<p>Hi all. I'm an international student and I would be enrolling at Cornell Eng. School next year (deferred admission). </p>
<p>I need some advice as to which major I should take? Basically, I've narrowed down my choices to either ECE or ORIE. To be honest, my interest lies with ORIE as I'm more interested in something that has got more to do with business and finance. Besides, the work also sounds pretty interesting. </p>
<p>However, my dilemma lies in the fact that a degree in ECE (a "traditional" eng. major) would be more prestigious and deemed in higher regard as compared to ORIE. I've heard that ORIE is seen as an easier major which only students who cannot enroll in traditional engineering disciplines settle for. Other posts I've read on CC seem to agree on this and even my dad thinks so too.</p>
<p>Eventually, whether I read ECE or ORIE, I would like to take up a masters in financial engineering. Though Financial Engineering is a 'sub-branch' of ORIE, I heard the masters course is pretty acceptive of ECE grads as well due to the quantitative and intensive math background of its coursework.</p>
<p>Lastly, I wouldn't be working as a "traditional" engineer after I graduate so to speak. I am going to Cornell under a scholarship from the Singapore Airlines and would return to work in a general management trainee position. In that sense, it's not so much of the theoretical knowledge that's impt to me in my education but more of the other aspects of it, such as having an analytical mind, networking, building communication skills, broadening horizons etc. In this aspect, since ORIE is an engineering major that is more business-based, would it be more suitable?</p>
<p>Thank you all for your input in advance! =)</p>
<p>You don't have to affiliate until the end of your sophomore year. Plus, almost every course you will take your freshman year will be common among all engineers with few exceptions (ie, 2 semesters math, 2 semesters of a science, 2 writing seminars, gym, an ENGRI, and comp sci) so there won't be any "wasted" courses (or only very few) if you want to go a particular direction. You have time to decide.</p>
<p>But like towerpumpkin said, if you're in it only for the prestige, you're in it for the wrong reason. It's still Cornell Engineering :)</p>
<p>Ok. Thanks alot everyone! Honestly, my original intention was to read ECE. Not so much about the prestige actually.. as what LaptopLover said, Cornell's engineering school is already gd as it is. I wanted sometime more math and programming based in any case cos that's what I like. I'm probably very ignorant but I didn't even know about ORIE until I saw it under the engineering majors at Cornell and thought I'd check it out. The course of study turned out to be pretty interesting! In any case, I'm ultimately interested in Financial Engineering and that happens to fall under the department of ORIE. Hmm.. We'll just have to see how it goes then. Thanks again for your replies! :)</p>
<p>Sure, ORIE majors take **** from their friends ("fake engineers") but it's a very well respected degree outside of Cornell (and within beyond the hardcore engineers jokingly making fun of it). Go for it.</p>
<p>go for the major you're interested in...not the one that you view as more prestigious. You will have a much better overall experience if you're actually interested in what you study.</p>
<p>Plus, ECE is prestigious, but rigorous. The program is most managable to those who really like to study ECE...if you're there just because you think it's more prestigous, it's probably not going to be very fun.</p>
<p>Also, ORIE is not any less prestigious anyway...anything in Cornell Engineering is pretty well regarded.</p>