<p>I'll sum up my post in case someone doesn't really want to read all of this: Is a bigger name and better academics more important than choosing a school where you will probably do better (because of less stress and more support from professors)? Also, would it be a mistake to miss out on the experience of going away to college if it is financially possible?</p>
<p>Hi! I'll try to make this quick, as I really need some advice here. I plan to major in engineering and going on to receive at least my masters and hopefully a Ph.D. down the road.</p>
<p>My (affordable) options are as follows:</p>
<p>*Tennessee Tech University:
I will receive $8,000 extra if I live off campus, which I would as most students there do anyway.
Positives: I wouldn't have to work to have money. I could live with my grandmother (whom I am very very close to and is an excellent cook). I wouldn't have to deal with a breakup in my first semester of college (my boyfriend will be going there). It's a small school, so it'd be more personalized. My scholarships are not hinging on a certain GPA, so that wouldn't be a stressor. I already have a professor in the engineering department there whom I met on a tour who wants to take me under his wing and help me make some of the tough decisions about what area to go into, as well as help me to excel while I am there. All engineering majors there generally get jobs (unless they try to find a job in a specific place where that job isn't there).
Negatives: It's not a big name. It's ranked way below my other option in both engineering and academics in general. I wouldn't get to experience going away to school.</p>
<p>*University of Tennessee at Knoxville:
I will receive $4,200 extra and will have to live on campus.
Positives: I'm getting a very prestigious scholarship. It has great academics and a great engineering department. I really like the academic part of campus. I like the big city atmosphere.
Negatives: My scholarships are hinging on a 3.25 GPA (which I know is tough in engineering). If I lose the money, I can no longer afford to go there. Also, to get all the money I have to take honors courses. The residential side of campus is HIDEOUS. I hate the city of Knoxville in general (it's ugly and difficult to navigate)--but I'd probably never set foot off campus anyway knowing me. I'd be away from my support system. I have no intention to party and UT is a bit of a party school. I'd be thrown into a whole new world all at once and most likely have to deal with a two-year relationship ending all at the same time. I've not even met any of the professors there. Finally, everything about that place makes me feel like I could sprout a second head and people would nod and go on their merry way.</p>
<p>I’ll add one more thing for if someone ever replies:</p>
<p>UT has more engineering options. It offers Material Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, and Aerospace Engineering. I am not super interested in any of these, but they might sound interesting. However, if I did go to TTU and changed my mind and wanted one of these areas, could I get a masters in one of them?</p>
<p>TTU clearly sounds like the better fit, especially since your goal is to seek further postgrad education. Rather than dwell on your situation, trying to convince yourself to go to UT-K, just with your gut and TTU. UT-K might be a more prominent school in the engineering circles, but doing very well at a lesser known school is, in most circumstances, better than merely doing well at a better school.</p>
<p>There’s more to college than a brand name. Go to TTU! You want to go there, and you will succeed there. Congrats on getting in to UT-K, you now have bragging rights :)</p>
<p>Honestly, it just sounds like you’re afraid to leave your comfort zone. College should be a time to take on challenges that help you grow as a person. Try to put aside your fears in analyzing your opportunities. When you branch out you have many more opportunities in life. If you and you’re boyfriend are meant to be, separating for college won’t effect it.</p>
<p>engineers generally don’t get a PhD unless they want to go into teaching or a specialized branch of research. Most stop at a Masters. Also if the TTU program is acredited by ABET then you have an assurance of at least a certain level of quality.</p>
<p>I would say, and always say this to prospective engineers, think about what school you’d want to be at if you decided engineering is not right for you. I have no idea what will happen to you personally, but nationally the numbers say that only 1/3 to 1/2 of those that enter college as engineers finish as engineers.</p>
You may be right, although a sizeable number go on to get a MS these days since many schools offer a 5-year program to do so. I highly recommend these programs, BTW; with one more year of school you learn a lot more about your engineering specialty and get a credential that can help you start at a higher salary and be more promotable.</p>
<p>As far as raw numbers, I found the following
So a significant number of students are going on to a MS. You can’t simply take the ratio of about 55% to estimate what percentage go on for a MS; for one thing many foreign students come for a MS hoping to get on with an American employer thru a H1B or green card once they’ve earned the degree; a much higher percentage of the 43K undergrad degrees are to American residents.</p>