Transition Plan For The New Maryland Common Core State Curriculum: Fill & Download for Free

Q. Can I transfer to a college that is far away from my community college where I got associates degree? So I’m finishing my associate degree in my local community college, but I want to transfer to a normal college that is a few states away using 2+2 program to get a bachelors degree there. Is it possible?A. It is very common to transfer from a 2-year community college to a 4-year university. It is easier if there is an existing articulation agreement between the schools, guaranteeing admission if a certain GPA is maintained. These agreements usually involve same state public institutions. Just make sure that you can transfer as many credits as possible. See post below, particularly the section about 2+2 programs.All the best!Transfer College The Right Way... And Keep Your CreditsMaybe you’re currently in community college, with the goal of transferring to a four-year university for your bachelor’s degree. Or maybe you’re already enrolled in a four-year institution, but have found it’s not a good fit, and you’re seeking other options. Or maybe you “stopped out” of college for a couple of years, relocated in the meantime, and now want to complete your education at a new school.As a prospective transfer student, you’ve got a big decision to make – namely, which school to choose. And in many ways, you’ll go through much the same process as those who enter directly from high school. You, just like they, will need to identify which schools offer your major…. and provide a good financial package to make attendance affordable….and have a decent academic reputation….and are located in the area of the country you want…and are either the small, medium, or large size you like … with the campus or online setting you prefer.And, oh yeah….a school you can get into.But as a transfer student, there’s one big consideration that means absolutely nothing to incoming freshmen – and is absolutely critical to you.You’ll need to make sure that most, or ideally all, of your credits transfer. Do so successfully, and you’ll save more than time. And effort. And money.You’ll increase the odds that you’ll earn your bachelor’s degree at all.Transfer Credit: What’s the Issue?College Transfers Are CommonBefore we get into the issue of transferring credits successfully and how that affects graduation rates, it may comfort you to know that you won’t be alone in your quest. Far from it. According to a study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), more than a third of undergraduates transfer at least once, and 11% transfer twice. And, believe it or not, we do indeed live in a country of “movers,” as about one in 50 students (2.3%) transfer three times or more.So you have plenty of company.These students fall into several different categories. The NCES reports that, of all the students who transfer, the greatest number (37% of the total) transfer from two-year to four-year schools. Still, a significant portion transfer between four-year institutions (22%) and between two-year institutions (21%), and almost one in five (17%) “reverse transfer” from a four-year to a two-year school.Regardless of the situation, all these students have the same basic challenge, and that is to find (and get into) an appropriate school that will credit them for the bulk of their previous coursework. In fact, research has shown that the likelihood of completing one’s bachelor’s degree (especially within the same time frame as “native” students – those who began at the school as freshmen) depends largely on getting this one piece of the “transfer puzzle” right.It’s a Bad Idea to Leave Your Credits Behind!Naturally, the more credits you can transfer in, the fewer courses you’ll have to take. Of course that would translate to a savings of both time and money. (Not exactly rocket science here.) What’s not so obvious, though, is that the more of your credits your transfer school accepts, the more likely you are to earn your bachelor’s degree – in some cases, much more likely.The difference credit transfer makes is remarkable. According to “The Community College Route to the Bachelor’s Degree,” a study by David Monaghan and Paul Attewell of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, community college students who transfer in all or most of the credits they’ve earned (90% or more of their credits) are 2.5 times more likely to graduate than those who transfer in less than 50%.But the study also revealed that only 58% of students transfer in with all or most of their credits. Even more disheartening, though, is that 14% of community college students lose almost all previously earned credits (90% or more) and are therefore starting out as freshmen – again! – regardless of how much time they’ve already been in college. (The remaining 28% of students lose between 10% and 89% of their credits.)That is why, Monaghan and Attewell explain, transfer students as a group graduate at lower rates than native students (a fact long established by research). It is not that transfer students are academically inferior. Nor do they have less access to financial aid. The cold, hard truth is that these students are at a big disadvantage because they lose so many credits when they transfer.How Does Credit Transfer Work?So what’s the trouble? Why do so many students lose so many credits in the transfer process, thereby making the ultimate goal of earning a bachelor’s degree that much more difficult?Restrictive credit transfer policies bear some of the blame. Beyond that, though, the situation is just plain complicated. There are no consistent rules that dictate which courses will be credited by the “receiver” institutions, leading to all sorts of missed opportunities and less-than-ideal choices by students. Two significant exceptions are transfers involving articulation agreements and “core curricula,” both of which are described in the two-year to four-year transfer section.Transferring credits can be complicated and confusing. But it’s worth the time and effort it takes to do it right.So, then, why the confusion? Let us count the ways:Schools vary on the maximum number of transfer credits they allow (and the minimum number they require).Some schools require a minimum grade of B in a course in order to get transfer credit for it. Others accept a C, or even a C-. (There are even rare instances in which a D will be accepted, as long as the student’s overall GPA meets a minimum standard.)Different schools (and different degree programs offered by those schools) may require different specific courses as prerequisites for admittance.Similar course names (between originating/receiver schools) don’t necessarily mean credit will transfer. It’s the content of the course that counts, and different schools could assign different equivalency measures.Some schools will accept credit for a course completed in a student’s major but apply it as an elective only; others will credit it toward the major itself.The “expiration date” on earned credits varies among schools – which is a particular concern for older students returning after some years of absence.AP or CLEP exams, which may have been counted for credit by your community college, might not be accepted by the receiver school (but then again, they might).Different schools have different policies concerning credit for military training, online courses, and other “non-traditional” educational experiences.And the list goes on.As a result, the number of “to-do” items associated with a transfer can add up. Students need to conduct extensive research, talk with both their originating and receiver schools’ transfer or admissions offices (ideally), review state transfer websites when appropriate, learn the specifics of relevant articulation agreements when available, study the information available from the websites of their targeted receiver schools, and, ultimately, apply to their targeted receiver schools before they can receive the official word on which of their credits will transfer.Whew.It takes planning. And work. And determination. But done right, you’ll make your education more affordable and your degree more attainable. It’s worth the effort.Transferring From a Two-Year School to a Four-Year SchoolWhy It’s a Good IdeaYou’ve already seen how common it is for community college students to transfer to four-year schools. The NCES study mentioned earlier showed that more students follow that route than any other group – they make up nearly 37% of all transfers.It’s no surprise that so many community college students continue on to four-year schools, as the benefits of completing one’s degree are well established: greater civic engagement, greater lifetime earnings, and lower unemployment, among other things. But what benefit did these students get by enrolling in community college in the first place, rather than starting off in a traditional college or university?Community College is a Lot CheaperIt won’t come as a shocker that the price tag of a community college is a lot smaller than that of a four-year institution. And while it’s true that some universities might offer you enough in the way of financial aid that the costs of the two paths get closer together, in most cases you (or Mom and Dad, thank you very much!) can save a lot of money if you spend your first two undergraduate years in community college.But do you realize just how large those savings can be?According to the College Board, the in-state tuition and fees for a public two-year institution averaged $3,347 a year compared to almost three times as much – $9,139 – for a four-year public institution. That alone is substantial. But wait. The potential savings are really astounding when you consider the tuition charged by out-of state public colleges, which average $22,958 a year, and the $31,231 (gulp) charged by private four-year schools. (Don’t forget to factor in the cost of room and board as well. With the cost of on-campus living at around $10,000 a year, you can save a lot of money by spending the first couple years of college living at home.)*These figures, available from Trends in College Pricing by the College Board, are published charges for the 2014-2015 school and do not include reductions from financial aid and scholarship. Neither do these figures include charges for room and board, which are also available in the same report.But Will It Help You Succeed in a Four-Year School?Saving money is always a big plus, but at the same time, you sure wouldn’t want to sacrifice your chances of ultimate success by going to a two-year college first. And you won’t. Transferees from community colleges can – and do – succeed in completing their degree, and in large numbers. An interesting study entitled “The Community College Pipeline” from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) revealed that 45% of all students who earned a bachelor’s degree in 2010 – 2011 were previously enrolled in a two-year college at some point.And depending on which state you’re in, you might just find that your community college experience makes you part of the majority. Delving into the NSC’s data further, we learn that, for the 2010-2011 academic year (the year of the study), fully 78% of all students who received bachelor’s degrees in Texas were once community college students, as were 71% of those in Wyoming, 65% of those in both California and Kansas, and 62% of those in Oregon. All told, there were 13 states where more than half the students who earned bachelor’s degrees had previously been enrolled in a two-year school. So, it looks like a popular path to follow.TIP: FINISH YOUR A.A. DEGREE FIRST!One of the best indications that a transfer student from a community college will ultimately earn a bachelor’s degree at the receiver school is if he or she earned an A.A. degree before transferring. An NSC “Snapshot Report” shows that students who transfer in with the two-year credential earn bachelor’s degrees at about the same rate (72%) as the students who started a four-year program as freshmen. On the other hand, the graduation rate among community college students who make the jump before completing their two-year degree drops to 56%.Don’t forget, though, that the graduation rate for many of those transferring in from community college trails that of native students (see graph above), largely because so many transfer students lose credits when they move to their new schools. You might recall from earlier in this article, for example, that 14% of community college students lose almost all their previously earned credits, and only 58% of students manage to hold on to at least 90% of their credits.It doesn’t have to be that way. Given the multitude of state-sponsored websites, transfer agreements between transfer and receiver schools, and the availability of advisors to help you through the process, virtually every community college student should be able to make his or her move without any substantial loss of credits.All it takes is a fair amount of planning.Make it Easier to Get Into Your Transfer SchoolThe news gets better yet. In certain situations, you could actually increase your chances of getting into a top-tier or other competitive institution as a transfer student as compared to applying directly from high school.Let’s say that you’re a New York high school student who has his or her heart set on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell. (Yes… you’ve had visions of attending an “Ivy” since eighth grade.) The problem is that although you’re an excellent student when measured in terms of grades, you’ve never done particularly well on standardized exams. Call it test anxiety… call it whatever… the discouraging fact is that your SAT (or ACT) scores did not come close to reflecting your academic ability. And so, sadly, Cornell turned you down.The encouraging news, though, is that Cornell has the highest transfer acceptance rate in the Ivy League. So you head off to your local community college, achieve a G.P.A. of 3.7 (while carefully meeting the terms of the articulation agreement* with Cornell), and apply for transfer as a junior. Because of your demonstrated success in your two-year program, you’ve not only become an attractive candidate to Cornell, but your test score carries much less weight. (In fact, Cornell will accept transfer students who never even took the SAT, but students who have scores must present them.)*Articulation agreements are explained in the next section.A Paved Pathway to Help You Transfer: Articulation Agreements & Guaranteed AdmissionA Winning Hand: Articulation AgreementsIt’s almost like you’ve been dealt a perfect hand of cards. Play them right, and you can transfer just about every single credit you earn in community college to any one of dozens of four-year institutions.Articulation agreements can make the process much, much easier for you.We’re talking about “articulation agreements” – arrangements that have already been worked out between participating community colleges and four-year schools to allow for a smooth transition of students from the former to the latter. At its core, an articulation agreement takes the risk of lost credits out of the equation, by specifying – or “articulating” – which classes completed at the two-year school will be credited toward a bachelor’s degree program at the participating four-year schools (assuming grade minimums are met), along with outlining prerequisites and other requirements.And in this game, everyone wins. The student… the community colleges… and the four-year schools.The student knows ahead of time which courses will fulfill prerequisites, which courses have already been deemed “credit-worthy” by the receiving institution, and what grades are necessary to ensure a seamless transfer.The community college benefits, as well, by easing the transfer process. It makes starting your college years at a two-year school all the more attractive if you know that there’s a process in place to help you meet your goal of continuing on to a bachelor’s degree.And finally, the receiver school gains, too, with a ready-made pipeline of qualified transfer students prepared to enter its programs and, given the fact they’ve already demonstrated academic success at the college level, likely to complete their degrees and graduate.Be aware, though, that not all articulation agreements apply to all majors. In many situations, the agreement between your community college and a receiver school pertains only to specific majors. (You’ll be able to search articulation agreements by major using tools and resources we describe below.) No worries, though… you’re likely to find many schools that have transfer agreements in place for your program.What Do You Mean, “Guaranteed Admission”?As you look over the transfer section of your community college or state website, there’s another possibility you may come across – something that takes a transfer agreement one step further. We speak of “guaranteed admissions” policies, an arrangement between two-year and four-year schools that promises admission if specific criteria are met.Are you a California student? Then you’re golden. The state has a wide-reaching policy, Transfer Guaranteed Admissions, ensuring that any (!) California community college student who completes 60 credits, takes the required classes (which vary by major), and earns a minimum GPA will be guaranteed admission to one of six campuses in the University of California system.Florida student, maybe? The sun is shining on you, too. Look into the University of Central Florida, one of the largest