Hey Everyone,
Any advice or intake on UAF Petroleum Engineering program? Living conditions? Job placement/recruitment/internships? Social Life? I’m aware a lot of the “big guys” in the oil industry have headquarters located in Alaska, do they do a lot of recruiting from UAF being so close and used to the weather conditions? Anything helps!
I can’t help much when it comes to to the recruitment practices or internships offered through UAF’s PetE program, but I might be able to offer some insight into campus life. It definitely has a unique environment, and if you don’t like Alaska, you’re certainly not going to like UAF. Lots of cross country running, skiing, snowboarding, hockey, etc. as far as sports go. It isn’t much of a party school, but it’s by no means difficult to have a good social life. I think it helps that you really get a small campus feeling with a pretty interesting group of students. Biology and engineering majors are particularly common, as they are some of the strongest programs the school has to offer, so if you fit in well with that crowd, you’re in luck.
Now for some totally unsolicited advice- I’m sure you’re at least somewhat aware of this, but I’d still caution against being too set on PetE in Alaska- it’s a dying industry, and it’s hitting the state pretty hard. If you have any interest in environmental engineering, geology, volcanology, or something similar, I would advise you to explore that option thoroughly. UAF is also very strong in these areas, and if you enjoy working out in the field than UAF is awesome. I’m currently working at a mid size geotech/environmental engineering firm in the state, and I know that one of the major things they look for is experience with the type of monitoring/sampling/fieldwork that we do- it’s pretty tough on people just moving up from California or Texas.
In short, if you plan on working/living in Alaska, especially for a smaller company, UAF could really benefit you with real world experience. However, if you’re aiming for one of the oil giants (Exxon, BP, ConocoPhillips, etc.)., I’d go with a more prestigious school in the lower 48. If you want to know more about internships, I’d highly suggest contacting the schools you’re interested in for more information on the internships they offer, # of students who intern, and graduate success. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Oh, and a note on ‘living conditions’- the dorms aren’t anything special, and a good number of kids live off campus. If you really want to get a taste of Alaskan life you can rent a dry cabin. They’re (generally) larger than a dorm, they’re cheap, and in a lot of places they’re right next to ski trails. The only downside is that you’re in a dry cabin. It kind of goes without saying that you need a car if you want any degree of mobility (or you don’t want to freeze your a** off walking to class :P), but if you live a little more out of town it’s much easier to see the northern lights.