My son is weighing his choices and I’m struggling with what guidance to give. Would love insight from people who work in these fields or know these programs well.
Clearly, he has a lot of great options–more than he expected–and is spoiled for choice. (He is also waitlisted for civil engineering at UC Davis. UCSB took him off the waitlist last week before SIR deadline.)
He is very interested in both civil/environmental engineering and environmental sciences/forestry. He is specifically also interested in fire science, sustainable water systems and construction.
Based on course material, both kinds of majors sound appealing to him on paper. He is a practical sort and is worried about occupational outlook more for forestry and the non-engineering majors (please correct if this assumption is wrong). He is open to staying in California, but I could see him living elsewhere in the west.
He would love a job that has him outside some or much of the time. He is worried that civil, even with a heavy construction minor, may actually have him chained to a desk drafting all the time. Among engineering majors he began to prefer civil over environmental or structural because it appears to be broader and he is not sure yet what he would specialize in. (Again, correct if wrong.)
He prefers to be farther from home within California (we are in San Francisco). He didn’t love the city of
San Diego. He loves hiking and backpacking and nature and will certainly join outdoors and fitness clubs. He is adaptable and can be fine with cities or rural.
He toured UCSD, attended admitted students day at SLO and Cal, and knows Cal well because his sister is a graduating senior there. He feels like he could find his people at any of these schools. He liked SLO’s learn by doing philosophy and industry pipeline and friendly students and warm faculty. He also liked CNR’s vibe, forestry camp option and the availability of fire science classes at both schools. Right now he is less into UCSD for reasons outlined, though he didn’t really get to meet department people. He wants to study abroad and liked that SLO has programs for engineers to do that. He could also do that from Cal CNR.
Cal has an Environmental engineering minor that could potentially coexist with a CNR major–Some lower division, math, and science overlaps–but we can’t figure out what the purpose of engineering minors is; do they qualify you to move forward as an engineer?
He has an unusual confounder: he is a pre-professional circus acrobat and would like to keep training to keep that pathway open as a career option. (He auditioned for a premier professional program in another country, made it to the last round before being cut and intends to re-audition in the future. Had he been admitted this year, he would almost certainly have attended.) He can train his specialties alone, but it is better to have a circus center or gymnastics studio available. Keeping that option open is very important to him. Going to Cal would allow him to continue training with current partners but it is not his top priority and he’s worried about being too close to home/not being able to spread his wings and reinvent himself.
We feel like deciding between these wonderful options should start with civil engineering vs forestry/env sci. Advice? I don’t think he aims to go to grad school, btw; he would rather get qualified to work. (SLO looks good for this but CNR also qualifies you as an accredited CA forester. Not sure what job market will be.)
Cost will probably be same for us for all. We have a 529 that will last a few years so can make it work.
Any helpful info or framing appreciated.