Hi!!! I’m a senior in high school and was admitted into Boulder’s engineering program. I have been looking at rankings for engineering and found that Boulder is placed very high on the list. US news ranked them 26th in the nation, tied with UW-Madison. So I have been wondering is Boulder’s engineering really as prestigious as the rankings make it out to be? I know Boulder is a solid state school but I find it strange how highly ranked their engineering is.
The aerospace program is rated higher (6th?).
Yes, it’s that good, but does it have what you want? A ranking is not going to get you a job but it might get you a chance at a job.
Yes I am going into civil engineering and I got into the program I wanted. I really love CU as a school and i’m super excited about the program it’s just more expensive than my other option so I don’t know if it’s worth the extra cost.
2 Likes
If both programs are ABET-accredited in the area of civil engineering, then in terms of what you will be taught you should be fine. Have you visited both schools? If so, what is your comfort level at each, and do you see yourself fitting in better at one or the other? How much of a cost advantage is your other option? Do you know what undergraduate research opportunities each school might be able to present to you? What is the job placement rate for each school in terms of civil engineering graduates with a B.S.E.? With an M.S.E.?
These are some questions that you need to answer (or get answers for), and to discuss with the people who will be paying for your education.
Also, rankings are inherently subjective and unreliable except possibly on a very gross scale. Do you know what ranking methodologies were used to place the University of Colorado at Boulder at 26th nationally by U.S.News? (And, was this for public universities, or all national universities?)
Finally, a poster here on College Confidential once wrote that what anyone gets out of college is 20% due to the school and 80% due to the person; and that comes down to making the most of the opportunities presented to you, and not just relying on rankings – whatever they may be.
CU is expensive, and it’s expensive to live in Boulder. It’s also a lot of fun, great climate, fun sports and activities.
Are you going to be paid more with a degree from Boulder than from another school? No. Will an employer like a degree from CU more than from ASU or Montana or Indiana? Who knows (maybe, if the hiring person is also an alum).