<p>I need your help in making a critical decision. I transferred into the Cooper Union (engineering dept.) from Ohio State engineering. Right now I'm at Cooper and though the academics are incredible; the people are very clicky and rude and it's becoming a real pain. The profs here respect me and I have a good GPA (3.1+) which is around the same as what I have back in Ohio State. The only difference is; people are much nicer at Ohio and the competitive/stress environment isn't near as much.</p>
<p>I have 2 more years before graduation at cooper and the same goes for Ohio state (they kept my spot open so I can transfer back with credits received at Cooper). If I go back to Ohio State, I'll graduate with a 3.3+ quite easily with much less stress and at Cooper, I'll graduate with no higher than a 3.1 (a LOT of work/slight social depression).</p>
<p>That said, should I stay Cooper or get the hell out?I have to make a decision relatively soon (in less than 5 weeks). It's depressing here but I still do have friends and people to talk to so it's not like extreme depression... I'll definitely be okay and make it through...It's just that I would just have a great time if I transferred back to Ohio state since people are more laid back there and there's less stress and the community tends to be more friendly and less rude.</p>
<p>I am very interested in attending top grad. schools for master's program in engineering but I don't know if a 3.1 (even from Cooper) will cut it (meaning I'm afraid that I may not get into my choice of grad. engineering colleges). I am interested in getting a really good engineering job with a top company so I have to take that into account ( I don't care where I work even if it's international).</p>
<p>Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>I think a 3.1 from Cooper will get your further than a 3.3 from OSU. Cooper has a reputation for being one of the hardest engineering schools in the country. I think grad schools and companies respect that. I don't know what's your definition of top grad schools, but my friend who graduated with a low 3 GPA from Cooper got into Ph.D program with Columbia SEAS. Columbia isn't the "top" engineering grad school, but it's still pretty good. Remember that master program is much easier to get into than Ph.D. I would think your GPA is pretty safe for a top 25 master program.</p>
<p>If you're not happy at Cooper, get the hell out, as you put it! =) College isn't just a time to learn, college is a time to experience stuff. OSU will give you a good enough background that you'll be able to do stuff with a degree from there.</p>
<p>Seriously. Life's too short to spend three years of it being unhappy with your life.</p>
<p>You got 2 years of "slight" misery and a lifetime of benefit from those 2 years of misery (all else being equal) I'd say your future is more important and these 2 years, assuming it's not too bad, you should just hold your breath and stick it out. Plus you're only in school for ~7-8 months, you got 4-5 months to be with your friends back @ Home.</p>
<p>See, everyone says "live with the misery," but I'll bet they haven't done it. After going to Rice, I've been so utterly miserable at UIUC (I'm a city girl... this isn't a city...) that I ended up with major depression, only getting out of bed to go to class. It affected my immune system and I ended up with pneumonia in 70-degree weather, and got myself a few trips to the hospital. Before coming to Urbana-Champaign, I'd never so much as had <em>blood drawn</em>. I'm a healthy person.</p>
<p>If you're unhappy, you need to get out of there. Speaking as someone who regrets "sticking it out," weigh everything. If you can <em>be</em> happy at Cooper by beefing up your emotional support resources and throwing in some extracurriculars that make you happy, then work on that first. If you absolutely can't be happy at Cooper, 2 years of misery is a very, very long two years, and it'll do you more harm than good.</p>
<p>Think about what you are telling us. You ** thought** that a top undergrad program was what you wanted.....you are there and it isn't for you. A reason you are worried about staying in a top program is to get into a top Grad Program.....which you may also not like or do as well in. Top programs are just that......the top. That doesn't mean that they are fun and layed back. If it makes you unhappy do what is best for you......don't plan that the top grad program is also a part of this quandry. Competition isn't always a fuzzy place to be.......it takes time to make friends. We cannot tell you what is best for you only what program is the top.</p>
<p>i'd say stay at cooper. why did you transfer from ohio state in the first place? at cooper you get free tuition for one of the top engineering schools in THE best city in the world. it takes some time to settle in, and you might not find your niche at cooper until the second year there. for me, it'd be worth it.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your comments. I have a few more questions.</p>
<p>As far engineering jobs are concerned, does it matter what college I attend? I'm a chemE and am interested in working for petro-chemical companies but am open to other jobs with different specialties.</p>
<p>My interests are in engineering as well as consulting (not i-banking) since both require problem solving skills. If I can get into a company like Bain/Mckinsey/BCG/Mercer upon graduation from Cooper Union (if they've even heard of cooper), I may stay back. Is it realistic for me to graduate from Cooper and get a consulting job (we're not exactly HYPSM)?</p>
<p>These questions aren't the sole or major factors in my decision to stay or transfer out; nevertheless, they will help me make a decision. It's really the apathetic nature of the student body and social inactivity that's causing me anxiety. I will do my best to adapt to the environment here and then make my decision before the deadline.</p>
<p>If you stay, there is not guarantee that you will get one of those jobs, and if you do get one of those jobs, there is no guarantee that you will like it. How many compromises are you willing to make? Be true to yourself :).</p>
<p>How did you end up at OSU? What did you dislike about it? What ever happened to your interest in Bucknell and Columbia? You sure did have a diverse group of colleges to think about!</p>
<p>I'm really sorry about your experience at UIUC. I must say that my case isn't as extreme as yours was. I am slightly surprised; however, since I would expect a bigger campus and larger student body to provide more social opportunities. Regardless; I hope everything is working out okay for you now. Good luck.</p>
<p>I'm sure it's a great place for undergrads. Grads get a slightly sour deal, in that you really have to find your own way around the logistics of campus and the university sort of expects you to sort things out on your own. I'm a victim of extreme circumstance, though, since I came here as a grad student of the department head, and the department head decided to leave just before I got here, so I was shunted around, had my funding taken away through no fault of my own, my office flooded and I had to work out of the hallway for four months, someone rear-ended my car and drove off, my kitten died, my parents divorced, etc. etc. etc... It was just a comedy of errors. Retrospectively, it'll be hilarious.</p>
<p>Don't want to give the impression that UIUC is horrendous. I know that the vast majority of the people absolutely love it here!</p>
<p>I would personally choose CU just because of its prestige. I don't care too much about social opportunies (typical engineer stereotype =P) because all I really need is a few close friends rather than a lot of casual aquaintances.</p>