<p>Our question is: How does Princeton engineering, with a student taking several more advanced math classes, compare with Olin engineering?</p>
<p>D is fortunate to get into both schools and thinks both are great. She plans on majoring in engineering, but not sure of the specific type. D loves math and is strong in this area. </p>
<p>If D were at Princeton, she would likely take a group of math courses beyond what is required for engineering students. Advanced placement credit for AP and post-AP math courses adds to this flexibility. It is possible, but not likely, that at Princeton D could end up majoring in math and taking as many engineering courses as she could rather than majoring in engineering. </p>
<p>At Olin, the ability to take such advanced math courses would be much more limited even considering cross-registration options at Wellesley. </p>
<p>D thought Candidates Weekend at Olin was great and very much enjoyed the hands on activities there and her weekend in general. While visiting Princeton D attended engineering and math classes and really liked these classes as well. </p>
<p>We realize that Olin is tuition free (we are Olin fans for this). Also, we realize that there are social differences between the schools, but D seems to enjoy both places. </p>
<p>If your daughter plans to work as an engineer, she should major in engineering and take as many math classes as she wants to. I don’t think that between Olin and Wellesley that she would run out of math classes to take, considering that Wellesley offers the following math courses: 3 analysis (real I and II, complex), 2 abstract algebra, 2 geometry (differential and Euclidean/non-Euclidean), partial differential equations, number theory, combinatorics, and topology. I double majored in engineering and math, and I didn’t even take all those courses. In addition, I would caution that just because someone enjoyed math and performed well in high school does not necessarily mean that they would also enjoy the more theoretical college courses, which are basically all the advanced courses I listed above except partial differential equations. Writing proofs is very different from solving word problems and crunching numbers and equations. So the bottom line is, I would not choose between Princeton and Olin based on their math courses.</p>
<p>Over the last 3 months I have looked at several colleges in details to apply to (next year). Having similar inetersets, I found a few schools that could satisfy my needs. Although, I will definitely apply to Princeton, at the moment, Olin is at the top of my list ( not just because of the cost.) I strongly recommend to you to look at the courses Olin offers before making your decision. Also, remember a student has only certain amount of time to take the courses he wants to. So, the question should be what is she willing to sacrifice. The impotant point is for undergrad-engineering, no place is better than Olin.</p>
<p>Olin students LOVE what they do. If she wants the engineering and/or the entrepreneurial bent, take Olin. Their students are stellar and they are taking grad schools and the workplace by storm. I have a mathy son who looked at Olin. He comes in with lots of post-AP math, and Olin told us he could do a double major in engineering, but for him, a fair bit of the math would be off-campus. The Dean of Faculty at Olin, Mike Moody, is a former math prof at Harvey Mudd – so there is no doubt that the math there is excellent. S ultimately decided that he didn’t want to do the major part of his math off-site, and he’s more theory than engineering. He really liked the place, though.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for their comments. As a clarification, our understanding is Princeton Engineering allows more room for non-engineering electives than Olin. The compromise would be taking less engineering courses at Princeton than at Olin. </p>
<p>Thus, we are trying to get a feel for what people think of Princeton with less engineering courses than Olin but a number of additional math courses. The additional Princeton courses might be in the Applied and Computational Math area.</p>
<p>Also, we would appreciate general thoughts on what people think of Princeton Engineering versus Olin Engineering.</p>
<p>Incidentally, we think all these Olin and Princeton kids are very smart. D feels fortunate to be accepted at these schools and have a choice.</p>
<p>I’m an Olin kid.
We have someone doing engineering with a concentration in math. He’s had to take a lot off campus, but from what I know is a pretty happy camper. I love getting off campus for classes mostly for the different perspectives it gives me. By the time I’ve graduated I’ll have taken a class at every college we have the option to cross register at.</p>
<p>My advice is to pick where she’d be happiest. If its Olin, then go for it. She can make what she wants work here.</p>
<p>Happydad,
Olin, hands down. Do not be fooled by the ivy league status of princeton. You’re kid will get a MUCH better engineering education at Olin. You have to trust me on this one…even though you don’t even know me. :D</p>
<p>The engineering courses that are required are dictated by the ABET accreditation, so you may find minor, not significant, differences from school to school. My D was accepted at Olin and she was concerned about the number of humanities courses she could take as she wants to be a well-rounded engineer. After discussing this with Olin staff we were assured that her desires could be accommodated, although it might require more effort on her part. They were very willing to work with her to construct an individualized program.</p>
<p>She was also accepted at Columbia where she found the Columbia core attractive.</p>
<p>After being accepted at Duke we asked about their flexibility and it was very much dependent on the department (Mech E was very rigid while Civ and Env E was willing to accommodate). </p>
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<p>Whether additional math courses will be beneficial depends on what your D wants to do once she completes her first degree. Soon the MS degree will be considered the first professional degree in engineering and graduate study in engineering will provide the opportunity for further studies in math.</p>
<p>I went to Olin. I had 3 good friends there that were obsessed with math. 2 majored in Electrical and Computer engineering; one did mechanical. I think all 3 took math classes at Wellesley. These were the kind of people that did BC Calc their Junior year of high school but they still found enough math to fill their time at Olin. One of them is a Masters student at Columbia’s Teacher college and has been accepted for her PhD. She plans to teach math at a liberal arts university.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about Princeton except its a good school. But I do that people at Olin who love math find a way. Some of my other friends into math also participated in the Putnam Math Competition as well as the MCM (The Mathematical Contest in Modeling) and even get an outstanding ranking in the MCM one year. I say this simply to show that your daughter would not be alone at Olin in her love for advanced math.</p>
<p>Princeton is the best school for Mathematics in the US. It is also an excellent engineering school. I would choose it over Olin without hesitation.</p>
<p>princeton opens a lot more doors than olin… who cares about the “superior engineering education” you get at olin… in the real world, it’s who you know, not what you know that matters.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, more people in general have heard of Princeton. Of course, the people who matter may have a higher likelihood of having heard of Olin, but…</p>
<p>First and foremost, your D should go where she will be happy and get what she wants out of her education. College isn’t a trade school; it’s about getting an education. If that leads to a rewarding career, great.</p>
<p>I think you need to look in to this issue more. If your daughter wants to take a lot of math, it’s a hard sell to pass up Princeton. If she wants to do engineering and study engineering, though, she will get plenty of the math she’s used to in an engineering curriculum.</p>
<p>I would go to Olin. What if your daughter decides she doesn’t want to be an engineer? She’ll be in a much better position if she is at a school which non-engineers have heard of.</p>
<p>I would go to Olin hands-down though I do agree Olin would be the best choice only if your daughter is 100% sure about becoming an engineer (an in the fields that Olin has, Olin doesn’t offer civil or materials engineering)</p>
<p>Oops. I actually meant that your daughter should go to Princeton. If she decides not to pursue engineering, she’ll be in a much stronger position. </p>
<p>I’d imagine big engineering firms have heard of Olin, but what if she wants to go to a company that hasn’t.</p>
<p>dont forget the top engineering students and top schools generally go to either finance or consulting. Statistics has it that MIT has around one third of kids going to finance and consulting every year, and they are generally the top students.
You probably dont have that option as avalible going to olin because most people in finance wont even know it.</p>
<p>^^ More than a few Olin students will tell you that it was the only engineering school to which they applied; they are attracted to the learning modality and amazing community and feel it will give them an ideal base for whatever direction they ultimately choose.</p>