Hi guys, recently I was accepted to both UCLA and UMN for mechanical engineering. Honestly, I have no idea how to choose between the two. I know that LA is a big and impacted city, but what about Minneapolis? I’m an international student from WA, and I’ve never been to any of those two states sadly. As far as living expense goes, would Minneapolis be a more affordable place to live compared to LA? However, my main concern is about the program quality of those two schools. The most important question for me is: Which one would give me a better shot to find a job after I graduate? (assuming I maintain a good enough academic standing).
Thank you guys so much, any helps would be greatly appreciated !!!
UCLA is a great school, but so is UMN. The cost of living in LA is definitely more expensive than living in Minneapolis. Look up rentals in both areas to compare prices. LA has definitely better weather, sunny and warm most of the year round. Minneapolis is cold and snowy from November to March (although people in that area really appreciate the nice weather when they get it.) UMN is just outside of Minneapolis with the light rail running through campus so you can get to the city for jobs or internships very easily without a car. I am not sure where UCLA is compared to LA, but in my experience if you live in southern California you definitely need a car.
I have no opinion on UCLA as a school, but my son did graduate with his mechanical engineering degree from UMN last May. He felt he had a good educational experience and liked many of his professors. Classes were big. In his senior design class, there were more than 100 students. However, this did not seem to bother him. His senior design project, which he worked with doctors from a nearby hospital to improve a surgical instrument, is being patented right now.
My son lived in dorms for the first three years, and his senior year he lived at the edge of campus with 3 other guys in a 2 bedroom apartment. This was in walking distance to the stadium and his classes so he paid more ($400 per month, for a total of $1600 per month for that small apartment.) You can certainly find more affordable options the farther you get from campus.
There are alot of job opportunities for Mechanical Engineers in Minneapolis and St. Paul as there are many major companies and medical companies that are located there. My son decided to move home for his first job. He took a month off after graduating before looking, began interviewing in July, and had a job in early August. We are in a nearby state so UMN is recognized as a good school.
I’m not an expert but I hope the little information I gave you helped.
you’re awesome ! that’s really helpful. I appreciate it.
According to US News both schools are ranked equally for undergraduate Mechanical Engineering. As an international student you are probably paying out of state tuition? In that case UMN is about $15,000 cheaper than UCLA ($21,000 vs. $36,000 in 2014-15). Yes, the Twin Cities will have great jobs but so will CA (it’s a HUGE economy, after all); furthermore, job opportunities for UCLA students might well extend beyond the state’s borders given its reputation. After all, it is the #2 ranked public university in the country (behind Cal Berkeley) and is about twice as selective overall than UMN.
Congratulations on having an enviable choice ahead of you, and good luck making that choice.
@Mamelot Thanks a lot man! That’s exactly what I’m thinking. They both rank 18th under mechanical engineering. I’m just really curious if that the case, how come UMN is less popular than UCLA in terms of engineering field?
@hbui7626, is UMN’s engineering actually less popular (or less prestigious)? Per US News the overall engineering ranking is really right on the heels of UCLA and tied with other selective institutions. People on other forums have stated that the selection rate for CSE is well under 20%. I think perhaps the primary issue might be that UMN has some programs, such as those in the college of liberal arts (its biggest college by far, btw) that are much easier to get into. UCLA is a much more selective college over all its programs which means if you start comparing humanities, social sciences, etc. you’ll find it’s easier to get into UMN than UCLA. But for engineering I’d think they’d be fairly close to one another in terms of selectivity. If there are differences these might be attributable to the fact that UMN is not considered as much of a cosmopolitan university due to it’s location, weather, size of metro, etc. But for those who enjoy winter, more affordable living, and higher air quality those are actually positive attributes!
Dang what a baller about to commit to a school this way! UMN is probably the cheaper option, and a safe bet for engineering, especially mechanical. Also, the city, while smaller than LA, is far less spread out and feels more urban than UCLA. Honestly, I wouldn’t pay the extra tuition to go to UCLA for mechanical engineering