My S (EE major) ‘27 has decided T20s are the best option to allow him flexibility, interdisciplinary study, and meet his interest in R&D. He currently has a special interest in computing and energy, though this can and will change. He wouldn’t mind a normal engineering job but is aiming to pursue a PhD and go into industry research. The NPCs agree these will likely offer the best value for him.
S prefers small class sizes, accessible faculty, and the ability to perform undergrad research without sacrificing elective offerings and clubs, though these are a lesser priority. Also wants good CS resources so he can develop this skill too.
S is comparing the following schools and would like to formally rank them in terms of EE quality so he can prioritize the most compatible.
UPenn, Columbia, JHU, Northwestern, Rice, USC (not a T20)
Likely to remove - Harvard, Duke (heavily considering), Vanderbilt, Yale
It would be helpful if anyone could chip in with their insight on the benefits and drawbacks of each school (and their EE program, if known).
He’s also applying to MIT, Stanford, Caltech, Cornell, Princeton, but these are his T5 and set in stone.