<p>He wants to become a computer engineer. I have no clue about engineering, so I come here to ask.</p>
<p>He wonders what factors a good engineer school. He is currently a junior in high school, and he is researching colleges right now. One thing he worries about (and he repeated to me like 5 times already) is if schools limits/offers advancements in workplaces. He said that he don’t want to waste time in a local school and employers don’t give him advancements because he is from a local school, not Ivies (that’s how he says it and I was kinda ****ed off because I don’t think it is true). Is he correct? What should he look at?</p>
<p>What’s the local school in question? If it’s somewhere like Michigan, UIUC, GTech, several others, it makes no sense to leave to go anywhere else.</p>
<p>For the list on that link, there’s only Ivies and state schools on the top of the list. So I (yeah me) am wondering if it is worth it for him to go out of state to attend other state’s schools. I kinda dig myself into his research and finds out that LSU is accreditted in Computer Science and Computer Engineering by ABET, just like some of the Ivies and some top tier state schools like University of Texas at Austin. Does ranking matter because they are accreditted? Should I tell him to go to some smart schools (but not Ivies) like SMU? It is good at business (as far as I know, I applied it), but not in engineering. It is ranked far from LSU (even it is accreditted). What should I tell him to do?</p>
<p>(Sorry for the amount of questions and words, but I would like to give him a clear answer)</p>
<p>texaspg:
I shown him the USNWR page before, but not this one. I shown him the graduate schools’ ranking:</p>
<p>I think I saw some ppl from CC said that the graduate rankings is good for undergraduate too.</p>
<p>Vladenschlutte:
We are classmates and we are from Louisiana. He wants to go to University of New Orleans and LSU.</p>
<p>Usually the graduate rankings and undergrad rankings are pretty similar and there is some relationship.</p>
<p>Tell him to apply to schools in Texas. Not sure how the tuition works out. LSU gives a good break for Texas residents but I dont know if A&M and UT reciprocate.</p>
<p>Thanks for making sure because I am not confident about the rankings.
Can you tell me about the “break” LSU gives to Texans? I’ve never heard about that.
I am not sure if he would like A&M, but he seems to dislike rural colleges. One day he and I went to a school trip to a rural college in state. He said that he felt like if he was imprisoned. I know every college is different, but he also said that he would like to go to a city school because he belives his life would be more than just college.
It would be a good idea for him to apply Texas schools because Texas are very strong in computers, but he would have a hard time trying to get in because he is not a Texan. The only schools that seems legit for him is UT Austin. SMU and TCU are private schools, but they don’t look like they have good engineering programs, as they are ranked even worst than LSU. For me,it would be dumb for a person to apply schools out of state that are similar to LSU, and he would be free going there. What do you think?
Can you give me some names that have decent engineering programs?
He is a very smart kid, and he is a kind of person that loves to study. He makes good grades. I know him for over a year. He seems like a person that can be very successful. However, he seems very stressful about colleges and I really really want to help him out.</p>
<p>I checked LSU website and could not find anything specific. I was told by someone this was the case. It is quite possible they throw in some scholarship to make it more affordable for Texans since Texas charges 5k per semester and LSU OOS is 11k while instate is 3k. So they can still collect more by giving 3-4k scholarship on OOS.</p>
<p>It is very hard to get into UT CE. If one gets in, I don’t think there is much money which means it is pricetage of 50k+ for OOS. There are some scholarships at A&M but one has to be national merit or very high stat to get those.</p>
<p>U Houston seems to be around 77 but not sure there is a lot of difference between 77 and 93. There is usually a lot of difference in rigor between a school at 10 vs a school ranked below 40 or so. However, the kind of job openings available to a school ranked very high might be different from those lower. If being employed is the primary goal, I suspect LSU graduates of CE don’t have any issues. </p>
<p>@JustinLA: I don’t think you understand how ABET accredidation work. The accredidation is simply a way to ensure that the institution’s engineering program meets a certain level of standards. Most, not all, schools will ensure that their engineering programs are accredited, and I believe employers ideally want graduates of accredited programs. Whatever program he chooses, I highly reccomend he ensure that it’s at least ABET accredited.</p>
<p>As for the rankings…MIT, Stanford, CIT, and Carnegie Mellon are all private schools. They aren’t Ivies, nor are they public state schools. </p>
<p>My Engineering technology instructor got his BS and Masters from UNO, and he said he has had a quite fulfilling career as an engineer. It’s not like if he doesn’t go to an Ivy he’ll be doomed to a misreable carrer.</p>
<p>texaspg:
He lives in a very decent house and pays full price lunch. He also says that his parents will pay for his full tuition, despite the fact that he gets TOPS (Taylor Opportunity whatever) if he chooses to attend a Louisiana college.</p>
<p>University of New Orleans (aka UNO) is a regular school. It is not a wonderful school. As Ghostayame says that his instructor seems and feels successful in his career. LSU is a better school, and I assume LSU would be a good choice for him.</p>