universities in the country with more than 50,000 students. It too has a guarantee program, called DirectConnect, in which all students who complete an associate’s degree from Brevard Community College, Lake Sumter Community College, Seminole State College of Florida and Valencia Community College are guaranteed entrance.Or Virginia? Opportunities abound here, as well. Through system-wide agreements, students who graduate from one of Virginia’s 23 community colleges with an associate’s degree and a minimum GPA may obtain guaranteed admission to more than 20 of the state’s colleges and universities (each receiver school sets its own standards for guarantee). Learn more via the state’s resource, VAWizard.org.Don’t miss out. Make sure you ask your transfer advisor about any opportunities that may exist in your state.The above is only a summary of guaranteed admissions policies for the states highlighted. Please review the associated websites for more specific requirements.Four Places to Find Helpful InformationThe fact that you have so many ways to explore articulation agreements – and other transfer options – can actually be a double edged sword. On one hand, you’ve got a wealth of data, search tools, and guidelines available to help, but on the other, some of the content from these sources overlaps, and it’s tough to know where to begin.Let’s start with the broad view.Your State’s College Transfer WebsiteIf you’re the type of student who wants to “know it all,” then start your explorations with a website that gives you a bird’s eye view of everything your home state has to offer. These sites, which are usually a collaboration between participating institutions and your state’s government, include articulation agreements that exist between all participating community colleges and four-year schools (within the state’s program). In addition, you’ll be able to read up on various transfer pathways, search databases to help you zoom in on receiver schools that make your short list, and learn about statewide policies designed to make credit transfer more efficient.Which statewide policies are these, you ask? There is tremendous variation, of course, but one that many states have defined is a “core curriculum” – a group of general education classes given at community colleges that participating four-year colleges will accept for credit. This arrangement is becoming increasingly popular. Among the states that either have a core curriculum or are developing one are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and many others. (An excellent website that tells you which states have core curricula, and other transfer-related programs, is the “50-State Analysis” available online at the Education Commission of the States website.The “core curriculum” policy is especially important to those of you majoring in “undecided.” (If that’s you, welcome to the club. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, around 80% of college students change majors at least once.) You can take the core curriculum, knowing that participating four-year schools have agreed to accept it, and you’ll get credit for all your efforts – before you’ve even chosen a major.In any event, your state-affiliated website is a great place to get the “30,000-foot view” of the many community colleges and four-year schools that have agreed to an articulation agreement. Let’s explore a few of these state websites to get an idea of what to expect:Arizona. Wow. Visit AZTransfer.com, and prepare to be blown away. The first thing that will strike you is a focus on the three major state universities – Arizona State, University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University – with detailed information about the transfer process for each. But keep looking, and you’ll see a description of the 35-37 credit “Arizona Core Education Curriculum” (with three separate concentrations) outlining a group of courses guaranteed to be accepted for credit by all participating universities. Look further, and you’ll find a description of various transfer pathways (with search tools to help you find them), a guide that lets you explore degree options by major (and institution), and much more.Pennsylvania. Here’s another goodie. Check out the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Center, and you’ll see a list of the 19 four-year universities and 14 community colleges participating in the “PA TRAC” colleges – along with the “30-Credit Transfer Framework” that consists of courses guaranteed to transfer to schools within the program. Besides that, there’s a step-by-step transfer guide… databases searchable by school, degree program, articulation agreements, and classes….a course equivalency tool… even a section for veterans. And that’s just for starters.Massachusetts. The MassTransfer Block consists of 34 credits that, completed together with at least a 2.0 GPA, will transfer to any public college or university in Massachusetts – even without an A.A. degree. But if you do complete your A.A., you’ll get even more benefits. Depending on your GPA (the higher your GPA, the greater the benefit), you could be part of a “linked” MassTransfer agreement that eliminates the need for an essay, doesn’t charge an admission fee, guarantees admission for those with a GPA of 2.5 or more, and, if you have a GPA of 3.0 or more, provides for a 33 percent tuition waiver (with some other requirements).We picked the three above as examples, but we could go on forever – well, on to 47 more, actually – to give you the full picture. Instead, please go to our state pages to find links to each state’s transfer website. [NOTE: we’re in the process of adding transfer credit links to all of these state pages – they’ll be finished soon]Your Current School’s WebsiteBut maybe you consider the state website “information overload” as a first step. Instead, you’d rather just zero in on the articulation agreements available with the community college you’re currently attending. In that situation, your best starting point is with your own school’s website.That’ll work, too.Just like your state’s website, the transfer portion of community college websites is likely to be a treasure trove of information. In many cases, you’ll see a list not only of traditional four-year campus-based transfer options, but opportunities for online degree completion, guaranteed admissions, a calendar of transfer workshops, a recommended timeline, and general information on the overall process. You’ll almost certainly have links to the participating four-year schools as well as any relevant state-related sites. Plus, as an added bonus, you’ll often learn of academic transfer scholarships to help with the cost.Let’s pick a couple of examples:Since we just highlighted Pennsylvania’s website on transfers, let’s look into things from the perspective of one of its two-year schools – Buck’s County Community College. There you’ll see articulation agreements with 109 schools (yes, we counted), searchable by major or by institution, along with a database of transfer scholarships. Hobart and William Smith offers a Trustee Scholarship of $20,000, Alfred University offers a Presidential Scholarship of $13,000, Chestnut Hill College has a commuter student scholarship of $10,000, and, well… you get it. Beyond that, the site links you to the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation website, outlining the 30-credit transfer “framework” described in the previous section.Or go to the website page for articulation agreements associated with Montgomery College, a two-year institution in Maryland. There you’ll see articulation agreements with nearly 50 colleges and universities, several of which are outside the state. In addition, the site names tons of scholarship opportunities, and evens clues you in on how exceptionally qualified students can get their degrees free-of-charge. (Students could be eligible, for instance, for full tuition for up to four consecutive semesters at the University of Maryland). And finally, you’ll find a link to ARISYS – the state’s transfer website.If you’re looking for academic transfer scholarship options that might not be listed on your school’s website, you can also go to Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society for community college students, or to the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation for several other opportunities.Your Academic or Transfer AdvisorThere’s certainly a lot of material to digest, and one wrong step can be costly. (And let’s face it, with the abundance of information coming at you from all directions, a misstep could indeed be possible – and very understandable.) That’s why, in addition to your own research, you’ll want to meet with your advisor, as well, to make certain you haven’t overlooked or misunderstood a critical element. The sooner you do this, the better. Ideally, you’re reading this just as you’re starting community college – or no later than a semester or so in – and you can begin meeting transfer requirements right off the bat.The Website of the School You Want to Transfer ToIf you already have a good idea of which school you want to transfer to (or you’ve narrowed it down to two or three possibilities), you could work backwards, and start with that institution’s website. (You’ll be able to link there from your community college website, anyway, but you could save a step and go straight there.) In fact, your best bet – just to make sure you’ve covered all the bases – is to review your receiver school’s website at an early stage regardless, as there may be additional information that will prove useful – or critical – to you. Plus, remember – no matter where you start in your research, you’re going to end up needing to review your receiver school’s website very closely anyway, as you eventually must investigate application policies, submission deadlines, and other details.What If There’s No Articulation Agreement?Aha. The plot thickens.Until now, we’ve been talking about transfers made under an articulation agreement (or a guaranteed admission policy), but if you’ve set your transfer sights on a college or university that has not “partnered” with your community college (especially if you want to go out of state), you’ll have to depend on different or additional resources for your information.You’ve clearly got more work than your peers who are following an articulated path. In fact, your task is similar in many ways to that of a student transferring from one four-year school to another. (You’ll still want to talk with your transfer advisor at your community college to help you with the journey, but more will fall on your shoulders.) Fortunately, the four-year schools have all sorts of guidelines, policies, and tools to help you with a smooth transfer, and state websites will have useful information and databases for you, as well.Transferring Between Four-Year SchoolsMake Sure You Do It for the Right ReasonsYou know from reading the statistics in the opening section that transferring to a new school can be a complicated undertaking – and one that sometimes results in a substantial loss of credits. More than one in ten community college students, for example, lose at least 90% of their credits in the process. And that’s after considering the ready-made transfer agreements they have available to avoid that very scenario. And unless there was a mid-program change of mind or a later decision, they already knew upon enrolling in a two-year college that they would need to transfer to complete a bachelor’s degree.Your situation will likely be more of a challenge, but at least it’s a challenge many people share. According to the study from the National Center for Education Statistics, about one in four transfer students are those moving from one four-year institution to another.Transferring to a new school can solve some kinds of problems… but not all.Let’s face it, though. A transfer is something you probably didn’t foresee when you enrolled in your current school. Rather, it’s more likely that during the heady day or two of freshmen orientation, when you had that knot in your stomach that comes from a combination of nervousness and excitement, you figured you’d be there for the duration.But now you feel that your choice of colleges was wrong, and you want to fix the situation with a transfer. And while a new school can indeed solve many kinds of issues, make sure the move is for all the right reasons. Disliking your roommate is not a good reason. Or being homesick. Or even finding the work too hard. (The transition from high school to college can be difficult, and it’s important to give yourself enough time to adjust.) That said, there are some very legitimate reasons to consider a transfer:You want to switch to a new major that’s not available at your current school.Or the new major is available at your present school, but the department isn’t especially strong there, and another college has a great reputation in the discipline.Your financial situation has changed, and you need to switch to a college with a lower “net cost” (after factoring in the financial award package from the new school).Your family is relocating, and your connections with them mean you have to move too.This next one is subjective, but can be valid just the same: You just feel your current school is a complete “mismatch.” For example, you thought you wanted a big school with a party atmosphere when you initially signed on, but now have discovered you’d be more comfortable – and likely more successful – in a smaller and more studious environment.Or, having never been even slightly athletic in high school, you awoke one morning to find yourself the best football… or baseball… or basketball player ever to grace an American campus, and offers of sports scholarships are pouring in from other schools. (Ha.)Other than that last little joke, the five reasons listed above, among others, are all valid reasons for exploring a transfer. Now you just have to do it right. Pick the correct school, and do what you can to make sure your credits transfer.How to Find the Best Options for YouUnlike community college students, who benefit from numerous articulation agreements, and therefore a ready-made list of lucky (!) contenders for their transfer applications, you’ll have to do a bit more footwork. (Well… fingerwork, really. We’re talking Internet searches and whatnot.) In a nutshell, though, there are four basic steps you’ll want to complete before you apply to your new school:1. Make a List of Schools to ResearchYou’ll need to figure out which colleges match your needs in terms of major, location, the degree of selectivity in admissions, the graduation rate, size (small, medium, or large), environment (rural, suburban, or urban), and affordability. (You won’t be able to determine the true “net cost” after financial aid until after you apply, but there are tools that will help you estimate it.) You also might want to consider such factors as diversity, or activities, or even how much of a party atmosphere the school has.This topic could easily be another article in itself, but we tried to keep it focused and steer you to some excellent resources that can help you narrow your selection.CollegeAffordabilityGuide. Although we admit our bias might be showing (!), please make sure you’ve taken full advantage of the website you’re on right now. Here you can search for schools by state and/or degree program from a unique perspective that uses a unique affordability calculation. And it’s not an obvious calculation, either (as in… hey, that school’s tuition is really low, so let’s include it), but rather one that scores a school according to its “net cost” (the actual price tag after financial awards for lower- or middle-income families), and its success rate (which considers the percentage of students who graduate – or transfer – and have a good record in paying back loans). It’s a great way to really zoom in on the schools that not only have the major you want, and in the location you prefer, but also offer an excellent value while helping you build a foundation for success.The College Board’s Big Future. This site is a real champion, too, as its “College Search” tool lets you search by all sorts of options beyond the usual major and location. Tailor your analysis by test scores and selectivity, type and size of school, housing choices, percentage of financial need met, sports and activities, campus services, weekend and evening classes (especially useful for adult learners with “day jobs”), diversity, and more. Much more.College View. With its SuperMatch tool, this this site assigns a “percentage match” score based on 23 criteria. You’ll find the usual options, of course – major, location, school type and size, and so forth, but you’ll have some other interesting (and lesser-known) preferences to rate, as well. Among these are liberal/conservative, party scene, great college town, religious affiliation, even LGBT-friendly.U.S. Department of Education’s Affordability and Transparency Center. Let’s not forget the resources available from the federal government, either. In addition to its College Navigator tool, through which you can search for schools, the Affordability and Transparency Center lists the least expensive colleges (bottom 10 percent) in terms of tuition and net cost.2. Find Out How “Transfer-Friendly” They AreThis particular step isn’t as critical, but it’s fast and easy to complete, so we suggest you take a look at transfer acceptance rates. And while you won’t necessarily want to cross off a school that accepts very few transfer