Hello. I am a senior in high school this year, living near Buffalo NY, and I soon have to make the decision of where to attend college next year. I want to study mechanical engineering, and I have applied to and gotten into schools such as:
University of Dayton
Alfred University
SUNY at Buffalo
Clarkson
Canisius College
RIT
Case Western
I am in precalculus this year, and I will probably end the year with about an 85 average. I took algebra 2/trig last year and finished the year with about an 80 average. I know this sounds incredibly stupid, and I definitely regret it, but, unfortunately, I have never really studied for math or applied myself. If I had, I probably would have had at least a 90 average in math. So my foundation in math is a little shaky, and I think I should take some courses at the local community college over the summer to bone up on my algebra and precalculus skills. I have a little bit of experience with physics, having taken a non-AP physics course as a junior, and getting a 100 in the class.
My top choice school is the Unievrsity of Dayton, but I am also seriously considering the University at Buffalo. I got into the honors college at both schools, but I am trying to figure out which school will be the best fit for me. I got close to $80,000 in scholarship money to Dayton, but I still would end up having to pay over $160,000 out of pocket over the course of 4 years, and this is why the University at Buffalo looks so attractive to me.
Dayton would be my first choice, even though it is 6 hours away, because I feel like everybody there was willing to help and wanted the students to succeed. My second choice school is UB, and I feel like that is not the case there, and that the students on left on their own, to either sink or swim. I am not the strongest student, and I likely wont be able t succeed if people are trying to weed me out. Has anyone else experienced this selection process at UB, or are they more willing to help than that?
I feel like if I go to a big state school like UB, I will get “lost in the sauce” and I wont be able to compete with the other kids, who I feel like are years ahead of me in the classroom in subjects like math. I have also heard from some people that it is tough to find help at UB because the students and faculty are unwilling to help. I am scared of “weed out” courses and I feel like I wouldn’t make it through if people are trying to make me fail. I can already tell that I will have to ask for help at some points, and I want to know if that is available at UB. If anyone has experience with the engineering program at the University of Buffalo or other big state schools, please give me your feedback. I really just want to know if I would be able to make it at the University at Buffalo with my current academic history. Please give me your feedback and anything you may know or have experienced with or about UB.
I am also looking at the idea of possibly studying for two years at a community college and then transferring over into a four year school, but I feel like I would be at a disadvantage when I went to transfer, because I have heard that community colleges don’t have as rigorous as standards as the four year schools do.
I could also study for several years at Canisius College and transfer into UB later on through their dual degree program. Basically, I would get a physics degree from Canisius, and then transfer over to UB to finish my mechanical engineering degree.
I love building things, I love seeing creations being put into action, and I even love math and physics when I can wrap my head around it and understand it, but, unfortunately, have never been the biggest fan of school. But I know that if I buckle down and just get through the next four years, it will all get better after that, and I’ll be able to get a job that I love. My whole goal is to get in and out in 4 years, maybe five if necessary, with a diploma in mechanical engineering and a good job. I know it will be a ton of work, no matter where I go, and I’m prepared for that. I just want some outside opinions on my whole situation. Thank you so much for reading this. Any and all input and advice on anything that I have mentioned here would be greatly appreciated.