Is Drexel or Syracuse considered more prestigious for undergrad admissions and resumes?

For overall undergraduate reputation, Syracuse is usually the one people recognize as having a bit more traditional prestige. It has a longer-established national brand, especially because of its visibility in communications, business, public affairs, and athletics, and that tends to carry into general name recognition on resumes and in casual college conversations. Drexel is well respected too, but its reputation is often tied more specifically to its co-op model, practical career preparation, and strength in certain professional fields than to broad prestige.

If you care most about how the school name lands with someone who only knows colleges at a general level, Syracuse probably has the edge. It is one of those schools many people across the country have heard of, even outside academic circles. That kind of recognition can matter in networking or first impressions, though it is not the same thing as academic superiority.

Drexel tends to stand out more for a student who wants to be seen as career-focused and hands-on. Employers often know Drexel because of its strong cooperative education system and its ties to Philadelphia industries. On a resume, that can be a real advantage, especially when paired with multiple work experiences earned during college.

Syracuse may carry more old-school campus prestige, but Drexel can look especially compelling when the resume shows substantial internship or co-op experience by graduation. So if the question is purely broad reputation, Syracuse is more often viewed as the more prestigious name. If the question is which school can produce a stronger early-career resume, Drexel can be very competitive because of the built-in work experience.