<p>Which one??? I'm "planning" to major in engineering of some sorts, and I got into NU's materials engineering program, which is supposedly one of the best in the nation. On the other hand, I like the small tight-knit aura that Dartmouth gives off... and honestly I'm not 100% sure that engineering's my thing yet. NU's not big, per se, but I can already see myself falling asleep in lectures with more than 100 people in them. Dartmouth allegedly has really good undergraduate teaching, and that trumps renowned professors who don't give a crap about you any day. If I go to NU, I might get myself stuck in a major I end up hating... whilst the liberal arts aspect of Dartmouth would let me switch pretty easily.
NU on the other hand has Chicago and civilization. And a great program in my intended major. So... help?</p>
<p>Your post reads as if you want Dartmouth. Don’t make the mistake of picking a school, Northwestern, based on a major that you may, but may not, be interested in. If you’re not passionate about engineering now, or simply aren’t as interested in it as you would like to be, you are bound to change your major.</p>
<p>My vote is for dartmouth.</p>
<p>Materials engineering? Northwestern hands down. Not only does NU have a higher-ranked materials engineering program but many of its graduates have good career prospects. The faculty are also phenomenal (I took a materials science course in my undergrad days). NU also has the quarter system which makes it easy for students to switch schools/majors. I did an interschool transfer without any difficulties. There are so many interdisciplinary majors to choose from that some students pursue a double-major.</p>
<p>Materials engineering at Northwestern is hard to turn down. One of the very best in the world. Great nanotech program supporting it. </p>
<p>As far as worrying about size of school, engineering will feel a lot smaller as a school within the school. And the new first year engineering curriculum (Engineering First) is pretty unique with a lot of very individualized, one on one, attention and a very hands on approach at the get go. It is a great and very popular program:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.mccormick.northwestern.ed…ective/efirst/%5B/url%5D”>http://www.mccormick.northwestern.ed…ective/efirst/</a></p>
<p>Engineering is not a “major” in the colloquial sense of that word … it is a completely separate pursuit than a broad letters and science education. Sure, students change majors within L&S all the time, but very few enter a school intent on being an engineer, and then switching to sociology or linguistics or history.</p>
<p>NU x 10.</p>
<p>Why not ask kids who are in the engineering program at Northwestern? You want to know:
- How big are the introductory classes?
- How well do you get to know your professors?
- What if I want to switch majors, then what?
- What classes do you take (then compare those to Dartmouth’s)
- Do you ever fall asleep in class?
- What’s the workload like?</p>
<p>My son currently goes to NU and his roommate is an engineering student. (He loves it there). Not sure how I can connect you two, but start with NU’s admissions and ask if you can talk to someone in their program.</p>
<p>Q: Which school instituted the first material science department in the world?</p>
<p>A: Northwestern. :)</p>
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<p>At least that doesn’t apply to material science & engineering at NU. The student/faculty ratio is 3:1 (there are more faculty than majors per class).<br>
<a href=“http://www.matsci.northwestern.edu/Mat_Sci_Open_House_2007.pdf[/url]”>Materials Science & Engineering | Northwestern Engineering;
<p>It has great reputation and industry connection; there are more co-op job openings than majors to fill them. It pretty much means you would be guaranteed a job.</p>
<p>Thanks guys for the insight. But if I’m also about 99% I want to go to grad school then would pursuing a really specific track in undergrad make it a bit redundant? And if I do end up liking it in undergrad then couldn’t I go somewhere with a great program for grad?</p>
<p>How will you “ending up liking it (mat sci?) in undergrad” if the school doesn’t have a department? By the way, you would not be stuck in any major at NU and you can switch easily within the engineering school or across arts & sci, engineering, or education. One of my friends dropped out of Integrated Science Program (in arts and sciences) and ended up doing econ, computer engineering, and co-op. The challenge at NU would be to pick what you want the most because NU offers an astonishing array of programs/courses for its size.</p>