students – particularly if you believe it is an ideal match for you otherwise – it’s still a good idea to keep these numbers in mind. Do you have the University of Chicago or Stanford on your “wish list,” for example? That’s fine – and good luck! – but remember… the acceptance rate for each of these schools is around 2%. On the other hand, the University of Illinois (Urbana) and UC/Davis accept about half of their transfer applicants.If you don’t have any specific colleges in mind, but simply want a quick way to see which schools have high acceptance rates as a way of focusing your search, you might find it useful to take a broad view. Consider the two following resources:Top 50 Colleges: One list, available at TransferWeb, shows that many of the universities listed on U.S. News & World Report’s Top 50 Colleges have very encouraging transfer acceptance rates. You’ll see, for instance, that the transfer acceptance rate for the University of Notre Dame is 36.9%, Vanderbilt’s is 26.1%, and Cornell’s is 20.6%. Other very strong schools welcome transfer students, as well, such as the College of William and Mary at 43.9% accepted, University of NC/Chapel Hill at 42.8%, University of Virginia at 36.9%, and USC at 33.3%. Still other “Top 50” schools on the list, including UC/Davis and University of Miami, accept more than half their transfer applicants.Most Transfers Overall: Don’t feel you have to limit yourself to one of the Top 50 (in case your situation doesn’t lean that way). Open up the field, and find out which schools accept the most transfers in absolute numbers. (Hint: We’ll get you started. First is DeVry University with more than 12,000 students, followed by University of Texas/Arlington at nearly 9,000 in the fall of 2013.) Review the entire list at U.S. News & World Report’s “most transfers” list.Then again, it’s possible that you already know where you want to transfer and just want to get an idea as to how transfer applicants fared at that institution. In that case, head back to the College Board’s Big Future site, as it’s an efficient way to check out the transfer status of several schools in a matter of minutes. Under College Search, name your school, go to the “transfer” portion, and you’ll see all sorts of interesting data pop up – including the total number of transfer applicants, the number admitted, and the number enrolled. Go to CollegeBoard.com to check out the transfer stats for your target schools.3. Find Their Transfer Admission RequirementsIf your search turned up a match so perfect that it’s almost too good to be true, look closer. It might just be. There’s no sense jumping for joy, for example, if the “match made in heaven” requires a minimum of 24 completed credits for transfer, and you’ve only finished your first 18. Or if the minimum GPA for a particular school is a 3.0, and you’re a C+ student. Or if you have to have completed a sociology course for admission to your transfer program, and you haven’t. Make sure you’re aware of the basic transfer admission requirements before you spend time researching credit evaluations.You’ve found the perfect school. It’s the right size, in the right state, with the major you want. The degree of selectivity is a great match, it has an encouraging transfer acceptance rate, and your research tells you that it is likely to be affordable. What could possibly go wrong?News flash. You find out – too late – that you didn’t take one specific course required for admission. Not a pleasant surprise, especially if it’s late in the game.That’s why it’s important to learn about transfer requirements early in the process. And while many schools have relatively easy-to-meet requirements – perhaps a GPA of 2.0, minimal credits of 12, and no specific course requirements – others have more specific prerequisites. Take a look at a couple of examples, and you’ll see what we mean:University of Illinois/Chicago requires a GPA of 2.5 and a minimum of 24 credits (although transfers to Liberal Arts & Sciences may be allowed fewer credit hours). But there’s more. There may be additional requirements based on the degree program. Majoring in Kinesiology, for instance? If so, prior to admission, you will need to have completed General Biology (w/lab) Pre-Calculus or College Algebra and Trigonometry, English Composition I & II, Introduction to Psychology, and one additional course each in history, humanities, psychology, and sociology.University of Wisconsin/Madison has some interesting requirements, too. It doesn’t require ACT or SAT scores from transfer applicants, but does have requirements going back to an applicant’s high school record. Regardless of the number of college credits earned, for example, a transfer applicant must have completed one year each of high school algebra and plane geometry, one college-level course of Algebra 2 or beyond, and two years of a foreign language in high school (or two semesters in college).It’s all part of the selection process – both yours and theirs! – and it’s something to be aware of at an early stage, before you start the next step (transferring credits). While some general sites give a good overview, your best resource at this point will be the websites of the particular schools you’re considering.4. Find Out How Many of YOUR Credits They Might AcceptThere’s often a correlation between a school’s degree of transfer-friendliness and its credit acceptance policies (for obvious reasons), although it can be a “chicken and the egg” type of thing. (Are students attracted to a specific institution because its credit acceptance policies are more liberal, or has the school instituted a more liberal credit policy specifically to attract transfers?) Either way, once you’ve got your “short list” of target schools down, you’ll need to figure of which one(s) will accept most of your credits.Once you’ve narrowed the field and determined that you’ll meet the minimum admission requirements, you can focus on the critical issue of transferring your credits. You’ve can approach this from many angles – one of which should absolutely be your target school’s website – and we’re suggesting a few possibilities to get you started. But remember, ultimately, you’ll rely on your school’s official credit evaluation once you’ve been accepted. Below are the sources you can get the best information from.GENERAL TRANSFER WEBSITESCheck out CollegeTransfer.net. Can we say “pay dirt”?! This site provides some amazing guidance for transfer students coming from all categories – including community college, four-year, international, and military. In addition to school search options, it has a “course-to-course equivalency guide” that lets you determine which courses you’ve taken at your current college will transfer to your target schools, and if your AP and CLEP credits may be accepted, as well. You can also register with the site and create a “student passport” that lets you compile your course history, compare transferability among institutions, and notify schools of your interest, all free-of-charge.Also try Transferology, a free resource for students created by the folks at CollegeSource.com. Anyone thinking of transferring can simply visit Transferology, create an account, add college courses that have been or will be taken, and click “Search for Matches.” They’ll show you a list of schools that will accept those specific courses, sorted by most credits accepted. It’s a simple way for students to see their options, and filter results by best match, distance, tuition, and more.STATE-SPECIFIC WEBSITESJust as the state websites described in the community college transfer section are useful to two-year students, these sites are invaluable to students moving from one four-year institution to another. In fact, the information on these sites can be so broad-reaching that material on one site can provide all sorts of help to students who don’t even live – or plan to transfer – to that state. Still, most of the material will be pertinent to that state’s students specifically and provide some “course equivalency” tools to help you figure out which of your classes will be credited by the school(s) you’re considering. Let’s take a look:Check out the Illinois site, ITransfer.org, as one example. It has a “Basics of Training” section that could apply to just about anyone, regardless of location. But if you’re a student transferring within the state, the goods get even better. That’s because Illinois has a state-wide initiative that uses “Transferology” – a national tool that allows students transferring either into or from an Illinois college to find which courses are likely to be accepted for credit and determine which majors are available in various schools.Or take, for example, the wealth of material available at MNTransfer.org, geared to Minnesota students. In addition to a description of the core curriculum and a listing of articulation agreements (relevant to Minnesota community college students, primarily), there’s a great “Transfer Action Plan” that could be applicable to almost any student. But, hey… it too participates in “Transferology”, allowing students to get an idea as to which of their previous courses are likely to be deemed “creditworthy” at different Minnesota schools.Finally, look at Florida’s website. Florida has a common course numbering system used by all public (and some private) postsecondary schools in the state. Equivalent courses at different institutions have the same prefix and last three digits of the course number, and, with a few exceptions, are guaranteed to transfer between participating institutions. (There are many other states with common numbering systems, too – Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, and many others. Go back to the “50-State Analysis mentioned earlier to learn if your state is among them.)The basic point is that state-specific sites provide an abundance of tools and material to help those moving between four-year schools. Please don’t overlook this important resource.COLLEGE WEBSITESLike, duh. At some point, you’re going to need to go to the schools’ websites too. (In fact, we hope you will have already done some sleuthing around these websites to determine the basic admissions requirements, as recommended earlier). Nowhere else will you find the breadth and depth of information on your particular target institution, including details regarding degree programs, admission requirements, submission guidelines, application deadlines, transfer advisory services – and credit evaluation tools.Naturally, you’ll be going to the schools’ sites that are relevant to you, but take a quick look at the type of credit-related information and resources you’re likely to find:University of Michigan/Ann Arbor. Included among U.S. News & World Report’s “Top 50 Colleges,” the University of Michigan has a “credit transfer equivalency tool” that allows you to identify which courses at your current institution will be accepted for credit. Courses are listed by name on a school-by-school basis.University of Texas at Austin. Look at its website, and you’ll find both an automated transfer equivalency database of 220,000 transfer credit evaluations and an interactive degree audit that lets you see how courses taken at other institutions might apply to a degree at UT.University of Oregon also has a “transfer course equivalency” tool that allows you to look up courses on an individual basis. Beyond that, it also participates in the Transferology tool mentioned earlier and includes a “Degree Evaluation Program Plan” through which you can also evaluate your previous courses and determine how they will count toward degree completion.COLLEGE TRANSFER ADVISOR OR OFFICEFinally, virtually all four-year schools have advisors or offices to help students arriving “mid-stream.” Although you’ll be in contact with them once you’ve been accepted, you can certainly call or email before that point if you need clarification of the school’s course equivalency tool(s) or any other aspect of the admissions process.AfterwordIn ClosingWe’ve covered a great deal of ground, providing you with a wide range of resources to help you transfer successfully to a school that meets your needs and will accept most (or even all) of your credits. So as you begin this next step in your education, keep in mind that you’ve got plenty of company… and plenty of places to turn for guidance and advice.All the best of success to you as you continue your educational journey! NOTE: Although we believe the information above was correct as of date of publication, the content is provided for informational purposes only. We suggest readers verify the current accuracy through the links provided or via official sources.Works Cited (in addition to the links throughout the article)Attewell, Paul. Monaghan, David B. The Graduate Center of the City University of New York. “The Community College Route to the Bachelor’s Degree”. First published online in Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 2014.College Board. “Education Pays 2013: The Benefits of Higher Eduction for Individuals and Society”. Accessed online, 2015.Lederman, Doug. “The Community College Pipeline”. Insider Higher Ed. Published online, 2012.National Student Clearinghouse. Snapshot Report. “The Community College Pipeline”. Published online, 2012.Student Clearinghouse. Snapshot Report. “Degree Attainmnent”. Published online, 2012.Transferology. TransferologyU.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. “Transferability of Post-Secondary Credits Following Student Transfer or Coenrollement”. Washington: Government Printing Office, 2014.U.S. News & World Report. Best Colleges. National University Rankings. Accessed online, 2015.

Q. Which engineering school is better, University of Maryland's A. James Clark School, or Rice University's George R. Brown School?I have read and hear conflicting opinions as the which undergraduate program is better. More specifically, how do the schools compare in Mechanical Engineering?A2A: I am not an engineer and this topic should be addressed by mechanical engineers on Quora. I will take a stab at it in the meantime. It has been awhile since I was an undergraduate at Rice. I try to be involved by being an alumnus interviewer.There are so many different rankings for engineering programs that have no consistency. Many mostly deal with graduate engineering schools. Among those, Rice’s small size is a disadvantage. Rice chooses to do certain things very well. Its commitment to undergraduate education makes the George R. Brown School a good program. Class size is smaller, easier to interact with professors and plenty of opportunities to participate in research.Students are of high caliber, hard working and hard playing. There is more camaraderie than competition. Almost everyone lives on campus and is active in intramural sports/clubs, organizations. Students are assigned to colleges/dorms with affiliation lasting through to graduation. There is close collaboration in doing difficult homework, exam preparation. In addition to the College Master, whose family lives in the building/or attached housing, many faculty members are assigned to the colleges and take their lunch meals there. In upper level classes, there may just be 2–3 students. Certain classes we get to choose when to meet, bring the donuts and the professors the coffees, even in the evenings. Rice is perennially ranked #1 in student satisfaction/quality of life. Rice’s location in Houston (4th largest city in the US) is advantageous, de facto the Energy capital of the world. (There are more than 70 foreign consulates in Houston). Close interaction with NASA LBJ Space Center is a plus. Plenty of companies recruit on campus. There is a strong alumni network with available mentoring.Rice’s other strength is the preponderance of double/triple majors and national reputation. This should help in applying for graduate schools. Non-major electives are strong across the board. The life sciences and biomedical engineering departments are well regarded, often there are collaboration between Rice and other institutions in the adjacent world’s largest Texas Medical Center (Baylor College of Medicine, UT Houston McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Dental Branch, #1 ranking MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Texas Heart Institute to name a few). It is tougher to get into Rice then to graduate from Rice.What I have included here a listing of Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Houston, valuable for internship and employment.Selectivity of Rice.Princeton ranking of colleges. USN ranking of Rice and University of Maryland. Links to both mechanical engineering departments.Next is the most helpful list - 50 highest ranking undergraduate engineering schools. Maryland edges Rice by two places. I have attached the whole list further down.Then there is a comparison by Smart Class head to head of the two schools, followed by info of each. The costs may look disproportionate. But Rice does offer a lot of financial aid.Finally, there is a USN top 10 ranking of Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Programs. Unfortunately, neither school made the list.I would consider Rice over Maryland if accepted and offered adequate financial aid. Undergraduates at Rice are not short changed. Rice students do not have to declare a major until the end of sophomore year, and it is easy to change or add major. With the option of taking 4 classes Pass/Fail, you can sample the curriculum without damaging your GPA. With a strong Honor Code, some courses offer take home exams (open or closed book) to not waste class time. There are also self-paced courses. For some courses, you schedule your final in the two weeks before the end of the semester so that you can best strategize exam preparation. If you change your major, Rice’s other departments are world class. The upstart Jones School of Business has steadily climbed in ranking. Baker Center for Public Policy has become a major think tank. The college experience will be pleasant. And Houston is a great town to explore. Students can ride the mass transit system for free. This campus is among the most beautiful, and is located in an upscale part of town. The Rice Village is a nearby shopping center with high end and low end shops. Next to Rice University is the huge Texas Medical Center, as well as the Houston Museum District. Galveston beach is only 45 minutes away.For graduate school, a larger department maybe more alluring. UT Austin/ Texas A&M and U Houston are not too far away. But many graduates go farther afield to Stanford, MIT, Cal Tech etc.University of Maryland does look like a very good school. For me, it is just too big and there is less clout.Again, I am not an engineer and I know very little about the University of Maryland.All the Best!Texas Medical CenterRice ranked No. 1 for happiest students and lots of race/class interactionB.J. ALMOND AUGUST 29, 2016POSTED IN: FEATURED STORIESThe happiest students in the country are at Rice University, according to the Princeton Review’s 2017 edition of “The Best 381 Colleges.” The new college guide ranks Rice No. 1 for happiest students and for lots of race/class interaction. Rice is also No. 9 for best quality of life.The rankings are based on surveys of 143,000 students at 381 top colleges. Students responded to 84 questions about academics, administration, the student body and themselves. The guide published the top 20 schools in 60 categories. In addition to three top-10 rankings, Rice is No. 20 for best health services, and a photo of the campus appears on the cover of the publication.