UCSD vs Cal Poly SLO vs UCLA

c172pilot
Sat, 25 Mar 2017 04:56:24 +0000

I’m not sure how there can even be a discussion on whether or not you can graduate with an engineering degree in 2 years… @eyemgh laid it out perfectly. All you have to do is take one look at the flow chart (at any college, except ITT) to understand why that’s not possible.

" In today’s economy, apparently getting a graduate degree is essential for an engineer, both in terms of employment and pay. "

Wrong. It’s not essential, to every engineering job anyway. I’ve bounced that question off of recruiters from General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and a few other employers and the answer was always the same. It’s not essential, but tuition assistance is offered as encouragement for those who want to pursue that route. The pay bump? One or two pay grades typically. A graduate education will deepen your understanding, but so will becoming skilled in your field.
I’m pursuing my Master’s while working full-time because it’s paid for - if it wasn’t the cost and time might not justify it.

If you’re not interested in working at all, then I might suggest UCSD over Cal Poly. There are more opportunities for research that you can get involved with during your studies or over the summer while doing more classes.

But regardless, slow down! What’s the rush? If you can afford not to work all those years then I’m sure you can afford to enjoy college over a normal time span.

For reference, here’s a link to ITT’s “Electrical Engineering” program that is 168 weeks long. Or 3.5 years. Even their associate degree is just under 2 years.