<p>I'm intending on applying to both the U of I and Alabama this fall. I would be getting full merit tuition at 'bama, but not the U of I, so I am definitely considering going to 'bama for engineering. </p>
<p>Now I know the engineering programs are at the completely opposite ends of the rankings - but would that matter that much when the time to look for a job rolls around? If I have a significantly higher chance of getting a job after school going to the U of I, then that is what I want to do. But if it won't matter that much, I'll probably choose 'bama.</p>
<p>It will largely depend on where you are looking to get a job. If you want to work on the Gulf Coast, the difference may be marginal. If you want to work anywhere outside of the immediate recruiting footprint of 'Bama, UIUC would be the better choice. UIUC gets recruited by top companies from all across the country. While I am not super familiar with 'Bama, I would be surprised if they have a huge number of companies that don’t have regional office recruiting there.</p>
<p>Check the career websites for both schools and see which one has the career options you want.</p>
<p>U of I’s engineering program is certainly higher-ranked (and probably better). They are, however, quite stingy with scholarships, unlike Alabama. How you weigh those factors will depend on your financial situation.</p>
<p>If you’re on full merit aid from Bama you’ll be in the top 5% of student quality. You should have no problem absolutely wrecking shop in that program. UIUC you might be at a top ~20% level. It’s definitely a different experience.</p>
<p>1) Goto 'Bama and get that B.S. Engineering degree and come out debt free.
2) Kick a-s-s at 'Bama
3) Take that hopefully-outstanding record to U-Illinois for grad school on some funded program.</p>
<p>Result: You still get a U-Illinois degree AND you have no college financial debt.</p>
<p>It is a good plan if you have no problem spending 6 years in school. Who says this person wants to go to grad school? Heck, he/she likely doesn’t even know that yet.</p>
<p>I transferred from a big-name big 10 engineering school to a smaller tech school. I had 5 co-op rotations at major international engineering companies. How? I had good grades, I did research in a lab on campus, I had really good relationships and recommendations from professors, I was able to translate theory in to practice. </p>
<p>Though it may generally be easier to get your first full time job out of college from UIUC, a full free ride at Alabama may not be a bad thing. At the end of the day, people have at least heard of Alabama, as it is a large state school. The key is to keep the grades really high, have meaningful contributions on campus to organzations, and have great co-op and internship experiences. Since the bill will be convered by scholarship, make it worthwhile and nail the other aspects. You will be fortunate that you don’t have to worry about the bills being paid. Also, you will be relieved when you graduate with no debt - it’s a big deal!</p>
<p>If your grades are high, you have good internships and co-ops, and have found some organizations on campus to contribute to and be a leader in, you will be fine.</p>
<p>rkd: Thanks for the input. It’s good to hear that going to the big-name institution isn’t everything.</p>
<p>globaltraveler: That plan sounds really tempting lol.</p>
<p>MrPayne: That’s a really good point. Something to consider.</p>
<p>bone: I’m not really sure if I want to go to grad school. If I could find a job without any trouble after 4 years, I might just say screw it.</p>
<p>falcon: In-state tuition; around 15-20k per year. Multiply that by 4 and that’s quite a bit of cash. My family is pretty well-off financially, but 80k is still a lot.</p>
<p>As of now I’m set on UIUC, but God knows I’ll change my mind about every other day.</p>
<p>There exist engineering jobs that you would see at your future employer that are worded like this…</p>
<p>“The ideal candidate will have a B.S. in Engineering with 12-15 years experience OR an M.S. in Engineering and 8 years experience.”</p>
<p>An unfunded M.S. (non-thesis) or MEng program is just 10 courses (5 semesters). The M.S. with thesis is just 8 courses (plus the 6 credit thesis).</p>
<p>Do the M.S./MEng anyway…even if you “wimp out” and just take “grad versions” of the courses you had as an undergrad.</p>
<p>I disagree with GLOBALTRAVELER. Only do the Masters if you are interested. 2 or 3 years into the workforce if you want to go the easy route into grad school, let your employer pay for it. Being a full time grad student is a yotall different beast and should only be done if your heart is in it at the end of undergrad.</p>