<p>Any thoughts on HMC versus CMU? One concern I have with HMC is that they offer a general engineering degree versus CMU where I would get a discipline specific degree like Mech E, EE, etc. Does this make a big difference in the job market?</p>
<p>HMC has the better climate, but I've heard the workload is high - maybe it's not higher than CMU but they seem to have more core math/science requirements. HMC seems to be more tight knit versus CMU as well.</p>
<p>Why have you narrowed down to these 2 schools if you don’t even know what type of Engineering you are studying? These are 2 of the most expensive schools I can think of- average- 60 K/ year</p>
<p>Are you selecting your schools based on the school than can give you the highest amount of debt or what? I am curious to find out what type of criteria you are using.</p>
<p>Are you planning on getting an advanced degree? I would not pay for my kid to attend Harvey Mudd to only get a general engineering degree.</p>
<p>These are the top choices of the schools I got into. I like schools that are not just techie-type schools, but also have strong humanities, and that’s what I like about both. </p>
<p>I’m thinking of Mech E if I were to specialize but I’m still open to Chem E and EE. I’m concerned that HMC is general engineering but don’t know if that’s a big deal or not.</p>
<p>I’d prefer to get a good job out of college, or if I got to grad school it has to be a RA (free).</p>
<p>HMU is tiny and has no graduates. CMU is over 10 times bigger and can have years where they have more graduate students than undergrads. You’d do your self a lot of good to visit both. They will be very different experiences.</p>
<p>M</p>
<p>Okay - so at CMU you will get into more depth in a specific discipline faster and take more electives in a major. So as a Mech E, I would be focusing on things like stress analysis, fluid mechanics, etc. </p>
<p>At HMC, you will take more breadth in math (linear algebra, prob and statistics, 2 diff eq courses, etc.) , science (2 semesters of chemistry, bio and lots of physics) and cross-discipline, so I would take circuit design, E&M devices, etc. even if I was planning to focus on mechanical engineering (and vice-versa for EE). I can see that’s a big trade-off.</p>
<p>Which is better from a post-grad employment perspective, more depth in one field, or more breadth across multiple disciplines and scences? Is it better to have more math/science or more electives in my major or does it not matter?</p>
<p>It all depends on what you want to do with your degree and what gap an employee is looking to fill. </p>
<p>If you wanted at CMU you could always take those extra classes which would be required at HMC. I believe math-wise you’d still be taking Diff Eq (with a little PDEs), statistics, and will probably get some linear algebra in your MechE courses anyway. You’d probably get a little less cross-disciplinary stuff unless you decided to go Mechatronics or some other concentration which takes on stuff from other engineering fields.</p>
<p>FlyMe to The Moon said: Are you planning on getting an advanced degree? I would not pay for my kid to attend Harvey Mudd to only get a general engineering degree. </p>
<p>I would disagree with that logic completely. HMC has a higher ratio of grads getting PhD than any school except Caltech. Moreover, the breadth of the program gives a much better chance of rising to a mangement level later in the career.</p>
<p>Hi there, I actually went to CMU for MechE and I know three people from work who went to HMC for general engineering (they have BS and are quite talented). I think both options will give you a great education; of course I will be biased towards CMU because I found great value in the ability to join a research lab, which eased me into grad school. CMU is a big research university, and has a lot to choose from. I could probably answer more specifics about the MechE program if you have any questions about it.</p>
<p>From an industry perspective, it is beneficial to have a lot of depth in a particular area that has high demand in industry. Being general is probably good for a more management or MBA route, but the people who really excel technically are the ones who have great depth in an important subject matter. That’s something you need to figure out as you start school, as it should mesh with what you truly like to do.</p>
<p>LakeClouds- where did you end up? HMC or CMU? How has it met your expectations thus far?</p>
<p>Have you visited HMU? I did with one of my kids and it came across as a very quirky, odd place. That combined in just a general engineering degree will give you quite a different experience from a “normal” engineering program. (I have never visited CMU, but I assume it fits the “normal” college mold).</p>
<p>It would seem to me that the choice is which one fits your personality and goals the best. So, if you haven’t visited HMU, I would before making that choice. It would also be a good idea to visit CMU also.</p>
