<p>Their liberal arts programs are obviously very prestigious and top-notch, but what about engineering? I'd like to major in chemical engineering as an undergrad. </p>
<p>Honestly, I’d go elsewhere for engineering. But if you aren’t sure what you want to do, go to Harvard.</p>
<p>…
no… If you really want to study engineering, then don’t go to Harvard, the engineering program is not that good there.</p>
<p>MIT is just down the road…</p>
<p>@Ynotgo
I’m aware of that. </p>
<p>Harvard and MIT also allow cross-registering. If you go to MIT for engineering, you can still take some Harvard classes (or vice versa).</p>
<p>Have you researched: <a href=“Academics | Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Academics | Harvard SEAS”>http://www.seas.harvard.edu/academics/undergraduate</a>.</p>
<p>Harvard professors are very open to answering questions from prospective students. Why don’t you email someone at SEAS with a specific question.</p>
<p>FWIW:
</p>
<p>Harvard doesn’t even offer chemical engineering. You’d have to do chemistry or some other form of engineering </p>
i would say that while harvard isn’t known for its engineering program, it is an all around well known and high-achieving school. it’s definitely worth considering going if you get in. a lot of kids switch majors, so you’d have the freedom to do that and be sure that you’ll still get a good education. the research and networking opportunities are also outstanding.
Don’t go to Harvard for engineering. I don’t think the name recognition of Harvard will override its ‘not so good’ engineering program when you’re applying for a job.
If you’re sure that you like Chem E, apply to places with strong engineering programs: UC Berkeley, MIT, Caltech, Stanford, Georgia Tech etc.
Basically Harvard is not the best place for an aspiring engineer to be.
No
@madglav i think the way you should approach it is trying to strike a balance between a school that is good all around and ahas a good name and is a target in terms of recruiting for various different industries and a school that has a good engineering program. If you are good enough to get into harvard you will probably be good enough to have a shot to at least a few more schools that strikes a better balance between the two. Prime example of that is stanford. In most other departments is at least at the same level or half a notch below harvard and when it comes to engineering/tech it is light years ahead, plus you will be close to the amazing world of silicon valley. if you are looking for an ivy, princeton, penn, columbia have better engineering programs than Harvard and still a good name/ a lot of resources and each has its own advtanges to offset their less prestigious name compared to harvard. ( at princeton is the unparalleled quality of its undergraduate academics ( something harvard lacks a bit), at penn is the unparalleled recruiting opportunities- penn is the most targeted school, and at columbia is the location and the amazing reaourxes/opportunities that come with that. Of course cornell has a better engineering program than all of them , but tbh i would never really choose cornell over harvard no matter what ( or over princeton, yale, penn and columbia for that matter…)
Historically, Harvard hasn’t been know as a strong engineering school. This summer, however, Harvard engineering was the recipient of a 400 million dollar endowment by John Paulson.
If you want lasagna, why would you go to a chinese restaurant?
But if you can get a table at one of the greatest restaurants in the world, you might think twice before turning it down
Many rational people aren’t willing to pay full price for a fancy restaurant if they just want lasagna.
Employers who want chemical engineers aren’t going to be going to harvard to recruit them.
I would agree that if your ambition is to be employed as a chemical engineer and you have the academics to be admitted to Harvard, there is a very good chance that you would earn a full merit scholarship to any number of universities with accredited ChemE departments.
If, however, you feel that you may eventually want to work in a management or consulting capacity, I would think long and hard before turning down H, especially if you are from a lower to moderate income background (the FA at HYP is top notch)
Depends on whether you want to be a technical engineer or more of a manager, I think. I am sure there are Harvard grads at all the top chemical companies, but they probably aren’t all doing technical work.
MIT is #1 chem engineering school, if you can get in and want to go full technical maybe pursue a PhD.
Also, why chem E ? Do you actually want to work in the chemical industry or do you like chemistry or is it for potential for jobs ? Chem E is often process engineering …