Hello! I’m currently deciding between UCLA and Georgia Tech and I’m not even sure what I want to major in. I always thought I wanted to do engineering with some kind of science (ex. chemical engineering), but I’ve realized that I might not like it as much as I thought I would. I’m a big fan of math, so I think that industrial engineering or statistics or something else along those lines would be a good fit for me. However, I’m still nervous that I might want to change my major in the future in case I don’t like it. Keep in mind that both schools are the same cost after financial aid, so $ is not a very large factor Basically…
I really want to go to UCLA because of location / college experience / campus / the people. It's always been a dream of mine to go to school in California or maybe even live there, and I feel like not going there might be a mistake. I really don't want to regret my decision, and I feel like I might miss out on the college experience that I've been looking for. I also feel like I would be more likely to live on the west coast after college if I go to UCLA as well, which is a goal of mine.
Georgia Tech is an amazing school, but I don't always feel like it is where I want to be. I'm not as in love with it as UCLA, but like I said, it's an amazing school for what I want to major in (higher than UCLA in rankings for either major). I feel like I would get many more internship / job opportunities, and I feel like I would get the most out of my degree in the end. I do sometimes have doubts about jobs and such if I attended UCLA because I know that Georgia Tech students are constantly getting opportunities. Also, they have many more majors that I might be interested in. If I wanted to change majors, there would be far more options for me at Georgia Tech rather than UCLA. I was also thinking about possibly double majoring in statistics and industrial engineering at Georgia Tech since they will likely have similar classes, meaning I will be able to make more of my tuition at Georgia Tech.
All in all, Georgia Tech feels like the safe option for me, but UCLA is where I wish I could be. My degree and major are very important to me, but I want to be somewhere that I will enjoy while I am still young and have the chance. A few questions…
Which major is better job/internship-wise? Industrial engineering or statistics?
Which major could I get a higher salary? I know industrial engineering has a relatively low average salary for engineering majors, but I also heard that Georgia Tech industrial engineers make high salaries. (Also keep in mind that at Georgia Tech, I have the possibility to double major).
Would there be job/internship opportunities on the west coast with both of these majors? I really hope to be there one day, but I feel like most of these internships and such are on the east coast.
Which school will have a better name? They both have good reputations, but will one of them give me more opportunities?
I know this is a lot, but I really don’t know what to do at this point. Any advice would help!!! Thank you if you have decided to read this and thank you for any advice! It truly means a lot
“I also feel like I would be more likely to live on the west coast after college if I go to UCLA as well, which is a goal of mine.”
If you intend to live in California in future, then that alone, answers all your other questions.
Question: which school gives you a better job opportunity?
-answer: definitely UCLA, if you live in CA.
Question: which school has a better name?
-answer: UCLA everywhere, especially if you plan to live in CA (check any school ranking you wish…UCLA always ranks higher in general, though not necessarily for an specific major or field).
^ I would dispute the claim that UCLA has a better name everywhere. In the engineering world, Georgia Tech is a top of the line brand, known and highly regarded by everyone. And particularly in industrial engineering, they are far and away the best. Few programs of any kind enjoy an automatic seal of approval like GT industrial engineering. Any west coast employer would snap up a GT grad just as easily as UCLA.
To answer your questions:
Which major is better for jobs/internships? I would say industrial engineering. It’s basically the business side of engineering, all about efficiency and productivity (which equals profitability), and as such they are in demand by literally every industry. IE grads can go down myriad career paths, whether it’s optimization, supply chain, operations, analytics, you name it. Stats major, like anything in math, is also very employable, but there are so many more applications for the skill set learned by IE.
Which has higher salary? Could be either. Depends what you do with the degree. Generally either one can lead to riches, and neither one goes hungry. Your belief that industrial has relatively low salary for engineers is mistaken. "Industrial engineer" is not a common job title. IE's often end up in very high paying business jobs, like management consultant, data analyst, etc. You would not bother with double major at GT. One major alone is insanely difficult there. And the IE program by itself makes you eminently employable. You would just choose one of the concentrations that appeals to you.
3+4. Covered that above. Suffice to say that students at GT (and UCLA) get jobs and internships all over the country.
But it sounds like you know in your heart where to go. And since following your head could lead you to choose either, with good reason, there’s nothing wrong with following your heart.
^ I would dispute the claim that UCLA has a better name everywhere. In the engineering world, Georgia Tech is a top of the line brand, known and highly regarded by everyone. And particularly in industrial engineering, they are far and away the best. Few programs of any kind enjoy an automatic seal of approval like GT industrial engineering. Any west coast employer would snap up a GT grad just as easily as UCLA.
To answer your questions:
Which major is better for jobs/internships? I would say industrial engineering. It’s basically the business side of engineering, all about efficiency and productivity (which equals profitability), and as such they are in demand by literally every industry. IE grads can go down myriad career paths, whether it’s optimization, supply chain, operations, analytics, you name it. Stats major, like anything in math, is also very employable, but there are so many more applications for the skill set learned by IE.
Which has higher salary? Could be either. Depends what you do with the degree. Generally either one can lead to riches, and neither one goes hungry. Your belief that industrial has relatively low salary for engineers is mistaken. "Industrial engineer" is not a common job title. IE's often end up in very high paying business jobs, like management consultant, data analyst, etc. You would not bother with double major at GT. One major alone is insanely difficult there. And the IE program by itself makes you eminently employable. You would just choose one of the concentrations that appeals to you.
3+4. Covered that above. Suffice to say that students at GT (and UCLA) get jobs and internships all over the country.
But it sounds like you know in your heart where to go. And since following your head could lead you to choose either, with good reason, there’s nothing wrong with following your heart.
Since the majors are relatively similar, would it be possible to major in statistics and get a masters in industrial engineering? Or would it even be worth it to go to graduate school for that major?
It might be possible, but probably unnecessary. And I’m not a big fan of high school kids automatically planning on grad school unless they dream of careers that require it (medicine, law, etc.). Especially for engineering/math types that easily enter the workforce without a masters. If you choose, after graduation and often after working, to expand your knowledge, that’s a different story. Based on your work experience, you might find that you want a more specialized masters like supply chain, analytics, operations research, etc. Or even an MBA, which is common with IE grads climbing the corporate ladder.
