Dilemma between MIT and Princeton

[me2013]

Hi there, I am so lucky to be accepted to Princeton's Phd ME program yesterday, and I am dilemma between MIT and Princeton now. 

As MIT only offer me the MS degree other than a Phd (MIT's Phd ME only accept MS applicants and I am a senior college student), and my terminal degree would be a Phd, so should I accept the Princeton Phd or do MIT's MS first?

 

How do you guys compare the two schools and programs?

 

Any suggestions is appreciated! Thank you!!

[uromastyx]

Harvard.

[emg28]

I don't know much about Engineering since I'm in Higher Ed but what I would suggest considering what you want to do with those degrees. Both are great schools but did you ever lean towards one over the other (before you heard back from them)? What career opportunities would one give you versus the other? Also, as someone who graduated in 2010 and took some time off from school before pursuing grad school, I'd seriously advise you to think about the next 5 years. Are you ready to commit to a long process as a PhD? Or would you prefer a MA which might give you flexibility to try different things out professionally before committing to a 5-7 year program. Best of luck! I know any of those two choices will be great.

Edited February 9, 2013 by emg28

[Usmivka]

Whichever one has the better advisor fit. You will be working with one primary person at either location, so how do your research interests mesh? Have you met these people? This, as always, is the most important consideration.

 

Secondarily, what would your peers be like?  I am continually blown away by the intelligence, engagement, and empathy of my peers at MIT, and they make grad school a lot more fun. Princeton also attracts great people, but it is definitely a smaller community, so the specific people in your program could make a big difference in how much you enjoy it. Visiting each program and interacting with students will give you a good fell for which is a better fit. 

 

Third, the city? One is in a major metro area, the other in a sort of sleepy university town. Do you prefer/dislike either environment?

 

Other considerations include what MITs retention rate is for MS students continuing to PhD. The reason they only accept MS students is that MIT engineering is notorious for washing people out at quals who don't meet expectations. If you are confident in your abilities, this shouldn't matter and your PhD would end up coming from MIT, which is about the most prestigious degree possible in the engineering world. I'll point out that Princeton may be accepting you into a PhD program, but exactly the same things could happen--you could fail quals and leave with an masters. This is true of any program, MIT is just being honest about it.

 

EDIT: you double posted this.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Usmivka

[pete-mc]

There is also the issue of cost. I assume Princeton will be fully funding you. What about MIT?

 

Check if you can transfer credit after finishing MIT's Master's to Princeton's PhD. If they accept, you could finish in the same time while getting both MIT and Princeton degrees.

 

Also, there is a difference betwenn New Jersey and Massachussetts. Check out the campus, faculty, students, amenities, housing, leisure options etc. before making a decision.

 

Princeton is Ivy League, MIT is not but considered Ivy League. Princeton has the world's tightest and best conncted alumni network, MIT less so.

Edited February 9, 2013 by blackfish71

[Usmivka]

In Engineering or the sciences, doing a masters in one place and then transferring will nearly always increase time to graduation. Be ready to commit and do well enough to proceed wherever you go, a transfer will be a pain in the ass.

 

I think if industry and "connections" are your ultimate goal, MIT is a superior choice as an engineer given its cache and business spinoffs (MIT born businesses, grouped, make something between the 11th and 17th largest economy in the world). I don't buy the alumni network thing, Princeton isn't top on any lists I've seen (here is one, which has both PU and MIT in the top 10). If you remove law and business students/schools from consideration--its arguable how much you will interact with the old boys club as an engineer--then places like USC[alifornia] and big state schools break the Ivy stranglehold. And regardless, MIT is cross enrolled with Harvard and shares many events and facilities, so you'd still have Ivy connections. But if Princeton is the better fit for other reasons (again, advisor first and always), I know their grad stipend is awesome and students make bank while they are there. I'm pretty sure most MIT ME/MSs are funded, so I don't think the MS vs PhD admission should be a deal breaker over the more important issues of fit and happiness.

Edited February 10, 2013 by Usmivka

[aero9]

Whichever one has the better advisor fit. You will be working with one primary person at either location, so how do your research interests mesh? Have you met these people? This, as always, is the most important consideration.

 

Secondarily, what would your peers be like?  I am continually blown away by the intelligence, engagement, and empathy of my peers at MIT, and they make grad school a lot more fun. Princeton also attracts great people, but it is definitely a smaller community, so the specific people in your program could make a big difference in how much you enjoy it. Visiting each program and interacting with students will give you a good fell for which is a better fit. 

 

Third, the city? One is in a major metro area, the other in a sort of sleepy university town. Do you prefer/dislike either environment?

 

Other considerations include what MITs retention rate is for MS students continuing to PhD. The reason they only accept MS students is that MIT engineering is notorious for washing people out at quals who don't meet expectations. If you are confident in your abilities, this shouldn't matter and your PhD would end up coming from MIT, which is about the most prestigious degree possible in the engineering world. I'll point out that Princeton may be accepting you into a PhD program, but exactly the same things could happen--you could fail quals and leave with an masters. This is true of any program, MIT is just being honest about it.

 

EDIT: you double posted this.

 

This is absolutely excellent advice and I second all of it. Being accepted as an MS student at MIT is pretty much standard as was the case when I applied there for AeroAstro so I wouldn't make anything of the MS vs. PhD.

 

 

In Engineering or the sciences, doing a masters in one place and then transferring will nearly always increase time to graduation. Be ready to commit and do well enough to proceed wherever you go, a transfer will be a pain in the ass.

 

I think if industry and "connections" are your ultimate goal, MIT is a superior choice as an engineer given its cache and business spinoffs (MIT born businesses, grouped, make something between the 11th and 17th largest economy in the world). I don't buy the alumni network thing, Princeton isn't top on any lists I've seen (here is one, which has both PU and MIT in the top 10). If you remove law and business students/schools from consideration--its arguable how much you will interact with the old boys club as an engineer--then places like USC[alifornia] and big state schools break the Ivy stranglehold. And regardless, MIT is cross enrolled with Harvard and shares many events and facilities, so you'd still have Ivy connections. But if Princeton is the better fit for other reasons (again, advisor first and always), I know their grad stipend is awesome and students make bank while they are there. I'm pretty sure most MIT ME/MSs are funded, so I don't think the MS vs PhD admission should be a deal breaker over the more important issues of fit and happiness.

 

I agree again with everything stated here. Pretty much all AeroAstro MSs were funded based on what I heard and the connections at MIT for engineering are probably worth more than the Princeton alumni network.

[Judson]

Everything you should care about is your advisor. I strongly suggest you to talk to professors in both schools and try to get some information about their plan for you in the 5-year future.

 

However, I truly can insight that you will not go wrong either.. 

[epsilon]

There is also the issue of cost. I assume Princeton will be fully funding you. What about MIT?

 

Check if you can transfer credit after finishing MIT's Master's to Princeton's PhD. If they accept, you could finish in the same time while getting both MIT and Princeton degrees.

 

Also, there is a difference betwenn New Jersey and Massachussetts. Check out the campus, faculty, students, amenities, housing, leisure options etc. before making a decision.

 

Princeton is Ivy League, MIT is not but considered Ivy League. Princeton has the world's tightest and best conncted alumni network, MIT less so.

When youre talking about schools like MIT (Stanford, caltech, carnegie mellon), I dont think the "ivy league" thing should come into the equation. In fact, it probably shouldn't come into the equation period, but especially not when talking about MIT...