Traditional Big School vs. Small Engineering School

College Search & Selection
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<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>I've posted about two weeks ago on basically the same thing I will be saying below. There is, however, just one reply so far. So here I am again, taking on this journey to search for suggestions. </p>

<p>First of all, I'm deciding between UMich and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - RPI. Very different schools, I know. Yet, both are very, very strong in engineering and making me having a hard time choosing the home of my future four years.</p>

<p>While I am educated as an American, I've lived overseas for all my life. I understand that my final choice should really be made based on "fit." That, I know perfectly, for I've always been headstrong, stubborn kid that oftentimes does things my own way.</p>

<p>I digress. My point is that, I really need help, or stories if you will, on what are the most striking differences between a big school and a small school; or more specifically if you can, between UMich and RPI.</p>

<p>Moreover, I'm also in UWash and NYU-Poly. I have yet to received fin. aid from them, so I am less likely to attend them. Still, speak for them if you will.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>UMich has the prestige, RPI doesn’t. RPI is hardly known outside of Northeast whereas Michigan is known everywhere. However, both are excellent schools for engineering. If you end up changing your major out of engineering, then RPI would be a bad choice. This is the main reason I recommend UMich and also because of their alumni network.</p>

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<p>I’m in a similar situation currently; I’m between UMich and Lehigh. Both are great for engineering, but UMich has an excellent reputation worldwide, while Lehigh (and, similarly, RPI) are not known too well outside of the Northeast. The main reason I’m holding onto Lehigh is for proximity (it’s only 1.5 hours away while UMich is about 10) and size.</p>

<p>Many current Michigan students say that the massive size of the school rarely impacts them negatively. They say that class sizes are fairly small usually, excluding the obviously large intro lecture classes. Reaching out to a professor may be a bit more difficult, but there will be more students and groups to seek help from if it becomes a problem. On the positive side, there are many perks for large schools, such as many more available activities and a massive alumni network. Another thing you have to take note of is gender ratios: UMich is about 50/50 while RPI is a sausage-fest.</p>

<p>I don’t know what kind of financial position these schools would put you in, or how far they are from where you currently live, but if I were you, I would pick Michigan. I think that, when typing all this out, I’ve pretty much made my decision as well.</p>

<p>Side note: I wouldn’t really consider UWash or NYU if I were you. Both are very expensive (I might be mixing up UWash with GWU but I’m too lazy to check) and neither has a very good engineering reputation.</p>

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<p>Hey vgfanatic2, </p>

<p>Thanks for your insight! Well, as I’ve indicated actually, I am living overseas right now; and while I am an American I’ve actually never lived in the States for long - have only stayed in New York (where I was born and where my dad had lived for 15 years) during summers and winters. </p>

<p>Anyways, so distance isn’t an issue. Moreover, with my financial status actually, I got more than half of the full tuition (with room and board included) off for the next year for both UMich and Rensselaer, which again only makes it harder for me to make the decision.</p>

<p>My dad is actually leaning quite a bit toward RPI actually, for its quite excellent career center. If you visit the [a href="<a href="Home | Career and Professional Development]site[/a</a>], you’d see that their reports are very detailed and it certainly seems like the school prepares its students from the engineering job market well. That’s also true from what I heard personally when I toured as well as while I talked to other people affiliated with RPI.</p>

<p>Yet, like you said, as well as being a young, wild kid, I look to college as a time to, well sort of, get out there and explore, and reach out, and have crazy fun. So yes, personally I would pick UMich over the other schools. But for the long run I do not want to sacrifice my future after college just because of the fun I would have.</p>

<p>I mean, I’m totally sure that with UMich’s reputation and education I will not be less prepared for jobs if I work hard. Nonetheless, I am just very curious to how much more does RPI may prepare me to be? Or even broader, how do a small school’s potentially smaller sizes, easier connections to professors, better setting for studying ('cause of the boring environment… Lol?!)… etc. really help me become stronger academically?</p>

<p>I guess I’m more welcomed to personal stories, anecdotes of how it feels being in a small, or a big, school. But hey vgfanatic2 I still appreciate your reaffirmation on my understanding of UMich. I hope you the best luck and the best mind picking what best fits you! If we do have the fate, maybe I’ll see you next year!</p>

<p>p.s. I meant, University of Washington in Seattle, which actually has a very strong engineering program. It was given 3.7/5 by US News last year for its undergraduate engineering program, the same score Columbia’s, UCLA’s, and UCSD’s engineering departments got. But I have yet received aids from there, even though I may certainly do. Anyways, I’m still more set for UMich though… just thought it’d be a great experience for its social scene that accompanies the top-notch engineering courses!</p>