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College decision relating to Engineering

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J_Berg
Posts: 562 - Karma: 2,031
So I know i made a thread about this before, but as I get accepted/denied to certain schools it becomes more important to weigh pros and cons.
Currently I've been accepted at Iowa State, and Boulder. I've also applied to UW Madison, Montana State, and Purdue. I live in Northern IL.
The only thing about Boulder is that I didn't get direct admission to the college of Engineering
Does anyone have experience with this?
The questions I have are...
Does it take longer to graduate?
Do you miss out on any classes.
Pros and Cons?
Nov 22 2014 3:32PM
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Deezy
Posts: 4580 - Karma: 1,004
Please contact an academic advisor.
Nov 22 2014 5:01PM
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90053
Posts: 2565 - Karma: 3,728
iskiPC1997So I know i made a thread about this before


intentional repost
Nov 22 2014 5:12PM
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VT_FLO
Posts: 3806 - Karma: 147
Go to boulder. Even if you graduate later there are some perks to studying in a city close to skiing that you may have not considered already. You will get internships and have a foot in the door for careers at or near ski areas. Take your classes seriously and get as good grades as you can, while building a resume (leadership positions in extra-curriculars, and good internships.)

Skiing slightly less and not drinking AS MUCH as some of your friends for 4 years means the difference between having a baller house and skiing every winter weekend for the rest of your life, and being a poor depressed fuck in a huge pile of debt who failed to achieve his/her dreams because they didn't take their ONE opportunity to make their life amazing seriously enough.

That doesn't mean you should be a shut in who doesn't socialize, just get the right balance for your mental health and academic success. Also, Get your HSV immunizations now, its a set of 3 shots spaced 1 month apart. You don't want to catch genital warts and develop prostate/throat cancer when you're older.
Nov 22 2014 9:30PM
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J_Berg
Posts: 562 - Karma: 2,031
VT_FLOGo to boulder. Even if you graduate later there are some perks to studying in a city close to skiing that you may have not considered already. You will get internships and have a foot in the door for careers at or near ski areas. Take your classes seriously and get as good grades as you can, while building a resume (leadership positions in extra-curriculars, and good internships.)

Skiing slightly less and not drinking AS MUCH as some of your friends for 4 years means the difference between having a baller house and skiing every winter weekend for the rest of your life, and being a poor depressed fuck in a huge pile of debt who failed to achieve his/her dreams because they didn't take their ONE opportunity to make their life amazing seriously enough.

That doesn't mean you should be a shut in who doesn't socialize, just get the right balance for your mental health and academic success. Also, Get your HSV immunizations now, its a set of 3 shots spaced 1 month apart. You don't want to catch genital warts and develop prostate/throat cancer when you're older.


Thank you so much. THis is the answer I was looking for!
Nov 23 2014 11:27AM
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DasGoatenshafter
Posts: 580 - Karma: 307
Go where you get full acceptance.

I'm not saying that this will happen to you, but I know several people who ended up not loving eng and being unable to switch faculties because of poor marks, and tons of people who found first year harder than anticipated and lost entrance scholarships etc.

If you tank your first year at all in another faculty, it'll make switching into eng way harder than had you gone somewhere for eng right away and just slogged through with a few bad grades. Also engineering is usually so standardized that your undergrad university matters very little. As soon as you're at school you'll have fun, no matter where you are.
Nov 23 2014 11:30AM
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wizard_of_aahhhs
Posts: 711 - Karma: 1,757
I didn't get direct admission into the engineering school at Boulder either. They put me into the pre-engineering program. So I said fuck you boulder, and decided to go to Montana State University. I chose not to do the pre engineering thing because I didn't want to be in school for 6 years and didn't want to have to pay a shit ton of money for school and not even be studying what I wanted. Now in my second year of engineering at MSU and I don't regret the decision one bit.
Nov 23 2014 6:55PM
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ModMommy
Posts: 10719 - Karma: 55,326
I didn't get acceptance into my program at Boulder either, so I went to Montana State. I actually visited both schools after my acceptances, so I could get a second feel for the school/their programs and talk about what I get from each school. I'm pretty pleased I went with a school that's letting me do what I want, instead of pursuing something I have zero passion for.
The hardest thing about not getting your program of choice is the loss of changes/potentially a longer graduation time.
Talk to the admission guys, and try to visit the schools. Getting on campus really helped me make my decision.
Nov 23 2014 7:03PM
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.Duncan.
Posts: 1375 - Karma: 459
Im pre-engineering at Boulder and not worried at all. It should take me 4 1/2 to 5 years to graduate but thats not a big deal to me. To get admission all you have to do is have a 2.7 GPA after taking calc 2 and Gen Chem 2 and they'll admit you without question.
Nov 23 2014 7:13PM
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Caleb.E
Posts: 3556 - Karma: 1,014
if you dont mind being 2h -3h from skiing university of idaho, one of the best programs in the us
Nov 23 2014 10:18PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
Forget about the skiing aspect of your decision...Why would you want to go to school an extra year or two for a degree that you can get in 4 years from another good school that is close to skiing? I know some kids who came out with engineering degrees from very small not to known state schools and are doing pretty dam good now. MSU has a ballin engineering school and great skiing close by
Nov 23 2014 10:53PM
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CashmereCat
Posts: 2211 - Karma: 2,394
Don't underestimate ISU. They have a great engineering program and there is a ski hill close by. It's not the best skiing but the school is amazing.
Nov 24 2014 8:31AM
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J_Berg
Posts: 562 - Karma: 2,031
Foxxy-BangI didn't get direct admission into the engineering school at Boulder either. They put me into the pre-engineering program. So I said fuck you boulder, and decided to go to Montana State University. I chose not to do the pre engineering thing because I didn't want to be in school for 6 years and didn't want to have to pay a shit ton of money for school and not even be studying what I wanted. Now in my second year of engineering at MSU and I don't regret the decision one bit.


