<p>Hi. I got accepted to Tulane and RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) for their engineering programs. I will be majoring in Computer Engineering. Tulane gave my a financial aid award of about $20K. RPI's award letter says $33K, which I really like, and is much more than the aid from Tulane. But, which has a better program for engineering? Please help give some suggestions. Thank you.</p>
<p>RPI for engineering, not even close.</p>
<p>Yes, RPI is much better respected for engineering. The better price makes this a no-brainer unless there are other factors you haven’t shared.</p>
<p>@PCHope, what do you mean by “not even close”?</p>
<p>Actually, this should be a no brainer choice for engineering.</p>
<p>RPI has been a very good engineering school for many years, even better than the “old” Tulane in almost any measure. Furthermore, since Hurricane Katrina, the “new” Tulane has eliminated the majority of its engineering programs, including computer engineering, and is mediocre at best. </p>
<p>RPI, no brainer.</p>
<p>While I think the comments above are unduly harsh, Tulane’s computer science program is just getting back in gear, with the rebuilding in process and the major restarted. However, I don’t believe there is a computer enginnering major at this point.</p>
<p>I’d go to RPI for engineering and the fact that you got a good bit more money from them is a plus as well.</p>
<p>tulane gutted it’s engineering program. tulane should be used as a back up/safety school , unless you just want to party , your family has lot’s of cash and you want to major in social science just to get a degree … and have some lower tier professors then by all means keep tulane on your list!</p>
<p>Tulane’s dean if engineering has been named the chairman of the national society of engineering education <a href=“http://tulane.edu/news/releases/pr04102013.cfm[/url]”>http://tulane.edu/news/releases/pr04102013.cfm</a> Tulane has just built brand new facilites for engineering [Tulane</a> University - Dedication opens Flower Hall for innovative research](<a href=“http://tulane.edu/news/newwave/121212_flowerhall.cfm]Tulane”>http://tulane.edu/news/newwave/121212_flowerhall.cfm) Tulanes engineering department has been making excellent strides in its rebuilding of its department and has demonstrated this commmitment. The computer science major is rebuilding <a href=“http://tulane.edu/sse/news/engineering-alumnus-creates-endowment-for-new-computer-science-programs.cfm[/url]”>http://tulane.edu/sse/news/engineering-alumnus-creates-endowment-for-new-computer-science-programs.cfm</a> The engineering grads are doing well. One of last years grads is in grad school at Cal Tech. The insults about the program are unkind, rude, and unnecessary. That said, RPI is a tech school and if thats what you are looking for, its a better option for you.</p>
<p>The “insults” are not really insults because they are simply facts.</p>
<p>Those who have never set foot on the campus are merely making stuff up. If your are a scientist, provide a documented " fact" .</p>
<p>OK, let’s calm down. Aside from zobroward’s comments, which are just foolish and ignorant of Tulane’s quality as a university, all the rest are accurate. Tulane’s computer science is at the beginning of a major investment period, with new facilities, 3 new profs coming on board, and some interesting and innovative programs to coordinate the learning of CS with various areas of application, depending on one’s interests outside of the pure learning of CS. [Tulane</a> University - Department of Computer Science](<a href=“http://tulane.edu/sse/cs/]Tulane”>http://tulane.edu/sse/cs/)</p>
<p>Having said that, there is no question that RPI is very strong in this area, and given the implied lower cost of attendance to RPI (I say implied because the OP mentions what I assume are merit based awards that might not reflect the total amount of aid given) attending RPI would be a better choice based solely on those facts and assumptions.</p>
<p>However, there is a lot more to deciding where to go to school. Assuming that Tulane is still well within the realm of affordability for this family, we can take finances off the table. So any student has to consider other factors such as overall feel of a school. What if this student decides CS is not the right direction? This happens anywhere from 65-80% of the time. Does this student want to double major or explore other directions? Is a much “techier” overall atmosphere like RPI what they really want? Does the appeal of being in a city like New Orleans play a role?</p>
<p>These are indeed important questions, because college is a about a lot more than just your major. Tulane would certainly provide any student with a solid background in the subject, especially with the expanded department. For some students this will be fine, for others it will still be too limiting at this stage. It is a very individual thing for which we don’t have nearly enough information for this OP, and can only present reasonable and rational information for them to consider.</p>
