<p>i heard that both schools provide hardcore engineering programs, but how do they differ? and why would one choose one school over the other? are there any other schools that you'd recommend i research on - one that provides a rather comprehensive engineering course?? thanks!</p>
<p>my reason for picking one over the other isn't so much about academics- they both excell in engineering. I've <em>heard</em> that caltech puts focuses more on theoretical versus practical.</p>
<p>at caltech everyone is in science and engineering, and its a small school. Cornell is a university and is much larger.</p>
<p>engineering, BTW, is acredited by ABET. Make sure any programs you look at are ABET-approved. If so, you'll get a good education no matter where you go for engineering. There are some differences between schools, obviously, but its not like a liberal-arts degree where much of what you have to sell to employers is the rep of your school.</p>
<p>might I ask why you're focusing on these 2 schools since you seem to know little about them?</p>
<p>i'd say caltech. but that's because i dont know anything about cornell</p>
<p>I don't know terribly much about cornell, but I'm a current Caltech student.</p>
<p>If you're SURE you want to do engineering, like hanging out with nerds, and don't mind a small school that's VERY focused, Caltech is awesome. But if you like humanities courses enough that you'd want a wide selection of them, or you want a big school, or you don't want to take a ridiculously hard core courseload, don't go to Tech. </p>
<p>Other schools you might want to look at: MIT, Harvey Mudd, Olin. Anything with "institute of technology" probably had a decent engineering program.</p>
<p>Caltech costs considerably less.</p>
<p>If you're pretty sure that you want to go to grad school, Caltech is the place for undergrad.</p>
<p>I thought CalTech was more focused on grad, since they have a larger population there</p>
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I thought CalTech was more focused on grad, since they have a larger population there
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<p>Not terribly much so. Generally we undergrads forget that the grad students exist, and probably vice versa. The professors I've had thus far have all been pretty approachable and willing to help undergrad students, and the school as a whole is pretty receptive to helping the undergraduate student body.</p>
<p>Public service announcement:</p>
<p>It's Caltech. Big "C", little "t", no space. </p>
<p>And now you know. And knowing is half the battle.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your input. It's helped me a lot. But I have doubts abt Caltech being cheaper than Cornell. The living expenses at Caltech seem to be much more than what is the norm for Cornellians. </p>
<p>Si1verdrake, I've read what one of your peers had to say abt your school and it was pretty much what you said up there - including the details abt Senir Ditch Day and how even the pranks generally involve math and science. But is it WAY TOO math and science orientated there? Because that just gives me the idea that ppl there don't have lives and their whole lives are just focused on one thing only. </p>
<p>Another thing is... I heard that most non-American Asian students never get into Caltech because the whole of CA is full of ethnic-Asians and that Caltech prefers to take in CA Asians to accepting non-American Asian who may have similar abilities. So would you say Cornell is the easier school to get into?</p>
<p>Mikemac.... Well, for one thing.. engineering is my second choice after architecture. That's why I know so little about them - if that makes my ignorance a little justifiable. And I like the way the two schools present their engineering courses - since I have no way of knowing more than I can know abt these two schools from websites and what ppl tell me here at cc. </p>
<p>Thanks again to you all for your input!!!</p>
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Si1verdrake, I've read what one of your peers had to say abt your school and it was pretty much what you said up there - including the details abt Senir Ditch Day and how even the pranks generally involve math and science. But is it WAY TOO math and science orientated there? Because that just gives me the idea that ppl there don't have lives and their whole lives are just focused on one thing only.
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<p>That varies, generally depending on the people you hang out with. People here range from "go out to goth clubs every weekend" to "just hang out doing whatever" to "does nothing but math, to the point of neglecting their core math classes to do more interesting math". I don't see too many of the latter types, although there a probably a number who don't leave their room. Basically, we're all nerds. We all will laugh at terrible math puns. But most of us have lives outside of the sciences/math/engineering. Whether this is ENOUGH of an outside life for you, is best judged by visiting.</p>
<p>As far as the Asian thing goes, it's not that international asians don't get in 'cause Caltech has too many Californian asians. It's because the international competiton to get in is ridiculously higher than the normal admissions, because there's a cap on how many internationals needing aid we can accept. So it's more "most non-American STUDENTS don't get in because Caltech has limited space for them".</p>
<p>Also, if engineering is your second choice, Tech doesn't have an architecture school. At all. And we're tiny, so there aren't many extra courses you could take.</p>
<p>Snapping back to reality, the Cornell name is better. Both will teach you Engineering the same. Cornell's name will take you farther. Sure employers know about Caltech, but the overall prestige factor with the American public puts Cornell on a higher level.</p>
<p>I'm going to go ahead and say more people have heard of Cornell but it seems like Caltech is much more impressive to get through and get out of</p>
<p>Cornell gives you a chance to take electives and stuff, and of course has several schools doing a broad range of things, whereas Caltech is primarily engineering and science.</p>
<p>Cornell also seems more active and social and stuff. atleast thats what they try and make it seem like. I'll admit I don't know much about Caltech except that its tough stuff</p>
<p>thisSHHHisBANANAs, what are you talking about? Caltech is much more prestigious than Cornell. It is constantly ranked above Cornell in both engineering and overall eduction with a class size infinitesimal compared to all other top tier school (total undergrad enrolment was like ~800). The curriculum is cut-throat.</p>
<p>Rankings don't mean prestige. How well the school is recognized by the general public translates to prestige. Caltech could surpass Harvard in the rankings but Harvard would still be the most prestigious university in the country.</p>
<p>Cornell engineering is definitely hardcore...all-consuming. The engineering "life" (if you can call it that), is, however, immersed in the lush natural beauty of the campus and lively culture of a thriving university. The average SAT scores at Cornell Engineering are about 40 points below Cal Tech but the graduation rate is about 5% higher at Cornell. Quality of life at Cornell might be better. Resources at Cal Tech are probably better. Nevertheless, Cal Tech and MIT are the best engineering schools on earth. On the other hand, I think Cornell might provide a better undergraduate engineering education, overall. For PhD, probably Cal and MIT are best in most areas.</p>
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How well the school is recognized by the general public translates to prestige.
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<p>I agree with you, but only to a certain extent.</p>
<p>I don't think it's how well the general public sees them, but rather the big time employers that the people must be going to if they're attending such high-caliber schools.</p>
<p>Let's say huge and awesome corporation A is looking to hire. Corporation A would know that Caltech has a better engineering program than Harvard, or that Caltech is about equivalent to Harvard, etc. etc. In this sense, Harvard is no more prestigious than Caltech.</p>
<p>Personally, prestige should be the schools that are known to the people who will actually matter in your life career-wise. If some random mediocre person goes, "Yeah, I know Harvard, it's where all the rich and smart kids go for college. Caltech? Is that some kind of toothpaste?" It wouldn't really matter if Harvard is more "prestigious" in this sense.</p>
<p>I'm sure that the people whom you'll be interacting with will be aware of both Harvard and Caltech equally</p>
<p>thisSHHHisBANANAs, I disagree with you to a degree. I agree that rankings do not determine prestige. But neither does the opinion of the "general public". Prestige is determined by what society's intellectual and professional elite think.</p>
<p>I never said Caltech is better because it has a higher rank. </p>
<p>The rankings, however, do measure class size, average SATs/GPA, facilities, faculty, resources etc. Caltech is much more prestigious for those in the know and it will gain you more respect to have graduated from Caltech than Cornell because it is just that tough.</p>
<p>I concur with Alexandre</p>