<p>My son has been focussed on Virginia Tech and Clemson for engineering. We are from MA but he is not interested in going to school in the northeast. We have recently started looking at UA. It does not seem to be as well recognized nationally for engineering, but I have also heard that, in engineering, the school is not so important. The generous scholarships for OOS are attractive, but not dominant. Can anyone speak to job placement and, in particular, recruiting from other parts of the coutry for engineering grads?</p>
<p>hi and welcome!</p>
<p>Since most of us here on CC haven’t yet had students graduate yet, we’re all still learning about out of state recruitment. The only OOS graduated eng’g student who has posted on CC now is employed as a Chemical Engineer in his home state…somewhere in the Midwest.</p>
<p>Instate recruitment is strong because the state of Alabama is the home of Cummings Research Park…the second largest research park in the nation.</p>
<p>One of the benefits of attending UA and majoring in engineering is that UA Engineering is quickly becoming a popular choice, but it is still relatively easy for good students to be admitted with great merit scholarships. Engineering does tend to be a group of fields where the degree is more important than the school, but one does need to consider the “fit” of a school for the student in question. There are many students who would prefer attending UA over Georgia Tech, Clemson, or Purdue, to name a few popular engineering schools.</p>
<p>Newma, have you seen the new construction at UA devoted to Science and Engineering? Almost 1 million new square footage of research and academic space. The facilities are top notch, and gorgeous. Just take a visit and see for yourself. </p>
<p>Till then, take a look at these links:</p>
<p><a href=“http://acresummit.ua.edu/store/store_files/Jason_Walker-207.pdf[/url]”>http://acresummit.ua.edu/store/store_files/Jason_Walker-207.pdf</a> start with page 5 or 6</p>
<p>[Spring</a> 2012 - Capstone Engineer - The College of Engineering - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://eng.ua.edu/news/capstone-engineer/spring2012/]Spring”>http://eng.ua.edu/news/capstone-engineer/spring2012/) flip through to see pics of the entire complex. It is three quarters complete. </p>
<p>[University</a> of Alabama to Profit from Research & Development Tax Incentive](<a href=“University of Alabama to Profit from Research & Development Tax Incentive”>University of Alabama to Profit from Research & Development Tax Incentive) pics provided by UA on this site</p>
<p>Wow…this is an interesting proposal…</p>
<p>* One of the ways to encourage companies to invest in research is to offer them a tax credit incentive, and that’s exactly what many states do, including, soon, Alabama.* If the company does their own research, they get one tax break, but if they have it done by a public research institution like the University of Alabama, they get a much larger break: 15% under Alabama’s proposed new law.<em>That’s good news for UA, UAB,</em>and other major research campuses in the state. And the rate may be even higher if Alabama tries to match North Carolina’s incentive, which just went up to 20%.
*</p>
<p>The bill is SB386</p>
<p>No kidding, M2CK. That could really be a good thing!</p>
<p>My D is a current sophomore in engineering. She was able to get a REU this past summer in our home state that was well paid. They didn’t have any difficulty choosing her. I personally think that getting REUs, internships, co-ops will ultimately show future employers that you are employable. You will have experience and a track record. The University of Alabama and its various departments send out emails to students indicating the various opportunities on campus, around the state, and around the USA. </p>
<p>Bama has a co-op dept and a career center. [Cooperative</a> Education at The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://coop.eng.ua.edu/]Cooperative”>http://coop.eng.ua.edu/) They just held a job promotion on campus where companies came and interviewed students for co-ops and jobs. I understand you want your child to end up with a degree and a job. That is want I want for my D as well. </p>
<p>Have you visited? That usually seals the deal.</p>
<p>What’s a REU?</p>
<p>REU</p>
<p>Research for Undergraduates. Federally funded research opportunities at several Universities.</p>
<p>DS is a sophomore Chem E major that was able to do a REU at Duke this summer. 8 weeks, pay, and housing. It was a sweet job. He learned a lot and now works part-time doing work for a company in Tuscaloosa doing similar work due to the experience he got this summer.</p>
<p>REUs are pretty awesome. </p>
<p>[US</a> NSF - REU - List Result](<a href=“Search Results for REU Sites | NSF - National Science Foundation”>REU Sites | NSF - National Science Foundation)</p>
<p>They are funded thru the National Science Foundation and are for a variety of STEM majors. Funding usually includes a weekly stipend, housing, and transportation.</p>
<p>Both of my sons have done them. REUs are held on different campuses across the US. The host campus really is supposed to fairly consider all applicants and not give preference to their own school’s applicants. I think the schools have done a good job with keeping to that because (I’m guessing) they would lose their funding for these REUs if they didn’t.</p>
<p>Often on the first or last night of the REU there is a “family function”…a lunch, dinner, or presentation. You’ll often get to meet the other REU students and hear where they are from.</p>
<p>Apply EARLY and apply to several. Get your LORs lined up as soon as you can. </p>
<p>Math majors can also apply to VIGRE programs…similar deals…also NSF funded. There are also math REUs.</p>
<p>Tip: If you don’t get accepted to any, don’t be afraid to send a nice follow up email asking to be considered if they later have an opening. And, then a few weeks later, repeat with another email…and so forth. Believe me, if an opening occurs (and usually there are some openings), the profs would rather contact someone who has just told them that they are available, than sift thru a bunch of apps hoping to find someone who hasn’t already made summer plans elsewhere.</p>
