WPI is a great school.

Harvey Mudd is another to check out but it’s super small.

Cornell engineering I have heard good things about.

Agreeing with the WPI and Colorado School of Mines poster (based on what I’ve heard).

Northeastern definitely on top of the list.

- Both emphasize on CS/Engineering, business, design, etc. but also well rounded to attract various types of students.

- Both in urban Boston area with modern looking campus

- Both highly ranked in retention which indicates student satisfaction/happiness
MIT: #1, NEU: #3

- Most innovative schools - https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/innovative
MIT: #3, NEU: #8

- Top Coop/Internship
MIT: #7, NEU: #1

Classes have a lot of group/teamwork oriented projects.
There are many students who had MIT as high reach on their college list.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hard to believe MIT is all that collaborative despite what impression you got on your tour.

This. MIT has been a lottery for decades. And “kind” is not an adjective ascribed to their students ever, I think.

Huh?? Ask a Boston cabby. No joke. Day 1 in Boston cabby says, "Ah you MIT kids are wicked smart and much nicer than the Harvard ones" lol.

I went to MIT and it was so hard we had to work together to survive. It was us against the institute. When I got stuck and needed help I ask the upperclassmen or friends that were genius in whatever class that was for help. At our sorority we also created course bibles to pass down and help others.

Is “nicer than Harvard kids” even a very high bar to meet? Honestly.

If you like MIT, there is a school next door called Harvard that you could consider if you are rejected from MIT.

There are plenty of SLACs that can teach STEM in a truly collaborative environment without the prestige pretensions.

Anonymous wrote:No - not Carnegie Mellon- coming from a cmu alum. Very competitive atmosphere in the stem fields, not at all collaborative. For kids who want to go to mit but can’t get in and have an attitude about it….

Definitely not CMU. Amazing school for the right person, but is not collaborative for STEM.

Note that if DC was in theatre or a different major I might have had a different opinion on CMU.

Swarthmore was p/f first semester freshman year.

MIT acceptance rate 2023 6.4%, CIT 6.4%, Rice 9%, Hopkins 11%, CMU 11%,

If you want a comparable school, CIT, Rice, CMU and Hopkins, first two more collaborative, last two more competitive.

No - not Carnegie Mellon- coming from a cmu alum. Very competitive atmosphere in the stem fields, not at all collaborative. For kids who want to go to mit but can’t get in and have an attitude about it….

Carnegie Mellon

Sounds a little like mine. Mine is female ENGR w/ arts passion.

Top choice was Brown -- very collaborative and great ratio (40% female in ENGR). Excellent in arts and humanities. Open curriculum. Excellent CS and biosciences, not as known for ENGR but great outcomes.

Also loved Olin (still top tier admit, but not as competitive to get in) -- small campus, very creative/communal/collaborative. They even have sewing machines in the library! Kids can take classes at Babson (next door) and Wellesley (down the road). Lounge-like classrooms. Feels like an awesome kindergarten room for college kids. Excellent outcomes. Has 50/50 gender ratio. One of the reasons my DD liked it. Also the fire twirling club!

Really Liked:
Lafayette -- more of an LAC but excellent engr dept. Lots of emphasis on collaboration and cross-discipline approach. More balanced campus (but not sure about STEM specifically)

Liked:
WPI -- also emphasizes collaboration and creativity. Encourages projects abroad that they have some grant support for. Medium sized student body and campus. Also one of the higher female percentages.

Lehigh: Pretty campus. Emphasis on collaboration. Guessing a little less balanced in ENGR than others, but overall school has good balance. Good outcomes.

You may also consider:
RIT -- also known for being collaborative, not as equal in ratio

U Rochester -- collaborative atmosphere. Open curriculum. I think better in balance than most.

Drexel -- also emphasizes collaboration. Has great coop options. Not as balanced gender ratio but not terrible.

Union -- emphasizes collaboration. Has more LAC feel, but still STEM focused. Not as even genderwise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hard to believe MIT is all that collaborative despite what impression you got on your tour.

This. MIT has been a lottery for decades. And “kind” is not an adjective ascribed to their students ever, I think.

Huh?? Ask a Boston cabby. No joke. Day 1 in Boston cabby says, "Ah you MIT kids are wicked smart and much nicer than the Harvard ones" lol.

I went to MIT and it was so hard we had to work together to survive. It was us against the institute. When I got stuck and needed help I ask the upperclassmen or friends that were genius in whatever class that was for help. At our sorority we also created course bibles to pass down and help others.

My experience (MIT PhD program) was the same. In one of the first-year classes, the homework was so tough that we formed groups to work together and figure it out. And some of my classmates already had advanced degrees from Europe or elsewhere. The atmosphere in the department was incredibly supportive.

Case Western, Purdue, Rice, Olin (but only if engineering is all they want), WA Univ