Starting a STEM Career (help me pick a college)

Parents Forum
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<p>Hello parents! </p>

<p>Like every other kid on CC right now, I am trying to decide which university to spend the next 4 years at. I have started a couple threads on this topic, but although current/recently graduated students can give a synopsis of their 4 year experience, I am hoping to get advice from people who can offer a longer-term perspective on which of these schools will be the best foundation for my career.</p>

<p>I'll start out with some goals. I am undecided on my major right now, but am positive it will be in STEM. I put physics on my application, but that could easily change. I plan to go to graduate school and earn a PhD directly after college.</p>

<p>Thus far, I have had an atypical high school experience for someone with STEM aspirations. For ~5 years, I have been devoted to an athletic pursuit, and am not scholarly or intellectual in the least. Suffice it to say that I have had nightmares about interviewers asking what books I read. I do not plan to continue participating in this activity, and I need a school that will "convert" me into an academic.</p>

<p>Here are the schools:
Cornell<a href="college%20of%20engineering">/b</a>
**MIT
Stanford</p>

<p>I am going to visit all three for the first time this month, but so far I think I have gained a cursory understanding of their differences.</p>

<p>Stanford is the school I'm currently leaning towards. I feel like out of all three, I will have by far the best time at Stanford. The student body is incredibly diverse and I am confident that I will be able to find students I can relate to, from day 1. Their powerhouse athletic teams and well-rounded departments seem like they will provide the quintessential college experience, which appeals to me. However, it is rumored to be easier than the other two, and to have grade inflation. Also, it is on the quarter system which would allow me to take many more classes and sample more of my interests. I am worried that Stanford will not prepare me as well.</p>

<p>MIT had been my dream school for a long time. I know the most about this school, and there are certainly awesome things about it like IAP and the Pass/No Record first semester. However, my largest misgiving is in the student body. From our interactions thus far, I feel out of place with the other students, most of whom have extensive knowledge in their prospective major and are already involved with STEM projects outside of the classroom. In 4 years, I want to be a good fit for MIT. I just don't think I'm there right now.</p>

<p>Cornell I honestly don't know that much about except that it is gorgeous, and in the middle of nowhere.</p>

<p>Big factors for me:</p>

<p>- Research Opportunities/Internships
I know that MIT has the UROP program, and am confident that I will be able to find a position requiring little/no prior experience. I am not as sure about Stanford and Cornell. Location also plays into this, Silicon valley is often touted as a huge asset to Stanford but I'm not sure how beneficial it will be to me. Computer science does not interest me and neither do startups, so it would be very helpful if someone could speak to the differences of Boston vs. Silicon Valley for internship opportunities.</p>

<p>- Professor Accessibility
Stanford is apparently notorious for having little undergraduate focus. Are MIT and Cornell any better?</p>

<p>- Rigor
MIT is selling itself as providing a totally unique experience. It prides itself on collaboration and the unmatched difficulty of its classes. This is maybe the biggest issue for me - will MIT give me a superior education to Stanford and Cornell?</p>

<p>Thank you for reading this behemoth, I appreciate any and all advice!</p>

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<p>This sounds like a dangerous proposition.</p>

<p>What do you mean by saying you are “not intellectual”? Is it just because you didn’t have STEM EC’s in high school?</p>

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<p>What prevents you from doing both your academic pursuits and athletic activities?</p>

<p>Even [url=<a href=“http://www.mitathletics.com/landing/index]MIT[/url”>Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Official Athletics Website]MIT[/url</a>] competes against other colleges in sports. Stanford and Cornell compete in NCAA Division I.</p>

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<p>It is not a sport that has a team or club on any campus in the world. I have been extensively involved (about 30 hours/week for 5 years) and can no longer continue performing at the level I have been without compromising my college work. I have reached the highest level of achievement in this activity, and there is no opportunity to make a living off it. I am ready to move on and focus on my future.</p>

<p>

How so?</p>

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<p>I edited my post…</p>

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<p>

I have not had any academic ECs, I don’t read outside of class (or in class, when I can help it), I don’t follow politics, I don’t go to museums or art exhibits or libraries, I don’t play chess or piano or do math competitions. Most of my high school classmates think I am an idiot, to put it bluntly.</p>

<p>At this point, you’re wondering how 3 selective schools could all make the same mistake in admitting me. :p</p>

