decision between Clemson vs Syracuse

[Yao,Qimin]

Now I've received 2 AD, one is Clemson, the other is Syracuse, I apply for ME,master. Syracuse has better reputaion,rank 50, but the major rank of ME is 70. Clemson's major rank is 54. Can anyone help me to choose. I'm so confused.

[Reinventing]

Rankings are not that important and my guess is "major rank" (not sure where you got this) is for the undergraduate program. I wouldn't sweat the difference between 54 and 70 (these numbers change, but even if they don't, they still suggest these two schools are in the same basic "tier"). I do think Syracuse is more well known. There are plusses and minuses for both of these schools, but I can't say which is better, because I think it really depends on what you're looking for. Do you have any other information from which to make this decision (interactions with faculty, course of study, quality of labs, etc)?

[Ripper]

I got my MA in Clemson and lived there a year before that. It is a special little town, totally a college-town as EVERYTHING centers around the University; that's not a bad thing. It is a beautiful university, beautifully landscaped and meticulously maintained. I loved my time there.

That being said, Clemson is undergoing some major funding issues right now including mandatory furloughs and whatnot. It is located in the South Carolina Upstate, about halfway between Atlanta and Charlotte, and the surrounding area is green and pretty as can be. The populace, however, is very conservative and there are a lot of rednecks; you will see the rebel flag regularly. I used to say you couldn't throw a rock in Clemson without hitting a church, an old person, or a dollar store. There is not a proper movie theater to speak of. Clemson is also under a push to achieve top 20 status and so there is some grade inflation going on.

I would definitely recommend trying to get in touch with some grad students in your department. It really is a great place, but it has some problems. If you go, have a beer at Nick's for me.

[irishcoffee]

I'm just going to come right out and say it: Clemson may be a cute college town, but it's in the middle of freakin' nowhere. We're talking cow country. I don't know anything at all about Syracuse, but this largely sounds like a locale (and maybe funding) issue. Those rankings don't mean much to begin with, and their numbers are fairly close anyway. Definitely hit up the "city guide" section on here and check out the city data forums elsewhere on the web. Just my two cents!