<p>My son has been accepted to both in Applied Math/Science but contemplating switching to Civil Engineering. Since I'm mom and paying...I will pay for SDSU and if he opts to go to UCSD he pays the difference which means loans. In your opinion is a Bachelors at UCSD for this major worth the debt? I think save the money and spend for a Master's if one is needed. Can anyone provide input on what they think? Obviously as a mom advice goes in one ear and out the other....</p>
<p>How much loans would your son be having take out if he were to attend UCSD?</p>
<p>SDSU is a great school. They are not the party school that people think they are. That got chased away a few years ago. They have raised their academic standards significantly and can be closely compared to UC’s. </p>
<p>They also have a great engineering program. I have a friend who majored in mechanical engineering at sdsu and then got into stanford masters of engineering program. So sdsu is a very respectable institution. </p>
<p>Now to say that your son will have better opportunities if he graduates from UCSD rather than SDSU is completely false and a huge misconception among people. Whether your son is planning on getting his masters, or trying to land an engineering job after he gets his bachelors…the school isnt a significant factor. His grades and achievements are. </p>
<p>But it also depends on the department. you can’t just compare a UC to a CSU. You have to compare the departments. You son will be graduating from the department. Not the school. So you have to do research on UCSD’s engineering program and do the same with SDSU’s. They are both great programs.</p>
<p>If going to UCSD is going to cost your son significantly more money and put him in debt, then there is no doubt that SDSU is the right choice and a great program. If there is not that much difference between how much sdsu will cost compared to UCSD then its up to the research you do with those two programs and find out what fits your son the best.</p>
<p>Thank you for your perspective ndirish345…I completely agree! His debt would be around $25K since he will need to live on campus.</p>
<p>Go the sdsu route. They have a great engineering program. If he gets good grades, graduating from sdsu will be just as good as graduating from a UC. It’s what you make of it. You don’t have it made just because you went to a UC rather than a CSU. It’s what you do with the opportunity you are given and graduating from the sdsu engineering will give you an endless amount of opportunities as long as you make the best of your time at sdsu (or any school for that matter)</p>
<p>UCSD 100%. I have been to both campuses and know people at both schools. SDSU is a good business/social science school, but not great for things like engineering or math. Also your son might end up getting distracted at SDSU as it was rated the number 3 party school by playboy magazine. At UCSD students are extremely focused on studying which will provides a good learning atmosphere. The campus is HUGE and in a beautiful area with LOADS of facilities and opportunists on campus. Not to mention it has been raked in the top 20 universities in the word by numerous different sources. It is true that if your son gets good grades in engineering at SDSU he will likely find a good career after college, UCSD has substantially more opportunity, and I really think it would be worth it.</p>
<p>lol number three party school according to playboy…</p>