Tech Engineering

Colleges and Universities A-Z Texas Tech University
1

<p>I'm looking into Tech, and the engineering program inparticular. I have A&M out front, Tech in the middle and UT trailing by a small amount. I visited there and the campus was really nice. I liked Tech because it was laid back, but still has a good reputation as a university. I don't like the fact that it's in the middle of no where. Lubbock is bigger then most people give credit, but It's a nine hour drive from Houston (or a ridiculously short flight). I'm not sure it I want to do that drive for vacations back home. It's also has the reputation of being a party school/nothing to do school. I find these two reports to be quite different. Anyone want to clear them up? </p>

<p>I'm curious about the honors college. I'm not really sure if it's something for me. Is the course work neccessarily harder, or do you just get more individual attention? I'm not saying I wouldn't mind difficult courses, I'm just curious. </p>

<p>Thanks everyone.</p>

2

<p>How in the world could you possibly consider Tech's engineering program over UT? The engineering programs at UT and A&M are stellar and are MUCH better known than Tech's. If you're going to spend that much time studying, you might as well invest the time in a degree from a school that is going to take you somewhere.</p>

<p>Tech does not have a good reputation as a university. It's not even well-known outside of Texas. Tech is basically a party school for average to below average students from high school. There is absolutely nothing to do in Lubbock except for house parties and those get old in a hurry.</p>

<p>You have two great public schools within 200 miles of Houston, so I honestly don't see why you would even consider Tech.</p>

3

<p>There are a lot of reasons to consider Tech alongside the others. However, I don't see why YOU would pick Tech over UT if distance is a concern.</p>

4

<p>My son is a recent Tech Honors College graduate (majoring in Business) and he had a wonderful experience over his four years there. I can't comment on the Engineering Program, but I know that when my son was a freshman in the Honors College his roommate was also in the Honors College and a Petroleum Engineering major. </p>

<p>In a nutshell (based on my son's experience), the introductory Honors classes over the first two years will be worth it for the fact that you will be in small classes (25 or so) studying interesting material versus the huge introductory classes (couple hundred or more). As an Honors College student, you will also be first in line for class registration plus many other goodies. Also, class grades are not curved; if everyone does "A" level work, then everyone gets an "A". </p>

<p>By the way, my son's best friend at Tech is from Katy.</p>

<p>If you get into UT Engineering, then go there. However, I believe Texas Tech Engineering can give Texas A&M Engineering and any other Texas state public university engineering programs some stiff competition. Tech provides lots of opportunities, especially for doing science and engineering research with top professors. I will look for a College Confidential post from last year where a parent wrote about her son's very positive campus visit to Tech's Engineering Program. However, he ended up being accepted and is now attending the UT Honors Engineering. If I find it, I will post it.</p>

5

<p>Okay, I found the post of the parent whose son was interested in Tech's Engineering Program. The post was actuall from a couple years ago but still relevant. Here goes:</p>

<p>"We visited TTU in Lubbock, Texas with DS, who wants a full-college experience, including football, sports, nice campus, good academics.
We were not expecting to get that at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, but were very pleasantly surprised. Although the surrounding town is not much to look at, the campus was lovely, green and lush and well laid-out. Sculptures dotted the campus, along with beautiful fountains, and lovely buildings. We took a tour with a very enthusiastic student volunteer, who showed us around in the 100 degree heat. Standout buildings included the new Student Center - with a internal pedestrian corridor w/little shops on each side, including a computer repair, Barnes and Noble, bank, wireless phone, computer sales, quick restuarants, and theater, numerous nooks and areas for studying, a wonderful Rec Center - with the now obligatory climbing wall, inside track, pool, raquetball, etc., and library, built like a stack of books turned on end, with a lovely cool lobby with fountain and casual seating areas.
Admissions Dept. was kind enough to call over to the Engineering department, and, even though it was "new student orientation", they managed schedule us a visit with the engineering advisor. He was extremely enthusiastic, and spent almost an hour with us, showing us the various student labs, and discussing all the cool co-op, research and internship programs available to students. We were also able to meet with an equally enthusiastic Honors college advisor, who touted the benefits of the program. (Priority registration, 1-2 smaller classes per semester, special advising, research ops, special study-abroad, honors dorm, etc.) My son was most excited about some of the non-academic things.. (The student ID serves as free ticket to all football, basketball, etc. games!) Honors dorms include ensuite bathroom, and shared living area between 2 bedrooms - and are centrally located on campus. Tech has also built upperclassman apartments, and some that are available to freshman, also.
Scholarships are good - for NMS and non-NMS alike. It is rumored that there will be changes to the scholarship program in October, so we will be keeping out eyes on that. All in all, a nice alternative to our flagship state school (UT Austin), and other big rival (A & M - which I did not like at all!!!!!)."</p>

