Engineering schools supply the world’s technological giants with skilled professionals. Anyone interested in going to an engineering school will have to investigate the attributes of a number of schools and take a good look at their own priorities. Factors like a school’s available graduate programs as well as its history, reputation and location will come into play. To help aspiring engineers decide on the right institution at which to seek a graduate degree, here is a list of the 10 best-ranked engineering schools.
1. The Stanford School of Engineering
Stanford is widely considered to be one of the nation’s most prestigious universities and has been leading the engineering field since the early 20th century. The Stanford school of Engineering has been at the hub of breakthrough technologies that have completely altered the fields of information technology, medicine, energy and many others. The school strives to expose engineering students to liberal arts as well as to cutting edge research and development.
Unique Features
The school’s location places right near the heart of modern day technological innovation: Silicon Valley, California. Another factor that sets it apart is the fact that it has more than 80 labs and centers for student research. The Stanford School of Engineering allows students the opportunity to combine liberal arts studies with their engineering education, thus encouraging innovation. One major element that places Stanford above the rest is its emphasis on encouraging student entrepreneurship via a variety of formal and informal opportunities for experience. The school is presently ranked second in the US News & World Report’s list of best engineering schools.
Admission Requirements
Applications should be made to the graduate admissions committee in the department related to a particular field of study. Students may enter from a number of undergraduate programs including geology and physics, in addition to engineering.
2. The Institute of Technology at Carnegie Mellon University
Students there have the option of pursuing course or research-based master’s degrees and Ph.Ds are offered by most of the school’s departments. They have roughly 30 research centers on the Pittsburgh campus.
Unique Features
The Carnegie Mellon University campus is located in Pittsburgh , but the school maintains facilities in Silicon Valley as well, providing students with access to the nation’s technological nerve center. The institution is ranked 4th on the US News and World Report’s list of the best engineering schools.
Admission Requirements
A minimum TOEFL score of 84 (iBT) or 600 (paper based). Also considered are general academic performance and letters of recommendation. Applicants should have at least a “B” average.
3. The MIT school of Engineering
Since its foundation in 1861, MIT has stood at the forefront of technological development in the nation and the world. The school sees its mission as ensuring that the next generation of engineers is given the scientific and engineering knowledge needed to solve 21st century problems. MIT is known for its pioneering research as well as its challenging programs in many areas of learning. The campus provides roughly 20 research centers that deal with areas as diverse as nanotechnology and cancer.
Unique Features
Students with innovative business ideas have the opportunity to enter MIT’s entrepreneurship competition and win $100,000 in start-up money. MIT is ranked in first place on the US News & World Report list of the best engineering schools.
Admission Requirements
Students will need to have a bachelor’s degree from an acceptable school prior to enrollment.
4. The Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M was founded on engineering since it came into being as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas in the late 1800s. Today, the school has the Dwight Look College of Engineering to carry on its legacy of training engineers. The College of Engineering has more than 11,000 students and upwards of 350 in its faculty. This school is located in College Station, TX and has six graduate degree areas including a master of engineering degree.
Unique Features
The school’s highest rankings are in the areas of agricultural engineering and petroleum engineering. Texas A&M is ranked in the 11th spot on US News & World Report’s list of the top engineering schools in the country.
Admission Requirements
Students will need to take courses in chemistry English and math prior to enrollment. Minimum GPR for admission into the Ph.D program is 3.5. The minimum GRE is 155. For the master of engineering program minimum GPR is 3.0, the GRE is 150. Research and field experience are also considered.
5. The College of Engineering at UC-Berkeley
This campus has a reputation around the world of being a source of innovative engineering research and education. Berkeley engineers have made great breakthroughs that range from making Californian agriculture viable to pioneering the technological advances that have made Silicon Valley what it is today. Berkeley students have the option of an accelerated Professional Master’s Program that allows them to graduate in only a year and its College of Engineering offers roughly 40 research centers for student involvement.
Unique Features
This institution is located near San Francisco and offers its students access to the city as well as to nearby beaches. It is ranked in 3rd place on the US News & World Report list of the best engineering schools.
Admission Requirements
A bachelor’s degree and a satisfactory scholastic average.
6. The Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University
This school’s focus is on design and it provides its students with hands-on opportunities in the area of engineering design. Among the offerings of this Evanston, IL engineering school is the state-of-the-art Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center. It forms a part of the 835,000 square feet of laboratories, classrooms and offices that make up the school.
Unique Features
The school provides a mix of full-time master’s degree programs including mechanical engineering and biotechnology. Four part-time master’s degree programs are available and these include information technology and product design. Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering is ranked 20th on US News & World Report’s list of the top engineering schools.
Admission Requirements
A resume/CV along with TOEFL scores of at least 550/213. A GPA of at least 3.0/4.0. A GRE score of over 157.
7. The College of Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology
Located in the heart of the teeming metropolis of Atlanta, GA is the largest US college of engineering. It is a leader in engineering research and education and aims to provide its graduates with the educational experience that prepares them to meet the technological needs of tomorrow’s world. The institution’s stated goal is to provide professionals who are capable and competent in areas as diverse as robotics and medical physics.
Unique Features
The Georgia Tech College of Engineering offers graduate degree programs in areas that include aerospace engineering and biomedical engineering. 19 programs in all. Georgia Tech is ranked at #5 on the US News & World Report list of the best engineering schools.
Admission Requirements
Satisfactory performance in previous degree programs and satisfactory GRE scores.
8. The College of Engineering at the University of Illinois
The graduate and undergraduate programs at this school are consistently ranked in the top five around the world and it is considered a global leader in engineering education. The College of Engineering is presently providing funding to more than 2,000 projects, to the tune of $236 million. It provides more than 50 research centers and offers more than 10 graduate degree programs.
Unique Features
The College of Engineering’s graduate students number roughly 2,700, a fifth of them being female. There is an annual $30,000 prize given to the student who comes up with the most innovative technological concept. This institution ranks fifth on the US News & World Report list of the best engineering schools.
Admission Requirements
Good performance on high school standardized tests (especially in subjects like math) along with a good GPA.
9. The Cornell University College of Engineering
The goals of this Ithaca, NY institution include the application of traditional engineering problem-solving to a vast range of areas including robotics and medicine. Graduates get the option of pursuing their master’s degrees in one year. Research centers on campus include the Center for Nanoscale Systems and the Cornell High Energy Synchotron Source.
Unique Features
In 2012 the ratio of students to faculty at the Cornell University College of Engineering was 4.6:1. The programs at the Cornell School of Engineering are focused on six areas, one of which is biomedical engineering.
Admission Requirements
Factors taken into account will include the content of the courses applicants have taken as well as their rigor and the applicant’s performance in them.
10. The Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science
While Princeton’s reputation may be as an Ivy League bastion of liberal arts it is also a major research university. The institution’s recent investments in engineering include the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. The bulk of the school’s research is focused on topics of health, the environment and security. Princeton Engineering students have made important strides in areas such as the design of next-generation fuels. Engineering students also have access to the Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering which can provide them with an education on the relationship between technology and entrepreneurship.
Unique Features
The campus is located an hour away from two major cities: New York and Philadelphia. The School of Engineering and Applied Science is ranked 17th on the US News and World Report’s list of the best engineering schools.
Admission Requirements
The GRE exam is mandatory for all applicants with the paper-based test taken by October at the latest and the computer-based test by December at the latest. Transcripts must be uploaded with the online application.