“We’re especially gratified by our two No. 1 rankings in the Princeton Review for student happiness and interaction among students of different racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, as well as our top-10 ranking for overall student quality of life,” Rice President David Lebron said. “These reflect two of our most important commitments: the general welfare and positive engagement of our students, and building a diverse and inclusive community. We take this expression of satisfaction from our students not as a laurel to rest upon, but an encouragement to constantly aspire to do even better.”Fifty best dining experienceThe guide’s profile of Rice notes that the crossover between personal and academic life made possible by the residential college system “helps make life at Rice well-balanced.” One student said, “The environment is very inclusive,” and another said, “There is no racial majority here on campus, and I’ve met students of varied political affiliations, religions, socio-economic status and sexual orientations.” The guide reports that Rice students are “generous with their praise for professors.” Although students have a wide range of activities and interests, “what they all have in common is their satisfaction with life at Rice,” the Princeton Review wrote.For more information on the rankings, visit princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges.- See more at: Rice ranked No. 1 for happiest students and lots of race/class interactionPrinceton tops list of 2017 U.S. News Best Colleges RankingsRice University Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Maryland Mechanical Engineering50 Best Bachelors in Engineering Degrees for 2017#21RICE UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 83.17ANNUAL TUITION: $43,918PROGRAM WEBSITELocated in Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city, Rice is a comprehensive research university fostering diversity and an intellectual environment that produces the next generation of leaders and advances tomorrow’s thinking. The nine departments of the School of Engineering offer programs toward seven Bachelor of Science and nine Bachelor of Arts degrees and several engineering-related minors.More than sixty percent of Rice undergraduate engineers have a meaningful research experience before graduation. They also own all the intellectual property they create while students at Rice. The Rice Center for Engineering Leadership helps students become inspiring leaders, exceptional team members, effective communicators and bold entrepreneurs. The Rice Center for Career Development not only assists students in finding jobs after graduation, they also help undergraduates secure summer-long internships that are a vital part of the Rice experience.One of the unique features of Rice is its residential colleges. Before matriculating, undergraduates become a member of one of eleven residential colleges, which have their own dining halls, public rooms, and dorms on campus; most of the first-year students and about 75 percent of all undergraduates reside at their associated colleges. Because each student is randomly assigned to one of the colleges, and maintains membership in the same college throughout the undergraduate years, the colleges are enriched by the diversity of their students’ backgrounds, academic interests and experiences, talents, and goals.19UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND—COLLEGE PARKCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 84.49ANNUAL TUITION: $32,045PROGRAM WEBSITEThe A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland is comprised of seven departments and offers nine undergraduate degrees. A common core curriculum outlines the first year for most students no matter their major. The challenging set of courses emphasizes teamwork. Students also have numerous opportunities for research and design projects. The degree programs put special emphasis on technology entrepreneurship and offer many international and collaborative possibilities.The A. James Clark School of Engineering also provides undergraduate students outstanding resources for their academic pursuits—innovative research opportunities, world-renowned faculty and state-of-the-art facilities. Students are also a part of the University of Maryland community, which offers its own array of resources and opportunities to learn, grow, and have fun on and around its idyllic campus in College Park, MD. As a Clark School Engineer, students will have the opportunity to build a foundation of skills and knowledge that will benefit the world in a very special and unique way, while themselves having a special and unique experience as a Terrapin.The 25 Healthiest Colleges in the U.S., 201214. Rice UniversityStudents at Rice definitely won't go hungry. There are dining halls in every residential college that serve three meals per day, and students' meal plans are unlimited. And according to The Princeton Review, Rice University has the happiest students in the U.S.A. This may be thanks to its comprehensive wellbeing resource site or the many fitness events organized by the recreation department. Photo Courtesy of Rice UniversityHoustonNASA LBJ Space Center (land donated by Rice University)Rice Tree Campus USARice Residential CollegeMaryland Color GuardTop 50 colleges with the hardest-working studentsIt’s no secret that college students work hard. But where do students work the hardest?School analytics site Niche recently compiled a list of schools with the hardest-working students. The top 50 colleges were chosen from 1,311 schools based on their Niche Academics Grade, which involves the school’s acceptance and graduation rates, and student survey responses about workload and study habits, according to Niche.Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology tops the list at No. 1. Check out the rest to see if your school made the cut!50. University of Virginia49. Emory University48. Colgate University47. University of Michigan at Ann Arbor46. University of California at Los Angeles45. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute44. Rhode Island School of Design43. Colorado CollegeThomas Jefferson University (Photo: Maarten Danial/Flickr)42. Thomas Jefferson University41. Pomona College40. Amherst College39. United States Naval Academy38. Claremont McKenna College37. Georgetown University36. Vassar College35. Colorado School of Mines34. Case Western Reserve University33. Wellesley CollegeDuke students walk by Duke Chapel on the campus of Duke University in Durham, N.C. (Photo: Jim R. Bounds/Bloomberg)32. Duke University31. Dartmouth College30. Wake Forest University29. University of Pennsylvania28. Oberlin College27. Northwestern University26. Grinnell College25. Harvard University24. Williams College23. Swarthmore College22. United States Military Academy at West Point21. Brown University20. Georgia Institute of Technology19. University of California at Berkeley18. Cornell University17. Harvey Mudd College16. Carleton College15. University of Notre Dame13. (TIE) Stanford University13. (TIE) Middlebury College12. Washington University in St. LouisJohns Hopkins (Photo: AP/Patrick Semansky)11. Johns Hopkins University10. College of William & Mary9. Vanderbilt University8. Columbia University7. Bowdoin College6. Princeton University5. Yale University4. Carnegie Mellon University3. Rice University2. University of Chicago1. Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyBrooke Metz is a student at Wake Forest University and a USA TODAY College web producer.Residential CollegeA regular in the college world seriesResidential College (Dorm)Jim Henson Maryland alumnusLast Updated: January 1, 2017The United States’ global competitiveness has become a national priority, and with it, efforts to increase the number of U.S. students seeking degrees in engineering and computer science. The need is so important that Congress passed the America COMPETES (Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science) Act, authorizing $43.3 billion in federal spending in science, engineering, mathematics and technology research and education programs.Engineers use mathematics, the physical, chemical, and biological sciences, as well as business and communications skills to solve important, real-world problems in society. Engineers and scientists must be critical thinkers, and entrepreneurs and innovators who understand the social and business implications of their work. They need to be able to communicate their ideas coherently, and work effectively in teams. Above all, they must be willing and able to provide leadership in solving society’s big problems.Our world is powered by engineers. Engineers create the newest products, services, and ideas to improve human health, safety, and happiness. Engineers provide solutions to opportunities and challenges that affect everyone. From the environment, energy, new product design, to national security, engineers have an active role in virtually every area of human life.Engineering salaries vary depending on the level of education, focus of career, and the region of the world, but year after year, engineering tops the list of majors with the highest average starting salary. It is well worth the time and effort to become an engineer. The most current numbers on starting median salaries for engineers is $55,000 to $70,000, with the potential to earn two to three times these amounts with experience, success, and further education.RELATED ENGINEERING RANKINGSEngineering involves the creative application of tools from math and science to solve problems that confront humanity today. While these problems present technological challenges, each exists within a cultural, economic, historical, and ethical context, and thus an undergraduate education in engineering must provide students with a broad academic foundation.Twenty-first century engineering is at the epicenter of an explosion in new knowledge. Revolutionary discoveries in science, engineering, medicine, mathematics, and the social sciences have not only changed the way we interact with the world around us, but have also blurred the boundaries between academic disciplines. Engineering is the catalyst for bringing disciplines together and pushing forward the amazing advances made possible by those collaborations. The breadth of an engineer’s education as well as the interdisciplinary nature of engineering disciplines has led some to call an engineering education the new liberal arts.The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredits college engineering programs nationwide using criteria and standards developed and accepted by U.S. engineering communities. There are several disciplines within engineering—different starting points for solving engineering problems. More than twenty-five major specialties are recognized in the fields of engineering and engineering technology. Some of the more popular areas of study include Aerospace, Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Industrial, Mechanical, and Systems.Whether you’re an undergraduate who likes the idea of research or who is thinking about graduate school, collaborating on projects will prepare you for a productive future in research, your workplace, and your community. The experience will position you to meet the needs of society and provide technical leadership, no matter where your path leads. Because research is such an integral part of engineering, and because schools with graduate programs tend to have more research center, labs, and institutes, we’ve limited our top fifty list to those schools with graduate programs.What Are the Best Engineering Degree Programs?To help prospective engineering student explore programs and schools, we have compiled the following list of the top fifty undergraduate engineering programs. Because we know that a degree is an investment of sorts, we have factored into our rankings the cost of getting an engineering degree and the salary prospects for graduates of the various schools. By combining data points from U.S. News and World Report, http://Payscale.org, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and information provided by schools, we’ve created a list of fifty schools that will get an aspiring engineering off to a successful start.BEST BACHELORS IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMS1UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS—URBANA-CHAMPAIGNCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 100.00ANNUAL TUITION: $31,320PROGRAM WEBSITEAt the University of Illinois’s main campus in Urbana, undergraduates can choose from among fifteen top-ranked engineering majors in 12 of the university’s engineering departments. In addition to the variety of engineering programs, the university offers an Engineering First-Year Experience, an interdisciplinary program designed to enhance the learning experience of every first-year student in Engineering at Illinois. The goal of this experience is to support the aspirations of beginning engineering students by laying a solid foundation for their collegiate career.With the breadth and depth of knowledge among the university’s engineering research faculty, students can find experts in several fields who are willing to provide them with research opportunities. Over fifty percent of undergraduates do research in the 60+ laboratories, research centers, and institutes at the university. The research experience builds valuable skills while allowing students to do world-changing things even before graduation.The more than seventy engineering societies and a vibrant university community provide engineering students ample opportunities to grow professionally and socially. The exceptional career services, the extensive Illini network, and the top-ranked education give graduates of engineering programs at the University of Illinois high regard in the professional and graduate spheres.2PURDUE UNIVERSITY—WEST LAFAYETTECOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 98.87ANNUAL TUITION: $28,804PROGRAM WEBSITEPurdue, Indiana’s land grant university, offers sixteen different undergraduate engineering majors, covering areas such as Construction Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Biological Engineering. Students who know they will want to pursue a graduate degree may also find the BS/MS or BS/MBA options intriguing.At Purdue’s main campus in West Lafayette, engineering undergraduates have available to them some of the nation’s leading experts who together envision a more inclusive, socially connected, and scholarly engineering education that puts students first. To that end, Purdue is proud of its many programs, including Women in Engineering, Engineering Leadership, and Global Engineering.The entry point for all engineering students at Purdue is its First-Year Engineering Program. In this program students ease into college life, get grounded in the fundamentals, and discover their passion for engineering. Beginning students get academic and personal support from professional academic advisors, faculty, and student advisors. They also enroll in a common first-year curriculum that helps them further distinguish the engineering disciplines, identify which engineering major is right for them, and learn where they might work if they pursue a degree in an engineering field.3GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 98.46ANNUAL TUITION: $32,404PROGRAM WEBSITEGeorgia Tech is home to a prestigious College of Engineering with eight schools that offer eleven undergraduate engineering majors. All