How is montana state? I know its not "ranked" highly for engineering but I really don't pay much attention to that. Whats life in town and stuff like
Nov 24 2014 12:25PM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
I'm a student at the University of Washington and I also have to be accepted to the School of Engineering. UW was the only school I got into and is an amazing engineering school, but getting into the engineering program is tough. Average admitted GPA for all disciplines of engineering is about a 3.5 in the prerequisite classes. All of the pre-reqs are designed to weed people out; the average grade in pre-reqs is set to be around 2.5-2.7. Even as a smart, focused student, getting into the program can be tough. I can apply after Spring quarter this year and I'm busting my ass to get the grades I need. I've barely drank at all this year and I don't do much other than study. I don't know how competitive getting into the engineering school is at Boulder, but if it's anywhere near as competitive as UW then be prepared to work REALLY. FUCKING. HARD. I got through high school without studying at all, I was a National Merit Scholar (finalist), and I never struggled with anything academically until I got to UW. In college, being smart doesn't cut it. You have to bust your ass. If Boulder is really competitive and you're not ready to give up skiing and partying, go somewhere else.
Nov 24 2014 4:26PM
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J_Berg
Posts: 562 - Karma: 2,031
MACAQUEI'm a student at the University of Washington and I also have to be accepted to the School of Engineering. UW was the only school I got into and is an amazing engineering school, but getting into the engineering program is tough. Average admitted GPA for all disciplines of engineering is about a 3.5 in the prerequisite classes. All of the pre-reqs are designed to weed people out; the average grade in pre-reqs is set to be around 2.5-2.7. Even as a smart, focused student, getting into the program can be tough. I can apply after Spring quarter this year and I'm busting my ass to get the grades I need. I've barely drank at all this year and I don't do much other than study. I don't know how competitive getting into the engineering school is at Boulder, but if it's anywhere near as competitive as UW then be prepared to work REALLY. FUCKING. HARD. I got through high school without studying at all, I was a National Merit Scholar (finalist), and I never struggled with anything academically until I got to UW. In college, being smart doesn't cut it. You have to bust your ass. If Boulder is really competitive and you're not ready to give up skiing and partying, go somewhere else.


Haha yeah, im pretty much the opposite of you. Busted my ass to get the grades i got in high school. Just using you as an example, but I always hated that kid that could sleep thru class, not know there's a test and ace it, while I studied all night and got a mediocre grade hahah.
Nov 24 2014 5:04PM
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wizard_of_aahhhs
Posts: 711 - Karma: 1,757
iskiPC1997How is montana state? I know its not "ranked" highly for engineering but I really don't pay much attention to that. Whats life in town and stuff like


MSU is pretty chill, tons of good people, good beer, and good tree if you find the right people. Skiing is real chill here, and the engineering program is not one to take lightly. Not gunna be the same party scene as boulder but still plenty of shit is going down. The town is small but not too small. Major downsides are no panda express and no chipotle
Nov 25 2014 10:07PM
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thatsG
Posts: 2556 - Karma: 1,781
Boiler Up!!!
Nov 25 2014 10:51PM
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ModMommy
Posts: 10719 - Karma: 55,326
Foxxy-BangMSU is pretty chill, tons of good people, good beer, and good tree if you find the right people. Skiing is real chill here, and the engineering program is not one to take lightly. Not gunna be the same party scene as boulder but still plenty of shit is going down. The town is small but not too small. Major downsides are no panda express and no chipotle


hi wanna go to helena and get panda
Nov 26 2014 12:15AM
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Anathema
Posts: 21048 - Karma: 5,061
wtf do you expect a bunch of 15 years olds to say about your fucking future dude?

academic advisor or bust. your parents dont know shit, you dont know shit, your peers dont know shit. an advisor will lay out exactly what you need, how you achieve what you want to achieve, and it's just up to you to do it.
Nov 26 2014 12:16AM
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VT_FLO
Posts: 3806 - Karma: 147
Anathemawtf do you expect a bunch of 15 years olds to say about your fucking future dude?

academic advisor or bust. your parents dont know shit, you dont know shit, your peers dont know shit. an advisor will lay out exactly what you need, how you achieve what you want to achieve, and it's just up to you to do it.


I'm going to go ahead and let you know that your advisors don't know shit. If you really want to know how to get where you want, talk to some people that are where you want to go (IE real life engineers)
Nov 26 2014 12:56AM
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J_Berg
Posts: 562 - Karma: 2,031
Anathemawtf do you expect a bunch of 15 years olds to say about your fucking future dude?

academic advisor or bust. your parents dont know shit, you dont know shit, your peers dont know shit. an advisor will lay out exactly what you need, how you achieve what you want to achieve, and it's just up to you to do it.


I've actually got a lot of helpful info from guys on this site. People who have graduated from college, people who are now in the field, and people who have gotten bachelor degrees have all helped me. YEs there are a lot of young kids but thats just a hasty generalization of NS.
Nov 27 2014 1:11PM
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J_Berg
Posts: 562 - Karma: 2,031
VT_FLOI'm going to go ahead and let you know that your advisors don't know shit. If you really want to know how to get where you want, talk to some people that are where you want to go (IE real life engineers)


^^^^This. NETWORKING. Speaking to average joes about their experiences have helped me most. Of course your advisor is gonna talk about how great wonderful, and bushy tailed you'll be. ITs most helpful for me to really hear what actually goes on.
Nov 27 2014 1:13PM
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