I originally intended to go to a larger city school far from home for ChE, but after getting wait listed to my #1 Northeastern, I am now faced with the task of picking an alternate school. As for Drexel, it has the city vibe I initially wanted, the coop program which allows me gain experience and earn money, and feels farther away from home than Villanova, which is more familiar and closer to my extended family. However, Villanova’s engineering program seems more tailored to the student than Drexel’s, especially with the different applicable minors. Plus, if I decide engineering is not for me, I feel like there are more opportunities there such as the Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience program. Nova has a more community-oriented atmosphere, which has its own charm, and not to mention, there is more prestige with a Villanova degree. The cost for either is relatively equal, which makes my decision even harder.
You can’t really go wrong with either school. Both have a lot of solid academic programs to fall back on if you don’t like engineering. Drexel does have an emphasis in helping even non engineers find co ops though, so that is always a plus. Not sure about Villanova. I think prestige really only matters if you are planning on attending graduate school, otherwise the prestige difference between Drexel and Villanova probably isn’t going to have too much of an affect on your long term career goals.
Villanova probably has a more community oriented atmosphere because it is the community, as in Villanova would be a totally different place if Villanova University wasn’t there. So if that is something you are looking for, you should go there. For Drexel, Philadelphia would be here regardless. The campus has pretty solid school spirit and does a lot of community out reach programs students can get involved in Western Philly and pursues a lot of practical research opportunities. But Drexel’s big thing is the co ops, so students are in an out of the campus every other quarter where Whereas Villanova, you are likely going to see more of your fellow students semester in and semester out.
In short, if you want to pursue co ops and still have a great college experience regardless of your academic study, go to Drexel. But if co ops are not a big thing for you and you don’t really care to be in a big city or not, Villanova is a great school and probably a better school for being at for four years straight.
Really different vibes as far as living at those two schools. Villanova is like what someone might imagine as a typical preppy school situated in a wealthy suburb. Drexel doesn’t even have much a grassy campus, high-rise dorms, and with the co-ops, there really is only one summer off, then, kids are on and off campus depending on their schedule. Drexel kids do often party at adjacent Penn, not to mention the other college nearby. Villanova kids usually stay on the Main Line.