I am still uncertain about what I want to major in, but engineering (specifically industrial, aerospace, and/or biomedical) is something that seems really interesting, is in-demand, and is lucrative. I’m not that great at physics, but I’m really good at math. However, I was wondering if it matters as much as some other degrees where you went to undergrad, when employers check your résumé. Since I am just beginning to explore the field of engineering, I’m not sure if I want to get a master’s or not, and so does the college you went to still matter to employers? The University of Arizona is my hometown university, and I was wondering if I decide to go here (ranked around #40 in engineering) for the in-state tuition, versus going a higher ranked, more highly-regarded university, will have a large impact on employment opportunities and career success. Should I go to the UofA to save money for a more prestigious grad school? Again, I have not even applied to any colleges yet, so right now this is just out of curiosity.
You will likely see mostly local/regional companies (for convenience) and large companies (because they recruit widely due to needing many new graduates and having the recruiting resources to recruit widely) in your school’s career center. For smaller companies outside your local/regional area, you may have to do more of your own searching to find them and apply to them.
If you can save money and go to a program that is decently ranked go there.
One considerations that may be worth knowing is how well a school’s career services dept is connected to potential employers e.g. who comes to that school looking for new engineering grads to work at their company and what the alumni network is like at a school to help you find work once you graduate. In the end, as long as the program is ABET accredited you will come out with a degree in engineering, it is finding work that may be the challenge.
Believe it or not, but Newton’s laws, thermodynamics laws, and the laws of dynamics all the stay the same regardless of which school, and out of whose mouth those words come from. I knew someone who went to Berkeley and was taught by a Nobel prize winner, but he couldn’t teach a class well at all. On the other hand, I know many state school professors who were just amazing at teaching.
You would get more big national companies if you went to a higher ranked Engineering School. However, if you seek out the companies you want to work for and are a solid candidate, then you could get hired even if you are from a non-target school.
It matters where you go to school, but it doesn’t matter much. “Better” schools will offer you more resources and opportunities, and their reputation will help you get into jobs and grad schools, but unless you are talking about a big difference in quality these things will be minor in comparison to your own efforts. So look at the schools you get into, and see what kind of difference you are really seeing.
Great… then you have some time to sort through things
“I’m not that great at physics, but I’m really good at math” - You may find that you like physics better when it becomes more “math-y”. What science/math courses are you doing this year and planning next year?
@colorado_mom This year, in terms of science courses I am taking AP Physics 1 and AP Chemistry, and in terms of math I am taking AP Calculus BC. My course schedule for next year is still uncertain, but most likely I will take AP Physics C for science and Differential Equations for math.
I’m averaging about an 85% in Physics this year (due to a really generous curve by my teacher), but a 96% in Chem and a 99% in Calc BC.
Don’t make the mistake of worrying about this crap.
U of A is a fine school, and you would be well-served by going there. They are primarily known for their astronomy and optical sciences departments, but their engineering department is no slouch. Assuming you performed well there, you would have no problem getting into even the best grad schools in the country.
The bigger question here is: Do you want to go to college in your hometown? Or would you rather experience college away from home? As another option, ASU also has a solid engineering department, and you would qualify for in-state tuition there.
