<p>I was accepted to UIUC as a transfer (undergrad EE). I know it's one of the top for engineering, especially electrical, but I'm also aware of the difficulty just to maintain a 3.0 gpa. In fact, I read that their average gpa is around 2.7. I'm sure this is true with other top public schools such as UCB and UMich. I am hoping to end my study with a MS in engineering. In that case, would it be wiser to attend smaller, lower ranked engineering school than those top notch schools? I read that a 3.5+ gpa is almost necessary for a good engineering grad school. I can do this no problem if I stay at my current small school, but I really dont know if I can do the same at UIUC. </p>
<p>I would suggest that you go to UIUC just for the fact that it has such a bigger wow factor. If the school your staying at is really small then yes, gtho. Also I think if you can maintain a 3.5+ at your small school and you work hard, a 3.3+ or something like that wont be much more difficult for you. Its not like physics laws change from school to school. So, basically after all my rambling I say go to UIUC because of the better opportunities it will provide.</p>
<p>If you go and you’re gpa falls too low you’re toast for a good grad school…where do you go to school now? Like the guy above said, the laws of physics don’t change from one school to another, but the manner and depth in which they are taught certainly do. If you are coming from a small school then you will most definitely be competing with smarter kids, than you do now, for grades.</p>
<p>I’m at Illinois Institute of Tech right now.
It’s ranked around 60th for electrical while UIUC is 3rd…
But keeping a 4.0 at IIT was not too difficult so far</p>