of Georgia Tech’s engineering undergraduate programs well prepare students for careers or graduate studies by providing a solid foundation in engineering principles. Students gain both knowledge and practical experience by collaborating across disciplines and apply their skills to real-world problems. All of the college’s undergraduate programs have consistently ranked in the top six of their respective areas in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings.In addition to the experience of college life on Georgia Tech’s vibrant campus in Atlanta, engineering students can find social, academic, and professional enrichment through any of the dozen engineering clubs and organizations. The College of Engineering also boasts the nation’s largest and most diverse engineering college, awarding more engineering degrees to women and underrepresented minority students than any other school in the country.4UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA—TWIN CITIESCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 96.84ANNUAL TUITION: $22,210PROGRAM WEBSITEThe University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering offers students a rigorous, world-class education tailored to their interests and goals. Undergraduates in the college are able to choose from a wide range of programs and learn from some of the world’s leading experts in their fields. In the college’s twelve departments there are eighteen majors, twelve of which are in various engineering disciplines.Researchers in the college are on the cutting edge of finding ways to address some of the world’s most pressing problems. The partnership the college has with the school of medicine and with companies regionally and globally gives students unparalleled opportunities to match their skills with industry needs.On one of the nation’s most beautiful campuses in Minneapolis, the university provides its students a well-rounded college experience. There are over 1000 student groups at the university and 75 in the College of Science and Engineering. The First-Year Experience course connects freshmen to learning, research, and career opportunities to help them succeed. The course also includes fun, project-based work in small teams.5TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY—COLLEGE STATIONCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 95.59ANNUAL TUITION: $28,768PROGRAM WEBSITEEngineering has been a part of Texas A&M University since its founding in 1876. The college’s mission is to cultivate engineers who are well founded in engineering fundamentals, instilled with the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior, and prepared to meet the complex technical challenges of society.The College of Engineering is now the largest college at the university and offers nearly twenty undergraduate majors in its fourteen departments. It is also one of the largest engineering schools in the country, ranking second in undergraduate enrollment. The forty student organizations within the college coupled with the lively college atmosphere on one of the state of Texas’s largest universities enhances the college experience for engineering undergraduates.The quality of research activities at Texas A&M is highlighted by the direct impact of research on technology. In addition the college boasts a high volume of peer reviewed research funding from highly competitive sources and a high volume of publications in influential refereed journals. These things along with with the number of patents and the volume of widely used textbooks help consistently put the engineering programs in numerous national rankings.6UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA—BERKELEYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 95.14ANNUAL TUITION: $40,191PROGRAM WEBSITEBerkeley Engineering at the University of California is regularly rated one of the top schools of engineering in the world. Its emphasis on creativity and imagination, together with its commitment to work toward ways of changing society, make Berkeley Engineering a great place for students to pursue goals for themselves and the world. The spirit of collaboration and entrepreneurship marks the whole undergraduate experience for students of engineering.With over 3000 undergraduate students pursuing one of the school’s eleven majors and residing on the vibrant campus in Berkeley, the School of Engineering has ample opportunity for social, professional, and collegial interactions. And with over fifty centers and institutes of research, location near the tech-forward Silicon Valley, and key relationships with industry partners, the school has a strong stature among leading intellectuals. Undergraduates can find ways to participate in the school’s award-winning research by way of several fellowship and apprenticeship programs.7UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS—AUSTINCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 93.00ANNUAL TUITION: $34,676PROGRAM WEBSITEThe flagship campus of the University of Texas system boasts one of the country’s premier engineering schools in its Cockrell School of Engineering. Undergraduates at Cockrell not only learn from some of the world’s leading experts, but they also learn alongside these leaders. Participation in innovative, hands-on projects is a hallmark of the undergraduate experience.In addition to being a part of a world-class instructional environment, engineering students at Cockrell have access to eighty engineering-specific student groups, First-Year Interest Groups, and the Engineering Career Assistance Center. These resources provide students both social and professional enrichment to help them grow and flourish as engineers. Not only that, but students at the University of Texas at Austin live in one of the country’s most attractive cities. Austin is home to an ever-increasing number of thriving startup companies and continues to be one of the fastest-growing, most innovative cities in the country.8VIRGINIA TECHCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 92.88ANNUAL TUITION: $29,371PROGRAM WEBSITEAll first-year engineering students at Virginia Tech begin their undergraduate life in the Department of Engineering Education. After completing specific core course requirements, students can declare for one of the fourteen engineering majors in the College of Engineering at the university. These early shared courses give all of Virginia Tech’s engineering undergraduates an understanding of the engineering profession, including the skills, capacity for problem solving, and abilities for graphic and design processes needed to address current global issues. The renowned faculty apply research to teaching practices and practice research-based innovations in the classroom to provide the tools, skills, and knowledge necessary for students to become successful engineers and learners.Located in Blacksburg nestled on a plateau between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountains in southwest Virginia, Virginia Tech is a special place. The idyllic surroundings enhance an already lively and exciting campus life. For engineering undergraduates, the possibilities for social, academic, and professional relationships are numerous. Along with a wide variety of labs and creative workspaces, the College of Engineering’s Ware Lab is a facility dedicated solely to undergraduate student design projects, providing a unique learning environment for engineering students from various majors.9UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN—MADISONCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 91.18ANNUAL TUITION: $32,738PROGRAM WEBSITEThe flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin system is located in the state’s capital city of Madison. With over 40,000 students from 50 states and over 120 countries, the Badgers are diverse, active, and energetic. Considered one of the best public universities in the nation, the University of Wisconsin is high on the list for many prospective students. Add in a top-rated College of Engineering and it is no surprise that Wisconsin is a popular school for future engineers.The world-class faculty and the outstanding curriculum at the College of Engineering provide undergraduates the technological tools, resources, and knowledge that will help them develop solutions to problems in fields ranging from medicine to energy to manufacturing. Not only do students benefit from classroom and lab experiences, but they can also enrich their social life by taking advantage of opportunities such as international study, field research, internships, laboratory experience, entrepreneurial opportunities, and more. Additionally, the opportunities to work directly with faculty members and participate in the over fifty registered engineering organizations enhance the educational experience of engineering undergraduates.10PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY—UNIVERSITY PARKCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 88.61ANNUAL TUITION: $32,382PROGRAM WEBSITEThe Penn State University system is a well-respected network of public research universities. At its main campus in University Park, the College of Engineering offers one of the most vibrant educational programs in the country. It has breadth, depth, technical diversity, and innovative research that directly impacts the quality of life of global citizens. It is comprised of a responsive community of intellectuals that is focused on serving the technical profession and society. And it is located on one of the most extraordinary college campuses in the world. The Nittany Lion spirit is strong and diverse.The College of Engineering embraces multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary education and research in its twelve departments and schools. With over 30 research centers and laboratories, Penn State’s engineering programs are some of the nation’s leading academies of learning, discovery, and application. The College of Engineering offers fourteen majors to its over 7000 students, while the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences offers five further engineering majors focused on the environment and energy.11UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTONCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 88.20ANNUAL TUITION: $34,791PROGRAM WEBSITESeattle and the Puget Sound region are a hub of creativity and innovation in aerospace, biotechnology, global health, clean technology, and information and communications technology. The College of Engineering at the University of Washington is an active and leading institution in these vital fields. It is an engine of economic growth, ranked third in the nation for the number of startups launched each year.The university is the top-ranked public university for federal research and training funding and the ten engineering departments are consistently rated some of the highest in the country in their respective fields. Because of the university’s influence in the economy, technology, and research, undergraduate engineering students at the University of Washington are afforded an unmatched educational experience. They have opportunities to work on interesting projects with global impact, tackle real-world problems through design projects, and much more as they open doors to an extraordinary future.The university has a wide variety of programs to support engineering students. First- and second-year undergraduates can live in the Engineering Community, a residence hall that extends learning beyond the classroom. The Engineering Academic Center provides support, tutoring, workshops, and study groups.12IOWA STATE UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 87.83ANNUAL TUITION: $21,483PROGRAM WEBSITEIowa State University’s College of Engineering offers a dozen different engineering majors as well as five minors for undergraduate students in its eight departments. Engineering students at Iowa State get to work with professors whose research shapes the future, participate in research labs with the latest technology on revolutionizing projects, and get hands-on experience by collaborating with students from over one hundred countries.ISU engineering students can also enhance their educational experience by participating in one of the college’s top-rated learning communities. Every engineering major has a learning community that takes a large campus and makes it small. Students can also join more than sixty engineering student organizations or participate in one of the College of Engineering’s more than thirty study abroad programs. The possibilities are numerous and the experiences are priceless. The excellent and well-rounded engineering programs at ISU lead to over 95% of graduates landing jobs within six months of graduation.13CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 86.57ANNUAL TUITION: $47,577PROGRAM WEBSITEOn 124 acres in the beautiful environs of Pasadena, California, sits a world-renowned and pioneering research and education institution dedicated to advancing science and engineering. Cal Tech is home to an array of award-winning faculty members, including 35 Nobel Prize winners. Its investigations into the most challenging, fundamental problems in science and technology in a singularly collegial, interdisciplinary atmosphere have helped Cal Tech to develop a well-deserved reputation. All the while, it educates some of the world’s most outstanding students to become creative members of society.Boasting one of the lowest student to teacher ratios and a rigorous curriculum with access to varied learning opportunities and hands-on research, Cal Tech is a prime destination for prospective engineering students. The Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences offers six majors and two minors for undergraduate students interested in a career or a graduate degree in engineering. As well, the Division of Biological Engineering offers an undergraduate major in Bioengineering, and the Division of Chemical and Chemical Engineering offers an undergraduate major in Chemical Engineering with the option of four different concentrated tracks.14MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 86.44ANNUAL TUITION: $48,452PROGRAM WEBSITEThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is consistently one of the top ranked universities in the world. Its School of Engineering is no different among engineering programs. Founded in 1861, MIT has a proud history of influencing the world through technological leadership and research innovation. MIT is one of the world’s preeminent research universities. The largest of MIT’s five schools, the School of Engineering educates about sixty percent of MIT’s undergraduates. Over a third of MIT’s faculty are in the School of Engineering and they account for more than half of the sponsored research at MIT.The School of Engineering is home to eight academic departments and one division, as well as twenty laboratories and research centers. Undergraduate students in engineering fields have access to some of the world’s leading experts who are conducting some of the most cutting edge research. Students learn from and work with these award-winning leaders by choosing from over thirteen engineering majors and many more minors.15OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY—COLUMBUSCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 85.94ANNUAL TUITION: $28,229PROGRAM WEBSITEThe Columbus campus of Ohio State University is one of the largest university campuses in the nation. It is also home to one of the best colleges of engineering. Students enrolled in the College of Engineering at Ohio State move beyond the traditional lecture/lab approach and take part in experiential learning that provides both team-building skills and technological abilities. The nationally recognized First-Year Engineering Program fosters an appreciation of lifelong learning in general and engineering in particular. In addition to the academic and professional opportunities afforded the nearly 8000 undergraduate engineering students, OSU is known for its vibrant and active campus life.The College of Engineering currently offers fourteen major programs in eleven departments that span the breadth of careers within the profession. Students have the opportunity to follow their own investigational instincts through undergraduate research. Leading experts on the faculty work with the student to sculpt the student’s topic of interest into a feasible research project.More than 40 research centers and laboratories provide students with access to state-of-the-art facilities for research and teaching. The Global Option in Engineering is an exciting program for undergraduate students in any engineering major. These students combine internationally themed courses, experiences with global dimensions, and culture or language training to enhance their global competencies and better prepare them for the practice of engineering in a global environment.16UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN—ANN ARBORCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 85.73ANNUAL TUITION: $43,476PROGRAM WEBSITEAnn Arbor, Michigan is a vibrant, culturally rich community, in no small part to being the home of the flagship campus of the University of Michigan system. It is in many ways the quintessential college town. As the university is nestled in the heart of this city of 100,000 people, so the School of Engineering is the heart of the university’s North Campus, a hub of creativity, where engineering, art, music, and design students