<p>It’s unfortunate when people without information or data call something “mediocre at best” . There is no question that RPI’s computer engineering program is currently a more established and a tech school program is going to have a stronger program. Probably stronger than some of the engineering programs at top 20 schools. The disparaging comments about the school are without data or merit and completely unnecessary.</p>
<p>That’s true, I missed the “mediocre at best” comment, and of course running down any other school to try and make yours seem better is bush league. In Tulane’s case, as PCHope stated it, it is also unnecessary and quite a narrow view of what goes into a university education. But in the limited area of Computer Science, it will be a few years before Tulane will have a complete program. Talking about the rest of Tulane engineering when the topic was only CS was not only off topic, but wrongly stated. In the engineering areas Tulane retained, they have extremely good programs. If a student wants something Tulane doesn’t offer, then there is really nothing to talk about. I cannot understand the inclination to disparage just for the sake of it.</p>
<p>Let’s state some publicly available “facts” then:</p>
<ol>
<li>2012 USNEWS Undergraduate Engineering Ranking (in my view, the least academically relevant ranking, hence just used as a reference point):</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li><p>Tulane is NOT ranked among the top 76 engineering schools which award doctorate degrees (2012);</p></li>
<li><p>RIP is ranked 27th (2012).</p></li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>2013 USNEWS Graduate Engineering/CS Ranking (the same disclaimer applies):</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li><p>Tulane: 105 overall in engineering; 47 in biomedical engineering; 74 in chemical engineering; not ranked in computer science.</p></li>
<li><p>RPI: 38 overall in engineering; 39 in biomedical engineering; 22 in chemical engineering; (most other RPI engineering programs ranked in the 20-30); 47 in computer science)</p></li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>2010 NRC Doctorate Program Ranking (now, we are getting serious):</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li><p>Tulane: NOT ranked in computer science; BME: 68-72 in s-ranking (survey-based, out of 74 programs), 26-53 in r-ranking (regression-based); ChemE: 32-72 in s-ranking, 50-74 in r-ranking. </p></li>
<li><p>RPI: Computer Science: 46-82 in s-ranking, 52-93 in s-ranking; BME: 34-60 in s-ranking, 42-64 in r-ranking; ChemE: 12-39 in s-ranking, 23-42 in r-ranking; various rankings in other engineering fields. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>[NRC</a> Rankings Overview: Computer Sciences - Faculty - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“NRC Rankings Overview: Computer Sciences”>NRC Rankings Overview: Computer Sciences)</p>
<ol>
<li>Even before Katrina, for perspective only, Tulane’s engineering/CS programs were not highly ranked by NRC. In the previous NRC exercise (1995?), when Tulane had a full engineering/cs offerings, its rankings were ChemE (78/93), Civil (83/86), Electrical (126/126), Mechanical (88/110), and CS (101/107). </li>
</ol>
<p>[NRC</a> Rankings in Each of 41 Areas](<a href=“NRC Rankings in Each of 41 Areas”>NRC Rankings in Each of 41 Areas)</p>
<p>Even Tulane acknowledges on its website, regarding the previous NRC ranking, that "Tulane was in the middle of the comparison group in the number of programs ranked, but it had the largest number (24) and highest percentage of programs (100%) ranked in the third and fourth quartiles. </p>
<p>[Tulane</a> University - Research & Graduate Education](<a href=“http://tulane.edu/strategicplanning/graduate_education.cfm#national]Tulane”>http://tulane.edu/strategicplanning/graduate_education.cfm#national)</p>
<p>Anyone wants more facts?</p>
<p>(I do not have any personal or professional relationship with either RPI or Tulane.)</p>
<p>No one is claiming that. Tulane’s engineering program is still in a rebuilding stage, and that RPI’s programs are top notch. The baseless statements are those that insult the school and the students for no other reason than to take unnecessary potshots.</p>
<p>OP asked “which has a better program for engineering?”, and I was just stating some of the “facts” to help her/him to make a reasoned decision. The fact-based posts are neither baseless nor insulting to Tulane and its students.</p>
<p>Info about the programs is fine, though fallenchemists comment about thinking about the big picture (college location, other activities, etc) is worth consideration.</p>
<p>BTW, its RPI, not RIP. LOL. There is no ranking for Tulane’s Computer Science because there is not currently a major. It in the third year (IIRC) of the rebuilding and are working in concert with the math department.</p>