Hello, I’ve narrowed down my list to these 4 universities. I’m going to be majoring in civil engineering. Some background on me, I live in the US, but I’m a dual citizen, so the Canadian schools are at a much cheaper price. I eventually want to become a structural engineer and work in the US. Here are my pros and cons:
University of Toronto
Pros
- Money is not an issue
- Very reputable school for engineering (#1 in Canada)
- Located in the heart of Toronto
Cons
- Everyone I have talked to that has went have said it’s overly hard and has resulted in a bad GPA (7 courses per semester)
- Doesn’t seem to have a lot of campus pride (a lot of commuters)
- Happiness ratings are always low for U of T
University of Waterloo
Pros
- Money is not an issue
- Co-op program provides 2 years of work experience so resume would be very good
- Many connections with very good employers
Cons
- 5 year program with no breaks or summer breaks
- Very stressful balancing academics and prepping for interviews and applying for internships
- Set up so you have 6 work terms and if you don’t get a placement for 2/6 you are kicked out of the program
Purdue
Pros
- Highest ranked school on my list
- School name holds weight in the professional environment (very large alumni base)
- Tons of opportunities for research and internships at career fairs
- Tons of campus pride and things to do on campus
- In the US
Cons
- Very expensive (no scholarship)
- Not sure, but after reading it sounds as if it might be harder than some other American engineering schools?
ASU
Pros
- Money is not an issue (big scholarship)
- Very nice campus/weather, tons of campus pride
- Very good support system around students
- In the US
Cons
- Not in the same caliber reputation-wise as the other 3 schools
- Viewed as a “party school” even though a lot has changed
Thank you in advance for your opinions, and one final question: for the structural engineers out there, will I need to get my master to get into the top US firms?
If you think you will need a masters, go with UT, yes it may be tough but so will Perdue and you will need to save money for grad school if needed.
DD is a Waterloo student. Yes, getting that first coop or two was very stressful. After that, it was much less stressful. Over 95% of students get a placement each term. The rate of placement goes up the more senior you are. If you have your WATIAM credentials, you can access more detailed info at this page. https://uwaterloo.ca/co-operative-education/about-co-op/employment-statistics
A Waterloo engineer shouldn’t need a masters to get a great job.
U of T, my alma mater, is a great place to go if you want to go into academia or grad school. I don’t get the reputation as a “commuter school” for the St. George campus. Most students either live on campus or live walking distance to campus. Those that don’t , take the subway, which is quick. Three people in my immediate family went to U of T. We all had a great time. It’s in the heart of North America’s third largest city. There’s a ton of things to do.
Even though UT is excellent, I’ve heard the same about grade deflation at Canadian schools. I would think many American employers know about Toronto. Not so much Waterloo, but I’m not an engineer.
Purdue has a great reputation in the US. But how much more is it than ASU?
As for ASU, it’s a very good school, and not as much a party school anymore. My own daughter just turned down Michigan, Wisconsin, and CalPoly SLO to enter there in the fall. It’s not as highly ranked as Purdue, but it’s still Top 40, and higher ranked than a few Ivies. Will the cost difference be made up in a higher salary?
I’d encourage you to read this article about ASU’s President, Michael Crow, before eliminating ASU. He has definitely brought the school up to respectability among American employers.
https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona-education/2019/02/28/michael-crow-changing-arizona-state-university-reputation-party-school-asu-innovation-global-brand/2670463002/
@sbdad12, Waterloo is well-known in the tech world. It has one of the bigger presences in Silicon Valley.
@PurpleTitan , yes, I’m familiar with it and its history with the Blackberry device.
But notice the OP is going into Civil Engineering and eventually Structural Engineering, so I believe it’s a different field.
My son was down to McGill and UMD 4 years ago. From a coolness factor McGill was his favorite, but then he looked at where he’d likely get work. While McGill is a great school and maybe even higher ranked in CS than UMD, he felt he wanted to work in the US and UMD was recruited harder by US companies than McGill.
If you also want to read about President’s of Universities, also read about Mitch at Purdue. He’s done amazing things there, including holding tuition and fees flat for nine years, while continuing to grow in size and prestige.
One thing to know, I suspect you are still admitted to Freshman Engineering, and not the school of Civil Engineering. Though, I suspect Civil is one of the schools that doesn’t completely fill up, so might not be an issue. But the other schools you apply to and they are competitive. Purdue does this to make sure it has enough faculty and facilities to accomidate the class. But, those who slack or don’t give class a priority often don’t get into their first choice if it is one of the ones that typically fills up.