UCONN (ACES --> Engineering) or URI (Engineering)

College Search & Selection
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So I’ve been accepted into the University of Rhode Island’s school of Engineering as an Electrical Engineering major. They’ve given me a $48,000 scholarship (but for 4 YEARS, and I want to do their 5 year program) and with their financial aid offerings, it will make yearly costs $13,049 (including the grants and loans they’ve offered) (original price: $39,824). I’ve also be invited into the Honors Program. I was interested in this school bc of their International Engineering Program (5 year program; get two degrees in a language and engineering; I’m interested in German or Spanish, but leaning more towards German).

I’ve also been accepted into the University of Connecticut (storrs) but into their ACES/Exploratory program, instead of Electrical Engineering. I’m not sure how much it’s going to cost bc financial awards/summary is not up yet on their portal but since I’m in-state, the initial cost is $26,732. UConn also offers a similar program called Eurotech; they offer it in German, and last time I checked (at their openhouse) they’re developing a Spanish version of the program.

Based on the academic side of things: I’d choose URI over UConn since they’ve accepted me into their school of eng. But UConn has a better academic reputation and better academic quality.

UConn has always been my first choice, but seeing that I was put in ACES was a real bummer, since if they’ve accepted me as engineering, I would’ve automatically chosen UConn. However, I’d have to apply to the SoE after my first semester, but I need at least a 3.0 GPA and at least B’s in all of my Math/Science courses to ensure that I’m more competitive in the pool.

On the non-academic side of things, I prefer UConn over URI bc they have so many clubs/activities that I’m genuinely interested in while URI has like one I’m really interested in. Also, UConn has that school spirit/Husky pride that I’ve always wanted in a school, and URI on the otherhand, I’ve heard that they don’t have any school spirit, BUT CORRECT ME IF I’M WRONG!

Right now, I’m leaning more towards URI bc they accepted me into eng., I was invited into their Honors program, I’ve received a scholarship, I look forward to their International Eng. program. But the only thing bothering me is that they have like NO CLUBS to join, so I feel like I’m just going to be studying the whole time.

Sorry for the length of this post, but please give me some insight and help me make a good and RIGHT decision.

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You will not have time for many clubs in college except the “Get your homework done” club for engineering anyway. My H has a UG in EE from URI. In his forties is making between 125K and 160K. I know many successful international engineering students (especially German) from URI who are employed here and abroad. Below is my response to a similar thread:

“I am going to give you a more in depth answer which will be going against the grain. I know many URI engineering grads and am one myself. Many people who are working along side grads from MIT, RPI, WPI etc… All receiving nice salaries in high level technical positions. If URI supports engineering like it does pharmacy, which is the plan, then I think it will really deserve a reevaluation. 125 million dollars is going towards new state of the art engineering facilities. Additionally the international engineering has been successful for over twenty years and has grown considerably to include five languages and with work in ten countries (it was just Germany when I was there). I got my UG there and a grad degree at a fancy school and I have to say that it didn’t really feel that different at the fancy college. I thought it was going to be very different. URI is just a state school, right? But it was far more similar than different and to some extent, with ABET accreditation, engineering will be like that. I had no problem finding a job with just a UG. I had two internships a great company during my time at URI and studied with respected professors, Boothroyd and Dewhurst, who were making breakthroughs in design for manufacture and assembly. It is very common for New England students to want to leave their state for college. You’d be surprised how many come back for year 2 or 3. So look at your family finances. I would not take on more debt than 28k even as an engineer. And if you choose a more financially comfortable decision, you can have flexibility for things like studying abroad and nice grad school programs. And see where you fit, size of school, location etc…”

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Sounds like you’ve made your choice; you prefer UConn. However, the separate engineering school admission is a concern. Some engineers and parents here on CC usually discourage students from matriculating at such “competitive program enrollment” universities because of the risk that you won’t be admitted to your desired major. You should investigate the numbers of successful applicants in recent years at UConn. If that number is relatively high, then I wouldn’t fret. But always keep in mind that there is no guarantee.

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I would also choose UConn in this situation.

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^As long as there is another major that OP would be happy with if he doesn’t get into engineering (or else what is the point.) I would investigate success in admittance as @LakeWashington suggests. OPs stats are a little low for a major like EE.

And OP, while URI is lackluster for the CCers, note that they have a long and successful relationship with many German companies so there are different POVs.

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And one last thing for the URI International Engineering Program. There are separate houses for living & learning communities but German is special since it is the most established. German IEP students and German exchange students are integrated on one floor where you are immersed in language and culture. I think they only speak German and there are German films, lectures, TV programs, cultural events. They serve international food etc… You study aboard for one semester and have a paid internship in Germany for one semester. And of course you finish with two degrees.

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@gearmom‌ do you know anything about the success of UConn’s eurotech program? and also when i spoke to some people who were in my situation who are now enrolled at the SoE at UCONN, they made it sound like it was easy. it’s just that for people who want to major in BME or ME, it is MUCH HARDER!. and , i’m a girl, not a boy, but it’s ok!

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@cbissreth I don’t know. The URI IEP is really a lot of work across the board and I think that you HAVE to go to Germany for a full year (they schedule in fun stuff too) but it looks like UConn lets you opt to go for only a semester internship? We have friends who completed the URI program and live and work in Germany now and are very successful. I can’t imagine that the UConn program would leave you unprepared or would be poorly done. It’s just that the German IEP at URI is well established and funded. Have you visited the Max Kade community at the Texas Instrument house? They even have their own chef to prepare students for international food. A very immersive experience that has blossomed over the last 25 years.

I’m a girl too. Sorry about that. If you go to Germany, let us know if they are still asking women to wear high heel hard toe safety shoes to work… LOL

Regarding clubs. College is different than high school. I was able to do some things like sail or scuba dive (and I was Greek) but for the most part there was just too much work. The spirit at BB games certainly seems rowdy enough IMO but probably not like the Huskies. You can still be a Husky fan no matter where you go. And I do like the new bike path which runs from the train station to the beach.

Sort out the risk involved in going to UConn ACES which understandably is your dream school. But I don’t think that you would find URI a bad option either for IEP. Your last year and maybe your third year, you’d have the brand new labs and that is the time in your studies when things get really fun!