UIUC Aerospace vs. Stony Brook University Mechanical?

<p>My son was accepted into UIUC for his preferred major- Aerospace Engineering. He also was accepted to Stony Brook University for Mechanical Engineering (no Aerospace Engineering major offered). COA for UIUC is 49.5K whereas COA for Stony Brook (instate) is around 23K. </p>

<p>Son is very bright but under performed GPA wise in high school (very quirky kid), although he was able to get a 2290 on his SATs and a rack of 5’s on AP exams. Basically he was disconnected from the high school experience and found much of the work boring. When he is enthusiastic about what he is doing, he can excel. For example, he eagerly attends advanced science and math classes on Saturdays at a selective program for high school students offered by a top notch university. He is also into research. Son toured UIUC, loved it, and is excited about attending.</p>

<p>We can pay for UIUC, but obviously the digging into our pockets is going to be painful- and will deplete assets that could be used for other purposes. We are tilting towards doing it 1- because son can do aerospace which is his preferred major and 2- he’s enthusiastic about the school which will increase his likelihood of success. (He knows we will pull the plug if we see any dicey grades).</p>

<p>Just curious to know what others think… Son will likely be looking for summer internships and may well apply to grad school. His dream job is aerospace related although he knows job situation could mean he winds up working in a different area. Thoughts, anyone?</p>

<p>Personally, I would recommend the lower cost option. That is about $100k difference over 4 years and if UIUC is a stretch for your family then it is naive to think that the eventual strain won’t have an influence on your son’s performance. I read a lot of posts on this forum about students who are concerned about the family finances and sacrifices being made. </p>

<p>As you can read from other knowledgeable posters on this forum, your son can get into the Aerospace field without a specific degree in the subject. Mechanical Engineering also gives a broader range of opportunities for employment.</p>

<p>SUNY is a large public university just like UIUC and their undergraduate engineering programs are all ABET accredited. Since your son is interested in research then there would be plenty of opportunities at both schools and if that is his path, he can get into selective graduate programs with a degree from either place.</p>

<p>Ultimately, it is a family decision not just your son’s and you need to decide whether the extra cost is worth it.</p>

<p>If your son wants Aerospace engineering, why not apply (transfer) from SBU to Buffalo where they have a great engineering program and offer both Mechanical and Aerospace engineering majors. Son just graduated in May 2014 with a BS in Aero and a BS in Mechanical. Focused and worked diligently and completed these 2 majors in 4 years. Great job fair at UB for summer internships and employment. Great opportunities at UB. </p>

<p>SBU and UIUC are great options of course. </p>

<p>Grades, though they can be high, may not be. Engineering is a tough major. Keep it in prospective. </p>

<p>Congratulations to your son! Thanks for putting Buffalo on the radar- didn’t realize they have aero. What kinds of internships did your son end up doing?</p>

<p>Another possibility is to study mechanical engineering undergrad then go to graduate school for aerospace engineering. This shouldn’t cause any problems since there is significant overlap between the two fields (aerospace is a subfield of mechanical engineering).</p>

<p>You can certainly get into the aerospace industry with a mechanical engineering degree. I wouldn’t plan on going to grad school as some sort of guarantee, though. Graduate school is certainly not for everyone and I think way too many people plan on doing one major and then switching to the one they really want in graduate school without having any idea what that actually entails.</p>

<p>Go to the school that makes the most financial and career (mechanical vs. aerospace) sense. How you actually weigh those two is sort of a personal choice.</p>

<p>Son had two summer internships: One at a company in Buffalo (and UB let him move into his on campus apartment for the summer) and one in Pennsylvania (they flew him down for an interview just after Thanksgiving, gave him a hotel, wined and dined him). The internship came with a housing stipend and he and another intern (from VaTech) rented a summer apt together. Both internships were mechanical engineering related. Both employers loved him. Pa internship offered him employment for when he graduated, job Buffalo kept him on while he was in school. </p>

<p>If you google, some schools post the companies that are coming to the fall engineering job fair and you can get an idea from that. </p>

<p>Before our college engineering search, we had no idea that UB was so highly regarded in engineering (science and health science as well.) Son also did unpaid research with the Masters PhD students and then they decided to give him a paid position. He was also on the “board” of his campuses AAIA- the Aerospace Engineering Association. They built a plane and competed in a competition in Tuscon with other students from around the world. Awesome experience. You can google that too.</p>

<p>boneh3ad, I think you make a good point. My oldest son has a BS in Comp Sci. He is completely uninterested in pursuing a Master’s. Just wants to be in the work force. crazed, I appreciate your info about U Buffalo. It sounds like your son had some great internships and opportunities. </p>