I am just starting my spring semester as a second year student at Clarkson University. I’m an Aerospace Engineering Major. I am looking at transferring to Central Connecticut State University as a Mechanical Engineering BS and I would like to know peoples’ opinions on this idea.
I am drawn to CCSU mainly for the better price and proximity to home (an hour as opposed to 5.5). I also appreciate a livelier area and slightly larger student population.
That being said, I am not seeking or expecting lower academic standards nor a shortcut to a degree. I really don’t know the comparative weight of a degree from one school over the other when is comes to employment opportunities. My goal is to leave college with a solid professional profile. what would others suggest?
Some background on myself too. My satisfactory high school GPA quickly turned into garbage in college (partially as expected and partially my own doing) after three semesters of Aerospace at Clarkson. I am 3 semesters deep in Air Force ROTC but I will likely not contract and will only finish up the semester, so it plays almost no role going forward. I am absolutely set on engineering as a major.
Just looking for any recommendations and insights people may have on this. Thanks!
I should have phrased it differently above, sorry. While I surely can improve my work habits, I’m not looking at CCSU for easier academics. My expectation would be an equally challenging program. Academically I’m getting by fine at Clarkson, it was just a rude awakening coming out of high school. My point there is more that I felt prepared for engineering leaving high school and I still feel that its the right field for me, even though my grades dropped.
You are attending a national university with a good reputation in engineering. Transferring to a regional university with a four-year graduation rate of 31% (compared to 64% at Clarkson) would seem, when considered academically, to represent a move in the wrong direction.
Employers view the majority of engineering programs as roughly equivalent due to the ABET standards they meet, and CCSU is ABET accredited. The differences in outcomes are largely attributable to gpa (seen as a measure of effort/interest) and whether the student had internships. You should try to get one this summer, and definitely get one after junior year. Like many schools they also offer a 5-year BS/MS program which I would encourage you to do (assuming your gpa is high enough to let you qualify)
If youre from CT, apply to all CT public universities with ABET accreditation in your field.
Your professional outcomes will depend on your ability to maintain a 3.0 but beside that what you’ll need is get to know professors (for opportunities, recommendations…) and the career center because the key element in what comes next will be internships.
Do you have an internship lined up for this summer or are you looking for one?