Where can I find a reliable List of Engineering School Rankings

[Saladsamurai]

Where can I find a "reliable" List of Engineering School Rankings

When I Google the subject, a get a whole host of sites, none of which seem too reliable. Does anyone know where I can find a reasonably current list of...I don't know, the top 50 Engineering schools in he U.S.?

I just don't want to form any opinions based on bogus information.

Thanks,
Casey

EDIT: By the way, I mean undergrad programs.

 

[Ben Niehoff]

http://www.phds.org/

 

[Saladsamurai]

http://www.phds.org/

Thanks Ben, that may come in handy in a couple of years. I will edit the OP to specify that I meant undergrad.

Thanks,
Casey

 

[Saladsamurai]

Any ideas?

 

[Ben Niehoff]

I went to Purdue for engineering. They're known all over the world. At the time I went, they were ranked 11th. I don't know what criteria were used, though. And I have no idea what the rankings are now.

There isn't really anyone definite ranking; as you can see on the site I linked, there are a number of different criteria one might use to rank. The same schools consistently come out on top (MIT, CalTech), and then further down the list, they move around a lot, but there are quite a lot of strong engineering schools, and many of them (like Purdue) are very well-ranked, but not actually too hard to get into.

 

[Saladsamurai]

Nice. I live in Massachusetts and attend a community college that has a really good Engineering Science Transfer program (2 year) that covers the bases of the first two years in most engineering curricula. So I would be transferring as a 2.5 or 3rd year student (there's always a class or two that doesn't transfer :/)

I have been at this school for two years already (Liberal arts), but just changed into the Eng Sci. program since most of the Lib Arts electives I was choosing were just math and physics courses anyway.

I decided the LA degree was kind of wasting time. So I have another full year (with a heavy summer courseload too) to go. I have maintained 3.9 GPA out of a possible 4. I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa (National Honors society of two year colleges) which may help with scholarships. And I have participated in a few extracurriculars (not related to field, though). But I have plenty of time before transfer now that I have changed fields.

I will apply to MIT, but I am not banking on it. It's more like, if they accept...woot! If not, I'll live. I never intended to go to college anyway...but at 28 years old, I am finally here.

I am really considering Boston University and Northeastern University, since they have transfer agreements with my community college.
I was just anxious to see how they stacked up to the competition.

Anyway, that's my babble..thanks again,
Casey

 

[las3rjock]

In my opinion, Northeastern University is a highly underrated engineering school. In particular, they have some really strong competencies in electrical engineering, especially in electromagnetics and in signal processing.

 

[Norman]

How about WPI since you are in Mass?

And people typically use the US News rankings:
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankindex_brief.php

 

[Ben Niehoff]

Nice. I live in Massachusetts and attend a community college that has a really good Engineering Science Transfer program (2 year) that covers the bases of the first two years in most engineering curricula.

Hmm...I wouldn't count on that. At Purdue, for example, there is one year of generic Engineering classes before students must apply to one of the specific engineering schools, such as Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, etc. After that, the classes are very different. So I don't see how any single 2-year program could cover the first two years of ALL engineering programs. At Purdue you might be covered for the first year, and maybe a class or two after that, but you definitely wouldn't get two years out of it.

I will apply to MIT, but I am not banking on it. It's more like, if they accept...woot! If not, I'll live. I never intended to go to college anyway...but at 28 years old, I am finally here.

I am really considering Boston University and Northeastern University, since they have transfer agreements with my community college.
I was just anxious to see how they stacked up to the competition.

Yeah, make sure you apply to some places other than just MIT. For undergrad, I applied to MIT and Purdue. MIT put me on their waiting list; Purdue accepted me early.

 

[Saladsamurai]

Hmm...I wouldn't count on that. At Purdue, for example, there is one year of generic Engineering classes before students must apply to one of the specific engineering schools, such as Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, etc. After that, the classes are very different. So I don't see how any single 2-year program could cover the first two years of ALL engineering programs. At Purdue you might be covered for the first year, and maybe a class or two after that, but you definitely wouldn't get two years out of it.

Believe it or not our school works closely with 7 or 8 colleges of engineering that are located in Mass to ensure that the full two years transfers. I know plenty of people who have moved directly into their 3rd year from here.

That is the benefit of the Mass Joint Admissions program and being matriculated into the Engineering program at the community college.

Casey

 

[Saladsamurai]

Anyone have any ideas? U.S. News only gives top 4...and it seems kind of bogus since they want you to pay. I know that no sources are unbiased...

 

[Norman]

US News is basically the definitive source when people talk about "rankings."

They only list the top 4 so that you pay to see the rest. They are a fairly well respected magazine so I wouldn't say it is bogus. But schools have been found "cheating" to increase their US News Ranking (MIT was recently found to be incorrectly reporting to US News which boosted their standings significantly).

 

[Cyrus]

Believe it or not our school works closely with 7 or 8 colleges of engineering that are located in Mass to ensure that the full two years transfers. I know plenty of people who have moved directly into their 3rd year from here.

That is the benefit of the Mass Joint Admissions program and being matriculated into the Engineering program at the community college.

Casey

Everyone transferred their first two years to UMD. I don't know what they do at Purdue. Go to a school based on what you want to study. Forget those stupid rankings. If you like heat and mass, go to a school known for heat and mass.. etc.

 

[Saladsamurai]

US News is basically the definitive source when people talk about "rankings."

They only list the top 4 so that you pay to see the rest. They are a fairly well respected magazine so I wouldn't say it is bogus. But schools have been found "cheating" to increase their US News Ranking (MIT was recently found to be incorrectly reporting to US News which boosted their standings significantly).

I see...is there any way to see those lists w/out paying? Maybe I could Google for the past few years' lists.

Casey

 

[SlideMan]

Crap. You used to be able to get the listings at http://education-portal.com/article_directory/Top_Engineering_Schools.html
but they've since dropped all but the top 3.

Just go to the library and get the 2008 print edition. It lists the top 50 schools in there.

 

[StandAndDeliver]

this site is good.

http://www.studentsreview.com/top_engineering_schools_ranking.html

 

[huckmank]

this site is good.

http://www.studentsreview.com/top_engineering_schools_ranking.html

Hahahahahahahahahahaha... <breath> hahahahahahahahahahaha...

No.

Texas Tech is ranked #10 and MIT is ranked #36. For some reason this doesn't ring true to me.

 

[Saladsamurai]

So many of these websites are sketch...wtf.

That is why I put 'reliable' in post the title...is it even possible?

Casey

 

[shadowfoxna]

try colorado school of mines

http://www.mines.edu/admiss/ugrad/FirstYearStudents/fyr_welcome.html
from there website.

With programs in science, engineering, economics, and energy, and careers from computers to consulting, high tech to biotech, and business to engineering,

A friend of mine is going there and says its great and anther friend got accepted.I heard it is vary challenging though.

 

[Curious P]

http://www.arwu.org/ARWU-FIELD2007/ENG.htm

"published by the Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (IHE-SJTU). It has been done independently by the ranking team in IHE-SJTU for their academic interests without any external financial support. "

Disclaimer: http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/rank/2005/disclaimer.htm
Ranking home page: http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/ranking.htm

 

[Saladsamurai]

Forget those stupid rankings. If you like heat and mass, go to a school known for heat and mass.. etc.

Well, that is more or less what this thread is about! How do you find out what a school is known for?

I know that I want to do engineering, so lots of schools are known for that.

My concern is: who do I ask what these schools are known for?

If Slappy the homeless guy down the street behind the Shanghai House of Noodles tells me that Purdue as a sweet Post-doctural Ninja program...well that's great and all but...

Casey