<p>Hi. I am planning on pursuing a double major in Mechanical and Chemical Engineering, but if I had to choose one, I would choose to pursue a major in Mechanical Engineering and a minor (or a certificate like they have in Princeton) in Chemical Engineering. I would like to go to MIT for college, but I heard Princeton is better because it produces more well-rounded students whole MIT just produces "techies." I have also heard that MIT grads end up working for Princeton grads. I would like to know if any of this is true, and I would also like to know if it is a good idea to turn down MIT for undergrad and go to Princeton for that but then go to MIT for grad school. Please give me some much needed advice. </p>
<p>There are MIT and Princeton grads working for Western Michigan State grads. Not entirely sure I understand the question. Have you been accepted to both institutions? </p>
<p>These are very broad, and generalized statements. </p>
<p>There are graduates from both institutions that work for people who came from “lesser schools.” I’d imagine there are plenty of MIT and Princeton grads working for graduates from UIUC (which is ranked higher than Princeton for engineering). There are Princeton grads working for MIT grads, grads of both working for Stanford grads, grads from Princeton, Stanford, and MIT working for grads from Podunk University in the middle of nowhere…you get the idea. </p>
<p>Does MIT produce a lot of techies? Yes, but that’s because a lot of the students there are only interested in being techies. MIT produces a lot of very well rounded students too. </p>
<p>Don’t pick a school on the basis of which graduates work for what other graduates. Pick a school because it seems like a better fit for you. </p>
<p>Have you been accepted to both schools?</p>
<p>I wouldn’t bank on being able to get in for grad school. If you’ve been accepted to both, pick the one that’s a better fit for you as an undergrad, I wouldn’t worry about grad school yet. Choose the one you like most. You’ll be most successful at the school that’s a better fit for you, don’t worry about where some graduates do/don’t work.</p>
<p>If you haven’t been accepted yet, you’re counting your chickens before they hatch. Apply to both, both are great schools, both might reject you. Apply to other schools as well. Then come back to trying to choose between the two when you know if they’re even an option.</p>
<p>That’s a very good point. Nobody should bank on going to MIT or Princeton for grad school when they are not even yet an undergraduate student. Those schools are selective in undergraduate admissions. They’re even more selective in graduate admissions. They turn down perfect students all day long. Focus on finding the school that’s the right fit for you, and then focus on excelling there. You can worry about grad school when you get to that point. </p>
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<p>MIT’s general education requirements are quite extensive. You can compare them with Princeton’s:</p>
<p><a href=“Welcome! < MIT”>Welcome! < MIT;
<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/ua/sections/11/”>http://www.princeton.edu/ua/sections/11/</a></p>
<p>Thanks for the insight, but I would also like to know if the school you go to for undergrad maters more or the school you go to for grad matters more. I would like to go to Princeton not only because of who works for who but because I would like to be more well-rounded and would like to pursue some other small interests/certificates that don’t have to do all that much with engineering, but that isn’t so important to me. I have heard many people were able to go to Princeton for undergrad and MIT for grad, so I thought that would be a better option. Also, I hear MIT is SUPER stressful, and most people wouldn’t have that experience again. Plus, MIT prefers undergrads from there to attend different grad schools. Basically, is grad school or undergrad school more important?</p>
<p>Your graduate institution matters far more in the long run. </p>
<p>You seem to be stuck on these generalizations. “Students from Princeton can go to MIT for grad school.” Students from Podunk University in the middle of nowhere can go to MIT for grad school too. Some students that went to Princeton are unable to get into a good grad school. Some students that went to MIT are unable to get into a good grad school. It’s not as simple as where you went to school and what your GPA is. What you’ve actually -done- to show interest in your field is far more important. </p>
<p>MIT students are very well rounded. They have essentially the same GenEd core that any other school has. </p>
<p>I need some more replies please. I really appreciate everyone’s replies so far, but I would like some more information and some more perspectives. Thank you.</p>