<p>Deuxenfant, I would focus on Cal, Michigan and Northwestern. Duke and Penn are equally good overall as the schools mentioned above (not better as some people have suggested), but they simply do not have the Engineering programs that the three above have. Cal has a top 3 or 4 Engineering program, Michigan has a top 5 or 6 Engineering program and Northwestern hovers around #10 in Engineering. Penn and Duke are barelly ranked among the top 30, and that's thanks to their Biomedical Engineering programs.</p>
<p>If your son prefers a more intimate environment, Rice is a great enviroment. And if money is an issue, why look past Cal? </p>
<p>USC and Washington are good universities, but their Engineering programs are that that good. </p>
<p>If your son wishes to go into Biomedical Eingeering, I would say Duke should be his first choice, following by either Michigan, Northwestern, Penn or UCSD.</p>
<p>Thanks for your analysis, Alexandre. Can you tell me what you think about the engineering program at Rice? Is it better than Penn or Duke when it comes to the majors outside of Biomedical?</p>
<p>I would say in Electrical Engineering, Rice has an advantage. But the real advantage lies in the setup of the school of Engineering within the larger university. Rice has an environment more engineering-friendly than Duke or Penn. Also, Rice has a very intimate, LAC-style atmosphere. So if your son likes the LAC-type schools, Rice may be his best option. But personally, I think Cal, Michigan and Northwerstern are his best options.</p>
<p>I totally agree with Alexandre. In terms of reputation and strength of the engineering schools overall, Berkeley, Mich and Northwestern are your best options. It seems like your son hasn't really decided which engineering he wants to pursue; therefore it's probably a good idea to choose a school that is strong across most engineering disciplines. Schools like Penn/Rice/Duke are good at one or two departments but pretty mediocre in the rest. I personally switched from BME to ChemE and luckily NU is strong in both (and many others). NU is particularly committed and strong in real-world training; their well-established co-op program and unique "engineering first" curriculum reflect this philosophy. NU's top-10 econ and industrial engineering depts would be good options if your son decides to go there and wants to get into biz field. </p>
<p>I wouldn't say UMich is simply Berkeley + 20k and therefore should be ruled out immediately. It's an amazing school for engineering. I'd explore more and visit there before jumping to that conclusion.</p>
<p>"but all could change if he doesn't like engineering"</p>
<p>Seems to me like he should go to a school that is well-rounded, not just engineering focused. If he is apprehensive about engineering, there is a high probability that he won't like it and want to switch out. Did he express interest in any other fields? (Business, hard-sciences, social sciences?) I think you should also look at schools with great Plan-B options (if he decides to switch out), more so than specific rankings.</p>
<p>I was actually in your son's position last year. I applied to most engineering schools because I did well in math and sciences and my father (working for a semiconductor co) always pursuaded me to study engineering. I passed up Berkeley EECS, CMU SCS and Cornell to go to Penn's BME. I am nearing the end of my freshman year and I love it. Though I switched to CS, I am planning on dual-degreeing w/ Wharton, since business was always my passion anyway. Penn has a wealth of opportunities, and is not just one-sided. If I went to a hardcore engineering school, I know I wouldn't have been as happy. I think college visits should definately solidfy his decision.</p>
<p>Penn15, I agree that there must be provisions made for a potential plan B. Cal, Michigan and Northwestern are amazing accross the board. Cal and Michigan have top 3 or 4 undergraduate business programs. The three have top 20 programs in the Social Sciences, Humanities and hard sciences. And of course, they happen to be amazing in Engineering.</p>
<p>I would agree that Cal and Michigan are amazing across the board... for graduate schools. As far as UG is concerned, the high student:faculty ratio and the mere fact of being a state school is a deterrent. I understand that Engineering is a research-oriented field, but not many UG's are even allowed to partake in the ground-breaking research that gives schools like Cal or UMich their high rankings.</p>
<p>That is not correct Penn15. Cal and Michigan are not your typical state universities. Their resources and attention to undergraduate education match those at any other top 10 or top 15 research university. That is why they are rated among the top 10 or top 15 in undergraduate education by academics, graduate school adcoms and corporate recuiters.</p>
<p>Ehh, I go to Cal and there are quite a few undergrad research opportunities for engineers. I think there are two programs that specifically connect profs with undergrads. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab is right up the hills and takes a lot of kids (lots and lots of physics and engineering physics/math/stat people). I have quite a few friends who simply approached professors with, 'Hey! I read about your research group online and I think it's really cool... I've done this, this, and this... Any lab rat positions open?'</p>
<p>And I still don't get what the big deal about student faculty ratios is. The professors have office hours, you can schedule meetings with them, the doors are wide open. I guess it's more of an effort on the students' part, but it's really not that difficult... If it makes people feel any better, the College of Engineering has a better ratio than the rest of the school... =P</p>