6

<p>Thanks Lonestardad, your reply was very helpful. I'm looking into their honors program as well. </p>

<p>Hi-Power, I'm not basing the schoosl off of there reputation. I'm looking into what college I think would be best for me. I know A&M and UT have better ranked programs, but Tech comes in third for public schools in engineering. Right now, A&M is out front. I'm just looking into other options as well. I'm simpy looking into them in case I do not get accepted. I have a 4.4 GPA/4.5 (11%) with honors courses as well as APUSH and Dual Credit courses. My SAT scores wern't great at 660 for math and 600 for reading. I think they're decent, but I might as well look into other schools as well. </p>

<p>DP</p>

7

<p>
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However, I believe Texas Tech Engineering can give Texas A&M Engineering and any other Texas state public university engineering programs some stiff competition.

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<p>This is the most hilarious thing I have ever heard on this message board. A&M's engineering programs are WELL-KNOWN OUTSIDE of Texas. On the other hand, a lot of people in Texas don't even know that Tech has any engineering programs.</p>

<p>Please don't try to make comparison's to A&M's engineering programs if you know nothing about A&M.</p>

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Hi-Power, I'm not basing the schoosl off of there reputation. I'm looking into what college I think would be best for me.

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<p>That's a recipe for disaster. You get a college degree to get a job from someone else. Reputation DOES matter. It makes it much easier for you in the long run to maintain employment, long after your college career has ended. You need to look at long-term goals, not just the next four years.</p>

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I know A&M and UT have better ranked programs, but Tech comes in third for public schools in engineering.

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<p>Comes in third in Texas only, pretty much an unknown outside of the state. UT and A&M are well-known engineering schools outside of Texas.</p>

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Right now, A&M is out front.

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<p>You said that you are looking for the school that is best for you, and reputation doesn't matter, yet you have two very different schools in the running?</p>

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There are a lot of reasons to consider Tech alongside the others.

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<p>Says the guy who couldn't pull higher than a 3.2 overall GPA at Tceh's business school.</p>

8

<p>I guess I can't say that rank doesn't mater, but I'm not going to choose my school based on that one number. This is kind of turned into a bash-tech-go-to-A&M-or-UT discussion which I wasn't really looking for. Living close to NASA, I get alot of the become an engineer mojo and you'd be suprised how many are from Texas Tech. I'm not saying they outnumber A&M or UT grads, but still. I'm not sure if you've looked at some of the rankings, but Tech is actually ranked nationally for engineering programs as a whole and 10th for petroleum. That's not bad, and it's obviously getting some national attention. </p>

<p>DP</p>

9

<p>One more thing to think about "hi-power", as big of deal as it might seem to some people, the reputation of the school you attended matters mostly for the first job out of college you get. After that, companies hire you based on experience and accomplishments.<br>
Not saying reputation does not matter, but your stating it as if it's imperative to attend a highly touted school.</p>

<p>...and no, I do not attend Texas Tech.</p>

10

<p>chaoswithinthed, </p>

<p>Of course, you are going to hear pros and cons from all sides, but you have begun to formulate your own views. To quote, "I visited there and the campus was really nice. I liked Tech because it was laid back, but still has a good reputation as a university." And the next line says Lubbock is in the middle of nowhere. True. </p>

