Florida vs pen state vs cal poly

College Search & Lists
1

<p>I plan on majoring in material engineering in college. I wonder which of the above schools are best for material engineering. I live in Illinois. I have a 4.03 gpa and I hope to get an ACT above a 30.</p>

2

<p>What’s your parents’ budget? (If you don’t know, run the Net Price Calculator on each and bring the results to your parents.See what they say. Don’t let them say “we’ll figure it out” as this inevitably results in heartache come Spring. Ask for a number, or a price range.)
Since you’d be OOS for all three, the costs would be a big factor. If costs aren’t a factor for your family, apply to all three and see where you get in. :)</p>

3

<p>Three very different schools. PSU and UF are about the same in material engineering (very good), while Cal Poly would give you a “different” experience. </p>

<p>Being in Illinois, have you looked at the University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign? They have a very highly rated material engineering program (PSU, UF and UIUC are all top 10 programs). </p>

4

<p>I look into UIUC and I visited it, but I didn’t like the feel too much</p>

5

<p>What is turning you off UIUC? PSU and UF are both state flagship universities, much like UIUC.Of course, the three schools also have several significant differences in “fit”. </p>

6

<p>Gator, what differences in “fit” would you see?
I must say I sense differences indeed, but I have trouble articulating them.
The one big academic difference I see is Shreyer at Penn State, plus the obvious one, weather, for UF.</p>

7

<p>I didn’t like the campus of uiuc. It was so boring.</p>

8

<p>MYOS1634, “FIT” is always unique to the student, it’s not something we can help with…that’s why they should visit the campus and tour it. PSU is very much a NE/Big10 school, while UF is very southern (though a lot of folks in the south would argue that point)/SEC. Some folks can’t tell much difference, for others it’s night and day…go figure. Do you want to go to school in the NE or South? is that important? the weather?..blah…blah…</p>

<p>UIUC was boring? That’s something else that’s hard to qualify. UIUC is usually makes it on the list of top party schools (as is PSU and UF). </p>

<p><a href=“http://www.accessatlanta.com/gallery/entertainment/photos-princeton-reviews-top-20-party-schools-2013/gCCj8/#3723765”>http://www.accessatlanta.com/gallery/entertainment/photos-princeton-reviews-top-20-party-schools-2013/gCCj8/#3723765&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You’re going to have to do some research. For example, UIUC is 44% Female; PSU is 46%, while UF is 55%. UIUC has a higher percentage that is Greek, PSU the smallest, with UF being someplace in-between. Does any of that matter? You’ll need to decide that…</p>

<p>At the end of the day, all three UIUC/PSU/UF have great material engineering programs (don’t really know much about Cal Poly), and it would be hard to justify saying one is better than the other.</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

9

<p>I never visited UIUC when class was in session. So maybe visiting it when more students are around will change my opinion.</p>