My son Got admission in both UBC,Canada and Pennstate US for Undergraduate Engineering. . When we look . both the universities seems to be good. .He intents to do Mechanical Engineering . Can you please suggest which will be better and the reason for the same.
Thanks
Are you international for both? They should both provide good educations for mechanical engineering. Perhaps you should consider where he wants to work or go to graduate school after college; they are on different coasts and in different countries. I don’t know how long Canada will allow an international to stay on after graduation, but in the U.S. there is a limit of some months, unless one gains employment or goes on to graduate school.
I think I would personally prefer British Columbia to State College for the atmosphere, but that is a very individual decision. Penn State may be a bit more of a traditional American campus experience, with college town, big sports, etc. Are the costs similar?
Thanks for your feedback. Yes , we are international for both and he plans to do graduate in US . Regarding cost wise Penn state is costlier than UBC atleast by 10k per year
The major consideration I would have is where he intends to work after graduation. Are there any differences in being able to get any licensure/professional engineer/et al designations in either country? Something I personally know nothing about but worth checking on. Not needed but perhaps desirable to pass the tests for such.
The second major consideration is cultural. College is so much more than the academics. Canadians and Americans do have cultural differences, however subtle they sometimes seem. Different schools also have different cultures as well. Please do not assume your son will merely be there for the academics- there is so much more to life.
HE needs to take time to research both schools as much as he can online. This is the student’s, not the parents’, life so HE should be in charge of things. He should make lists of things that appeal/don’t appeal to him- both academic and otherwise. Look at the courses required for the degree, their comparative content as well as courses available in the major. Also look at courses outside the major required for the degree.
I presume the budget allows for either school without hardship for the family. If it matters go with the least expensive school.
Where does he want to work after he graduates? If not in Canada or the US, which diploma is more accepted?
Is he looking at the big American College Experience? Then Penn State.
Does either focus more on what he is interested in? Like if he is into automotive design and one is more focused on that. Otherwise they are both accredited.
Is UBC in a city? Is that good or bad?
Really you can’t go wrong at either.
UBC is a much better overall university and Vancouver is a much better city.
Well, the biggest difference between them is that they’re in two different countries. If he’d rather work in Canada he should go to BC. If he’d rather work in the US he should go to Penn State. Whichever he goes to, it’s very unlikely he’ll find a job outside the country he went to college in through the college’s recruiting.
If it’s been narrowed down to only these two schools this should really be the only consideration.
Has he been to either the US or Canada before? Specifically the Midwest/Upstate Pennsylvania (which I’ll grant honorary Midwest status) and BC? The US is wealthier overall than Canada but I don’t know how the engineering market differs between the two specifically.
I knew a few Indonesians (not very well) in college and I think they all ended up working in the US, I don’t think any went back. Presumably he is indeed in the same boat, or does he wish to return after college?
Not only that, but many topflight engineering/tech firms in places like Silicon Valley and other parts of the US are aware of UBC’s stronger overall academic reputation compared to Penn State. UBC won’t limit you to just working in Canada contrary to what some have posted here.
That and the lower price of UBC makes it a better financial and academic deal.
Granted, UBC won’t have the big school spirit/sports and social scene Penn State is known for. However, whether that’s worth the extra money is really up to your child and you.
Agree with both bouders and cobrat. There is no shortage of UBC grads here around Seattle.
Besides, UBC has a BEAUTIFUL campus.
I would pick UBC in a minute on all counts (academics, cost, locale).
UBC is a great school in an awesome city. The weather is also much milder.
Thanks for Your Feed back .Actually after completing Undergraduate in UBC , he intends to do Graduate in US . How good his chance to get graduate admission.
If he completes MS in US, how best is the chances to get a Job in USA.
You may have already considered this but the CDN$ is unusually weak compared to the US$ right now. It might even be LESS expensive to attend UBC than you thought.
Engineering programs in Canada are accredited by Engineers Canada, their version of ABET. EC and ABET accept each others accreditation as equivalent to their own. UBC and Vancouver would be a better environment than rural Pennsylvania for an international student.
Lots of UBC graduates complete advanced degrees later on in the US. Don’t worry about that.
UBC is less expensive and work permission is better in Canada for international students while they are studying and after graduation. Your son should go to UBC now. If he still wants to study in the US for grad school he can apply then.
But they’ll be paying tuition over 4 years.
It is possible to overthink things. Make a decision and never look back. Vancouver is a great city, much more cosmopolitan than most.