Bader, I don't know where you get the idea that "if he was seriously considering Illinois or MSU, neither
ISU's or UI's engineering programs can hold a tee to either of them." Yes Illinois has a very respected engineering program (in some areas) and is rated higher than ISUs, but "can't hold a tee to it?" And MSU's program is good but no better the ISUs. When it comes to recruiting undergraduate engineering students
ISU has a much larger engineering career fair (one of the largest in the country) than either Illinois or MSU and I think that is a pretty good indication of how well
ISU's engineeering program is respected among those who hire engineers. If you are using US News and World Report to make your comparison, I wouldn't put a lot of credence in their rankings (based too much on reputation).
