<p>I’m a prospective undecided Engineering major and I’ve been accepted into Cornell, UPenn, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern’s engineering schools. But my dilemma is that each school offers different things and I cannot decide for the love of God at which one I want to spend my four years. </p>
<p>UC Berkeley seems my first choice in terms of Engineering School (especially since I’m undecided right now), but does the school hold a high name value as do the Ivy schools? And I hear UC Berkeley’s weeding out process is intense in the engineering classes. Can someone expand on this?</p>
<p>Cornell is one of the Ivy League schools and is ranked pretty high in Engineering. But I hear the surrounding of Cornell is very boring and it takes a several hours just to get to Boston or Philadelphia or where ever. </p>
<p>Northwestern offers the best living environment due to its closeness to Chicago, but also its distance from it gives the best of both worlds. The McCormick offers a great program also but not as good as Cornell or Cal. </p>
<p>University of Pennsylvania is probably the school with most prestige out of all the schools I was accepted. But their engineering program is well behind the other three, but the life at Penn seems exciting enough. </p>
<p>I’m also interested in attending graduate school after I receive my bachelor’s degree in some engineering. I guess my important factors in choosing my school is 1. the engineering program 2. college life and 3. presitge/out of college opportunities. Any insight into this will help. Thanks!</p>
<p>Personally I’d pick Penn for a balance of a great school and a great college environment. Do well there and go to a serious engneering grad school.</p>
<p>I’d pick based on the school’s reputation overall but more importantly where you think you’d enjoy 4 years. The small town of Ithaca is worlds away from the Bay area, for example (to say nothing of differences in climate!). At Cal you’ll meet mostly fellow CA residents, the Ivy’s draw big from the East coast.</p>
<p>As for rep of the undergrad engineering program, all of them are ABET acredited so you take the same courses no matter where you go. The 2 elite programs in the country (Caltech, MIT) are going to push far past the required curriculum, but among schools in the same tier employers don’t prefer one over the other.</p>
<p>I think all of these schools are for different people in terms of personality. What’s your personality like. I personality would pick Northwestern. I don’t like the fact that Berkeley is so overcrowded, and frankly who knows if you’ll graduate in 4 years.</p>
<p>That is a difficult choice. But all 4 schools are equally reputable and prestigious and all 4 schools can provide you with an equally fun and balanced 4 undergraduate years. I would go for fit. Do not wory about the rankings or what epople here say. Go for what your instincts tell you.</p>