<p>Be careful when making a decision based upon the strength of an individual major at a school. An admissions officer told me that, nationally, 70% of college students change their majors.</p>
<p>Personal fit is critical. If you like the location and the school and the type of kids who go there, I would go to that school (pending money). You really will notice little difference in the quality and caliber of the engineering schools at Princeton and MIT, unless you don’t feel like you fit.</p>
<p>With a $25K difference, I wouldn’t even think twice about choosing Princeton, despite its weak (sarcasm intended) ranking for engineering. Princeton’s ME department will have far more offerings than you’ll be able to take advantage of in four years. If MIT meets Princeton’s price, then figure out which school will fit you better, and also think about what your options are at each school if you change your mind about your major. Then choose one of the two (or Cornell, if you like it).</p>
<p>PS: I indicated on my application form that chemistry was my number one preference for a major. I never took a chem course in college, and graduated with a degree in psychology. The number of engineers who graduated with degrees in philosophy or economics is endless, and they all wound up making somewhere between a good living and millions a year.</p>