Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 16:11     Subject: Re:USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:A largely pointless rating system. It's literally all how all the other schools vote.

Hence why majority are large schools (save mit/caltech)

Missing so many great smaller schools because of this. Also a lot of "you vote for us at c and we will vote for you at y" I bet


Because these schools have great programs and our great research Universities on top of it all. These top schools get millions of dollars for research that are changing lives. No BIG research $$$ is flowing into these smaller schooler you say are not on the list and there is a reason for that. Call me crazy, but I would rather be at a school that has these huge research dollars flow in because that creates a wonderful learning platform. There is a reason for these rankings.



True

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careersandeducation/georgia-tech-is-teaching-other-universities-a-fundraising-lesson/ar-AA1LuafW
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2023/01/02/the-top-20-american-universities-for-r-and-d-funding-in-engineering/
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 16:05     Subject: Re:USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:A largely pointless rating system. It's literally all how all the other schools vote.

Hence why majority are large schools (save mit/caltech)

Missing so many great smaller schools because of this. Also a lot of "you vote for us at c and we will vote for you at y" I bet


Because these schools have great programs and our great research Universities on top of it all. These top schools get millions of dollars for research that are changing lives. No BIG research $$$ is flowing into these smaller schooler you say are not on the list and there is a reason for that. Call me crazy, but I would rather be at a school that has these huge research dollars flow in because that creates a wonderful learning platform. There is a reason for these rankings.

Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 15:51     Subject: Re:USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
A largely pointless rating system. It's literally all how all the other schools vote.

Hence why majority are large schools (save mit/caltech)

Missing so many great smaller schools because of this. Also a lot of "you vote for us at c and we will vote for you at y" I bet
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 15:30     Subject: USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question …
Is it harder to get into Wisconsin for engineering than to get into Harvard engineering?
Harder to get into Purdue engineering than Columbia gnegineering?
I just find it really challenging to built a “target” or “reach” list for engineering schools. I don’t really have a sense of how hard it is to get into those top 30 engineering schools.

It's significantly harder to get into Harvard or Columbia for engineering than Purdue or Wisconsin, simply because the Ivy League schools are more selective overall. However, most of the top 30 public engineering schools, like Purdue and Wisconsin are accessible to strong students. My current freshman was accepted at several of the Big 10 engineering schools but wouldn't have had a shot at an Ivy.



+1



Fact is you don’t go to T10 schools to do engineering… you can dabble a bit in it. In the hierarchy of things , engineering is not up there. It makes for a very good life - if u are a good engineer - but that’s it. I speak as an engineer (immigrated in the early 90s)


If you are an "engineer" . The world is your oyster with an engineering degree especially from one of those top schools. You can do so many things as far as careers that don't involve actually being "just" an engineer.


I agree with this. You can do so many exciting things with an engineering degree. Pretty sure the engineers at SpaceX are feeling very accomplished doing “just engineering.”

But getting an engineering degree from one of the traditional “elite” schools opens so many doors that maybe aren’t available to the Purdue grads. Finance and consulting are recruiting heavily among engineering students at the top 20 or so schools.

Because those students are always bright and disciplined and very good at solving real world problems. And it takes more than a high SAT score to get into a T20 school. And those soft skills translate.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 15:06     Subject: Re:USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:wait wait hold tf up:

UNC Chapel Hill is ranked 50th for engineering?? Tied with Rutgers, Tufts, UDel, Arizona, Iowa State, and Clemson?

They don't have an engineering program. the only ABET program is a joint program with NC State -- where all of the engineering coursework happens in Raleigh lol

I feel that this tells us something about how seriously we should take these rankings (but damn I'd hate to be Rutgers or Clemson here! ouch)

Never scrolled down to 50 to see that. Yeah, not good.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 15:04     Subject: USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question …
Is it harder to get into Wisconsin for engineering than to get into Harvard engineering?
Harder to get into Purdue engineering than Columbia gnegineering?
I just find it really challenging to built a “target” or “reach” list for engineering schools. I don’t really have a sense of how hard it is to get into those top 30 engineering schools.

It's significantly harder to get into Harvard or Columbia for engineering than Purdue or Wisconsin, simply because the Ivy League schools are more selective overall. However, most of the top 30 public engineering schools, like Purdue and Wisconsin are accessible to strong students. My current freshman was accepted at several of the Big 10 engineering schools but wouldn't have had a shot at an Ivy.



