Why I chose Cranfield over one of America’s top ranked public universities
02/07/2016
![Thomas Nathan blog pic](https://blogs.cranfield.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Thomas-Nathan-blog-pic-1.jpg)
I was accepted at both Cranfield University and the 11th best ranked public University in the USA, the University of Illinois, to study my Masters. How was I going to decide? In the end I chose Cranfield, but let me explain to you how I ended up making the best choice of my educational career so far…
Just before graduating from one of the top French engineering schools, Ecole Centrale de Lille, I was offered the opportunity of a double diploma. It was a great opportunity for me to finally focus on aerospace engineering. I soon applied to the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (USA) which is ranked #4 in the Shanghai Ranking in Engineering, and Cranfield University because of the overwhelming positive feedback I heard about them. However, I struggled to find any rankings for Cranfield and most people I talked to had never heard of it.
I soon understood that although Cranfield, being a postgraduate-only and highly technical university, is not as well-known as other universities, it is indeed one of the top, if not the best, in fields such as Aerospace in Europe.
Cranfield is really about transforming knowledge into action, about learning what companies want. Almost every day you can feel and participate in this ambition, with lectures from industry experts, networking sessions, business mixers and seminars or conferences across campus.
There are so many opportunities to meet new people, to firmly put one foot inside the businesses that partner with Cranfield through your projects, and to get an insight on what the industry really wants from you.
For me, Cranfield also came out on top because of the many precise and advanced courses offered, the impressive facilities, the international environment and the relevant sponsors for every project and task you will undertake here.
The one-year intensive MSc, the reputation in Europe, and mostly the close relationship with industry and businesses, were the factors that made me choose Cranfield University over Illinois in the end. And I will never regret that choice.
*Picture above is of my Aerospace Vehicle Design course group.
Find out more about our work with businesses, and our awards and rankings.
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
Library resources for due diligence
If you’re researching a company with a view to an investment or acquisition, due diligence will be of utmost importance. Although much of the data and information required for this exercise will come from the ...
Introducing Barrington Library
Welcome to all our new students! Barrington Library supports all the students and staff at Cranfield Defence and Security (Shrivenham site). We are looking forward to meeting you all soon, in person or online. Getting ...
Looking for audiobooks?
Are you looking for an audiobook? Maybe you find them more convenient because you can listen to them on-the-go. Maybe you prefer to learn by listening. Or maybe you have a disability that means audiobooks ...
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to uncover iron-age tools in the Caucuses as part of my MSc
When I was first asked whether I was interested in taking part in an archaeological excavation in Georgia, my first thought was that it didn’t appear to be a natural fit to my Forensic Science ...
Exploring the Skies: My Journey at Cranfield University
When it came to choosing where to further my education, Cranfield University was the obvious choice—especially for someone as passionate about aerospace as I am. Cranfield's global reputation in the field ...
Sourcing country analysis – a guide to Library sources
For those researching a country, you will find that country information tends to take two forms: Analysis - country reports are descriptive reports covering most areas of interest on a country. They contain an analysis ...