question for the engineers in the crowd-non fitness related

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cardbucfan
cardbucfan Posts: 10,396 Member
in Chit-Chat
Hey engineers (hope there are some of you out there!),

I have a question for you. My high school senior wants to be an engineer (mechanical and aerospace) and is in the final stages of selecting a college. He was accepted to University of Florida which is ranked 26 for mechanical on the graduate ranking list we have seen. He was deferred by Ga Tech but will hear from them on March 9 and is fairly confident he will get in. Ga Tech is Ga Tech-nuff said. Before he heard from UF I told him we needed to go visit a couple of the schools he had been accepted to that had offered him money so we went to a few of those last week.

We BOTH fell in love with University of Alabama. Besides the warm hospitality and beautiful campus, they are offering him full tuition, the honors college (which has lots of benefits with it), space in the athletes/engineering dorm (bigger beds and better food) and opportunities for undergraduate research. They've also just spent TONS of money on their engineering facilities and underclassmen get to use these things.

UF was our first college visit so we didn't know at that point what we didn't know or really what questions to ask. We definitely need to go back and make another visit to really check out their co-op program and see their facilities but that can't happen for awhile due to school commitments.

Now our dilemma (and you probably know where I'm going by now). The cost to attend UA and UF would be comparable. UA is offering full tuition and we have a Florida prepaid insurance plan which would cover the tuition at UF. He is eligible for another scholarship in Florida that would cover $3000 of housing/books, etc. We would be able to cash in his prepaid plan and apply that to housing at UA so really-it's pretty much the same price. Ga Tech is substantially more expensive (out of state, no scholarship money). So that's the cost factor. Then there is the reputation/ranking of each school. Ga Tech is number 6, UF is 26 and UA is 101! Quite a difference.

So. How important are rankings when it comes time to get a job? How much does it affect companies coming to recruit or do co-ops? Is Ga Tech's substantially more expensive tuition worth it in the end? Will he earn that much more money to make it cost effective?

My husband and I are polar opposites on this. He is a total bottom line guy and thinks it makes way more sense to go to UF (even though the school is HUGE, he might not get the honors college there and he'd have to take some on-line classes because it's hard to get all your classes and he'd have to live in one of the old-style traditional dorm rooms) rather than go to a school with a lesser reputation or spend that much more money. I think we need to look at the overall experience and that a happy kid who is excited will be motivated to do more and work harder.

Any thoughts, opinions, personal experience would be greatly appreciated!
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Replies

  • SeaRunner26
    SeaRunner26 Posts: 5,143 Member
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    Engineer here. So, speaking as a man of logic and math, always go for the best value. That does not mean the cheapest. It means the most gained for the amount spent (the biggest bang for your buck).
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,396 Member
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    O.K., I get that (I'm an accountant) but what should be valued the most? Ranking and reputation of school? How he performs in school will be affected by where he goes (Tech is known to have professors who are more interested in their research than teaching and incredible competition, UF is known for having monster size classes that are taught by TA's and they make Chem 1 and Calc 1 true weed-out classes) but if he performs really well will that overcome a perceived lower ranking? How much MORE value is there in a degree from Ga Tech?
  • SeaRunner26
    SeaRunner26 Posts: 5,143 Member
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    That depends on who is potentially hiring and how important prestige is to them.
  • dansls1
    dansls1 Posts: 309 Member
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    Getting and keeping a job is about work ethic and people skills. School means very little in the real world, from what I have seen.
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
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    it seems like you're over thinking it. what does your son want? did he go to one of those schools and just get a "feeling" that it was the right one for him?

    depends on your sons personality, but sometimes all the logic in the world can't convince someone to do something when their heart says something else.
  • justmyalias
    justmyalias Posts: 153 Member
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    I graduated with a Masters from GA Tech. I think the people at GA Tech think way more of themselves than the real world. Maybe not accurate, but that is my take.

    My son is in his senior year as well... he is all over the place and really no idea what he wants to do. Here's what I truly believe... it is not an end-all decision. He could start his 4 years in one place and always transfer at a later time. There's also graduate school...
  • misscristie
    misscristie Posts: 643 Member
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    Married to an engineer (network) who went to VA Tech and ended up dropping out. Never did get a degree. Succeeded on his on badassedness.

    You might want to see if you can find some reviews on the programs at each school. I really don't think prestige amounts to a hill of beans when it comes to hiring time. (With the exception of like attending med school in the carribean or something)

    Any student will be most successful if they go somewhere they enjoy and don't feel brow beaten every day by their profs. No one wants to sit through a class that begins every single day with "Look to your left and your right. At least 1 of you won't be here next semester."

    Best of luck to your son. The world needs more great engineers :)
  • Dragonnade
    Dragonnade Posts: 218 Member
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    Nothing to add regarding engineering stuff. BUT I did go to a university without visiting it, kinda hated it and dropped out. Thankfully straight into another university which I loved.

    The first university had the higher reputation but that's worth nothing as I hated it and dropped out.
    Second university isn't really ranked in the UK as it's private BUT I walked out with a first in law because I loved it all so much and now I have a truly brilliant job.

