Harvey Mudd vs MIT

Hi everyone! I'm a junior looking to major in engineering. I'm considering applying to both Harvey Mudd and MIT next year, but I'm curious about the differences in their engineering programs and campus cultures. Can someone shed some light on this? Would you recommend one school over the other for any particular reason?

Hi there! It's exciting to see that you're considering both Harvey Mudd and MIT for your engineering studies. While both schools have fantastic engineering programs, their campus cultures and overall experiences can be quite different.

Harvey Mudd is a small, liberal arts-focused college, which is part of the larger Claremont Colleges consortium in Southern California. This means you'll have the opportunity to participate in classes, clubs, and social events at the other Claremont colleges as well (Pomona, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, and Pitzer). The atmosphere at Harvey Mudd is collaborative, with an emphasis on well-roundedness and applying engineering concepts to other fields. Harvey Mudd's core curriculum includes a variety of subjects outside of engineering to ensure that students gain exposure to many areas of study. So, if you appreciate a tight-knit, interdisciplinary learning environment with great weather year-round (don’t discount the impact sunshine can make on your academic performance!), Harvey Mudd might be the right fit for you.

MIT, on the other hand, is a larger institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, right outside of Boston, which means you’ll be near a major city and also surrounded by many other college students, as Boston is one of the USA’s hubs of higher education. As one of the world's premier institutions for engineering and technology, MIT has a vast array of resources available to students. The culture at MIT is competitive and research-focused, with numerous opportunities for collaboration with industry leaders and renowned faculty. You'll find endless math, science, and engineering opportunities, including internships, research projects, and startups. If you're looking for a vibrant urban setting, diverse student body, and a continuously cutting-edge curriculum, MIT sounds like a great option.

When it comes to choosing between Harvey Mudd and MIT, consider which environment suits you better in terms of campus size, student life, and academic focus. Both schools have outstanding engineering programs, so you can't go wrong academically. However, your overall happiness and college experience will be largely influenced by the campus culture and opportunities for personal and academic growth, so you want to be thoughtful about what kind of atmosphere will allow you to truly thrive in college.

I would recommend visiting both campuses if possible and talking to current students to get a feel for what resonates with you the most. Good luck with your decision!