Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

[charlie b]

I also highly highly recommend finding an internship in industry during the summer. That is HUGE when it comes to getting job after college.

As a person who used to hire new engineers, this was usually the deciding factor. 

For the student it is also a great way to know if that industry/company is right for them.  Some tend toward big companies, some the smaller ones.

And, yes on the useful nature of degrees.  A BS in engineering is useful out of the box.  Physics, math and many others are not considered very important until you get at least an MS and sometimes a PhD is needed.  For example (at least in the old days), Stanford did not even have a MS in physics, only a PhD.

[Nic in Western NYS]

Always heard great things about RPI regarding pure technical training.  While there's a lot wrong with ranking academic institutions, take a look at some lists (US News is one) for new ideas.  Just don't buy into their rankings too seriously.  It's much more a matter of fit between student and school.  Great opportunity to travel and see what floats the boat.

[Lannis]

As a person who used to hire new engineers, this was usually the deciding factor. 

For the student it is also a great way to know if that industry/company is right for them.  Some tend toward big companies, some the smaller ones.

And, yes on the useful nature of degrees.  A BS in engineering is useful out of the box.  Physics, math and many others are not considered very important until you get at least an MS and sometimes a PhD is needed.  For example (at least in the old days), Stanford did not even have a MS in physics, only a PhD.

A  :1: to all that, especially the usefulness of an advanced degree in physics or math.   Although the theory you get in those fields in pursuing a B.S. is a lot of fun, you won't get much practical experience that an employer will look at until you've gone on to an M.S. and/or PhD.   Careful, though ... once you've gotten the PhD, you may be considered "overqualified" in manufacturing or engineering, and be looking at jobs in research or at a university.   My M.S./Physics worked out great for me ...

Lannis 

[sturgeon]

...
I also highly highly recommend finding an internship in industry during the summer. That is HUGE when it comes to getting job after college.

Even better, look at schools that offer co-op (work one term, school one term). I graduated from one of those and ended up spending the rest of my working life there. It's in Canada, but I think there are some in the US as well. Our students that went through a co-op program rarely had a problem finding a good job after graduation, all other things being equal. It takes an extra year, but helps pay for tuition, etc, and gives the equivalent of two years of relevant job experience.

[Swedemoto]

A late reply but....RPI is about 45 mins. south of me. It is and has been a highly rated and regarded school. Very competitive and costly. Any kind of scholarship would be awesome. Cornell, top notch. RIT is as well. My sons girlfriend has just been accepted into their PhD program for Mechanical Engineering. I think she's going to do alright!