<p>If down the road you have a serious interest in Tech and possibly the Honors College, please try to make another visit to Tech and schedule a bit of time with Honors Dean Gary Bell. He is extraordinarily personable and friendly and a noted leader nationally as an Honors College/Program expert. (My son has had a one-on-one lunch with Dean Bell a number of times over the last couple years just to chat and my son was nothing "special".)</p>

<p>As to what happens to Tech engineers, my wife and I attend a large church Sunday school (about 50 members) in suburban Dallas. A number of the men attended Tech's engineering and business schools and are now middle to upper middle managers in major companies such as Halliburton, Rockwell Collins, EDS, and others. I have a bachelor's and Master's degree from the University of Chicago, but my son's positive experiences with Tech have made me a Tech booster. And these are facts and not idle boasting and blathering from low-wattage posters as some on here.</p>

11

<p>Hi-Power,</p>

<p>I have matched rhetorical swords with you before but it's just not a good expenditure of my brain cells. With your statments like "(o)n the other hand, a lot of people in Texas don't even know that Tech has any engineering programs", it's like shooting fish in a barrel. Why spend your time on Tech's Board if all you have is the negativity you spout?
One fact you can not surmount regarding the educational quality at Tech (Arts and Sciences in particular), Phi Beta Kappa - the most prestigious academic fraternity in the country - chose only seven universities and colleges nationwide for new chapters in 2007 and Tech was one of them. Texas, A&M, and Texas Tech are the only public universities in Texas with Phi Beta Kappa chapters. Not Texas State or UT Arlington or...</p>

<p>Just move on to the A&M Board or wherever you want to hang your negativity hat.</p>

12

<p>Ok, I can't do this, I can't let people actually do what they're doing here.
For those getting upset that this is a Tech-Bash, he asked about the reputation of Tech, and the fact that no one but raiders/ex-raiders/parents of raiders can defend the school has something to say about how the rest of the state see's tech.</p>

<p>Texas Tech is not comparable to UT or A&M. The education of tech has been described as "High School Level." They have even lost accreditation in certain programs for not being "College Level." The school is so easy to get into that they accept and pester people who didn't even apply (like myself). The engineering program may be "adequate" maybe even "good" but comparing it to UT or A&M is like comparing UT or A&M to Harvard. (Although the latter comparison is probably closer than the former)</p>

<p>I have heard Tech has a FEW good programs. As in college level. However, if you look at a college like University of North Texas, you will see that the college is terrible overall, but it has a monsterously great Music program (1st-3rd in the nation). I have yet to hear of anything Tech has excelled at enough to outweigh its terrible education which isn't even ranked on any well-respected board I have seen. (Well, ok, so the football team is good).</p>

<p>There is one thing I can't deny though, you will get the "college experiance" at Tech. The campus is beautiful, the parties are great, yaddayadda. And if that's what you're going to college for, I'd suggest the University of Dallas, a school who throws enormous scholarships out, has parties all the time, isn't well known, has a small student body and the like.</p>

<p>If you want an education, which is what college should be about. You need to choose a college who has a well-respected reputation and can give you the education you need. UT and A&M offer this with the social life. Sure, A&M's campus isn't the most beautiful in the world and UT's people tend to be self-righteous liberal snobs, but it's better than wasting your time getting easy A's in an honors college that accepts anyone with a pulse and an average SAT that has the highest percentage of STD's in the nation and is the laughing stock of the Texas Collegiate system, but has a pretty campus and lots of parties.</p>

<p>Edit:</p>

<p>Furthermore, to those of you who have said reputation doesn't matter. Networking is incredibly important, and when meeting someone who can potentially boost you in your career, they will ask you one of two questions, in this order:
1. Where did you study
2. What did you study
If you come from an unpopular or unknown school, you might not get the second question at all. Door.Closed. Reputation matters throughout your career. I'm not saying Tech is not well known, it's just known to be bad. </p>