coexist and thrive.Michigan Engineering offers seventeen undergraduate programs of study that lead to a Bachelor of Science degree. In addition, there are a variety of programs that help students explore their specific interests, several options for minors, and many other educational opportunities. For example, the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program enables students to work one-on-one or as part of a small group of students on research projects conducted by faculty and research scientists all across campus.The College of Engineering offers hundreds of labs and opportunities to students looking to create their own projects or assist award-winning professors with groundbreaking research. And as one of the nation’s premier public research universities, the University of Michigan offers countless opportunities for undergraduates to enrich their college experience socially, academically, civically, and more.17NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY—RALEIGHCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 85.01ANNUAL TUITION: $26,399PROGRAM WEBSITEThe College of Engineering at North Carolina State is the largest of any college at the university. Eighteen Engineering degrees are offered through nine academic departments in the College of Engineering and three departments in other colleges. The Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center, Integrated Manufacturing Systems Engineering Institute and Operations Research also offer engineering degrees.Through its state-of-the-art facilities, advanced computer resources, and world-class faculty, the College of Engineering integrates education and research, giving its undergraduate students opportunities to solve real-world problems in classroom, field, and laboratory settings. It also offers degree opportunities on the internet through its Engineering Online program. The Engineering First Year Program is home to first-year engineering students, providing important information that ensures a successful college career.NC State is located in Raleigh, NC, part of what’s known as the Research Triangle, comprised of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, and anchored by NC State, the University of North Carolina, and Duke University. The proximity to so many world- and industry-leading research projects and the partnerships with other institutions gives NC State undergraduate students an advantage unavailable to many.18STANFORD UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 84.84ANNUAL TUITION: $47,940PROGRAM WEBSITEEngineering undergraduates at Stanford University have an unlimited number of possibilities, with a high number of degree options, research possibilities, and educational experiences. Within the School of Engineering’s departments, students can choose from among nine degree programs. The School of Engineering itself offers interdisciplinary programs leading to the B.S. degree in engineering with seven different specializations. Students may also elect a B.S. in an Individually Designed Major in Engineering. The Bachelor of Arts and Science (B.A.S.) in the School of Engineering is available to students who complete both the requirements for a B.S. degree in engineering and the requirements for a major or program ordinarily leading to the B.A. degree. A degree in Petroleum Engineering is offered by the Department of Energy Resource Engineering in the School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences.In addition to the plethora of degree options for the undergraduate engineering students at Stanford, qualified students have the opportunity to do independent study and research at an advanced level with a faculty mentor in order to receive a Bachelor of Science with honors. The school’s institutes and programs bring together students and faculty to work together to solve big problems in human-centered ways, to conduct interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach to promote an environmentally sound and sustainable world, and much more.Other opportunities range from service learning programs to internships to study tours. These opportunities enhance engineering education by providing students with an opportunity to learn about technology and engineering globally, to build professional networks, and to gain real world experience in a culturally diverse and international environment.19UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND—COLLEGE PARKCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 84.49ANNUAL TUITION: $32,045PROGRAM WEBSITEThe A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland is comprised of seven departments and offers nine undergraduate degrees. A common core curriculum outlines the first year for most students no matter their major. The challenging set of courses emphasizes teamwork. Students also have numerous opportunities for research and design projects. The degree programs put special emphasis on technology entrepreneurship and offer many international and collaborative possibilities.The A. James Clark School of Engineering also provides undergraduate students outstanding resources for their academic pursuits—innovative research opportunities, world-renowned faculty and state-of-the-art facilities. Students are also a part of the University of Maryland community, which offers its own array of resources and opportunities to learn, grow, and have fun on and around its idyllic campus in College Park, MD. As a Clark School Engineer, students will have the opportunity to build a foundation of skills and knowledge that will benefit the world in a very special and unique way, while themselves having a special and unique experience as a Terrapin.20UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA—LOS ANGELESCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 83.34ANNUAL TUITION: $39,518PROGRAM WEBSITEIn the heart of one of the country’s largest metropolitan cities and a part of one of the nation’s premier public university systems, UCLA is a leading institution in a variety of fields and disciplines. Its Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science is a national leader in technological innovation, interdisciplinary research, and engineering education. Within the school’s seven departments, it offers nine majors that prepare undergraduate students to meet the challenges of the 21st century.The Samueli School curriculum offers a hands-on, multidisciplinary education to prepare students to take on the challenges of their times and to make impact in ways that they cannot yet imagine. Its proximity to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the UCLA Anderson School of Management allows UCLA Engineering to excel in the growing field of biomedical and bioengineering research, as well as entrepreneurship.The talented and diverse faculty members at UCLA Engineering are among the top engineering educators and researchers in the world. They lead in fields including energy, sustainability, healthcare, communications, transportation, infrastructure, and information technology. Undergraduates at UCLA have the benefit of all that Los Angeles has to offer as well as the world renowned education the School of Engineering affords them.21RICE UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 83.17ANNUAL TUITION: $43,918PROGRAM WEBSITELocated in Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city, Rice is a comprehensive research university fostering diversity and an intellectual environment that produces the next generation of leaders and advances tomorrow’s thinking. The nine departments of the School of Engineering offer programs toward seven Bachelor of Science and nine Bachelor of Arts degrees and several engineering-related minors.More than sixty percent of Rice undergraduate engineers have a meaningful research experience before graduation. They also own all the intellectual property they create while students at Rice. The Rice Center for Engineering Leadership helps students become inspiring leaders, exceptional team members, effective communicators and bold entrepreneurs. The Rice Center for Career Development not only assists students in finding jobs after graduation, they also help undergraduates secure summer-long internships that are a vital part of the Rice experience.One of the unique features of Rice is its residential colleges. Before matriculating, undergraduates become a member of one of eleven residential colleges, which have their own dining halls, public rooms, and dorms on campus; most of the first-year students and about 75 percent of all undergraduates reside at their associated colleges. Because each student is randomly assigned to one of the colleges, and maintains membership in the same college throughout the undergraduate years, the colleges are enriched by the diversity of their students’ backgrounds, academic interests and experiences, talents, and goals.22ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY—TEMPECOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 82.95ANNUAL TUITION: $25,458PROGRAM WEBSITEArizona State’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering has a variety of resources to help undergraduate students succeed along their path to becoming engineers. From the very first semester, Fulton students integrate problem-based learning opportunities in their program courses. The Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative is a signature program at ASU, allowing undergraduates to work with faculty in pursuing their own research passion. Undergraduates might also take part in the Engineering Projects in Community Service program and design, build, and deploy systems to solve engineering-based problems for not-for-profit and nonprofit organizations. There is also the new Startup Center!, which offers signature entrepreneurship and innovation courses, workshops, expert mentoring, new venture competitions, and more.With two dozen undergraduate majors available, undergraduates at Fulton Schools are able to find the right avenue for pursuing their engineering passions. Fulton Engineering student support services include a thriving residential community, a dedicated Tutoring Center and a dedicated Engineering Career Center hosting workshops, biannual career fairs and more. ASU is located in Tempe, a part of the greater Phoenix area, giving students access to all that a big city has to offer for social and professional development needs.23PRINCETON UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 81.30ANNUAL TUITION: $45,320PROGRAM WEBSITEPrinceton University is one of the world’s premier research universities. At its School of Engineering and Applied Science engineering students learn the fundamental principles of engineering sciences and apply that knowledge to engineering design and practice through advanced courses and independent work. Ample opportunities for study in the life sciences, social sciences, and humanities complete a well-rounded undergraduate education that prepares students for a wide range of careers.Each engineering undergraduate at Princeton pursues an academic program in one of the six engineering departments that reflects his or her aspirations and interests within a general framework of requirements. Students benefit from participation in any of several engineering student organizations, stellar academic advising, and exceptional study abroad programs. But most importantly, Princeton engineering undergraduates learn from and participate with some of the world’s leading experts in their fields.Located in Princeton, NJ, the university’s proximity to New York City and Philadelphia gives students the cultural offerings of two major metropolitan centers that can be reached within one hour by train or car. Being near large cities also benefits engineering students looking for internships during their degree program or jobs upon graduation. But students can also find ample opportunities for social and professional enrichment on the Princeton campus, especially in the activities of their residential colleges.24UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDACOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 79.14ANNUAL TUITION: $28,666PROGRAM WEBSITEThe Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida is home to one of the largest and most dynamic engineering programs in the nation. Its nine departments offer fifteen undergraduate degree programs and its twenty centers and institutes help produce leaders and problem-solvers who take a multidisciplinary approach to innovative and human-centered solutions. Add to these stellar academic attributes life on one of the country’s liveliest and most exciting university campuses and it is no wonder Florida is an ever popular pick for aspiring engineers.The College of Engineering is approaching 9000 students and is in the top one percent for enrollment of women across all degree types. In addition to the diversity of the student body, the college has five times the U.S. average of startups launched and two times the U.S. average of inventions produced per research dollar invested. These numbers are due in part to the exceptional engineering faculty and in part to the college’s emphasis on innovation and discovery.25CORNELL UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 75.81ANNUAL TUITION: $50,953PROGRAM WEBSITEThe College of Engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY offers one of the broadest curricula in the world with fourteen majors, including the option for students to create their own program, as well as nineteen minors and dozens of concentrations. Cornell engineering students are empowered by an atmosphere of discovery, learning from and working with faculty members who are pushing the limits of engineering. Faculty and students also break the intellectual barriers to finding solutions at the national research centers on campus many of which were established and are led by engineering faculty members. Cornell is home to more than one hundred interdisciplinary centers, institutes, laboratories, and programs that support research and enhance education.With nearly 3200 undergraduate students, the College of Engineering is one of the largest schools at Cornell. Its makeup is diverse and growing. The distinct personal, academic, and professional backgrounds of Cornell’s academic community gives depth and breadth to the interdisciplinary approach that is intrinsic to the university and unparalleled at other institutions. With eleven departments, the depth and breadth of academics at Cornell Engineering translates into unique undergraduate opportunities for focused study and interdisciplinary collaboration.26HARVARD UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 75.17ANNUAL TUITION: $47,074PROGRAM WEBSITEHarvard University has been for some time one of the top research universities in the world. Its attributes as an institution need little mentioning. For those prospective engineering undergraduates, knowing more about Harvard’s John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences might help as they explore potential educational opportunities.The School takes a broad-minded approach to education, designing courses and programs to cater to students at multiple levels and fully incorporating laboratory research. There are eight primary research interests in the School offering, six of which offer curriculum for a bachelor degree. Undergraduates can pursue one of seven Bachelor of Arts degrees or one of four Bachelor of Science degrees.Much coursework and several individual research opportunities allow undergraduates to work with professors on extraordinary projects. Dedicated undergraduate research facilities and Active Learning Labs also provide opportunities for students to engage in hands-on learning. The School’s student organizations, research centers, initiatives, and institutes provide further opportunity to develop socially, academically, and professionally.27UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA—SAN DIEGOCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 74.63ANNUAL TUITION: $41,387PROGRAM WEBSITEJust outside of sunny San Diego, La Jolla, CA, is home to the University of California–San Diego. UCSD is one of six UC schools to make our top 50 list. The Jacobs School of Engineering offers nearly twenty undergraduate majors leading to a bachelor’s degree. Its six award-winning departments provide close to 7000 undergraduate students with a breadth and depth unparalleled for undergraduate programs.Jacobs is set apart by its entrepreneurial culture and integrative engineering approach. The education model at Jacobs focuses on deep and broad engineering fundamentals, enhanced by real-world design and research, often in partnership with industry. Through their Team Internship Program and GlobalTeams in Engineering Service program, for example, they encourage students to develop their communications and leadership skills while working in the kind of multi-disciplinary team environment experienced by real-world engineers.Students have many options for development and social and professional interaction. The many exciting and active research centers provide opportunities for hands-on learning. And, being located at the hub of San Diego’s thriving information technology, biotechnology, clean technology, and nanotechnology sectors, the Jacobs School proactively seeks corporate partners to collaborate with them and their students in research, education, and innovation.28CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 74.45ANNUAL TUITION: $52,040PROGRAM WEBSITECarnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA is home to a world-class College of Engineering. With an eye toward the future, the curriculum at the College focuses on educating engineers to be properly equipped for successful careers in today’s global economy. It includes intensive classroom, laboratory, and hands-on learning. The work is challenging and the curriculum customizable.General engineering courses are required in the first year, giving students an opportunity to familiarize themselves with a discipline before choosing a major. Many of the courses are project-based, including the “Introduction to Engineering” classes taken in the first year. Students are able to learn and practice under the supervision of our world-class faculty, who stress creativity and independent thinking, while requiring the student to define a problem, to design in the presence of technical and socioeconomic constraints, to make judgments among alternative solutions, and to explore innovative alternatives to more conventional solutions.The college offers a five-year joint bachelor’s and master’s degree in all five of the traditional majors, and an accelerated master’s program in Engineering & Technology Innovation Management. The College of Engineering also offers a unique joint degree with the Tepper School of Business where students can earn a BSE and an MBA in five years.29UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO—BOULDERCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 73.54ANNUAL TUITION: $35,079PROGRAM WEBSITEThe College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado in Boulder offers fourteen undergraduate degree programs. From Aerospace Engineering to Technology, Arts and Media, Colorado’s over 4000 engineering undergraduates have the opportunity for a world-class education on one of the most vibrant campuses in the country.The College of Engineering and Applied Science prides itself on their pioneering new approach to engineering education that places the student’s needs first and is integrative, collaborative, and inclusive. Students in the College are well prepared for entering careers in an increasingly global workforce.The many signature programs available at Colorado enhance the educational and professional development of engineering students. These programs include the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, which provides hands-on design experience to undergraduate students in its unique, award-winning facility. The college’s First-Year Engineering Projects Course allows students to put engineering theory into practice early in their undergraduate careers. Students work together on developing a variety of projects that address a wide range of real-world issues. The BOLD (Broadening Opportunity through Leadership and Diversity) Center fosters success through academic resources, student leadership, mentorship, research and career development opportunities and a supportive community in order to break down the barriers that keep too many of today’s young talent from reaching their aspirations.30UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA—DAVISCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 72.74ANNUAL TUITION: $40,728PROGRAM WEBSITEThe College of Engineering at the University of California Davis provides an undergraduate engineering education based on strong fundamentals. It provides students the tools they need to prepare for careers and continue to grow and adapt in a quickly changing technical world. Its undergraduate students have many opportunities for hands-on engineering through research, design competitions, student clubs, internships and, of course, classroom projects, with access to a large, well-equipped student shop, a rare resource in engineering schools today.UC Davis offers the most comprehensive engineering program and the most ABET-accredited engineering majors among the six schools appearing in this list from the University of California system. The College of Engineering not only provides access to a well-rounded educational experience, it provides several student resources, facilities, and organizations to help engineering undergraduates succeed in school and beyond.The Engineering Fabrication Laboratory is the university’s primary manufacturing shop for the numerous student teams and research groups within the College of Engineering. The Engineering Student Startup Center is an on-campus space where UC Davis students can prototype ideas and collaborate on technology ventures. The space was designed as a creativity hub for learners and young entrepreneurs, and is equipped with resources to empower students at the earliest stages of their startup ideas. Dedicated computer labs and student centers for engineering students is just some of the small touches that make UC Davis an excellent choice for engineering undergraduates.31NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 72.32ANNUAL TUITION: $50,855PROGRAM WEBSITEAt Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, the McCormick School of Engineering has developed the concept of whole-brain engineering. This idea permeates the full environment at McCormick and runs its way through all of the bachelor’s programs. Over a dozen undergraduate majors deliver a balanced education through coursework, research, internships, and extracurricular activities.Three key areas characterize a McCormick experience: design, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Design connects the technical skills of engineering with the creativity needed to correctly frame and solve the problem. The Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation provides course offerings, funding, and guidance to students looking to nurture and develop their innovative ideas. And with resources such as the Center for Leadership, McCormick students gain the skills and ability to rally support around an objective, manage team dynamics, and maximize collaboration.Northwestern’s proximity to Chicago gives its students access to cultural experiences and professional networks that enhance the school’s already stellar degree programs. McCormick also provides resources like personal and career development that further shape its students into engineers who impact the world.32JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 71.84ANNUAL TUITION: $50,410PROGRAM WEBSITEAt the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, an engineering education is based in a solid foundation of basic science, mathematics, and computing. Beginning freshman year, Hopkins students are immersed in the innovative application of engineering concepts, applying engineering knowledge and working across disciplines to solve society’s greatest challenges. Undergraduates work in collaboration with faculty who are recognized leaders in their fields. They conduct research, take part in internships, find jobs, study abroad, and are encouraged to pursue academic interests outside their major.The Hopkins Engineering community is small, tight-knit and collegial, with all the benefits that come with being part of the Johns Hopkins global research network. Since 1979, Johns Hopkins University has been ranked by the National Science Foundation as the nation’s leading academic institution in total research and development spending. With any of the eleven undergraduate engineering programs, students will learn from and work with leading and active experts in their fields. Whiting boasts a 9:1 student to faculty ratio. The intimacy paired with the world-class research makes Hopkins one of the best choices for undergraduates who desire a hands-on experience.33UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA—SANTA BARBARACOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 71.20ANNUAL TUITION: $40,704PROGRAM WEBSITEThe College of Engineering at the University of California at Santa Barbara provides a small-school atmosphere at a major university. Its five undergraduate majors give the nearly 1500 students a chance to study with world renowned faculty in an intimate environment. The 10:1 faculty to student ratio allows students to get to know leading scholars while learning from and working with them.The mission of the College of Engineering is to provide its students a firm grounding in scientific and mathematical fundamentals; experience in analysis, synthesis, and design of engineering systems; and exposure to current engineering practice and cutting edge engineering research and technology. To that end, UCSB engineering undergraduates have opportunities for interaction in active student organizations, expansion in study abroad programs, and discovery in one of several undergraduate research programs.The beautiful and inspiring setting of Santa Barbara on the California coastline is merely the backdrop to a globally top-ranked educational and research experience with the College of Engineering at UCSB. Access to the Los Angeles metropolitan area to the south and the Bay Area further north, give UCSB Engineering students large job markets to enter.34DUKE UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 70.17ANNUAL TUITION: $51,265PROGRAM WEBSITEStudents at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering are active, well-rounded, and successful. They participate in meaningful research, study abroad, and become active in student organizations, many of which are specialized engineering groups. And Duke gives them a top-notch education, preparing them to take their activity and success to a wider world.Pratt School of Engineering offers Bachelor of Science degrees in four major engineering disciplines: Biomedical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. While each engineering major offers options for specialized study, the general engineering degree requirements are the same for all majors.Duke itself is a world-renowned university located in Durham, NC, a part of the famous Research Triangle. Engineering students not only benefit from the vibrant campus life at Duke, but they also benefit from the fertile research atmosphere that fills the region. The Research Experience for Undergraduates program is unmatched and provides opportunities to gain valuable research skills that make students highly competitive for jobs, internships, and graduate school scholarships.35UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGHCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 69.00ANNUAL TUITION: $29,758PROGRAM WEBSITEThe Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh has seven departments offering thirteen engineering programs. Although some students enter the Swanson School of Engineering with a departmental major already in mind, all students are admitted to the First-Year Engineering Program as undecided engineering majors. This first year experience is crucial to the development of the student and the future engineer. The program offers a common set of core courses, allowing students to share experiences and thus build lasting friendships and professional networks. It also ensures a solid foundation in math and science and thus create better chances for future success.The Freshman Engineering Integrated Curriculum requires the work and cooperation between different engineering departments in addition to the School of Arts and Sciences. The faculty is particularly devoted to the students they teach and have an ongoing commitment to the success of this program. They also happen to be leaders in their fields.Several centers, institutes, and labs give students opportunities for hands-on research experiences. And the many student organizations enhance the educational experiences of students by providing social and professional interactions with peers and future colleagues.36UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONACOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 68.82ANNUAL TUITION: $30,025PROGRAM WEBSITEAt the University of Arizona’s College of Engineering, undergraduates can choose from among fourteen majors. All engineering students start with hands-on introductory design courses. The UA College of Engineering has a 91-percent first-year retention rate, far higher than the national average. They pair some of their best instructors with freshmen; provide hands-on, interactive learning; and offer a number of advising, tutoring, and mentoring services.A unique opportunity for underclassmen engineering students at Arizona is the Engineering Leadership Community. The ELC is a unique living-learning community that brings together first and second-year engineering undergraduate students, helping them to develop their skills as future members of the profession, while giving them a real sense of belonging to the College of Engineering. Students have the opportunity to form a cohort of peers who attend classes together, receive guidance from a faculty member, pursue social networking among the UA engineering community and explore engineering professions.In addition the College is home to several dozen engineering clubs and organizations, an Honors Program, and an Engineering Ambassadors program. Students can also further enhance their education through study abroad programs and excellent tutoring and study groups.37COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINESCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 67.65ANNUAL TUITION: $34,828PROGRAM WEBSITEAt the Colorado School of Mines, earth, energy, and environment are the focus for students of engineering and applied sciences. The six of the school’s departments offer engineering majors, while two offer engineering minors. Colorado School of Mines is a public research university devoted to engineering and applied science. It has the highest admissions standards of any public university in Colorado and among the highest of any public university in the U.S.The Colorado School of Mines has distinguished itself by developing a curriculum and research program geared towards responsible stewardship of the earth and its resources. In addition to strong education and research programs in traditional fields of science and engineering, the school is one of a very few institutions in the world having broad expertise in resource exploration, extraction, production, and utilization.The school has 180 student organizations on campus, eighteen intercollegiate athletic teams, and the largest section of the Society of Women Engineers. Modern research facilities including more than 40 specialized centers, a strong interdisciplinary teaching and research focus and low student-to-faculty ratio offer a personalized education and encourage students to investigate problems from real-world perspectives. The school’s’ reputation and high admission standards, as well as its alumni network in industry, government, and academic institutions, contribute to a high placement rate.38RUTGERS UNIVERSITY—NEW BRUNSWICKCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 66.19ANNUAL TUITION: $30,023PROGRAM WEBSITEAt the main campus of the State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick, Rutgers University’s School of Engineering continues the 250-year tradition of success at one of the leading public research institutions in the country. For nearly 150 of those years, a Rutgers Engineering education has prepared students for rewarding and successful careers in an ever-changing world through rigorous coursework, supported by groundbreaking research opportunities and leadership development.Undergraduate students in the School of Engineering follow a common first year curriculum. In the latter half of the first year, students declare a major from the over eight majors on offer. Also, those students with a desire and an outstanding first-year experience may find their way to the Engineering Honors Academy. Through selective academic courses and living together in residential halls during a portion of their time as undergraduates, Academy scholars enjoy an environment that facilitates strong intellectual bonds and personal growth. The students are challenged with accelerated courses and have the opportunity to participate in the prestigious James J. Slade research program which culminates in a final presentation and an honors thesis.All Rutgers Engineering students benefit from top-notch facilities, advising, and student services. And with the excellent career and professional development services, Rutgers students are well-prepared to take on fulfilling and successful careers in industry, government, research, and academia.39COLUMBIA UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 65.09ANNUAL TUITION: $55,056PROGRAM WEBSITEAt Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, students not only study science and mathematics and gain technical skills but also study literature, philosophy, art history, music theory, and major civilizations through the Core Curriculum in the humanities. The first and second years of the four-year undergraduate programs comprise approximately 66 semester credits exposing students to a cross-fertilization of ideas from different disciplines within the University.Columbia’s is one of the oldest and most distinguished engineering programs in the country. There are sixteen areas of study for engineering students, each of which affords students opportunities to learn from some of the most awarded faculty in the world. The advantageous location of the university provides research, internship, and entrepreneurship opportunities in New York City and other nearby metropolitan areas.Students are immersed in hand-on design programs from the very beginning of their programs. They