SGupta

I'm currently a Sophomore (in High School) looking for some college guidance. I don't know where to start. So I was wondering how all of you choose the colleges you did? And what colleges do you wish you'd have considered (your majors would help as they'd add context)?

What characteristics should I look for? Obviously the ABET certification seems like its a big thing to look out for!

Thanks

MatthewM04

I applied to schools that were particularly well-known in engineering and chose the University of Michigan. Many large public schools have good engineering programs, but it can be hard to get individual attention, which is where a smaller school may be beneficial.

It also depends what program you want? If it's something like mechanical or electrical, most schools would have it but there are other fields like aerospace, naval, nuclear, petroleum, that are less common. I did not apply to any "engineering colleges" like Georgia Tech, MIT, etc. that don't have many non-technical fields, in case I changed my mind. A significant number of people drop out of engineering in the first few years due to the difficulty or lack of interest, so you may want to have a back-up plan.

steevee

Reputation will definitely help. If the school also has good relationships with employers, that can definitely help when it comes to internships.

Make sure that you'll be happy with the chosen school. Consider the atmosphere of the campus and the surrounding city, distance from home, types of students, etc.

dbguy4eva

I'm currently attending CSUF, and I just recently sent in my transfer application to UCLA, UCI, UCSD, UCB. I did this because i was contemplating about life one time at school and I thought that the school was pretty boring for me, and I wanted to be at a school with a lot of culture in the buildings. I'm a civil engineer with an emphasis of structures. For me, I like architecture and the intricate designs of buildings, and I figured that CSUF was not for me. I guess you just need to visit the campus' around and see what fits best for you.

Edit: Basically what steevee said.

Mr Payne

Location, Cost, Reputation

ken285

Location, reputation, cost in that order.

GatorEng23

With Payne,

Location, Cost, Reputation

Mr Payne

I see a recurring theme.

SGupta

When you say Location, do you mean for me to check the location and the job market (for the respective degree)?

And reputation, are only the top schools (UIUC, CMU, MIT, Stanford etc) "reputable" or do other state schools (like Rutgers) count as well?

ken285

When I said location, I was thinking of both the local market as well as my personal preference for the area.

Reputation is subjective and relative. There is no such thing as a school being just reputable or not reputable with nothing in between.

CH121S

Cost, Rep. Also I actually have fun at the school which I am attending (something I believe to be very important)

Dauntless9

I did fairly extensive research into the academic qualities and opportunities at several of the top engineering schools I got into only to find... it really didn't make a difference. Research, rigor, alumni, good job opportunities, etc. were all there at all of them. I realized, it didn't matter which one I chose, I would get a good education, and have plenty of opportunities available to me after graduation. So I chose the school I wanted to spend and live 4 years at, with the kind of people I wanted to hang out with and the culture I want to be a part of. So far, so good.

However, my parents wish I had chosen the school that was cheapest, or at least one close to home. Oh well.

edit: Oh yeah, I'm a ChemE right now, though at every other school I applied as a Materials engineering major.

Saxonthebeach6

ABET really doesn't mean anything. Employers just want competent employees.

With that said, I chose Cal because of its strong programs and variability. I had no idea what I wanted to do after college, and Cal seemed like it was pretty good in almost any field I wanted to pursue. I figured that I could go pre-law, pre-med, or pre-business by majoring in engineering, and being an engineer as a fall-back plan seemed incredible. Thankfully, Cal engineering itself is very reputable and well known. As a sophomore I'm pretty set on law school right now, but having that kind of flexibility was essential for me.

Two final swaying factors were the lovely bay area location and cost (I can save the big bucks on law school)

proton

'prestige' and location

Blue88

U mich cost way, way, way too much for out of staters.