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<p>^^^
Oh no. Don’t say that. Someone will start another thread about that subject. :)</p>

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<p>I am kind of baffled - if your only EC was the sport that no college would recruit you for, and you are not into academics or have any other EC’s, how in the heck did you get accepted to those three schools!!!???</p>

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<p>OP,
I think you are being too modest. Three terrific schools do not make mistakes.</p>

<p>I don’t recall where you live. Getting to and from college can be a hassle, especially at Cornell, unless you live nearby. Since we live in SE, I was happy for the worm to apply to colleges that were a direct flight. Have you visited? These colleges are all good, but different atmospheres.</p>

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<p>For some reason, I think your major interest in recent years was probably some type of martial arts – which is an interesting and challenging pursuit, but not something that you would be recruited for. But I’m just guessing.</p>

<p>Despite your focus on your outside activity, you must have done something right academically. Stanford and MIT are two of the most selective colleges in the country. Cornell is a little less so, but the College of Engineering is the most selective school within the university and very highly ranked.</p>

<p>I think you might want to spend a little more time learning about Cornell. You might be more comfortable there than at Stanford or MIT because the student body is very varied, and not everyone prefers intellectual pursuits. If you go to Cornell, you don’t need to “convert” yourself into anything (although if you stay in the College of Engineering, you will need to work very hard). </p>

<p>And if you do well, at the end of your four years, there will be plenty of good job or graduate school opportunities. One of my kids graduated from Cornell two years ago (not in a STEM field), and she and her friends did very well finding jobs, despite the terrible economy at the time. Those who were from the College of Engineering had particularly good opportunities.</p>

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<p>Also, do you have any idea what type of STEM career you’re interested in? Every school has its own particularly strong departments.</p>

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<p>Just to clarify - I don’t want to continue this activity. I am trying to move on. The reason I am leaning towards Stanford is that if Shawn Johnson can fit in, I’m prettyyyyy sure I’ll be alright. Also, I have like a 1/1000 chance of rooming with Shawn Johnson.</p>

<p>I think I may want to try physics or mechanical engineering? Not really sure. But definitely not Computer Science or Course 6/EECS at MIT, which is sort of unfortunate because that’s all I hear about with MIT and Stanford (especially Stanford with Silicon Valley).</p>

<p>I really do need to start reading more about Cornell. I’ll get on that.</p>

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<p>bump 10char</p>

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<p>I think the weather at Stanford will be an advantage, especially if athletics are important to you. I would caution at trying to remake yourself completely. Acknowledge what is important to you and how you can do what is important to you for the rest of your life. I don’t mean to say that if your athletic pursuit is golfing that you must always golf. But rather look at why golfing is important, do you enjoy being outdoors? How can you incorporate that in your college life and your complete life?</p>

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<p>If you are not sure of major, check how difficult it is to change majors. Cornell is divided into divisions (e.g. College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering), so check on the difficulty of transferring between divisions.</p>

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<p>At Cornell, transferring out of Engineering into Arts and Sciences (the destination for a physics major) would not be difficult. </p>

<p>It’s doing it the other way around that’s hard because Engineering has a much more structured curriculum than Arts and Sciences.</p>

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<p>One point: Cornell is not going to be easier than Stanford, as one poster suggested. If anything, it is the reverse.</p>

<p>For Mech E. or physics, I think any of the schools will prepare you adequately. I know less about Stanford Mech. E. The one danger is that it is geared toward premeds, that is, watered down. I heard this complaint about the chem E. major at Stanford. My guess is that it is fine though.</p>

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<p>To add to this post, I don’t think you actually have to transfer in the literal sense. That is, if you are admitted, you have access to all majors. </p>

<p>First years science majors are likely to take similar classes as engineering majors, so moving from one to the other should not be a big deal.</p>

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<p>Actually, no. If you want to transfer between schools at Cornell, there is a formal transfer process. </p>

<p>[Office</a> of Internal Transfer](<a href=“http://internaltransfer.cornell.edu/]Office”>http://internaltransfer.cornell.edu/)</p>

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<p>Much of the college experience is based on peers. Visit all three as you mentioned, and hang out with the students and where they congregate. Every one of these schools is similar, yet each has its own culture. Listen and converse, ask yourself, who would you like to hang with?</p>