Princeton Engineering over others?

<p>I wanted to do engineering at Princeton but I have no idea what kind of programs (engineering programs, curriculums) Princeton has.
Current students, or prospective students with good knowledge of Pton engineering department, please help me out!!
What's good about Pton's B.S.E? (I have tried researching on their website, but failed)
Also, I know you'd say that Stanford and Berkeley's engineerings are better but are there ANY reasons why you would choose Pton engineering over Stanford's and Berkeley's, other than financial issues? (I'm mainly applying cuz financial situdation's better in Pton than Stanford and Berkeley....and has a top notch[but not as good as Stanford and Berkeley] engineering education)
Please help me out, fellas!
Also, would it be a disadvantage for me to check E.E for my majors?
Thanks</p>

<p>If checking E.E. is a disadvantage... I'm in trouble. So please somebody reply. I don't think it is though. Actually, if you've taken like math & science SAT's I think you should go for it because you don't wanna compete with like history majors with those SAT II's.</p>

<p>One reason I'm planning on Princeton Engineering: Not second-rate & Not cut-throat. I'm sure it's tough and all, but I just don't know if I love math/science so much to give up (almost) everything else for it. I'm not sure about Berkeley, but I've heard that MIT is that intense. Berkeley is more famous for grad-school anyways. There ya go. Another reason. Undergrad focus.</p>

<p>thx orbit....anything other than undergrad focus?</p>

<p>Orbit_J...that is exactly why I want to major in Engineering at Princeton--not too cut-throat and undergrad-focused. :)</p>

<p>can you explain further what u mean by "cut-throat"? you mean like hardcore?
o also, you guys, why didn't you apply early to stanford which has always been one of the top three engineering schools?</p>

<p>Cut-throat means that the program is so competitive and hardcore that to be successful in it you have to be totally consumed by it. Yes, engineers traditionally have a notoriously heavy workload, but you don't need to kill yourself. And yes, Stanford may have a more respected engineering program, but much of its reputation stems from its graduate school (as do many of the other less undergrad-focused Ivys). I would rather spend my time at Princeton, getting an excellent education without killing myself for it.</p>

<p>I feel like being nosy but I have to ask you guys....
Is there any solid programs or curriculms that you can specifically name? Cus the BSE essay wants me to talk about why Pton engineering program fits me and I do not know where to find the evidences for what you guys are saying (laid back, not as cut-throat as MIT, Stanford, what not)...You know what I mean?</p>

<p>I don't think you can define a school's rigorousness by the curriculum because once it's a first-rate college, it's pretty much the same good solid curriculum. The only thing I can think of is the classroom atmosphere or school policy. But I don't have any concrete basis like that to back my assertion up. I really should be looking for specifics since I, too, need to write the B.S.E. essay. Nevertheless, my reasoning is this: MIT or Stanford is known for its engineering program, which will bring tons of aspiring engineering students, which will make the school full of freakin' smartass students, which will naturally make the school competitive to the point of cutthroat because, obviously, not everyone can get A's. But this doesn't mean Princeton's engineering program is far behind that of MIT or Stanford. Fame is a deceptive like that. Harvard has much more fame in foreign countries; however, Princeton is on par with Harvard. So yes. I will try to find the specifics.</p>

<p>

It completely depends upon you, you can talk about the program the interests you.. But to name a few good ones, operations research and financial engineeering (orfe) is pretty good and popular, so is chem e, mae (mech and aerospace),...these are the most popular ones at pton... and yeah about the pton engineering being less rigorous, i would say it might be as in you can do other stuff with it as well</p>

<p>Pton's undergraduate engineering program and Cornell's engineering program are the best in the ivy league and are only beaten by four schools outside the ivy league:</p>

<p>Berkeley, MIT, CAl-tech, stanford</p>

<p>ok so far: fame, focus on undergraduates, not as "cut-throat," better future (with better undergraduate experiences, and goin on to better graduate schools)....anything else? (o btw, can someone tell me what those "rumors," if you will, are about junior and senior "papers"? Also, what is the perceptorial system?)</p>

<p>Well, everyone has to do the junior and senior theses. I personally haven't heard rumors, so IDK I can't help you there. However, the preceptorial system is an aspect of Pton's education that is the same for all students, so it will help to diversify you as not JUST an engineer, and will give you a more balanced education. A good balance is also achieved by what adides mentioned, that you can take other courses other than engineering-specific ones. This may sound too liberal-artsy for some diehard engineers, but I think it is good to explore something outside of your major, just in case you end up falling in love with it. And at Princeton, you can rest assured that if you decide to take a class on just about anything it will be excellent.</p>

<p>is percept for all students including B.S.E?</p>

<p>Eternity_Hope,</p>

<p>You left out the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois and Georgia Tech are also ranked ahead of Cornell according to USNews. Tied with Cornell is the Purdu and Carnegie Mellon then at 11 is the University of Texas then Princeton at #12.</p>

<p>This does not count the undergrad only engineering programs, i.e. Harvey Mudd, All the Service academies and Rose Hulman.</p>

<p>Princeton is a great engineering school but it is not alone.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.thes.co.uk/statistics/international_comparisons/2005/top_100_tech.aspx%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.thes.co.uk/statistics/international_comparisons/2005/top_100_tech.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Byerly,</p>

<p>Thanks for the link but it requires a paid subscription (or a 14-day trial). Can you summarize what it says?</p>

<p>it's most likely some obscure ranking that places harvard engineering higher than the #31 it earns in u.s. news.</p>

<p>Hardly "obscure." The Times rankings are quite influential with respect to international applicants - moreso than USNews, I believe.</p>

<p>And it says . . . what? Without a summary it wil remain obscure to me. ;-)</p>

<p>A bit off topic, what I am trying to figure out is that Princeton says that they do not have undergraduate professional schools or at least play it down. They really focus on a "liberal arts education". But an engineering school is a professional school. I have never asked this question of an adcom but how do they reconcile that statement with the reality?</p>

<p>The argument changes, depending on what point they are trying to make. Often, the effort to differerentiate themselves from HYS leads to the "we have an unprecedentedundergraduate focus" refrain.</p>

<p>Then, when it suits their purpose, the Engineering School or the Woodrow Wilson School gets played up.</p>

<p>(I'll see if I can cut and paste the 2005 Times engineering + technical ranking.)</p>