<p>Here’s a link for the REUs for all STEM majors and even some non-STEM majors.</p>
<p>[US</a> NSF - REU - Search for an REU Site](<a href=“http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm]US”>Search for an REU Site | NSF - National Science Foundation)</p>
<p>Along with the research experience one gets while working with one’s Principal Investigator (PI), my kids loved the idea of making new friends with kids from schools all over the US…and the friendships stick.</p>
<p>PS…don’t only apply to the REUs at the tippy top schools. Those are fine, but the REUs at all the schools are very good.</p>
<p>Those of you who did an REU the summer after your freshman year - were you a true freshman or were you a sophomore/junior by credit hours? I am just wondering if there are REU opportunities for freshman or are they designed more for higher level students.</p>
<p>Interesting, but my only concern is that I won’t see him all year. :(</p>
<p>He did an internship at a local software company last summer and they really like him, so at least he’ll be getting some useful business experience.</p>
<p>I agree it would be difficult not seeing my son for the full year. I’m still hoping we can find something for him for the summer here in our town…but the companies here tend to like to hire kids going to the local colleges so they can keep them year-round.</p>
<p>My son would be happy getting a job at Staples. He is a CS major and at least Staples has computers. 
I would like to see him do something a little more professional…but hopefully, there will be opportunities for him later.</p>
<p>My son will be studying CS too. We live in a small town but there’s an educational software company that was founded here. They have trouble attracting national talent because of the location, so I think my son is attractive to him because they think they may be able to retain him. It was a good experience last summer and they promised to give him more challenging projects next summer.</p>
<p>So there are REU positions for summer after freshman year? How does one apply if they don’t even have a GPA yet? How does one know what type of REU would work when they haven’t even started major courses?</p>
<p>I like what seatide said… the fit of an engineering school is more important than the reputation of the school. if the fit is right, the student will do well and succeed. finding jobs and opportunities really is a function of how well the student is doing. last year, as a parent of a high school senior I naively thought it was the responsibility of the college to help my child find a job. this was because some of the larger more reputable schools have a fantastic placement program… but you know what? it really comes down to the student. the opportunities are numerous at Alabama, and those that seek surely will find! </p>
<p>the College of Engineering at Alabama has its own theatre group called amateur radical
theater or ART. last night I watched my freshman aero engineering student perform the complete works of William Shakespeare, with a couple of his colleagues… this group is open to any major, not just engineers, and its purpose is to help promote the arts to those who are non theater majors, and give them an opportunity that they normally would not have. I was thoroughly impressed that a student director and a band of students could pull this together in 4 weeks time, while holding down a full load of classes. the old saying really is true: if you want something done you give it to the busiest person… and in college if students keep themselves busy with things that they
enjoy they will succeed.</p>
<p>there is a performance today at 2 and another at 7 at night Saturday October 13… if your own students are not going to a football viewing party encourage them to pack the engineering hall comer room 126, and come out and see a great show! ROLL TIDE, ROLL!!!</p>
<p>While I agree that these summer REUs can take your child away, but you will see them. Final exams end during the first week of May, and these REUs usually don’t begin until the end of May/begin of June. They often end at the end of July or beg of Aug. So, you should be able to see your child for a couple of weeks in May and a couple of weeks in Aug.</p>
<p>And, if the REU isn’t too far away, or is in area of interest, you can always visit your child on a weekend.</p>
<p>RTRmom2:<br>
My D was a sophomore by credits and not a true freshman when she got the REU. So maybe she isn’t the typical candidate. But many folks have many AP and dual enrollment credits so I thought I would share this experience. Each REU is different and takes a bit of research and reading on the website to see if your child is a match. Check out some of the links given upthread and you will see what I mean. </p>
<p>I think my D got into her specific REU because she knew Java, Python, C++, and Fortran. She also received good LORs (letters of recommendation). Her GPA was good too. She was chosen to be interviewed on the phone and then was accepted. The REU wanted a sophomore and she was one by hours at that point. </p>
<p>Your child has a GPA after one semester. UA calculates a few GPAs.
1.) semester only;
2.) semester with incoming Dual Enrollment credits and
3.) Transfer grade (previous dual enrollment).</p>
<p>This is just one of many opportunities that your child could try to obtain. There are also great jobs on campus, REUs and VIGRE positions in the summer, and co-ops. </p>
<p>My D is a sophomore at UA studying electrical engineering. She loves it there. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Chardo:
The nsf website has the different REUs listed. Find your child’s major and click on one of the college links. Then follow it and read all about the research, all about the professor in charge, and what kind of candidate they are looking for. It is quite a process. Some links are super easy to follow and you know what the college wants from you. Others are “very difficult” to figure out. I helped my D last year by reading through some of the links.</p>