My daughter was accepted to the Engineering school. Can anyone give me an idea of how good their engineering school is specifically if you know, compared to University of Florida Engineering? We are from Florida.
I would love any other information or experience you think might be helpful or good to know. Engineering clubs? She specifically is interested in opportunities to volunteer also such as engineers without borders.
@968Mom Here’s a listing of top engineering schools in the US. You will see UT at #10. I don’t see UofF listed here. http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/eng-rankings
One note, that ranking is for Graduate schools. UT is definitely ranked high in most undergrad engineering majors too but they have separate rankings for all the different undergrad majors. Grad school is more focused on research so good to look at undergrad.
Check out this one but also look at others like Niche I think.
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings#undergraduate-engineering
I am a Longhorn but from the 1980’s and studied business. My son just finished his first semester at UT in ECE. So far he has had a good experience but he had a hard time in one of the two EE classes he took. My husband was an EE major at Texas A & M in the 1980’s. He looked at my son’s syllabus for EE 302 Intro to Electrical Engineering and said it was a combination of 3 classes that he took at A & M. He could see how this class would be difficult for a first time engineering student with little/no prior engineering curriculum. My son did not apply to Texas A & M but I like how the engineering school there is set up. A freshman goes into engineering as an “engineering major” and before the sophomore year, applies to the specific type of engineering they decide to pursue. At UT, you enter with your specific engineering major and it is difficult to transfer in and out of the programs internally unless you have a very high GPA. I believe the GPA for those that were successfully able to transfer into ECE was a 3.9 +. It was also difficult for my son to get all his classes his second semester. He ended up getting what he needed but his classes begin at 8am Mon - Thur and the one engineering class he was on a wait list for never came through so he had to talk to the instructor and he was allowed in. The University seems to do well with recruitment and there are “Expos” each semester where students can meet with companies. Those with a great GPA and those with a good GPA/good interviewing skills seem to be placed in internships.
@968Mom Our DS is graduating in May with degrees in ECE and CS. He has said that ECE is the hardest major on campus.
You might do some research on class availability specifically for ECE. Our son mentioned over the Christmas break that someone in engineering administration announced that they would meet the class needs of all ECE students. He wondered how that would be practically applied. Would it apply to electives too or just core classes? He said following up on that wouldn’t be his problem, since he was graduating but, he was glad to hear it.
He never had an issue with getting a class he needed personally but, definitely learned how to make the most of the registration and wait list process.
His most difficult issue was the CS double major. Lots of paperwork there!
The advantage of getting your major from the beginning is that the student won’t need to apply to a major later on. They are already in. (The first semester in engineering is brutal on the GPA. You can look up the average first semester GPA by engineering discipline.)
There are a lot of recruiters on campus from across the country and high paying internships have been the norm for DS from sophomore year on. He went from a suit wearing, eager beaver, freshman to a sought after (super) senior who has had on the spot verbal offers. - even one while wearing gym shorts in front of a room of jealous eager beaver, suit wearing freshmen. 
UT is a fabulous engineering school with great opportunities and job placement. The only downside is that the student has to pay attention and choose to take advantage of what’s available. Hook 'Em!
@968Mom, which branch of engineering did your DD apply and get accepted to?
I do not have direct experience with the Engineering school. I have a junior in the McCombs school of business. They just had Career Expo and a week of events last week. He has several interviews set up already for next steps to a summer internship. I’ll continue later - timed out!!
I have a DD that will apply to Engineering Fall 2018. She has attended a summer program through Women in Engineering and will apply for another for this summer. The WE support seems substantial. Leadership training and serving opportunities too. WE Living Learning community in Kinsolving.
Look up “General Engineering” a support system to essentially provide tutoring in the most difficult early concepts of Calc, Chem, Physics. They get a grade for attendance and class credit and no homework.
The NEW Engineering complex is scheduled to be complete in 2017 - take a look! Planning for this complex for 10 years!
PokeyJoe congratulations on your DS’s upcoming graduation! I can’t even imagine double majoring in 2 such difficult majors. Where do you look up the average first semester GPA?
@parentof3kids Thank you! We are so happy he made it!
I’m not sure where the information is but, I know it’s available. DS pulled it up after his first semester as part of our “see, it’s not so bad. I’m even above average” talk.