Hi all, I just had a brief question about two of the colleges I am considering. I plan to study Engineering in college and I am trying to decide between my top two choices, Purdue and Northeastern. On the academic end, I like Purdue because of how reputable its Engineering program is, and how it is always ranked in the top ten in Engineering. On the other hand, I really like Northeastern academically because it has a great co-op program, and establishes great connections between students and their future employers, however, the engineering college is not as, but still somewhat prestigious; it usually ranks anywhere from the high 50s to the low 30s. In terms of rankings, does this variation really make a difference, and if so, how much? Also, do either school’s Honors Colleges make any more of a difference in my outcome?
“On the other hand, I really like Northeastern academically because it has a great co-op program, and establishes great connections between students and their future employers”
Purdue is just as good as NEU in this regard. In general, co-ops at engineering schools are moot since virtually all of them have ver developed career placement offices and programs.
Overall, NEU and Purdue are both excellent, albeit in very different ways. But when it comes to Engineering specifically, Purdue is significantly better…and unless NEU hands you a large FA package or scholarship, much cheaper as well.
College ranking doesn’t matter as much for engineering as for other fields. Ignoring cost, you should make the decision based on which school you feel is a better fit. Don’t pick Purdue simply because it’s ranked higher if you don’t think you’d be comfortable there.
I agree with both of the above. Don’t choose Purdue because of the ranking and if you are interested in a Coop, Purdue has an excellent Professional Practices office. They do not require a coop, however, so it may require more careful attention to your schedule. Purdue has 3 term and 5 term coops and internship opportunities for engineering. The nice thing is you don’t need to make that decision just yet. Just apply to both and continue to gather information.