<p>There have been arguments about who is better in terms of UT or A&M because the gap between them is so close and the schools are so different, that it sparks debate. No one does this with Tech, for a reason.</p>

<p>I know that Raiders will ride in to defend their/their child's school, because they want to feel like their money didn't go to waste, which is why college students are bashing other colleges. But even from the most objective standpoint, I don't see how you can defend Tech over the other Flagship schools. So the Honors Dean was "more personal." I got calls and made calls with the Baylor Dean of Hankamer Business school, it certainly helps to be personal to pull students in.</p>

<p>And Lonestar, your son may not have been anything "special" but the fact that he was probably above average would have appealed to Tech because they really are desperate from good students.</p>

13

<p>
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Says the guy who couldn't pull higher than a 3.2 overall GPA at Tceh's business school.

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<p>Says the guy that was accepted at HBS, Wharton and a host of other top fulltime MBA programs despite a 3.19 GPA at Tech. An undergraduate degree is a good way to get your foot in the door but after a couple of years it means very little. While attending Tech, I was recruited by the same companies that recruit A&M and Texas. Regardless though, after a couple of years it is all about production and making contacts. I'm not saying that all degrees are equal. For instance, graduates of UT's BHP program are going to be afforded opportunities that graduates of A&M and Tech will not. However, for the vast majority of students, it doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot. </p>

<p>I would say the choice of schools is even less important in engineering than it is in business.</p>

14

<p>
[quote]
Furthermore, to those of you who have said reputation doesn't matter. Networking is incredibly important, and when meeting someone who can potentially boost you in your career, they will ask you one of two questions, in this order:
1. Where did you study
2. What did you study
If you come from an unpopular or unknown school, you might not get the second question at all. Door.Closed. Reputation matters throughout your career. I'm not saying Tech is not well known, it's just known to be bad. </p>

<p>There have been arguments about who is better in terms of UT or A&M because the gap between them is so close and the schools are so different, that it sparks debate. No one does this with Tech, for a reason.

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<p>Your entire post is BS but given my limited attention span I'll just comment on this post. It's complete BS. I will give aggsy credit in one regard. They are very loyal to one another and this can be very helpful when being recruited by an aggsy. However, once you have experience, employers don't give a crap about what you studied or where you studied. If you still receive those questions from employers it simply means that you haven't been successful in your career.</p>

15

<p>
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"Your entire post is BS but given my limited attention span I'll just comment on this post. It's complete BS."...</p>

<p>..."after a couple of years it is all about production and making contacts."

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<p>I'm not saying production isn't important, I'm saying that half of being in the work force is sizing up. Let's pretend we're not talking about Tech for a minute and say I got a degree from either UT or A&M and you got a degree from a school who's name only made the headlines or reached the ears of individuals for negative reasons.
In this equation, lets just say you and I got the same education quality with the same demographics and so on.</p>

<p>When I enter the workforce out of college and begin speaking with influential people in my line of work, I at least have a better chance of starting off in a better position than you. Sure, you may eventually get to my point, but you would have to spend years proving yourself whereas I got in just by the name.
Realize, we had the same quality of education, but I got in by reputation. I might have even been a little less productive than you, but I got opportunity and you didn't.</p>

<p>So sure, if a Tech grad can come in and over the years prove that he's more productive than a UT or A&M grad, there is no doubt he'll eventually climb up the ladder. I'm not saying that reputation will stick you in one position forever despite aptitude. However, you'll have to waste more time climbing to the positions that other people can get just by showing where they graduated from.</p>

16

<p>
[quote]
When I enter the workforce out of college and begin speaking with influential people in my line of work, I at least have a better chance of starting off in a better position than you. Sure, you may eventually get to my point, but you would have to spend years proving yourself whereas I got in just by the name.

