[ME][PHD] RICE vs RPI vs A&M

[conkhidot]

Hey Guys,

I am in desperate need for help! You can tell from the number of questions i have:) Please advise.

I have been accepted for PhD in Rice University, Texas A&M, RPI, all fellowship and i am confused which one to choose which school to go. I'll be really grateful for any answer/advice concerning the below quesions:

- Which is more prestigious: RICE, RPI or A&M?

- In mechanical Engineering program, which is the better school in graduate program. My working interest is in Robotics

- Is it worth going to RICE despite lower ranking in Mechanical engineering?

Will be really thankfull for any help...

Conkhidot

[conkhidot]

is there any one have some info about those schools!

Thank you

[anontank]

What do you want to do?

Which one will let you do what you want?

[aginath]

I will admit bias towards A&M. Rice definitely carries with it an air of prestige, but I can't speak to graduate programs specifically. I also know that RPI is a fantastic program.

These things said, step back from the rankings and look at the faculty. What type of contact did each have with you during the application process? Did you connect with any of the faculty during the application process? Which program has funding or focus on specific projects that match your interests?

[conkhidot]

Thank you very much for your replies, RICe have an very good offer when they confirm to me three year of financial support.

the field I prefer to work on is dynamics and control field ( focus on Robotics). During my application process, I have some contacts with professor in the RPI, and professor help me to admit and also provide me financial support for it. Professor assigned me to work on some interesting projects however just one year financial support confirmed. At RIce, I did not have any contact with professors, They just assigned for me 2 temporary professors work on one field. My professors are not working on robotics field. They work on theoretical control theories, chaotic theories and Nanotech.

RIce graduate mechanical engineering school is very small, I wish to receive some advices on which is the advantage of a big department like RPI or small department like RICE.