Citadel vs Norwich
So you know my bias - I am a Citadel grad and currently volunteer to recruit Cadets for the mid-atlantic area. As someone mentioned the Mechanical Engineering degree is a new program at The Citadel. The Engineering School is considered one of the best for undergraduate engineering degrees in the country (US News ranks it No. 17 for Electrical, Computer, Civil, Environmental concentrations) Small class size, outstanding professors (no grad students teach classes at The Citadel only professors), and a well designed program are what you will find. As a first year Cadet in the Engineering program, you will largely be studying and attending to learning about being a Citadel Cadet for the 9 month Fourth Class System - longest of any military college. Some HS students blink at this prospect.
As someone mentioned - both Norwich and The Citadel offer all military services commissioning programs including the Coast Guard. The Citadel's NROTC program is Marine Corps Oriented - meaning it is concentrated on graduating and commissioning Marines vs Navy officers. Also, the NROTC Marine option program benefits from having one of the most well developed MECEP programs for commissioning enlisted Marines who are competitively picked for college programs. These MECEPs work with the NROTC program to help Cadets who are commissioning into the Marines - very worthwhile program. The Army program is the largest ROTC program and very storied. Known as the Palmetto Battalion, the Army program dates to well before the start of ROTC, back to 1843, when the school first opened. Cadets from this first class trained and later fought with the famed Palmetto Regiment of SC in the Mexican War and thus the name.
As far as culture - you need to understand who you are and what you want out of college. Don't know too much about the Norwich experience other than the Corps attends classes with the civilian day students. You might find this more relaxing and social than at The Citadel. The Corps program at The Citadel is more intense. And - speaking as a Yankee from North Jersey - understand at The Citadel you are attending a southern school in probably the most intensely southern city in the country. 50% of the Corps is from SC. If you do well assimilating to change, and like southern culture, Charleston is a very nice change from the North. Charleston is hugely proud of its southern culture and history. Toursim has taken its toll, but no doubt you are in the south.
Good luck to you
So you know my bias - I am a Citadel grad and currently volunteer to recruit Cadets for the mid-atlantic area. As someone mentioned the Mechanical Engineering degree is a new program at The Citadel. The Engineering School is considered one of the best for undergraduate engineering degrees in the country (US News ranks it No. 17 for Electrical, Computer, Civil, Environmental concentrations) Small class size, outstanding professors (no grad students teach classes at The Citadel only professors), and a well designed program are what you will find. As a first year Cadet in the Engineering program, you will largely be studying and attending to learning about being a Citadel Cadet for the 9 month Fourth Class System - longest of any military college. Some HS students blink at this prospect.
As someone mentioned - both Norwich and The Citadel offer all military services commissioning programs including the Coast Guard. The Citadel's NROTC program is Marine Corps Oriented - meaning it is concentrated on graduating and commissioning Marines vs Navy officers. Also, the NROTC Marine option program benefits from having one of the most well developed MECEP programs for commissioning enlisted Marines who are competitively picked for college programs. These MECEPs work with the NROTC program to help Cadets who are commissioning into the Marines - very worthwhile program. The Army program is the largest ROTC program and very storied. Known as the Palmetto Battalion, the Army program dates to well before the start of ROTC, back to 1843, when the school first opened. Cadets from this first class trained and later fought with the famed Palmetto Regiment of SC in the Mexican War and thus the name.
As far as culture - you need to understand who you are and what you want out of college. Don't know too much about the Norwich experience other than the Corps attends classes with the civilian day students. You might find this more relaxing and social than at The Citadel. The Corps program at The Citadel is more intense. And - speaking as a Yankee from North Jersey - understand at The Citadel you are attending a southern school in probably the most intensely southern city in the country. 50% of the Corps is from SC. If you do well assimilating to change, and like southern culture, Charleston is a very nice change from the North. Charleston is hugely proud of its southern culture and history. Toursim has taken its toll, but no doubt you are in the south.
Good luck to you
