water, EWB Internal Vice President Deepa Panchang said. When we test water samples in the communities we visit, there are often high levels of bacteria, which cause a variety of health problems. So we often find ourselves planning water purification systems.</p>
<p>Before beginning a project, EWB members do preparatory field work. First, an exploratory trip is made, on which team members explore different communities and assess their needs. Then the members undertake a survey trip, which is a more in-depth look at the chosen community.</p>
<p>One thing to stress about our work is that we specifically go and ask people what they need were not trying to impose anything on them, Panchang, a Martel junior, said. We work and build together with the people we meet, stressing community, responsibility and empowerment.</p>
<p>After the two trips, EWB members work in the United States, designing their project. Then students travel back to the communities and implement their work.</p>
<p>We try to take on practical projects, meeting basic community needs, Panchang said. Recently, we installed solar panels in a church for a town that has no electricity. This allows them to use the church building as a community meeting place or maybe as a location for classes.</p>
<p>The group takes care to ensure cultural differences are taken into account.</p>
<p>It is important not to impose our Western culture on the communities we come into contact with, Jessie Gill, a Baker College junior and EWB sustainability coordinator, said. We want to meet their needs, not Westernize them. So we make sure that we work closely with communities and build relationships with their inhabitants.</p>
<p>Engineers and volunteers
Panchang said EWB is different than typical community service activities because it exposes students to practical applications of engineering skills.</p>
<p>We have a dual mission, Panchang said. We both address the basic needs of the communities we encounter, and we give students international engineering experience.</p>
<p>EWB often has a lasting effect on its participants, who cite international development and non-profit work as future career choices.</p>
<p>The experiences EWB offers are one-of-a-kind they simply cannot be had elsewhere, Gordon said. The work you do with us will shape you and deeply impact your future.</p>
<p>Gill said EWB has made her more aware of world issues.</p>
<p>I believe that everyone owes at least two years of public service, either to their country or to the world, Gill said. EWB offers students a hands-on, practical way of giving back.</p>
<p>Although its name suggests otherwise, EWB is open to students who are not engineering majors.</p>
<p>We are not just a group of engineers, Gill said. We need managers, translators, organizers, problem solvers and thinkers. Anyone can learn the technical skills we use, like pouring concrete. All that we require is that people be able to think outside the box.</p>
<p>Thanks, that was valuable information!</p>
<p>lauras50, was your son admitted to Cornell?</p>
<p>There are certainly qualities where Rice tops Cornell, but I still lean towards the prestige factor, and I am pretty sure Cornell comes out ahead there. Also, although Rice is one of the best schools in the nation, like eureka10 said, it is still only known best in the south. At Rice, recruiters will be mostly from Texas, and compared to employers from many leading companies based in NY state and California (microsoft), Cornell has an edge. But sure, these are two great schools, and it really comes down to how I take advantage of the programs and opportunities offered at either school.</p>
<p>My son originally applied to both, but after getting into Rice Interim decision he dropped all the others. He really never wanted to go to Cornell, he never even visited and it's not far from where we live.</p>
<p>cornell owns rice. theres no question about it</p>
<p>Actually, on an overall basis, the strongest undergraduate engineering program in Texas IS Texas. Nationally, UT is considered about equal to Cornell. Texas A&M is also considered a bit stronger than Rice as well...on an overall basis. But, imho, it's better to evaluate a college by desired engineering specialty. If you want to be a petroleum engineer, Texas has the number one program nationally; but I'm sure in other specialties, it is outranked by other schools.</p>
<p>Kind of a ridiculous argument though, since Texas, Rice, Cornell, A&M are all DREAM schools when it comes to engineering. You just can't go wrong at any of these schools.</p>
<p>I am sure there are great differences between an engineer from UT and one from Cornell</p>
<p>I agree with Idmom06. It all depends what you want. JHU, for example, is tops when it comes to Biomed Engineering. Similarly, A&M is the best at petro engineering. I'd ask OP what KIND of engineering are he/she interested in.</p>
<p>No...there really isn't yes. UT and Cornell are considered equally strong programs.</p>
<p>It's important to remember that RELATIONSHIPS, connections and experiences are what help you get your first job, or entry to a great grad program. One of the reasons that UT is considered so good has to do with its size.. it is big, and generates lots of research etc, thus high ranking. Go to the school where you will grow as a person, and then, (if you HAVE to be so practical and linear-thinking), go to the school that you feel will give you a lot of attention, experiences, internships, and research opportunities - because that will help you get your first job/grad program.</p>