<p>Hello everyone. I'll be heading off to college in 2011, however I'm unsure about where ill be heading! Here's my dilemma: I am going to be majoring in Aerospace Engineering. I have already applied to UF, and plan on applying to UCF, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona, and any other Florida school which may have a decent Aerospace Engineering program. As it stands, UF is my top choice because of the campus atmosphere, cost, and distinguishment among FL schools. I am still unsure about UCF, but the cost and the mere fact that they even have my major opens this school up as an option. My chances at acceptance to UF, however, are looking slim because I don't do well on standardized tests, and don't cheat my way into 4.0 GPA's like many other UF-bound students in my school do. Now I am staring at the two other schools on my list- UCF and Embry Riddle- and it is clear that UCF cannot stand up to the ERAU Aerospace program. However, ERAU is extremely expensive, small, and (this may be an unwise complaint) the campus is comprised mostly of males, bad for well... I'm sure you know what I mean. ERAU would mean a ton of student loan debt, although its academics are more than sound, and its job outlook is excellent. UCF's Aerospace program is probably lackluster, but
So, I suppose my real question here is, does the cost and atmosphere of UCF outweigh the Aerospace Engineering powerhouse that is ERAU? Does UF even stand up to it for those reasons? Does it even matter which school I attend, in terms of a job outlook, as long as I have a Bachelor's in the end? Any other schools I should have my eyes on? Any help and input on this would be FANTASTIC! Thank you in advance!</p>
<p>You are underestimating UCF versus ERAU. For aerospace and/or mechanical engineering, I would give UCF the edge. ERAU’s reputation is largely based on its aeronautical sciences…not so much on its aero engineering program.</p>
<p>rogracer, where do you get the idea that ERAU’s reputation is largely based on its aeronautical sciences…not so much on its aero engineering program? If that is the case why would US news & world report rank ERAU aerospace engineering program no.1 in the country and UCF is nowhere to be found on that list? </p>
<p>drumstyx123, if tuition is not an issue, ERAU should be THE choice for aerospace engineering. However, ERAU grad do have the highest student debt upon graduation… you get what you pay for though, the ERAU name recognition and reputation in the aviation/aerospace industry is unrivaled. Purdue is a very solid choice as well if you don’t mind the cold. Go ask anyone in the industry about ERAU and UCF’s AE program and undoubtedly they would say “UC what?”</p>
<p>^ For one thing I am a recruiter for a major aerospace company. Secondly, USNews lumps aero/astro engineering in with aeronautical science which distorts the overall rankings. ERAU has one on the best aeronautical science (think pilot training) in the world. Its engineering programs, however, are not on the same level.</p>
<p>So, it seems that I may be underestimating ucf after all. Why would you give ucf the edge in this situation, from your standpoint as a recruiter? (Thanks to the both of you for your input, each bit of opinion and information helps me here)</p>
<p>I forgot to mention, the cost of a school is a concern for me, but not enough to stop me from attending a school. As in the case for ERAU, I could make up a chunk of that nearly 40k per year cost with scholarships and grants, however the amount left over that I would be paying in student loans would likely be near the total cost of a state school. This fact definitely has some wieght to it regarding my desicions, but it’s only one of the many factors I have to consider</p>
<p>-bump- Does anyone else have an opinion for me?</p>
<p>Hi Drum - I work for Embry-Riddle and am a graduate - so keep that in mind as I post my answer to you here. Boards like these are a good way to begin the decision making process, but you can get lots of misleading info as well (like rogracers remarks about rankings which are not correct). It is important that you take all factors into consideration and cost is a major factor. My suggestions to you would be to visit the campuses you’re interested in and ask questions of the students and staff there - most will be happy to share opinions candidly and you’ll get more accurate info. I also suggest you apply to all of these schools you’re interested in attending. This will allow you to get a better picture of what actual costs for you will be because you’ll learn what type of scholarships you’ll be eligible for at any one of them. If one school can’t admit you (some of the publics are getting harder to get into because of the economy and budget cuts) you’ll have a back-up plan in place.</p>