+1



Fact is you don’t go to T10 schools to do engineering… you can dabble a bit in it. In the hierarchy of things , engineering is not up there. It makes for a very good life - if u are a good engineer - but that’s it. I speak as an engineer (immigrated in the early 90s)


If you are an "engineer" . The world is your oyster with an engineering degree especially from one of those top schools. You can do so many things as far as careers that don't involve actually being "just" an engineer.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 13:11     Subject: USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
How far behind AI is king crappie of turd mountain MIT?
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 12:30     Subject: Re:USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I just want to point out that unlike the overall college and university rankings, U.S. News uses no formula for the undergraduate discipline rankings. Instead, they send out surveys to deans and senior faculty at the engineering schools and ask them to rate other programs on a scale of 1 to 5. Then they average the score and list them in order. Response rate to these surveys was 34% for non-doctorate-granting programs and 49% for doctorate-granting programs.

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/undergraduate-ranking-methodologies" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/undergraduate-ranking-methodologies


I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on these rankings. They aren’t even trying to provide an objective assessment of these programs in any way.


Your school got ranked low, huh? Sorry


I don’t have a school. I just want people to understand what they are arguing over, which is the opinion of a small portion of other engineering school deans. That’s it.
At least the main rankings take several different criteria into account when creating the list. There is no way for US News to say what makes the number 5 engineering school better than number 10 or 15, etc.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 10:44     Subject: USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:Top 30 Feeders to Engineering

https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/top-feeders-engineering/


Santa Clara booster here. Once adjusted for undergraduate enrollment, Santa Clara ranks at 21!
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 10:34     Subject: USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:Yea, ok, so how many kids do you know who turn down Harvard for Penn State for engineering?

I'll answer: zero.

Because of all the rankings that don't matter, it's the engineering undergrad rankings. You go to any one of these schools -- or the next 30 for that matter -- and get through the program, and you'll get a great job.





Penn State and Harvard are tied in this particular ranking so if money wasn't an option, or they are OOS, they may pick Harvard for the overall prestige factor. However if they are in-state, Penn State tuition is only $20K versus Harvard at $86K. Cambridge room & board may cost more than Pittsburgh too. Saving $250K over 4 years for similar ranked schools in engineering would be meaningful for many in-state PA families.

I do know many families who have chosen in-state over an ivy for cost reasons.


(Sorry for the repost but the format on this is crazy and combining quotes with my comment in a way that doesn't make clear what I'm actually commenting versus an earlier comment embedded in the quote.)

Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 10:32     Subject: USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:Yea, ok, so how many kids do you know who turn down Harvard for Penn State for engineering?

I'll answer: zero.

Because of all the rankings that don't matter, it's the engineering undergrad rankings. You go to any one of these schools -- or the next 30 for that matter -- and get through the program, and you'll get a great job.


Based on these rankings, Harvard and Penn State are tied so if you got into both the Harvard name cache would probably put it over the edge.

But here's a real world example that's recent: my neighbor's DS got into Purdue and Dartmouth last Spring for engineering and chose Purdue. Purdue is ranked higher for engineering but some think because Dartmouth is an ivy that it's better period. Our neighbors went for engineering excellence over general pedigree.

Dartmouth does not have a real 4 year BSE program though! Not a valid comparison! The ivies with real engineering are better than purdue(Princeton, Penn, Harvard Columbia for sure, and possibly even Yale, newer but moving up fast in the engineering realm)
------
You've got to be kidding ... Historically, engineering has been an afterthought at Harvard and Yale whereas Purdue is an engineering powerhouse. Purdue will have more research, more electives ... just a better engineering program. If you're kid wants Ivy prestige, then apply to Yale but if the intent is engineering, Purdue is a better program. The only Ivy that might be comparable to Purdue for engineering is Cornell.


Penn State and Harvard are tied in this particular ranking so if money wasn't an option, or they are OOS, they may pick Harvard for the overall prestige factor. However if they are in-state, Penn State tuition is only $20K versus Harvard at $86K. Cambridge room & board may cost more than Pittsburgh too. Saving $250K over 4 years for similar ranked schools in engineering would be meaningful for many in-state PA families.