    If you hate it and the environment isn't conducive to work, it isn't worth all the reputation, scholarships and kittens in the world.
  • Pennapenguin
    Pennapenguin Posts: 33 Member
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    Civil engineer here.......I might not be the best help, I went to a very small accredited school and live in a smaller size city and work for a very small family owned company.

    How determined is he? Is he gung ho more about school or is he equally into school and the socializing aspect of things?

    Just because 1 school is ranked higher than another does not mean he won't still learn or get the same education out of them.

    From what you described, I would be going with Alabama.

    GA Tech may be a high ranking school but it really sucks to have student loans when your starting your working career. I know!
  • dems11
    dems11 Posts: 30 Member
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    It sounds like your son is a good student so I suspect he won't need the presumed status from attending a good school. The most important qualities for engineers are dilligence, knowledge, creativity, organization, and the ability to work well with others. Go for value, but encourage your son to expand his knowledge, to diversify his interests. I work in design engineering, went to school for electrical engineering at Iowa State University, and am now working as an electrical engineering technician. I had to quit school when I started having children, always intended to go back but never did, tho' I've been satisified with my current job. One final thing - the best engineers are those that have people skills as well as technical expertise.:happy:
  • mariapuhl
    mariapuhl Posts: 529 Member
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    If you hate it and the environment isn't conducive to work, it isn't worth all the reputation, scholarships and kittens in the world.

    I agree with this statement - Money is a big factor, obviously - but also if you aren't going to like the place, you're going to end up being miserable, getting worse grades, or leaving the school (which could then be expensive, you might switch schools and not get the offer you originally had, etc.).

    So it's VERY important that your SON like the school and feels like he could see himself there every day.

    Also, if you're so focused on the rankings - remember that a ton of schools are tied. So while a school might be number 57, probably there's a number 1 school, then 2 - 10 are tied, then 11 - 15 tied for third... so the ranking might be a bit better. Or, a program might JUST be getting started or have done renovations, etc. so the program might not have the ranking it actually deserved.

    Really as long as their actually ranked and have more than one professor in the department (my school has a film degree... with one professor.... sketchy.) - you're fine on the ranking thing.
  • LittleMissNerdy
    LittleMissNerdy Posts: 792 Member
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    I agree with those who say what does your son want? He might go to the "better school" but if he ends up hating it and it then causes bad grades, does it really matter where he went?
  • CharMarieDavis
    CharMarieDavis Posts: 43
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    I am an aerospace engineer and I went to University of Oklahoma. I don't think WHERE you went really matters. If you have a great GPA and good work ethic you should be able to find a job. At OU, they did very little to help with job recruiting but I still managed to find a very good job on my own. I ended up choosing the college where not only I could get a good education, but I could make a life. I am from Colorado and came to Oklahoma and I love it! So I would just tell him to listen to his heart on this one. The main point is getting a degree and enjoying college at the same time.
  • homeyjosey
    homeyjosey Posts: 138 Member
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    Engineer here. I would go with the best engineering school. I went with a cheaper school but one of the better ones in engineering (Cal Poly Pomona) and haven't had trouble finding jobs after graduating while some friends who graduated in engineering in a more expensive, not ranked as highly in engineering schools are/had a difficult time in obtaining a job.
  • frood
    frood Posts: 295 Member
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    I went to a top engineering school. It was worth the cost.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,668 Member
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    My BIL joined the Navy for the shortest term, got some hands on experience in the engineering field he wanted to pursue, got out, had the Navy pay for his college and now is a full time engineer for the DOD.

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  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,396 Member
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    My son loved Alabama. Loved, loved, loved it. I think it would be the best fit for him too. I think he's a little iffy on Ga Tech and even if he gets in, I'm not sure he wants to go there. UF has the exact double major he wants but I know he has concerns about how much access he would get to research/toys/co-ops/etc when he's competing with so many kids particularly all the grad students. I'm trying to gather as much info as I can to help him make an informed decision.

    Thanks for the opinions and if there are any more-keep 'em coming!
  • krowanvil
    krowanvil Posts: 49 Member
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    While GT is a well-respected school, for good reason, and may help get his foot in the door, the additional cost may not be worth it in the current financial environment/ job market. He will likely be better off in the long run going to UF or UA and not owing much after the fact than going to GT and having to pay it back for the next 5-10 years.
    Option 4: (if GT is a must) Find out what classes/ how many credits will transfer from UF/UA to GT. Spend the first 1-2 years at UF/UA then transfer to GT. First 1-2 years are a low cost, which reduces the overall cost and your son gets to wear the GT logo in the end.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I graduated from a high ranking school. It really doesn't mean much in the real world.

    Also, a Master's degree and a PE license will mean more than his bachelors. Go with the cheap one he likes. Make sure he gets good grades, does well on the GRE, and the EIT. Then he can hopefully get a funded Masters at a slightly better school.
  • LittleMissNerdy
    LittleMissNerdy Posts: 792 Member
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    I graduated from a high ranking school. It really doesn't mean much in the real world.

    Also, a Master's degree and a PE license will mean more than his bachelors. Go with the cheap one he likes. Make sure he gets good grades, does well on the GRE, and the EIT. Then he can hopefully get a funded Masters at a slightly better school.

    This. I work for a company that hires engineers. When going through resumes I'm told to look for EIT on their resume. We also will pay for people to go back to school.

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