Bit about me:
-Interested in engineering.
-Would like to have a versatile degree and want to either work in finance, tech, or a mixture of both.
I applied ED to Cornell’s College of Engineering - I’m interested in their Operations Research and/or Information Science, Systems & Technology majors (anyone know anything about these?). However, I still have time to withdraw and possibly apply ED1 to Harvey Mudd, where I’m a recruit. At Mudd I’d do either Engineering or the CS/Math joint major. Cost is not a factor.
I like the different engineering options at Cornell, the option to transfer to a different college (Dyson, CALS, etc.) in case I don’t like engineering and the wide alumni network (both in NYC and Silicon Valley – how is Silicon Valley placement from Cornell?). On the other hand, Harvey Mudd is more guaranteed, better for engineering in Silicon Valley (?) and has nice weather, though doesn’t offer as much flexibility / versatility in terms of working in finance and/or NYC. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?
Would appreciate any advice, as I only have 2 days left to decide! Thanks.
@CCThunderfin - The lack of response points out the problem with your request… there are so many variables involved that it’s hard for people that don’t know you to advise you. I recommend going to parents, and trusted teacher(s) / GC at your HS. Good Luck.
@nugraddad, thanks, but GC wasn’t helpful, said I had a decent shot at Cornell and that’s it. He’s away at a conference right now, too.
@Chardo I’m Canadian. The couple of specialized engineering majors that I referred to, opportunity to swim D1, wide alumni network and general prestige. Not Cornell, but I’ve been to Mudd.
You bumped after 13 minutes in the middle of the night!?!
No one can answer this for you BTW. They both have strengths and weaknesses, as do ALL schools. Only you can assess if they align with YOUR interests or not.
As far as comparing schools goes, it would be tough to pick two that were more different on so many levels.
Do you want the flexibility of Cornell or the intensity of Mudd? Mudd is MITesque in a way, drinking from a fire hose. I’d choose Cornell for finance possibilities but I know MIT grads on Wall Street so maybe Mudd would be fine as a top tech school. You’re ED to Cornell without a visit???
Not sure about this, but it’s possible that if you go to Harvey Mudd and decide not to do engineering, you could transfer to one of the other Claremont colleges. Or at least take classes and possibly choose a major from the other college? Look into it. My friend’s son went to Harvey Mudd. Sounded more like CalTech (very male) than MIT, but same general idea. The kid is now a finance wiz in Chicago, by the way.
@gearmom Yeah, MIT is a Wall Street target but due to geographic reasons Mudd isn’t. I do agree it’s a top tech school. Yeah, I ED’ed there because ED provides a big advantage over RD. I’ve seen videos and photos of the campus online, looks fine to me.
@rocket88 Transferring between colleges is very difficult, though I do agree I could major off campus. Yeah, I do think quants to hedge funds or prop trading firms can come from Mudd, but I’m not sure my math is that good / if I’m qualified for those jobs.
Do you want to swim in college and at what level? This is a huge difference between the two schools. You are not guarranteed a spot at Cornell right? Also, Ivy league swimming is at a much higher level (with larger time commitment) than Mudd.
Are these the only two schools you’re considering? Who else is in the list? The reason I ask is that nether school has a great reputation for providing ultimate student experiences. Both have the reputation of being a grind. Couple that with sports and it seems like a poor mix.
It’s odd that these are the two schools because they couldn’t be more different. Mudd is tiny, urban, without a graduate program, mostly male, warm, near the ocean. Cornell is large (when it comes to engineering class size), rural, freezing cold in the winter, with a large, diverse student body.
@stemmm I would like to try to swim in college, at least for 1 year. Obviously I’d be more obligated to at Mudd. Cornell is D1, but it’s not a powerhouse so I don’t personally think that it’ll be much more time consuming than Mudd. Haven’t met their coach, but mostly like the Mudd coach.
@eyemgh Yeah, these are the only schools I can apply to since I applied last year as a senior (I’m on a gap year) and didn’t get admitted to several of my “top” universities. I understand they’re pretty different, but they’re my only options. I also have the option of U of Toronto for Chemical Engineering, but its similar in terms of student experience and it’s even bigger / more cut throat.
@gearmom Yes, Mudd is more “guaranteed” than Cornell. I do have the University of Toronto to fall back on, but I’d much rather end up in the States for personal and professional reasons. The only drawback with Mudd is that I’m not 100% sure I want to do engineering, whereas Cornell has CALS, AEM etc. to transfer into. I do know I want to do something related more to STEM, though.
@CCThunderfin , you do know that Mudd and Claremont McKenna share the same swim team, right? And if you are female, you can try Scripps as well. If you are not sure you’ll be an engineer, you have the option to apply to CMC. Most athletes are in CMC anyway, since Mudd has such a heavy workload and it doesn’t support athletes.
We’ve visited both Cornell and Mudd. Completely different environment. If you are from Canada, the cold winter of Cornell probably doesn’t bother you. But will the 100 degree Spring/Fall in Claremont bother you? Some dorm rooms don’t have air conditioning.
@CCThunderfin You do not have to be an engineer as a profession. If you can get through the course load, engineering is a fantastic bachelors degree for many professions.