Hi! I hope I can get some advices from here!! Everything helps!!!
I am currently a sophomore student at Drexel University, Philadelphia. Environmental engineering.
I got admitted for UIUC for civil engineering. It is great program but I don’t quite sure about the 30,000 people campus and midwest location. When I asked people around here, nobody actually know much about it, even people work in engineering field. But it seems to have a wider reputation and a better ranking. Ranking for Engineering College: 5. Ranking for Civil Engineering: 1 or 2.
On another hand, I think I have a really big chance to get in Lehigh(Still waiting for decision), which is my dream school. It has great environmental engineering program. Smaller 5000 people campus and location close to Philadelphia. I like it because it is one of the universities that have great engineering and small campus, which means more personal education and I can know a lot of people since it is not that big.
I want to directly go to work for one or two years after graduation and then may go to graduate school or may just keep working. Not really a research person. People actually told me nobody cares about where you go to school after you got your first job. LOL.
Personally I prefer Lehigh and it will make me feel kind of special to go there.(More selective admission) And I get to build personal relationships with professor since there are only 100 or less environmental engineering student over there. Even though UIUC is big and may make me feel overwhelmed but it seems have better academic program, more famous (bigger school). It is hard decision and it will be next two years of my life…
Any opinion, experience and help is appreciated!!!
Thanks!