Anyone have thoughts on engineering at UMASS versus UMaryland versus UFlorida?
Trying to decide which is best fit. Would like travel abroad and internships and as much hands on experience and need a state school affordability
check carefully whether you can spend a semester or year abroad and still graduate in 4 years. Given the sequential nature of engineering it may be difficult.
As for internships, at many colleges you are more or less on your own. In my experience on-campus internship recruiting has been more ad-hoc; a proud alum goes back every year and brings someone in for the summer as an intern. A few schools such as Northeastern are well known for their internship and coop programs, but none of these three strike a chord. Maybe someone more familiar with them can give advice.
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Affordability will depend on which state you are a resident for tuition purposes in.
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What engineering major are you interested in? What’s your state of residence?
UMD offers semester abroad. Usually in engineering it’s spring of sophomore year. As stated above engineering majors are usually sequential and pretty packed/rigid. If you come in with more AP credits it can make it easier.
UMD is about $50k a year OOS.
Your entire note needs more context.
Trying to decide the best fit . Only you can decide that.
Need the affordability of an in state school? Well, are you from either of those states ?
Otherwise, short of merit, UF will cost less. But assuming you have the grades and test to get in at UF and you want cheap, have you looked at Alabama, UAH, Arizona, MS State and others ?
All I see here is you want to go abroad and want cheap - and you listed two schools without context. As others mentioned it is difficult, but not impossible to go abroad. And some schools offer summer or winter trips.
You’ll have plenty of time b4 May to look at each school. I suggest once you have acceptances and other info in hand you locate study abroad info for your engineering discipline at each school and contact the advisor for further guidance.
As for fit, is weather important ? Is being on the outskirts of a metropolis vs in the middle of nowhere important ? Does one have clubs in a certain specialty that you’d like whereas the other doesn’t…for example like ecoCAR?
I assume you are in at UMD and awaiting UF??
@Lakejo
I think this student may have UMASS as in state.
Much depends on which engineering discipline.
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I missed Umass. Wasn’t in the title.
Let’s see what they say.
Are you graduating high school this year or next year?
With Engineering at a college with a traditional schedule and pace you will need to look at travel abroad in the summers. Maybe you can tie in international internships.
(For future applicants, WPI was one of the only colleges building in study abroad opportunities with engineering.)
For your decision making, look at the courses you will take freshman year. Are there programs that will get you into hands on engineering projects? Ask about research opportunities for undergrads. And look at the gpa needed to retain any merit offered.
Run the NPCs for the colleges, sometimes private schools end up costing less depending on family income level.
Good luck!
I’m accepted to Maryland and umass and waiting in Florida. All will be somewhere close to 50k out of state. All programs say they offer study abroad and internships. Any deciding factors aside from weather and campus?
Well if you go by COA to make apples to apples (and college always cost more than they say) - UF is $44K ish OOS, UMD $56K, and UMASS $53K.
So if you’re out of state for all three and money matters - UF is cheapest but you can go for much cheaper depending on your stats.
Also, UMD will be most expensive to live when you move off campus - as it’s in the DC metro. So monetarily it’s UF by far, then UMASS, and then UMD.
UMASS is in the Amherst College area and it has a lot going on for it. UMD is near DC so you can get there - if you love that - it’s a great city. Gainesville - will be warmer and while not close, it’s a few hours to the beach.
Again, each school might have a strength in a certain discipline. Study abroad - I told you what I would do - I would google engineering + study abroad + the school…and contact their coordinator/advisor to find out how realistic. You may have to settle for a summer…
Internships - schools don’t give them to you - you need to earn them - and that should be possible at any of these schools. You’ll need to utilize your school career center, network, and apply on your own. My son got his last year on his own - not easy - and he’s returning this year. He goes to Alabama. You can go to name your school and get an internship and/or co-op - that will depend on you as much as the school in many cases.
Here’s a little other info - UMASS is known for food. Everyone raves. Food is rated #3 nationwide. UMD and UF are not. Dorms - I know UMD and UF aren’t known for them…don’t see anything on UMASS.
You mentioned money up front - depending on your stats, you can go much cheaper - even for Fall.
Good luck on your upcoming Florida decision.
What is your home state?
I was really hoping for insight to the academics - anything significant to know that makes one more interesting than another as far as classes?
It’s going to vary by major. Which engineering discipline are you interested in?
If you’d prefer to live in one place vs another post graduation, keep in mind that many businesses like hiring from local schools in our experience, esp for at least some types of engineering. This is for first job only. After one has experience, future hires will be based upon what you’ve done.
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Look at the curriculums in the college. See if they have virtual sessions for engineering…student panels. Or call the engineering dept and ask to talk to an engineering student ambassador.
These schools are all ABET approved, on the semester system, so all will be likely similar. Engineering curriculum is largely defined and similar everywhere but there are schools that could be slightly different…but that’s like WPI that is on 7 week schedules and more project based. I believe of the three UMASS is by far smallest.
In the end, short of a discipline of engineering that one really excels at…find the right program for you. UF and UMD will have a bit more national prominence then UMASS but that means little.
To me it comes down to your preferences. Obviously cost is a differentiator. But at UF You’ll have SEC sports. UMD is big 10 but won’t be as inclusive and then UMASS. UMD gets u access to DC. UMass you’ll eat well and yes that matters. And the town is neat. Gainesville…ehhh…it’s plopped in the middle of nowhere.
I think the best way to answer your question is to read up on each program in the catalogue. and ask each to let u speak to a student. Or if you plan visits, go to the school and start talking to kids.
Good luck.
Thank you all for the feedback