How is UCF Engineering...

sunnydad · 04-01-2008, 05:37 PM

Son has scholarships to UCF and has been accepted to Virginia Tech. At VT he would have to start in University Studies and ,of course, he would be able to schedule the basic math classes for freshman year...not allowed to take any engineering courses until spring of freshman year and before that happens he has to apply for it. He would have to perform well in whole freshman year and transfer to engineering by sophomore. Rumor has it that the ENGR 1 and ENGR 2 will try to wash them out, before they even think of pursuing a full engineering curriculum..

zebes · 04-01-2008, 05:55 PM

DH says that VT still has a better reputation, but for undergrad, he says it doesn't make that big of difference. He'd say that UCF is up and coming, but definitely not as good as VT yet. He works at Siemens, and they do hire from UCF, as does Lockheed Martin and a few others.

zebes

mom2three · 04-01-2008, 07:03 PM

Freshman year there's an engineering survey both fall and spring, that my son has enjoyed both the fall and spring courses.
Because of AP courses, he'll take differential equations and statics this summer, and then start in with the engineering core next fall. The engineering survey courses teach them about what the different branches of engineering do (DS started mechanical, and is still mechanical) and they also do some projects where they build something to solve a specific problem, and he's really into that.
I can't speak to the VT engineering program.

sunnydad · 04-03-2008, 11:20 AM

Zebes
I tend to agree with you that for undergrad it may not be worth the money..and it is lots of it. BTW i am new to these boards..what is DH?
I have heard good things about UCF Eng and how it relates to all those companies associated with NASA and some others from the Central Florida High tech corridor.. It is a positive sign for this school and UCF is considered #2 in the state of Florida for engineering..All we are waiting for is Financial aid,if any, from VT..at ucf it would be almost a free ride.

zebes · 04-03-2008, 12:22 PM

Sorry, sunnydad, "DH," means darling husband.

And, yeah ... our daughter's looking at engineering, too, as one of her possible major ideas (premed, pharmacy, engineering). Anyway, she'll be applying to UCF, UF, and GaTech, among a few other schools. So, she'll be deciding all these issues next year.

Good luck!

zebes

sunnydad · 04-03-2008, 03:44 PM

I will remind my DW to use those terms..when posting about me..LOL
BTW my son applied to same schools you mentioned..UF, UCF, GATECH., but also Penn State and Va Tech. He got in UCF, Va Tech and Penn State..UF is becoming a nightmare to get in, but not impossible. He is still cursing himself because he did not pay much attention to his freshman year in high school, so now he is sad not to have been accepted to UF

MidgetsLoveRock · 04-23-2008, 05:44 PM

Personally, I recently made the decision to turn down UF in favor of UCF. As a National Merit Scholar, I decided the completely free ride to UCF was a better choice than paying $8k a year for UF, especially when that entire $8k would have been loans.

cybermom · 04-23-2008, 08:52 PM

Smart move MidgetsLoveRock - best wishes for a successful future!

lucky400 · 04-24-2008, 10:08 AM

Congratulations Midgetsloverock. My son is a national merit scholar as well and has decided to attend UCF for physics. We are from Pennsylvania. He can't wait to go to UCF - especially the free ride and the gorgeous campus. Seems like the National Merit program is a really nice one with a lot of benefits. He is also part of the honors college and is looking forward to that as well. Also will you be staying in the Towers 3 dorm?

Good luck next year!