<p>Can any former ucla engineering majors help me out with this question.
Do you still use your engineering degree? (as in do you still work in the field_
And if not please tell me you went into engineering management or something that's better.</p>
<p>My uncle has a PhD in civil engineering from ucla and isn't doing so great now. I have heard of similar cases where engineers from UCs don't use their degree anymore (for better or worst). I don't wanna end up like that which is why I still can't decide between ucla and cal poly (where I'll definitely use my degree for quite a while)</p>
<p>In the long run, the degree that is most recent and most relevant to the pursued job is the most important. It sounds like you want to pursue further education after your B.S. It won’t matter much whether you graduated from Cal Poly or UCLA, although it may matter a little in reaching the next level of education. Once you attain a higher level degree, the older degrees are less valuable in evaluating (unless from a different field). ex. high school degree vs. B.S degree.</p>
<p>In the long run, assuming you work in the industry as an engineer, your work experience will be more valued than where you graduated from. I don’t think graduating from a specific school is a good excuse in determining success in finding jobs.</p>
<p>
This is true for some companies, but mostly due to coursework. From where I worked, the managers love Cal Poly graduates because there is actually a nuclear program there. There isn’t any at most UCs. I don’t think there is much of a disadvantage in the work you are able to do after coming from UCLA (theory heavy) vs. CPP (hands on experience). As long as you have the qualifications and skills to work on a project, it won’t matter where you came from.</p>
<p>By the way, degrees aren’t redeemable, though you probably didn’t mean to phrase it that way.</p>
<p>Yeah I plan to get an MS and/or an MBA.
If I go to cal poly i can do the 3+2 program which I really wish ucla has.
The only things keeping me from picking ucla over cal poly is the competition and the style of education (theory vs hands on etc etc)</p>
<p>you’re forgetting a huge, and perhaps the most important part of going to college… the experience. Whether a school is more hands-on or more theoretical really doesn’t make any difference. Either way, you aren’t going to learn much that matters in college anyway. What you are going to learn, and what is really worthwhile, are the independent experiences you have at college. Living on your own with complete freedom of choice and thought, and dealing with all aspects of your life, managing your time, setting your limits and standards, and defining who you really are… these are the most important things I’ve been learning in college.</p>
<p>Education is well and good too… you will be challenged and tested, and there will be ups and downs, and you will find your limits here too. You might even face your first failure or become completely overwhelmed for the first time in your life… all good experiences. Now, choosing a college based on whether one will teach you Maxwell’s equations better while the other will teach you how to use the O-scope better is really a pointless argument. In the long run, it will NOT matter at all. Most of what you learn in undergrad really isn’t going to differ much from school to school. Go where you feel you will have a better experience… you won’t regret it.</p>
<p>And if you really really care about education, then go for the more theoretical school (ie: UCLA). Its just my personal opinion but I think theory tends to go farther than practical knowledge, though it can be a handicap in the more basic applications.</p>
<p>Also, your uncle isn’t a good example of a typical engineer… typical engineers don’t have PhDs. A PhD is an extreme case and they have to face unique and extreme challenges. For undergrad, the choice between UCLA and Cal Poly (I’m assuming SLO?) won’t make a measurable difference. I just don’t see how it could. Going to UCLA will definitely keep more choices open for you. The school doesn’t decide how long you will use your degree… YOU do! Its all about what you can do. If you can do what needs to be done no one will care whether you even have a degree, much less which school its from.</p>
<p>very very good point
and I do think UCLA will give me a better experience, but I’m still hesitant.
UCLA probably means A LOT more studying and less time to have fun and I’m not a clubber or anything so Cal Poly (yes Slo) could be just as fun.
The demographics at Cal Poly aren’t as appealing though -.-
UCLA would probably (not definite on this) have more asian girls (yes I have found I’ve always liked asian girls) that are more intelligent (woot) and what not.
I don’t think Cal Poly would since it’s an engineering school and not premed or anything.</p>
<p>Can I get some more opinions comments and basically everything about UCLA, engineering difficulty worth it, prestige in the long run being worth it or not, and so forth?</p>
<p>Have you visited SLO? There’s not much interesting around there. You’ll be studying about the same at UCLA … so don’t let that be a deciding factor.</p>
<p>By the way, it is easier to get a higher GPA at UCLA … but that shouldn’t be too important … more important is you learn what you have to learn.</p>
<p>Really? It’s easier to get a higher gpa at ucla as it is at Cal Poly and I’ll be studying about the same?
Do you mean that I’ll adjust to either school or do u mean the difficulty at both are the same?</p>