<p>So far I always thought I'll go to UIUC... but this week I evaluate all my choices again, and I found RPI may be better in some aspect.</p>
<p>Here's what I thought:</p>
<p>UIUC:
1. Way better in Physics and Math
2. More prestigious
3. Probably could become in-state
4. My dad loves its EE curriculum more
5. I LOVE proficiency exams</p>
<p>RPI:
1. Small and may get more from professors (better quality)
2. Not too party</p>
<p>Can anyone give me some suggestions? It's only 10 days before UIUC's acceptance deadline...</p>
<p>If you’re only planning on minoring in math, rankings in that field really shouldn’t be an issue to you. That said, RPI’s top 20 at [applied</a> math](<a href=“http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/applied-mathematics-rankings]applied”>http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/applied-mathematics-rankings). It is the pure math that it lacks (are there even any professors working in that?).</p>
<p>Sorry for not giving sufficient details. I plan to minor in pure math especially analysis instead of applied math; that’s why the ranking of RPI really pulls me back…</p>
<p>I would argue that analysis falls in some grey area between pure and applied math. Unless you’re planning on going extremely deep in your minor, the relevant RPI courses would be Analysis I and Analysis II (I don’t know the exact names of the UIUC equivalents). The instructors for these tend to be Gregor Kovacic or Bruce Piper, both of whom I think are really good instructors.</p>
<p>That said, if you end up heading to UIUC, I’d strongly recommend taking the honors analysis courses. A friend of mine is now having some minor difficulties with his graduate (non-math) program because he opted to take the easier analysis track at Illinois, which didn’t provide enough background. The one-size-fits-all track at RPI seems, from my end, to have been plenty.</p>
<p>My son did EE, Applied Physics, and minor in music at RPI and has done well. I don’t know UIUC except it has a great reputation. Cost should be a factor if everything else is equal. RPI’s smaller size and ease of getting into research groups, etc. is a bonus for RPI. My son had great summer jobs each summer and is off to one of the top graduate schools next year, so RPI was great for him. He graduates in May.</p>