<p>Should I go to engineering powerhouse state schools like IL Or Purdue or Penn, Duke,CMU or Vandy for engineering undergrad?</p>
<p>Apply to all of them, decide out of the ones you’re actually accepted into.</p>
<p>Ok, your mix of choices will depend on other things, because if you could goto say…CMU or Illinois and take say computer science and not be in a bunch of debt…YOU DO IT! </p>
<p>Now for other circumstances?..You have to tell us.</p>
<p>It would help if you mention what type of engineering. Schools have their various strengths by dept. I don’t normally think of Duke, Penn, or vandy for engineering. Purdue, GaTech, VaTech (of course MIT), and certain others yes. CMU for anything computer or robotic.</p>
<p>Duke and UPenn are actually not that bad in engineering, ranking in the range of about 20-35 for undergraduate and graduate engineering in the country…</p>
<p>The main issue with IL and Purdue is their huge size. Just wondering if Liberal Arts schools with enginnering programs might offer more personal environment?
Already accepted to Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, IL and Purdue.</p>
<p>If you actually want to work as an engineer, your state flagships will be very strong in terms of recruiting. If you want to study engineering but work as something else, definitely opt for the selective privates.</p>
<p>Just as a note, large size is an asset for engineering programs more than liberal arts. Small programs are able to offer strong “core” engineering programs, but often fall short in offering opportunities to specialize. Since most emplyers and grad programs really want to use you in a specialized role, having that focus can really help you to get (and keep) a job or grad position. </p>
<p>As a personal example, I had a friend who went to a small engineering school and his entire curriculum was set in stone, as they really did not have the resources to offer electives - the jobs he was offered were systems engineering or engineering-related positions, rather than more prestigious and lucrative design engineering positions. Conversely, I specialized in my undergrad and was recruited specifically for design engineering. The only knowledge questions asked of me during interviews were based on my specialty coursework, to make sure that I was prepared. That friend and I met in a design department, which I was let into with an undergrad degree but which he had to get his masters before they wiould consider him.</p>