Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

Where would you go for engineering, Cornell or MIT, and why?

By Cru (Cru) on Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 12:08 pm: Edit

Wow... That's hard...
The thing is...
I heard that social life is nonexistent at MIT.
Cornell is Ok. Plus, it's an Ivy...
If I could get accepted to MIT for graduate, then I'll definiteliy go to Cornell undergrad.
If I get accepted for both school for undergrad, and if I can't get in to MIT graduate, then I'll probably go to MIT undergrad...
And, I find it very difficult to turn down a world-class school like MIT.
But the thing is, if I can get in to MIT grad, then I wouldn't want to go to MIT under grad. I don't want to be at the same school for 8-10 years. Another thing is that my acceptance for MIT grad is not gauranteed...
This is a very hard question.
Anyway, I didn't apply to MIT...
I applied to Cornell.
So, I shouldn't be worring about this stuff.

By Bob on Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 01:46 pm: Edit

Something weird is going on here, and in the previous Ga Tech vs Cornell post. Ga Tech takes a beating because, though engineering is excellent, life there is "horrible" and "nasty." Now we learn that "social life in nonexistent at MIT." And yet MIT is not trashed. Why? What does MIT have over Ga Tech, such that MIT competes favorably against Cornell, while Cornell wins pretty easily over Ga Tech?

Is there perhaps a northern/ivy bias?

By MIT-student on Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 04:54 pm: Edit

MIT social life IS existent. I would rank it as 1st or 2nd among party schools in boston. It has over 30 fraternities, so you're guaranteed a few parties every weekend. Students also spend a lot of time in boston at clubs and in other places.

You should try visiting a school before you rule it out on stereotype alone

By mitrocks on Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 08:59 pm: Edit

"such that MIT competes favorably against Cornell"

MIT is a better school than Cornell, no doubt about it. MIT definitely has social life; but one might not like MIT if he/she is not doing science or engineering. But if he/she is not doing science or engineering, why the hell is he/she even considering (or being accepted by) MIT?

"What does MIT have over Ga Tech"
More money, more prestige, more research, more selective, more diverse, more fun (Boston/Cambridge), etc...

By Jim on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 10:03 am: Edit

One might choose Cornell over MIT for engineering, even tho' MIT is better for engineering. Why? Because Cornell is certainly good for engineering AND there is more to college than simply academics and life AFTER college.

Question: What are the advantages (if any) of doing engineering at a Tech school (like MIT or Ga Tech), rather than doing it at a non-Tech school (like Cornell or Michigan)? Is ACADEMIC (not cultural) homogeneity a good thing, or not?

By Cru (Cru) on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 10:27 am: Edit

This is what I think...
I guess it is OK if you think you should go to Cornell instead of MIT. Although, MIT has a better engineering program(best in the world), I really don't think that it matters that much in undergraduate. What REALLY MATTERS is the graduate school. I think it would be better if you go to GA TECh instead of Cornell for grad. It would definitely be better if you could go to MIT. But, for undergraduate school? I don't think it's bad to go to a liberal arts school like Cornell(You can go to a tech school after that)

By Sara on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 07:49 pm: Edit

I would definitely choose Cornell over MIT for engineering undergrad for various reasons (many of which are demonstrated above).

First, Cornell is a university, whereas MIT is a technical institute, so you will have more opportunities to "round out" your education at Cornell...there are 7 undergraduate colleges at Cornell and over 4000 courses from which to choose.

Second, the food at Cornell is ranked in the top 3 among all colleges in the US ;) This may be a small point to note, but hey...you need to eat at college, so why not eat good food?

Third, Cornell is one of the 8 Ivy League schools, and this carries a lot of weight later on if you apply to grad schools or any jobs (then again, the MIT name has just as much prestige).

Fourth, Cornell has incredible libraries and a beautiful campus. Small things like this can make the college experience more enjoyable. They also have a Division I nationally ranked hockey team that makes for an exciting extracurricular diversion.

Anyway, take it from me...I started out at MIT and then transferred to Cornell, and I loved my time there. It has opened just as many doors, career-wise, for me as my old friends at MIT, so I don't think you'll end up being farther ahead as an MIT grad just because MIT is ranked as the #1 engineering school. In fact, several of my friends from Cornell, MIT, and Stanford (engineering grads) all started with the same starting salaries. Each of the schools is highly respected in industry and by grad schools, so you can't go wrong with any as far as that goes.

Essentially, it comes down to what type of college experience you want to have. Having seen both MIT and Cornell, I would recommend Cornell for engineering.

Good luck with your decision.

By Cru (Cru) on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 08:54 pm: Edit

Hey Sara...
Thanks for all those stuff...
My first choice is Cornell... However, I always envied all those people who go to MIT... Guess I shouldn't be from now on? Anyway, you're explanation just made me love Cornell a lot more.

By mitrocks on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 10:07 pm: Edit

Don't forget that at MIT you can take any class at Harvard, and vise versa... Harvard & MIT roll into one; nice, isn't it?

By Me12345 (Me12345) on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 10:43 pm: Edit

Wow Sara thanks a lot for that information. I actually got into Cornell engineering early decision, and will be attending next fall. For a while, I kind of resented that Cornell isn't as prestigious as MIT in engineering, and now I am glad that I am going to Cornell and not MIT (who deferred me anyway, which I consider to mean "brace yourself for rejection"). Although I do not plan my life 5 years in advance, I already think I want to go to MIT for grad school (which supposedly is what really counts). From your experience at Cornell, did you know a lot of Cornell engineers who went to MIT for grad school? I can imagine there would be plenty, but I want to be reassured. Thanks a lot.

By Me12345 (Me12345) on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 11:51 pm: Edit

Hey Sara, I just thought of another question. What made you decide to leave MIT and come to Cornell?

By bump on Saturday, January 11, 2003 - 03:33 pm: Edit

bump

By bump on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 05:45 pm: Edit

bump

By bump on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 10:22 pm: Edit

bump

By sara? on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 09:35 pm: Edit

Sara?

By R206 on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 05:55 am: Edit

I'm an MIT grad, so I'm biased, but:

You want to be at a school that you are comfortable with. I'm sure Cornell's engineering curiculum teaches you just as much as MIT's. You'll be just as prepared for your job if you go into industry.

MIT is an engineering school, but also has one of the world's top programs in Economics, Architecture, and other fields. The Sloan school of Management (part of MIT) is considered a top 10 business school.

I think MIT's value comes more from the name recognition and the connections. As someone who started a company out of MIT, I have to say that from an entrepreneurial standpoint, MIT gives you access to so many resources, capital, expertise, etc. The same it true for many non-entrepreneurial interests as well. It's these extras that are the real value of the school. The alumni network rivals Harvard Business School's. It also looks better than Cornell on your grad school applications (which although probably unfair, is a reality).

If you're looking to do a Masters program in Engineering, MIT also has a 5 year program (which can be done in 4 years if you take extra classes or have a lot of AP credit) where you get your Bachelors and Masters simultaneously.

Even if you don't like MIT's social scene (which is different than one might expect), MIT is located in Boston, which is an awesome college town and there are so many other colleges in the area that you can party at, they don't lock you on campus at night.

That said, you really can't go wrong with Cornell or MIT. They're both excellent schools.