WPI vs. UMass Lowell: Mechanical Engineering

College Search & Selection
1

So I’ve been accepted by both of the aforementioned schools and I’m struggling with the decision. I’m yet to receive my financial aid packages, which will obviously be impactful, but I’d like to at least make some headway prior to their arrival.

I’ve received a merit based scholarship from both places, WPI’s being relatively substantial. I’m yet to apply for additional scholarships but will be doing so soon.

I’ve been accepted into the Honors College at Lowell, but I don’t know how useful that will be in job placement.

From the research I’ve done, WPI seems to be superior in the education, curriculum structure, networking, opportunities abroad, community, job placement, and graduate starting salaries.

The elephant in the room, however, is the significantly steeper cost.

Are these benefits of WPI worth the money? Truth be told, I’m not overly concerned about the debt due to the (general) high pay of the field I’ve chosen (mechanical engineering) but obviously, the return on investment will change.

I also plan to attend graduate school, but not directly after undergrad.

2

It depends on how much you are talking. Yes WPI is an excellent program. Umass Lowell has always had engineering chops though. If it’s reasonable and you like it more - WPI would be great. But what is reasonable and what is reasonable in the eyes of a young student isn’t always the same when the bills come due in a few years. FWIW.

3

U mass Lowell has one of the better wind energy research center, and composite materials center in
the Boston area–
https://www.uml.edu/engineering/mechanical/

Composite materials are used as structural materials in airplanes and other parts.
NASA Huminoid Robots are at U Mass Lowell.
They have a research program on baseball equipment!

I like U Mass Lowell’s materials science program better, and that does overlap with mechanical engineering
https://www.uml.edu/research/cam/
Plastics engineering at Lowell is A+
https://www.uml.edu/engineering/plastics/
https://www.uml.edu/research/cam/staff/

Lowell has a much better electronic materials faculty and program.

WPI is focused on metallurgy and very small for materials science.

I would go with Lowell because their mechanical engineering co op plan is also good and closer in to Boston, for better job options, even part time work could be done while at Lowell.

https://www.uml.edu/engineering/mechanical/co-op.aspx

There are about 840 undergraduates in mechanical engineering at Lowell, so you will have larger class sizes
but its not so big that you will get lost.

WPI is small, and they do not do as much research work, if that interests you at all, and they will also ask you to take many more humanities and social science classes than Lowell will. That could be a good idea, to learn to read and write at a college level, but you have to decide how much flexibility you prefer.

The research is somewhat better at U Mass Lowell than WPI, in quite a few areas that are mechanical engineering related.

And undergraduates can get involved in structural dynamical modeling, better laboratories in materials science,
and Lowell has quadrupled the size of mechanical engineering in the last ten years.

Tour both campuses once you get your financial packages and see which one seems best for you.
Be sure to arrange to meet with mechanical engineering faculty at each campus. Call and ask to meet
them, or go directly to the mechanical engineering headquarters and talk to people there.

4

Read this about Wind Energy Research at U Mass Lowell
https://www.uml.edu/research/wind-energy/

There are no faculty at WPI that understand or study wind energy, if thats interests you, pick Lowell.
Be sure to visit the wind farm!

5

At WPI, check out Assistant Professor David J. Olinger under Energy Science and Engineering @ https://www.wpi.edu/people/faculty/olinger. Wind energy is his thing.

Check out Materials & Manufacturing researching faculty including National Academy of Engineering (USA), and National Materials Advancement Award @ https://www.wpi.edu/academics/departments/mechanical-engineering/research This is actually a focus area.