Auburn vs. GA Tech Engineering (undecided major)

I think those programs are now accredited.

They expect to be accredited this year (ME/EE).

http://www.engineering.uga.edu/accreditation

College of Engineering reboots its system
https://www.redandblack.com/athensnews/college-of-engineering-reboots-its-system/article_da95ecd0-dde8-11e6-bf15-331b13367948.html

@Peruna1998 The advantages? It’s usually easier to connect with faculty in smaller programs. It’s also has a more interdisciplinary focus. It’s also nice when you get to know many of your peers and you get to take many of the same classes together as a cohort. Of course, there are also disadvantages.

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The OP asked a very specific question. While I’ve no doubt the UA is an excellent program, that was not the question being asked. Several posts deleted.

Have a friend who went to Auburn and did Aerospace, he is now going to work at a huge engineering firm for a great salary. His school certainly did not limit him, but he was an excellent student

Georgia Tech will probably open many doors. I dated a girl from Tech and she was miserable at Tech for the time we were dating. She wasn’t doing so hot at the point, but she got a great job as well. It just depends.

Also, Georgia Tech is strong in Engineering but doesn’t offer much else. If you are truly undecided and think that something out of Engineering is in your future, go to Auburn (I started as an Engineering major at a completely different school just because STEM was pushed so hard in high school. Hated it and am now am very happy and with great prospects in a field that I never thought I would join - Accounting)

@engineering2000 Any updates?

Parent here of a graduating HS. Sr that has been accepted to AU and now waiting on GT admissions in early January.
I wish there was, but there is no way to compare apples 2 apples between GT and AU.

My DS dilemma is the same as @engineering2020…stay in GA, use the Free Hope/Zell $$ and get a great in-state/Top 5 engineering education, but all the while potentially overly consumed with academics (95/5), thus leading to a stressful 4+ years, or attending a school like AU and having more to the college experience that may be more in lines of 70/30 academic vs social/sports/friends, etc.

Don’t get me wrong, even as an AU grad, it’s hard to express a reasonable opinion…we either come across as A) an AU homer for promoting the Auburn college experience, good engineering program, life, etc or the B) penny-pinching parent on how to save $$ by staying in GA and going to Ga Tech because of reputation, career prospects and the free tuition. This is why it is extremely difficult to discuss with DS - to not overly recommend.

I hope all future engineering students weigh all options when applying to their respected schools.

If any 1st/2nd year students can elaborate on what made them choose AU or GT over the others (Clemson/UGA/LSU, etc,) your thoughts and defining criteria would be extremely helpful.

A parent, not a student but will still comment so feel free to ignore. You seem to have opened up options that would potentially cost you more than your instate options. What you were willing, wanting to pay would have ideally been sorted out and communicated to your son before applications went out.

If Clemson, LSU , Auburn , etc. end up less expensive than Georgia Tech, they would all be fine in terms of engineering as an undergraduate. What budget did you give your child? If there is a budget, provide it and let your kid decide from there , based on criteria important to him. For engineering, cost, fit, ABET accreditation, recruiting are important.

I think you need to investigate GT more. Really hard to give that up if your son gets accepted. It just has too many advantages. Especially being instate. My son’s at Michigan. Not exactly an easy school for engineering either. We heard the stories of always studying etc no social life etc. Well… It’s all bunk. He has plenty of time for parties , football games, working a job, starting a tech club, putting on a major conference etc etc. While taking 18 credits at least a semester.

Time management is key! If he’s a good student now that won’t change but engineering is really tough. Like really tough. Getting used to some lower grades Is a good thing also.

But fit is important. My son had many choices of less academic schools with less stress. He wanted to challenge himself. He also knows that the hardness of the program now will hopefully make it easier later on.

I am sure the GT grads are all getting good jobs in the field, since GT is so highly regarded.

Anyone know if this is true for Auburn Engineering grads?

Go to Georgia Tech if you can get in. Even if you have to take loans. It’s kind of a no-brainer IMHO. Sure you would have more fun at Auburn and you’d get a very solid education and (if you do well) you’d likely get a good job. You’d have some challenging times at GT even if you are super smart. But when it comes to engineering, Georgia Tech’s resources, industry contacts, prep for the real world, and quality of education are top tier. And it’s not like GT is all about misery. True, students there have to study VERY hard but there are diversions too, like Greek life, teams in almost every imaginable sport, and multiple bands and orchestras. Your future self would probably thank you.

Georgia Tech is NOT a no brainer. The same can be said for ANY school. Some students don’t want to go to a school that is almost exclusively tech, even if they have the grades and horsepower to succeed.

My son had the stats to be competitive at the top tech only schools, but very strongly wanted a “classic college experience.” He ended up in a solid technical program (Cal Poly). Even though they have nearly 1000 mechanical engineering students, engineering students only make up 25% of the student body.

I may have missed this earlier in the thread, but maybe UGA is the best compromise between cost and reputation. A Georgia grad who applies him or herself, gets good grades, and is involved in clubs and/or research will do fine.

Engineering is VERY egalitarian. The school may open some extra doors for the first job, but when the rubber hits the road, the best performers will move up the ladder. There’s no guarantee that the GT student will be a better engineer than the UGA student. All you have to do is to look at LinkedIn profiles of high level engineers including CEOs and see where they went to undergrad. Classic example, Tim Cook…Auburn.

Thanks for the perspective Knowsstuff and WhrlingColleges:

Pertaining opening up options - Auburn was always his #1 school, based on traditions, want, campus, history, family alumni, etc. Attending GA TECH just recently became a potential option as his grades/scores remained competitive and engineering continued to be the chosen discipline. Those are the moments where we as parents realize - our children have more opportunities than we had and to remind them that our history and campuses don’t have to be theirs. “Go where you want” changed fairly quickly to “go to the best place you can get in”.

Pertaining the budget, we knew OOS was more expensive. The GA HOPE scholarship makes both GT and UGA extremely difficult to get into now that tuition is free for Zell scholarship participants.

Since the beginning of H.S., we told our son if he excelled and received the scores to get the highest AU academic scholarship that we would help for him to have that experience if that is indeed where he wanted to go.
AU changed the scholarship policy (for OOS) from a guaranteed $18k to a competitive $15k this July/August, so all of the preparation and test taking left him (potentially leaves him) w/ a $3k/year gap ($12k overall difference).

$$ is not the most important aspect of an overall college experience and education, if both options are w/in financial means.

$40k over 4 years is a lot, but $40k over your lifetime for the experience, friends, classes, sports, growth and education to be where you want to be is priceless.