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<p>Regardless of whether you went to A&M, UT, Tech, Princeton or Harvard, if you just graduated from college you are still a "kid" in the eyes of the experienced employees and really don't know a damn thing yet. I started my job with graduates of all of the big schools in the region (all entering at the same position, making identical salaries), and the only time that people gave any thought to which University an individual graduated from was when discussing college football...a subject that aggsy never fairs well in.</p>

17

<p>Guy with many years of experience chiming in now ...</p>

<p>VectorWega, you are so right! For a first job, the interviewers care mainly about your attitude. Hardly anyone cares which school you went to and they rarely even care about your GPA, as long as you have at least a 2.5 or so. Come to the interview reasonably well dressed, smell and look clean, smile and have a positive attitude and most importantly show that you are crave doing the kind of work that the job entails -- that's what counts. </p>

<p>That said, Aggies do take care of each other, much to the detriment of their employers. Aggies do get chosen over better-qualified applicants sometimes, but that is an Aggie anamoly and it's really a loss for employers because lots of better qualified applicants get lost to competitors. </p>

<p>Once again, particularly once you get outside of Texas, nobody gives a crap whether you went to A&M, to UT, to Tech, Stephen F. Austin, or SMU.</p>

<p>And finally, what the employers really look at beyond your degree is your work experience while in college. If you're an engineering major and you worked summers helping a survey crew and can intelligently and enthusiastically talk about what you did, you're way ahead of someone who waited tables.</p>

18

<p>Just alittle bit of an update. I got my acceptance letter from Tech in the mail. I'm working on my application for the honors college. </p>

<p>This discussion is good, I've been reading over it the past couple of days and there's alot info from different sides. Thanks. </p>

<p>DP</p>

19

<p>Well, I got accepted into the Honors College as well. I don't really know where I'm leaning right now. It's either A&M or Tech's Honors College. A&M has a better reputation, but I know the Honors College would be a positive expeirence as well. I guess there's still time to decide. </p>

<p>DP</p>

20

<p>An engineering degree from A&M trumps an engineering degree from Tech with Honors. Tons of Aggie engineers in Houston, can't say the same about Tech.</p>

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Regardless of whether you went to A&M, UT, Tech, Princeton or Harvard, if you just graduated from college you are still a "kid" in the eyes of the experienced employees and really don't know a damn thing yet.

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<p>You have no clue what you are talking about. If you came out of college with good internships and/or work experience, you are seen a little bit better than a "kid." I kind of doubt the 28-year-old war veteran in one of my classes would be seen as a kid.</p>

<p>If you came out of Texas Tech with a below average GPA from the business school, with little work experience, then yes, you will be seen as a kid.</p>

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Hardly anyone cares which school you went to and they rarely even care about your GPA, as long as you have at least a 2.5 or so.

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<p>Total BS. Try getting interviews with companies that recruit at McCombs and Mays with a 2.5 GPA; more than likely they won't even read your entire resume. A lot of these companies only recruit at certain schools because the schools offer differentiated products. A lot more finance companies recruit from UT than A&M because McCombs is known for finance, especially out-of-state, and McCombs graduates usually have internships and/or work experience. Oil companies recruit from A&M because A&M has the best petroleum engineering school in the nation. There is a reason students compare universities.</p>

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Aggies do get chosen over better-qualified applicants sometimes, but that is an Aggie anamoly and it's really a loss for employers because lots of better qualified applicants get lost to competitors.

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<p>Other school alumni do the same thing.</p>

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Once again, particularly once you get outside of Texas, nobody gives a crap whether you went to A&M, to UT, to Tech, Stephen F. Austin, or SMU.

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<p>Total BS again. Wall Street firms have heard of McCombs. Plenty of Longhorns work for out-of-state financial companies. You think they would offer the same to a SFA business graduate?</p>

<p>Texas Tech is virtually unknown outside of Texas. The same isn't true for UT and A&M. </p>

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[quote]
And finally, what the employers really look at beyond your degree is your work experience while in college. If you're an engineering major and you worked summers helping a survey crew and can intelligently and enthusiastically talk about what you did, you're way ahead of someone who waited tables.

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<p>I agree with the work experience but disagree with the latter. If someone had to wait tables in order to put themselves through engineering school, that shows a lot of work ethic.</p>