<p>I am currently deciding between a top Liberal arts college that has a non-accredited engineering program and a decent national university with a larger engineering college and ABET accreditation. I would be transferring as a sophomore. I've already been at the LAC for a year now, and I really like the small community/class sizes and professors, but am wondering if ABET accreditation is more of a factor. I know for a fact that I'll lose the smaller school sizes and close-knit feel, but I think I'd feel more secure and actually working towards a degree that will help me get a job or into graduate school. Thoughts?</p>
<p>What kind of jobs are graduates of your Liberal arts college getting with a non-accredited engineering degree? If the school is able to place their students in the types of jobs you are interested in, maybe it won’t matter to you. But, in general, I would guess you would have many more options coming from a well regarded, ABET accredited program. Most major engineering schools have great career services with many different companies coming to campus to recruit. Is the new school instate for you? Will you save money by transferring? Good luck with the decision.</p>
<p>If your aims are graduate school, ABET is not as important. A lot of employers prefer ABET-accredited degrees.</p>
<p>There are small ABET accredited schools too that have a close knit feel. Although my son ultimately chose Cal Poly, WPI was very much like that and has a strong emphasis on liberal arts even though it’s a tech school.</p>