participate in real research that has real world impact. The over 1400 undergraduate engineering students at Columbia are able to participate in several student organizations, take part in a variety of fellowships, and take advantage of all that Columbia and NYC have to offer.40UNIVERSITY OF UTAHCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 64.89ANNUAL TUITION: $27,039PROGRAM WEBSITEAt the University of Utah’s College of Engineering, undergraduate students can choose to focus their studies in one of seven departments, which offer eight majors and three minors. The university’s campus is located in Utah’s largest city, Salt Lake City. The pristine surroundings and the metropolitan environment offer an unparalleled variety of activity for university students.The College of Engineering had its origins in the State School of Mines, established in the 1890s. Dedicated to enhancing Utah’s mining industry, it was among the first engineering programs west of the Mississippi River. A strong tradition of educational and technical support for local industry continues to the present day. Today the College has nearly 3600 undergraduate students, awarding nearly 500 bachelor degrees a year.Within the college educational opportunities and resources that expand and enhance the core curriculum of each major abound. State of the art facilities, study abroad programs, an honors program, and a wide variety of student organizations are many of the things that help Utah stand out on the engineering landscape. In addition Utah’s engineering research opportunities and tutoring centers give students experiences and assistance for success at Utah and beyond.41UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIACOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 64.42ANNUAL TUITION: $45,066PROGRAM WEBSITEOne of the nation’s oldest public universities, the University of Virginia has been a leading research institution for nearly 200 years. The School of Engineering and Applied Science embodies the university’s successful ethos. Founded in 1836, the Engineering School is the third oldest engineering school in a public university in the U.S.Within the Engineering School undergraduate programs, courses in engineering, ethics, mathematics, the sciences, and the humanities are available to build a strong foundation for careers in engineering and other professions. The school’s abundant research opportunities complement the curriculum and educate undergraduates to become thoughtful leaders in technology and society. The distinguished faculty lead the nearly 2700 undergraduate students through instruction and collaboration in a variety of engineering disciplines, including cutting-edge research programs in computer and information science and engineering, bioengineering and nanotechnology, and energy and the environment. The University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science is home to nine departments offering ten undergraduate programs.Located in what the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research named the “happiest city in America,” the University of Virginia provides its students a full academic and social life. Charlottesville is found in Central Virginia just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It offers stunning beauty, extraordinary culture, and an inexhaustible list of things to do.42AUBURN UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 64.34ANNUAL TUITION: $28,840PROGRAM WEBSITEAuburn University in Auburn, AL is home to the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. The university has been offering engineering courses since 1872, and at Ginn College today students can choose from among a dozen undergraduate majors. Ginn provides excellent academic, research, and outreach programs; computer and laboratory facilities that are second to none; and a world-class faculty. The college is recognized as a major contributor to the region’s economic development and industrial competitiveness, with national and global influence.The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering is among the nation’s top 50 in research expenditures. Undergraduates get to participate in many of the school’s award-winning research programs, and the strong research environment brings cutting-edge ideas and practices into the classroom. Ginn research programs collaborate with government agencies, businesses, and foundations to identify research needs, expand established technologies, and develop new ones, and transfer knowledge and technology to industry.At Ginn undergraduate students als have the opportunity to join a variety of student organizations, participate in engineering global programs, and take part in one of the liveliest university campus environments in the country. Career connections and tutoring centers help Ginn undergraduates become successful engineers that impact the world.43UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIACOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 63.65ANNUAL TUITION: $51,464PROGRAM WEBSITEPenn Engineering offers two broad engineering-based degrees. The Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) is the flagship program, preparing students for careers in professional engineering and related fields. Students can choose to concentrate in one of nine majors while pursuing the BSE. The Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) provides students more breadth, and allows them to combine a technology-based degree with course work options in other disciplines. The BAS degree is designed primarily for students whose interests are not oriented toward professional engineering. Students pursuing a BAS can choose from among four majors or work with Penn’s award-winning faculty to create an individualized focus of study.The numerous academic resources include many active student organizations, a tutoring program, and an office of Research and Academic Services. Research opportunities abound in Penn’s various interdisciplinary research centers and institutes. The extraordinary faculty-to-student ratio provides great opportunities for undergraduate students to work in state-of-the-art research laboratories during the academic year and in the summer. The dedicated Science and Engineering Library provides ample resources for research and study. And Penn’s location in Philadelphia provides a wealth of activities and opportunities for internships and career-launching jobs.44CLEMSON UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 61.88ANNUAL TUITION: $32,796PROGRAM WEBSITEThe College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences at Clemson University in Clemson, SC has as its mission to create future engineers and scientists who can be productive in a global economy. All first-year undergraduates in the college begin with General Engineering courses. After that the college offers a broad range of rigorous and stimulating baccalaureate programs which provide unexcelled educational opportunities. Students may choose from among thirteen focused majors. The innovative combination of engineering and science disciplines which comprises the College facilitates study and research in fields transcending the traditional disciplines. Students enjoy close interaction with a distinguished faculty committed to excellence in undergraduate education as well as in research.With so much research at the University, there are plenty of opportunities for undergraduates to experience hands-on learning. Many students join Creative Inquiry teams and conduct research while applying classroom knowledge to real-life situations. Creative Inquiry projects require several semesters of commitment and provide invaluable hands-on experience as the participants find, analyze, and evaluate information. Clemson also has several student services, cooperative education and internships, and the vibrancy of a major university campus.45UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA—IRVINECOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 61.39ANNUAL TUITION: $39,458PROGRAM WEBSITEThe Henry Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California at Irvine offers undergraduate degrees in a wide range of traditional and emerging fields. All engineering programs at UCI combine science, engineering fundamentals, design principles and application, and a culminating design experience. Students are encouraged to participate in research and hands-on engineering design opportunities to develop the practical skills needed for graduate study or employment. Two-thirds of undergraduate students participate in faculty-led research projects by the time they graduate. The Samueli School currently offers twelve majors and two minors.Over 3200 engineering undergraduates call UCI home and find focus in one of Samueli School’s five academic departments: biomedical engineering; chemical engineering and materials science; civil and environmental engineering; electrical engineering and computer science; and mechanical and aerospace engineering. The school pursues research that is timely, socially responsible and cutting edge, and works in partnership with industry and state and federal agencies to promote the transfer of research to applications that benefit society.Located in Irvine, CA, in Orange County, the school is situated within the larger Los Angeles metropolitan area and is also within reach of San Diego. Access to these major cities gives UCI students plenty of opportunities to explore cultural activities and professional networks.46UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARECOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 60.81ANNUAL TUITION: $31,420PROGRAM WEBSITEThe University of Delaware in Newark, DE traces its historic roots back to 1743, making it one of the oldest universities in the U.S. Today is stands as a national leading research-intensive, technologically advanced institution. The College of Engineering is one of the university’s seven colleges and is home to seven academic departments and three degree programs devoted to building a community of problem-solvers focused on challenges associated with sustainability, energy, healthcare, and the environment. Within those degree programs, students can choose from among nine majors and eleven minors.Over 2300 undergraduates are following a course of study in the College of Engineering at Delaware. A select number of these exceptionally capable and well-motivated students are given the chance to see and have a part in what is happening at the frontiers of knowledge today through the Undergraduate Research Program. The Science and Engineering Scholars Program combines the resources of the University’s science and engineering colleges and research centers, the Undergraduate Research Program, and industrial and government sponsors to give the selected students in-depth research apprenticeships in all areas of science and engineering.Delaware provides students with all of the resources of a large university together with the charm and intimacy of a small school. Student organizations, offices of development and support, career services, educational support, and other resources help to assure a successful journey through the undergraduate years.47YALE UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 60.52ANNUAL TUITION: $49,480PROGRAM WEBSITEYale University is a world-famous institution of higher education and research. It is consistently recognized as one of the most outstanding universities in the world. It is no surprise then that its School of Engineering and Applied Science is among the best in the country. Like any other outstanding college engineering program, Yale teaches students the principles of math and science, modern software tools, and how to design devices and systems. With most of its faculty being involved in cutting-edge research, many opportunities exist for students to participate. Unlike many students at many technically focused institutions, students in Yale Engineering take their non-engineering subjects in classes taught by renowned faculty and together with liberal arts majors whose focus is on social, political, economic, and other humanities areas.The student to faculty ratio is among the best in the country. Yale’s School of Engineering and Applied Science has approximately sixty professors and it graduates approximately sixty engineering majors each year. Students have the opportunity to work alongside their faculty mentors on the cutting-edge of contemporary research. Many faculty members involve undergraduates in their research.Student and professional organizations in the larger Yale community and specifically in the College of Engineering and Applied Science give Yale engineering students many and various opportunity for personal and social development. Yale’s location in New Haven, CT, with its ease of access to New York City, provides students with unlimited possibilities for cultural experiences, as well as career and professional networks.48VANDERBILT UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 60.03ANNUAL TUITION: $45,610PROGRAM WEBSITEThe School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN offers a Bachelor of Engineering in six degree programs and a Bachelor of Science in two programs. The School of Engineering highly recommends students actively seek out opportunities in various areas of interest in order to gain valuable skills and knowledge in research fields. Research-active faculty members often allow undergraduate students to work in their labs as student workers, technicians, or assistants.In addition to exceptional curricula and research opportunities within the School itself, Vanderbilt Engineering is a part of the larger Vanderbilt University context. As a major research university, with a long heritage of excellent undergraduate education, Vanderbilt offers all that one expects from large institution. Student life is vibrant, with social and cultural activities abounding. Within the School of Engineering, several student organizations help undergraduates develop professionally and socially.Honors programs, internships, study abroad programs, and other activities in the school give undergraduates experiences and perspectives not available in the classroom or lab alone. Engineering Career Development assists students with their first steps into the job market. Vanderbilt undergraduates are well prepared to impact the world.49UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIACOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 58.91ANNUAL TUITION: $52,217PROGRAM WEBSITEThe University of Southern California in Los Angeles is one of the leading private research universities in the world. Nearly 2600 of its 19,000 undergraduates call the Viterbi School of Engineering home. The USC Viterbi School of Engineering is innovative, elite, and internationally recognized for creating new models of education, research and commercialization that are firmly rooted in real world needs.Viterbi’s First Year Excellence program aims to support student success and to help ensure a smooth transition to USC and Viterbi through a variety of different programs and services. The Engineering Freshmen Academy is a course every Viterbi undergraduate must take. The course approaches engineering from a different perspective, providing a macro-level view of the engineering profession by addressing the ethical, societal, and political impact of engineering. Academy section is assigned “Academy Coaches,” upper division Viterbi students who serve as resources and mentors to first year students.Since USC is in the heart of Los Angeles, there is a world of opportunity for its students. Cultural events abound. Beaches and mountains are within reach. Leaders from a variety of industries call LA home. Viterbi graduates, then, are well prepared to face the diverse challenges of the world and make an impact toward their resolutions.50MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE CHOICE SCORE: 58.55ANNUAL TUITION: $39,090PROGRAM WEBSITEStudents in the College of Engineering at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI are involved in a thriving, research-active environment. There they can sharpen problem-solving skills, connect with resources, interact with fellow engineers and students from other majors, and become a well-rounded engineer. Beginning in the first year, MSU Engineering students are immersed in a combination of academic rigor and hands-on, design-intensive education.The College of Engineering offers ten Bachelor of Science majors, spanning from the traditional, widely-recognized engineering degree titles to more interdisciplinary programs that permit students to build a foundation in engineering and add in courses from other fields of study. Incoming students are strongly encouraged to consider joining the CoRe Experience, where students live in the same residence hall where early engineering courses are taught. The experience provides students with the opportunity to be a part of a living-learning community focused on the engineering grand challenges of tomorrow.MSU is a large research university with all the amenities and options one would expect from such an institution. The many research projects give undergraduates ample opportunity to gain considerable professional experience. The student resources and organizations within the College of Engineering give MSU Engineering students a tremendous academic, social, and professional boost. And the vibrancy of the university campus rounds out the undergraduate experience for College of Engineering students.