<p>Can’t tell from posts where LakeClouds ended up. PapaChicken, you should send a PM to the OP, since this thread is several months old and the OP may not be checking any more. Agree that Mudd is not for everyone, but it may very well appeal to most engineering types. My kid is there and loves it… she has unusual interests, but I honestly would not describe her as “odd”. Just saying… it is kind of an insulting term.</p>
<p>Mudd is not for everybody…it’s all about fit. DS visited both Mudd (2x) and CMU and far preferred Mudd. He didn’t need the grad school research opportunities. He was far more interested in undergrad learning emphasis. He’s at Olin, another niche-fit school, similar to Mudd in many ways (but with half tuition scholarship for all students).</p>
<p>intparent: I didn’t mean to imply that the students were odd. It was just an odd, quirky feeling that we got walking around the campus. It was definitely different from all the other schools we visited.</p>
<p>Mudd did have an intense quirky/geeky (in a good way) vibe, but so do many STEM schools. </p>
<p>At first I was surprised that DS, and well-rounded IB student and avid musician, liked Mudd so much. He didn’t even notice that the dorms were a bit shabbier than other places. (Of course that probably had to do with the fact that they didn’t have a “model” room - the tour guide showed us his own room.) Most Mudders stay on campus all 4 years, so I assumed that would be an issue… but No.</p>
<p>This is a general observation, so take it how you will. </p>
<p>I am intimately familiar with CMU and their graduates, though I did not attend there. People attending school today need to have a clear direction of what they want to study and the implications due to the extremely high costs of higher education. As another poster mentioned CMU is very expensive. Some of their programs offer amazing opportunity and represent some of the best in the world. Others are quite average. For example, graduating from CMU in Computer Science, Robotics, or even some of their fine arts programs offers huge opportunities and you will be with some of the best minds in the world. Furthermore, careers in those fields will likely recoup your investment and make a nice living. Conversely a degree in Civil Engineering, Finance, Political Science, etc. from CMU would be a colossal waste of money, as you will invest much more money in your education and have no greater career potential than the guy next to you at work who graduated from a much cheaper state school. I feel the “I’ll figure it out when I get there” approach of the past is not an option for most students in this career climate. You could end up with big bills at the end with a career that makes paying them back while feeding yourself and keeping a roof over your head very difficult.</p>
<p>My son applied early decision II to Harvey Mudd. He currently has interview requests from Harvard, Columbia, UPenn, MIT. His scores are very high and he’s ranked number one at his school of 500 seniors. So the boy’s got options. I always dreamed he would go to some brand name college like Harvard, Princeton, Yale etc. When we went visiting colleges this Summer he said he felt like he was leaving home when we walked away from Mudd. That statement was confusing because Stanford is huge and gorgeous and Mudd has that boxy 50’s architecture that I just hate!(Not that looks matter). So my husband and I started researching Harvey Mudd. It has stat’s for earning you the highest salary upon graduation. (that is the objective of going to college) They have a clinic program as a Junior and Senior where a company like Gallo for example pays the school to come up with a research project. The company provides support and the students get hands on work experience that they can put down on their resumes when they graduate. It’s a small undergraduate school so you are not competing with graduates for research time. HM was declared the number 2 feeder school to the Silicon Valley (Did somebody say Google?) He can always go to a place like Stanford for graduate school if he so chooses. Bill Gates takes a student to lunch at HM! The HM president is on the board for Microsoft. ( She also seems like a very kind and cool person to know. I love that they admit 50% girls and 50% boys. The whole student body comprises 777 kids.It’s like Cheers! “You wanna place where everybody knows your name.” In summary where I expected my son to go is not near as good as where he has decided to go. I told you he was a smart kid!</p>
<p>rennaba, congratulations! I sent you a private message.</p>
<p>Mudd also has the advantage of Claremont Consortium. </p>
<p>DS was accepted to both schools. CMU seemed to have more traditional engineering program, like DH and I had studied. Mudd (and somewhat similar Olin) are more project-based. It’s all a matter of preference and fit.</p>