<p>Let me state my question in another way. One thing I (not him) am concerned is if he attends LSU rather than UT Austin, does that limits his success? I know business does care about schools…if I work out of state. In Louisiana, people tend to ignore the difference of schools.</p>
<p>Ghostayame:
I mean mostly the list includes state schools and Ivies. I think MIT and Stanford would be too intense for him to go. If SMU (where I applied and rejected) has good engineering programs, I would recommend it to him. Do you agree on that?</p>
<p>Thanks for supporting what I think. What school are you attending?</p>
<p>LSU is probably the best choice for him, but if his parents are willing to pay for his school, then he should simply go to the school he likes best. Some Ivy programs are notoriously rigorous as well, so if he is considering any of those schools, then he should just as well consider Stanford or MIT.</p>
<p>I was just confused by one of your posts because of the top 10 on that engineering list 4 are private schools, a few are public state schools, and the rest are Ivies. There are only 8 ivy league schools though (or 10 I forget). If he’s going to stay in state though, LSU, ULL, or LA Tech are the only real schools to consider. </p>
<p>If he gets into SMU, likes the school, and can afford it, then he should definitely go. Some employees will prefer grads from certain institutions over others though, I’ve heard this to be case enough times to keep it in mind. </p>
<p>I’m finishing my A.S.at DCC, then I’ll be transferring to LSU.</p>
<p>Ghostayame:
I think it would be nice for him to try SMU because it is also accreditted in CE/CS. One day he shown me an interest inventory that he did in journey to careers course. It shows that he also has apititude in Business. So, it might be a good choice for him because it is a good business school.</p>
<p>It sounds like you both need to talk to your school’s guidance counselors to see what kind of colleges would be appropriate for you. Most of you should be applying to in state uni’s, but outside of that you need to isolate what you’re aiming for, and what you can realistically achieve. You should also try some of the college matching systems online, as that will quickly narrow down your list.</p>
<p>TaciturnType:
I know what I am going to be, so I don’t want to talk a lot abuot me. I will tell him what to do.</p>
<p>Ghostayame:
He knows that he wants to become a computer engineer, but I see he has apititude (skills that he does not develop yet) to business. He is very enthusiastic about computers and technologies. He was a little surprised with the survey result that he is also capable with business. Maybe he can get a CS degree with Business Administration minor (or vice versa). I think he can get CS for undergrad and MBA for master. I think with a BA minor, he would have the skill to open his own business.</p>
<p>Yeah, he should def. do Computer and/or Electrical engineering for his undergrad, then he can just go to grad school for a business degree. My mentor actually got his Bachelor’s in Industrial Technology, then just got an MBA and he now works for Goldman Sachs.</p>
<p>I was talking to an instate applicant yesterday who is in top 1% and has a 33 ACT. He has not heard back from UT so far on the ECE department admission although he was admitted to the school a while ago. He has been admitted to Georgia Tech.</p>
<p>I think UT seems really hard to get into. I believe it is more expensive than Georgia Tech for OOS. </p>
<p>Your friend should apply to some of the schools. Whether he goes there is a question he can address later.</p>
<p>Ghostayame:
Thanks! I know what to tell him! :)</p>
<p>Texaspg:
I wouldn’t recommend Georgia Tech to him because it is famous of hard lecture. He is not a kind of person who can really deal with a lot of failure.</p>
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<p>You mean other state’s school that is not in top tier or SMU (is almost top tier but horrible engineering)?</p>
<p>It sounded like he is limiting his choices to LSU, UT and whatever else. If he is decided on a major like ECE, then he should apply to several schools and see who admits him. He will have state safeties and all other schools as reaches. If he has good stats some schools will also give him money (SMU, University of Houston, University of Alabama…).</p>
<p>texaspg:
In Louisiana, people tend not to go out of state for college because it is more economical, since most people in my school is poor (while he doesn’t). For me, it is obvious for him to limit himself even he is capable to go to big schools like Tulane (maybe Vanderbilt) because nobody encourage him to do so (except for me haha!). The valedictorian in my school does not even plan to go to big schools, and she is just planning on going to schools like Nicholls State University. I applied to Tulane and SMU, but Tulane deferred me and SMU rejected me (3.4 GPA and 24 ACT, I know it’s a little low but SMU used to accect many 24s). I was a little surprised when SMU reject me because (no arrogance) SMU is no where better than Tulane while Tulane deferred me and SMU rejected me. I might apply SMU again and make a better ACT score. Anyway, he can do what I did, but more schools. It’s a good idea.
One last question before I shut up :
SMU, for example, is a school with big name, but its engineering is worse than LSU, according to the USNWR ranking. Would it be a good choice for him as reach? Is it stupid for him to apply SMU because it has an even worst engineering program and more selective than LSU?</p>
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