Pre-engineering at UChicago

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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<p>I'm currently deciding between several colleges - three top-10 engineering schools, and UChicago. I'm very interested in high-tech as a career path (having already worked as a programmer professionally for some time), but probably as a business person more so than as a humble engineer. Nevertheless, I very much enjoy getting things to work and would like a technical education as a foundation for my future.</p>

<p>However, I'm also greatly in favor of a well-rounded, intellectual education, which UChicago is the best place to get; UChicago is also far and ahead the university with the best "fit" for me of those that accepted me, based on visits, talking with people, and reading.</p>

<p>So, my question is - would it be a reasonable path in my situation to attend UChicago as an undergraduate, almost certainly majoring in physics with math/econ on the side, and then go to graduate school for engineering? I have the brainpower (USAMO, perfect SAT) and will to succeed (at least right now :D), but I'm concerned about having the resources at UChicago to make use of - both class options and research opportunities that would prepare me for engineering graduate school, and extracurricular opportunities to keep up my engineering-related hobbies (so, machine/electronics shops, robotics/vehicle clubs, faculty that know something about those sorts of things, etc). It's important for my goals to go to an elite graduate school if I don't go to a top undergraduate engineering program, so I need to know that I'll have the opportunity at UChicago to set myself up for that. (Is there any data on how many UChicago grads go on to engineering schools, and which ones they attend?)</p>

<p>Also - if I go to UChicago and worst comes to worst, is it feasible to sophomore-transfer into an engineering program as a former physics major, and would I have a shot at top engineering schools in that case?</p>

<p>If anyone can give some input, it would be very helpful; May 1st is just around the corner. I'll also see if the admissions and physics departments can help; if anyone else is interested and I find something out, I'll try to keep the thread updated.</p>

<p>Thanks for the help.</p>

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<p>I am also interested in this topic.</p>

<p>I wonder if there is a way to collaborate with an engineering prof at another institute. One of the undergraduate researchers (Adam Anderson) profiled on UChicago’s physics [web</a> site](<a href=“http://physics.uchicago.edu/research/undergraduate/profiles.html]web”>http://physics.uchicago.edu/research/undergraduate/profiles.html) did an internship at University of Washington.</p>

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<p>If you are interested in working in the tech field as a business manager, rather than as an engineer, the best elite course is to go to the engineering undergrad, work a few years as an engineer to build a tech foundation, go get a spiffy MBA and then work on the business side of the industry. If you play your card well, you could even get the company pay for the MBA (that’s was the case for me). In many cases, you don’t even need MBA, but in such a case minimum MS in engineering degree or Ph.D. work out very well.</p>