Cornell vs RPI

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I want to go to one of these two schools for material engineering as reach schools. My parents say they can not afford RPI and barely afford Cornell sticker price. I have a 4.03 gpa and I hope to get an ACT above 30. Which school is best in aspect to affordability and prestige? Thank you.</p>

2

<p>I am not sure why your parents think Cornell is more affordable. Cornell and RPI are equally expensive. Cornell may offer better FA packages, but one never knows as FA packages vary from individual to individual. </p>

<p>Cornell is more selective than RPI, so while RPI may be a target or even a safety for you, Cornell will most likely be a reach. </p>

<p>As far as prestige goes, Cornell is likely considered more prestigious, but it does not matter as RPI is widely respected, particularly in the field of Engineering.</p>

<p>RPI is much smaller and much more “techie” in nature. You should consider fit when choosing a school. Do not worry about prestige.</p>

3

<p>As far as affordability goes, it depends which college within Cornell you apply to. It sounds like you’d want to apply to the College of Engineering, which is just as expensive as RPI. However, Cornell hosts a few state schools within it as well. Admissions for these state schools are less competitive and the price is much lower. You may want to look into those. </p>

4

<p>I have to mildly disagree with Alexandre. I’m familiar with both and I have a good friend with contacts among principal senior administrators at Cornell. It’s not an easy call but RPI is stronger than Cornell engineering, but not so much that it matters in your professional career.</p>

5

<p>By the way, admission to Cornell’s “land grant” units is HIGHLY competitive. The price is only lower because they the state Land Grant divisions of Cornell. That only adds to meager odds for admission. And New York State residents pay the same tuition at the rest, i.e. private, colleges/divisions at Cornell, just like any other student. For example, Cornell Engineering is not a Land Grant college. It’s private.</p>

6

<p>I agree that the admission to Cornell state schools is still highly competitive. However, the percent acceptance is approximately twice as high as the private colleges within Cornell. New York state residents have to pay the same tuition as everyone else, but the tuition for the state schools is cheaper than that of the private schools for everyone. </p>

7

<p>At least years ago, when I was paying attention, RPI had a great reputation within the engineering profession. It was highly regarded by engineering employers.
Not moreso than Cornell though. </p>

<p>Outside of engineeering, and overall, there is really no comparison, Cornell is a much better known institution. IMO.</p>

<p>Admissions stats for Cornell’s individual colleges are here:
<a href=“http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000003.pdf”>http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000003.pdf&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000176.pdf”>http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000176.pdf&lt;/a&gt; (you can compare COE midranges vs RPI, if you get RPI data)
<a href=“http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000177.pdf”>http://dpb.cornell.edu/documents/1000177.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Last I looked, the tuition discount to NYS residents attending one of its “contract colleges”
(which does not include COE) amounted to about $10,000 off the tuition paid by other students.</p>

8

<p>Acceptance School
19.48% CAL
16.01% AAP
15.48% A&S
20.55% CoE
27.27% Hotel
32.00% Human Ecology
23.98% ILR

Not true.
NY residents pay lower rate for land grant schools, out of state residents pay same tuition for both land grant and non-land grant schools.</p>

9

<p>@oldfort are you sure? I guess you might be right. I live in New York right by Cornell and we were always told that applying to the state schools was cheaper. I always assumed that was universal, but I guess our guidance counselors never specified. </p>

10

<p>For the freshmen class that enrolled last fall (so data that is already one year out of date), these were the acceptance rates by college. Total applications filed increased by 2200 from 2012 to '13 and (I believe) 3000 from '13 to this year. Male Engineering admit rate is below 11%. No other college within the university has that great of a discrepancy between male & female admit rates, but some of the smaller schools see multi-point swings from year to year, given their low enrollments. </p>

<p>@monydad–I think the ‘discount’ for NYS residents is $16K/year for those attending ILR, Ag or Hum Ec. I am not a NYS resident so I haven’t looked to see if this differential has been maintained for the coming year.</p>

<p>CAL: 14.8%
AAP: 16.9%
A&S: 15.2%
CoE: 15.1%
SHA: 26.4%
Hum Ec: 31.3%
ILR: 16.2%</p>

11

<p>Maybe I made a math error then. Or a recollection error.</p>

12

<p>I agree that the engineering school at Cornell would be virtually the same as the price of RIT. I’d give Cornell the edge both as an overall university and as an engineering school. </p>

13

<p>

</p>

<p>With regard to EE or CS, areas I’m intimately familiar with, this view is not widely held.</p>

<p>During my entire 30+ year professional career, Cornell has been the undisputed second best engineering school in the Northeast after MIT.</p>

14

<p>@monydad – the figure may have changed. The difference was only $4K in my day….</p>

15

<p>Thanks this helps a lot!</p>

16

<p>Discount for NYS residents for the contract colleges is $16,140.</p>

<p><a href=“Cost to Attend | Financial Aid”>http://www.finaid.cornell.edu/cost-attend&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;