VT worth higher cost?
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Anonymous
If you mean how they're ranked, here you go: Virginia Tech - 14 Case Western - 42 RIT - 57 Drexel - 64 WPI - 64 https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/engineering-doctorate?schoolName=Virginia+Tech&myCollege=engineering-doctorate&_sort=rank&_sortDirection=asc |
Anonymous
Yes, I guess I’m asking whether the ranking/reputation is worth the extra money. I’ve read on here that prestige maybe isn’t as important for engineering? If DC likes Va Tech and WPI equally, is the “better ranking” of Va Tech worth the extra money? |
Anonymous
| Personally, I would seriously consider WPI. It is private, smaller and probably has better resource. Even though both VT and WPI are test optional, WPI has higher average SAT. I agree that for engineering, what you know during the interview is more important than the school. |
Anonymous
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"between VT, Case Western, Drexel, RIT and WPI", VT is ranked high and known nationally for engineering in general, in top 5 for industrial engineering and top 12 for mechanical and aerospace engineering. Case western is known for biomedical engineering and Healthcare research related, but ranks low for mechanical engineering, like 40th to 50th.
UMD is better ranked for computer science, but that’s about it. UMD is low energy and student body lacks bonding, large segment are commuters, and even MD residents get confused between Baltimore and College Park campuses. The further west one goes out of state, like Midwest, west coast, etc., many know or heard of Virginia tech or UVA, but these other universities will need a lengthy introduction. |
Anonymous
We did not apply to UMD. We live adjacent to College Park, so I completely understand why DC didn’t want to go there. What are the parent groups? Are they on Facebook? |
Anonymous
Disagree. No matter the rankings, people tend to be more familiar with local universities. Unless you're working somewhere extra snobby. I work at a company with thousands of engineers in the Midwest. VT is known and respected but because people from VA are rarely interested in moving to our metro, a VT degree has no extra prestige or pull here. Sometimes there is contract work with specific VT professors, but that's true of other schools as well. Many of our engineers are educated locally or in immediately surrounding states. There's no need for locals to leave to get good in-region jobs. There are specific schools that are best if you want to leave the region. |
Anonymous
| VT is the highest ranked for engineering and seems like the most fun campus environment. Does your DC care about football/basketball games, etc.? |
Anonymous
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If you would like to compare these schools by post-graduation opportunities, this analysis provides a Career Outcomes column:
College & University Rankings in 2026 https://share.google/D50IyRsOabSGS4JoV RPI, at 52nd nationally, placed higher than Virginia Tech, at 61st, for example. |
Anonymous
+1 I feel like VT offers the best student experience overall and has a solid reputation with loyal alumni network. But the other schools are great options too, so congrats to your student on having such outstanding possibilities. |
Anonymous
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My son went to VT for engineering. Had a good experience. Got a great job. We are in Connecticut. I know WPI well.
In my opinion, there is a benefit to school size in engineering. Usually means more research, more electives, more alumni, etc. Size is a benefit of VT. I'm a big fan of Virginia Tech: beautiful campus, relatively low cost of living, great school spirit, good career placement, top 20 engineering. However, your student has to be ok with Virginia Tech being in a rural area. To answer your question -- I don't know that a VT engineering degree is worth more than the other programs you named. Prestige is less important in engineering than in other fields ... unless you're at MIT, Stanford, Berkeley and a few other schools and even then I'm not sure it matters. I advise that your student decide based on which school they like best. If they are excited about VT, I think it is worth the extra money, but more because your student wants to be there, than from the program being significantly better than the other schools you listed. Academically for engineering, I would rank VT first, then Case Western and WPI, then Drexel and RIT. I have a friend whose son went to Case Western for engineering. Solid program. Does your student want to be in Cleveland? WPI is a good program. Worcester is OK. Their curriculum has 2 major projects; one junior year and one senior year. I know lots of WPI graduates that have done well. RIT is cold in Rochester and I think leans more toward engineering technology than engineering but that may have changed. I don't know Drexel. Think they may have Co-op. |
Anonymous
OP has made clear UMD is not on the table. Read and answer the question presented. “DC is deciding between VT, Case Western, Drexel, RIT and WPI.” |
Anonymous
I live in MD no OP and None of my kids wanted to go to UMD. It is 13th grade. Meaning so much of kids HS goes there and so close to house and does not have a college town campus all three refused to attend. As they said I want to go away to school not go up the block. My one kid is in VT now and likes it a lot. Her UMD friends from HS has visited twice already as VT has a lot of Frat parties, the Football games the bars for 18 years olds to go to. It is more fun. Not that is a reason to pick a college but in the mind of a 18 year old that is a big part. |
Anonymous
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I would probably pick between VT and Case. Both are good schools. Don't think the outcomes will be different. Your child will prefer one or the other.
Neighbor is an engineering student at Case and likes it. He was not interested in flagships so he may be different than your child. |
Anonymous
VT isn’t worth $40,000-$60,000 more. |
Anonymous
USNWR can be an input, but for engineering, I think salary information will tell you more about what employers think of engineering graduates of these schools. You can get that on College Scorecard. |