engineering at a liberal arts college vs. engineering at a tech school

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>I am a senior in high school applying RD to Clarkson, RPI, SUNY Binghamton, Northeastern, Union, Lafayette, and Union. I am going to major in electrical engineering, and I would like to take as many classes as I can in signal processing because that is where my interests come from. I play electric bass guitar and I have become very interested in designing audio gear such as amplifiers, speakers, etc.</p>

<p>I am applying to two "tech schools," RPI and Clarkson. I am also applying to two "LACs" with strong, ABET-accredited engineering programs, Lafayette and Union. I would like to know the advantage of going to a LAC versus a tech school for an engineer and vice versa. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>not exactly sure if what I’m saying is correct but at LAC’s you’ll be required to take more classes outside of engineering, math, science (arts, humanities etc…), also at LAC’s you will have more stronger options should you choose not to pursue a technical career.</p>

3

<p>If you have very specialized interests, make sure that the programs you are looking at will accomodate them. Smaller schools may have more limited faculty.</p>

4

<p>A stark difference between “tech” schools and LACs is the male to female ratio. If you’re a girl, the phrase “the odds are good, but the goods are odd.”</p>

5

<p>“I am going to major in electrical engineering, and I would like to take as many classes as I can in signal processing because that is where my interests come from.”</p>

<p>harvey mudd has a very strong general engineer curriculum and the classes that you wish to take are called systems and signals engineering (STEMS). hmc has an extremely strong STEMS program that is as good or better than many masters programs at top engineering schools. each hmc engineer is required to take (in the field that you speak):</p>

<p>E59- intro to systems and signals
E80 - experimental engineering (incorporates STEMS concepts in labs)
E101 - advanced systems and signals
E102 - control theory</p>

<p>in addition, “grand daddy” STEMS is offered every other year.</p>

<p>between these classes and the required mathematics, the signal processing (analog and digital… both realtime and post processing) subject is very well covered.</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the opinions. Do you guys think it would be harder to get a job out of Lafayette or Union as opposed to RPI or Clarkson?</p>

7

<p>Lafayette College offers an internship program starting Junior year. Students spend a week with an alumni in their field of choice. This program is designed to help guide students in the myriad of directions they can take upon graduation as well as providing needed work experience. An internship may be repeated during Senior year with another alumni. In addition, on campus interviewing is strong at Lafayette in part due to its convenient location near Philadelphia and New York as well the excellence of its program. I hope this helps!</p>

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<p>Visit the career centers at all of the schools–find out how helpful and resourceful they might be w/regards to matching employers and sponsoring recruiters as well as help for students w/regards to interviewing tips, etc. Ultimately, the career center will be a big plus for you.</p>

9

<p>Personally, I would go to Lafayette. It is a small school that isn’t a tech school. It has a very solid engineering program which means that you should be able to get just as a good of a job there as opposed to a tech school (assuming similar grades of course)</p>

10

<p>At this point, Lafayette is my first chioce. I attented an open house yesterday and I was blown away by the oppurtunities available to undergrads, the quality of the professors, the campus, and the ABET-accredited electrical engineering department.</p>

11

<p>Just a question, will getting an engineering degree at a liberal arts school provide more opportunity to get into business field than does getting one at a tech school?</p>

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<p><<< not exactly sure if what I’m saying is correct but at LAC’s you’ll be required to take more classes outside of engineering, math, science (arts, humanities etc…), also at LAC’s you will have more stronger options should you choose not to pursue a technical career. >>></p>

<p>Pretty sure your wrong here. ABET accredited programs are required to take certain core engineering curriculum. For example, a normal scedule at Lafayette would have civil engineering majors taking an average of only one course per semester outside of engineering, math or the sciences: English Composition (freshman year), five humanities/social science electives, and two free (unrestricted) electives.</p>

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<p>@ OP</p>

<p>Here’s an article (linked on the LC website) that discusses the advantages of engineeing at a LAC:
<a href=“http://www.lafayette.edu/webdata/engineering/LiberalArtsEng.pdf[/url]”>http://www.lafayette.edu/webdata/engineering/LiberalArtsEng.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;