<p>I still have not decided if I want to attend UCR because I live very near Silicon Valley and I dont know how well UCR's computer engineering department stacks up against schools here like San Jose State in engineering. </p>
<p>So the question is, is it worth going to a school so far away when there are schools near where I live that have better engineering programs than UCR's. </p>
<p>Since UCR is the only school that accepted me, I would probably go to a CC and then transfer.</p>
<p>Hi! Im going to attend UCR as an electrical engineering major.</p>
<p>I was going through a similar dilemma couple weeks ago. I was rejected from ucsd, uci, and ucla and thought of going to cal poly or cc and transfer. But i heard that while going to CC and transferring to a higher up UC can be easily done but you won’t be ready academically.</p>
<p>A person i know took that route and transferred into UCSD from a CC. He told me that study course at CC was lesser than of a high school and transferring to a UC was a huge change. He couldn’t compete competitively with the other students who had UC education for past two years. And my teachers told me something similar that chance of getting a degree drops significantly for people who transfer from a CC, rather than attending UC for 4 years.</p>
<p>I ultimately decided that attending UCR would give me a better opportunity to prepare myself for the future. UCR’s engineering building was constructed in 1989 so its fairly new buildings. The UCR library is one of the best. Also the professor teaches the classes and not the TA’s. </p>
<p>If it was me, I would choose to attend UCR. Contrary to popular belief, i believe that UCR is a great school. For an engineering major, having a UC degree would go farther than a cal state degree.</p>
<p>If your goal is to transfer, don’t go to UCR. You probably won’t like it there if it’s just a stepping stone to get to UCLA or whatever. I live near Silicon Valley As well and I chose to go to UCR. UCR is ranked nationally(privates and public) at ~100 for engineering schools (Ranked #1 for their size). So in other words, their engineering program is good.
A UC is a UC is a UC. Companies look kindly upon UCs so I don’t want you to think that a degree from UCR is worthless.
Ultimately , it’s your choice. SJSU is like ranked 45 in the west and like 10th in state schools (under both Cal Polys)</p>
<p>On a side note, Ddoes SJSU have a TAG to UCs?</p>
<p>How would a degree from UCR look if you are planning to get a job in the Silicon Valley? Would companies give priority to schools nearby then from a far away school such as UCR even if it is a UC?</p>
<p>It goes with prestige and experience. For example I applied for a job as an engineering aide at Edwards AF if I get that job I could put that on my resume. UCR is a great school dont believe the rumors people that look down on it are those who are but hurt that UCLA and CAL rejected them those they talk crap of UCR, I went gone a couple of tmes and loved it is soo laid back. Itsome whta ghettho down University Ave but the vicinity in a 2 mile radius aint bad Their are UCPD and RPD patrolling shot one was taking a nap when I went to Denny’s</p>
<p>I can only say SJSU is reputable in the silicon valley. If you graduate with honor at either school, you should have easier time finding job. Why not ask the career center at both school and see what they have to say? My feel is that if you want to base your career in the silicon valley, you should give more weight to SJSU and vice versa.</p>
<p>Well, SJSU is definitely well-known in Silicon Valley. If you go to SJSU, it might also be easier to take on internships and the like since they’re right next to the school. If your goal is to stay in Silicon Valley (until after you’ve built up job experience), then SJSU is a good choice. I really think the proximity is more important than the rankings, simply because getting internships and some modicum of job experience in your field is more important for finding a job than the name of your alma mater.</p>
<p>If your goal is to transfer to a better UC, go to a community college. And for tehlunatic’s statement of
I don’t think that can be taken at face value. A lot of people who go to a CC first tend to be poorer and thus they might not be able to finish their years at a UC for financial reasons. It may not be that they are incapable, but more that they have other handicaps beyond their control.</p>
<p>you have a good point but the bigger problem is that people who come from CC are less competitive then their junior counterparts that have been attending a UC for past 2 years. It does not have to do with smarts or financial reasons.</p>
<p>As i stated above, I talked to people who attended CC first then transferred into a UC such as UCSD and UCLA. (They were smart students but failed Calc so they were rescinded) They told me that they had hard timing keeping up with other students. They missed out on competitive education for two years and their opinion on CC was that it is easier than high school. It would take vast amount of effort for students who have been studying high school level work to keep up with students who have been studying competitively for past 2 years. </p>
<p>I am not saying it cannot be done but requires more effort. If there was no other way than going to a CC, choose that path. Otherwise choose the 4-year education that SJSU and UCR is offering you</p>
But this is anecdotal evidence, as I’ve also talked to people who went to CC, went to a four-year college and found that the CC prepared them nicely. It really depends on the CC, so anecdotal evidence doesn’t help the OP make an informed decision. There is also a lot of evidence that finances affect college performance and therefore grad rates, so that can’t be unaccounted for. </p>
<p>In fact, at UCB, the transfer graduation rate is higher than the freshmen graduation rate, so even on average, transfers actually do better. It takes effort yes, and I think if the OP were to take the CC route, he should look at nearby ones and determine which one might prepare him best.</p>