I do know many families who have chosen in-state over an ivy for cost reasons.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 10:25     Subject: USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
This can't be right. UVA is not on the list. LOL
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 10:20     Subject: USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Yea, ok, so how many kids do you know who turn down Harvard for Penn State for engineering?

I'll answer: zero.

Because of all the rankings that don't matter, it's the engineering undergrad rankings. You go to any one of these schools -- or the next 30 for that matter -- and get through the program, and you'll get a great job.


Based on these rankings, Harvard and Penn State are tied so if you got into both the Harvard name cache would probably put it over the edge.

But here's a real world example that's recent: my neighbor's DS got into Purdue and Dartmouth last Spring for engineering and chose Purdue. Purdue is ranked higher for engineering but some think because Dartmouth is an ivy that it's better period. Our neighbors went for engineering excellence over general pedigree.

Dartmouth does not have a real 4 year BSE program though! Not a valid comparison! The ivies with real engineering are better than purdue(Princeton, Penn, Harvard Columbia for sure, and possibly even Yale, newer but moving up fast in the engineering realm)
------
You've got to be kidding ... Historically, engineering has been an afterthought at Harvard and Yale whereas Purdue is an engineering powerhouse. Purdue will have more research, more electives ... just a better engineering program. If you're kid wants Ivy prestige, then apply to Yale but if the intent is engineering, Purdue is a better program. The only Ivy that might be comparable to Purdue for engineering is Cornell.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 10:05     Subject: USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question …
Is it harder to get into Wisconsin for engineering than to get into Harvard engineering?
Harder to get into Purdue engineering than Columbia gnegineering?
I just find it really challenging to built a “target” or “reach” list for engineering schools. I don’t really have a sense of how hard it is to get into those top 30 engineering schools.

It's significantly harder to get into Harvard or Columbia for engineering than Purdue or Wisconsin, simply because the Ivy League schools are more selective overall. However, most of the top 30 public engineering schools, like Purdue and Wisconsin are accessible to strong students. My current freshman was accepted at several of the Big 10 engineering schools but wouldn't have had a shot at an Ivy.



+1



Fact is you don’t go to T10 schools to do engineering… you can dabble a bit in it. In the hierarchy of things , engineering is not up there. It makes for a very good life - if u are a good engineer - but that’s it. I speak as an engineer (immigrated in the early 90s)
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2025 09:35     Subject: USNWR Top 30 Undergrad ENGINEERING Programs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yea, ok, so how many kids do you know who turn down Harvard for Penn State for engineering?

I'll answer: zero.

Because of all the rankings that don't matter, it's the engineering undergrad rankings. You go to any one of these schools -- or the next 30 for that matter -- and get through the program, and you'll get a great job.


Based on these rankings, Harvard and Penn State are tied so if you got into both the Harvard name cache would probably put it over the edge.

But here's a real world example that's recent: my neighbor's DS got into Purdue and Dartmouth last Spring for engineering and chose Purdue. Purdue is ranked higher for engineering but some think because Dartmouth is an ivy that it's better period. Our neighbors went for engineering excellence over general pedigree.

Dartmouth does not have a real 4 year BSE program though! Not a valid comparison! The ivies with real engineering are better than purdue(Princeton, Penn, Harvard Columbia for sure, and possibly even Yale, newer but moving up fast in the engineering realm)


I disagree that any Ivy has a stronger engineering program or better engineering students than Purdue. The scale of Purdue’s engineering program alone sets it apart from all of the Ivies. Its wide range of majors, depth of coursework, and extensive opportunities for research can't be matched by the Ivies.

When you look at schools like Purdue, Georgia Tech, and Illinois, it’s clear they attract and graduate a larger number of top-tier engineering students than the Ivies. Consider Purdue’s incoming engineering class of 2024. It included 3,600 (not including CS) freshmen, with 75th percentile scores of 1510 on the SAT and 34 on the ACT, along with a 4.0 unweighted GPA. That means around 900 students had stats even. And unlike many Ivy League schools, Purdue requires test scores. While I haven’t run the exact figures, I’d bet that Purdue, Georgia Tech, and Illinois each produce more engineering graduates annually than all the Ivies combined.

It’s true that Purdue’s overall student profile isn’t as selective by percentage, but that reflects its broader mission. Still, when you look at the top graduates from Purdue’s engineering program, I’d put them up against those from any school, including MIT