<p>drumstyx123, rogracer’s ego, as “a recruiter for a major aerospace company”, is clearly impeding his ability to give unbiased and sound advice. If you examine rogracer’s history of comments throughout this forum (I suggest you do), you’ll see a pattern of ERAU-bashing. He obviously has some deep-rooted issues with the institution. With regard to your “dilemma/decision” consider the following: as an undergraduate student, the name/reputation of your school does play a visible role in the opportunities available to you (in terms of academic research, extra-curricular professional/academic opportunities i.e co-ops & internships, networking, industry recruiting); yet, the very tangible and easily quantifiable parameters such as school name/reputation, average SAT/GPA of incoming freshman, etc., DO NOT define your ability to succeed as a student and/or as a professional. If you have the will, desire, and dedication to succeed, then you will make if happen. I personally know individuals that have graduated from The University of Florida, The University of Central Florida, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, that are all highly intelligent and capable Aerospace/Mechanical Engineers, holding key and influential positions at companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Gulfstream Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, Rocketdyne, Space Exploration Technologies, United Launch Alliance, Dynetics, XCOR, and Aerojet… and at government agencies including NASA, AFRL, U.S Army, U.S Airforce Space Command, ESA, EADS, MTU, SNECMA, and Reaction Engines Ltd. just to name a few. The bottom line is, that YOU are the deciding factor. UF, UCF, ERAU, and numerous other educational institutions nationwide serve as platforms and springboards, where you are given the opportunity to take advantage of technical information/curriculum, and what you do with that information (how you carve your path to success) to purely up to you. It is narrow-minded hiring managers like rogracer, at companies like Lockheed Martin Co., that prevent these institutions from truly acquiring world-class talent, where their recruiting schemes are based purely on statistics, and other highly automated and non-personal parameters. I beg to differ, regarding rogracer’s claims of ERAU’s aerospace engineering program as second-rate. I am very familiar the quality of ERAU’s engineering education, and have had the opportunity to work alongside many ERAU grad’s in the aerospace industry (specifically at NASA). Check out the link below to further investigate the aerospace engineering curriculum offered by ERAU. In addition to the core engineering classes required for ABET accreditation, the upper-level (junior/senior) coursework at ERAU is highly specialized; note that most other universities do not offer this level of specialization at the undergraduate level. In summary, choose whichever university suits your personal needs/situation. If you are persistent, you will most definitely succeed in completing your undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering, and will have to opportunity to affect change in the national/worldwide aerospace community.</p>
<p>[ERAU</a> Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics](<a href=“http://www.erau.edu/db/degrees/b-aeroengineering.html#req]ERAU”>http://www.erau.edu/db/degrees/b-aeroengineering.html#req)</p>
<p>Check out the specific course req’s in this PDF document:
<a href=“http://www.erau.edu/db/degrees/requirements/0910/db-aerospace-engineering-bachelor.pdf[/url]”>Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University;
<p>Again, UF, UCF, or ERAU - all have solid programs - you will be able to get a job if you maintain a solid GPA; make sure to get involved in extra-curriculars (honor societies, etc.), participate in internships/co-ops early on, and get involved in undergraduate research if you’re interested in pursuing a graduate/advanced degree</p>
<p>BTW, U.S News & World Report DOES NOT “lump” Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering and Aeronautical Science into the same category. Rogracer is completely incorrect in providing you with this information. The Aeronautical Science program at ERAU is not a program providing Engineering Curriculum, and you better believe that the employees at U.S. News & World Report could distinguish between an Engineering Program and a Flight Program (Aeronautical Science).</p>
<p>It is all too possible that rogracer, in conjunction with Lockheed’s automated hiring/recruiting system, picked up several less-than-par ERAU grads, and as the hiring manager, he was deemed responsible for their poor performance. In his “all-knowing wisdom”, rogracer has associated the performance of a handful of ERAU grads with the quality of ERAU’s entire engineering program. Hands down, this individual’s narrow-minded opinions are at best, laughable.</p>
<p>Is Florida Institute of Technology any good?</p>
<p>Chardo, I personally know an individual that graduated from Florida Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s Degree in Astrophysics, participated in a Cooperative Education Position at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsivlle, AL), and is now completing his Master’s Degree at Georgia Tech in Aerospace Engineering. He was offered a position in the Aerothermal Analysis Branch at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and will be starting in 2011.</p>
<p>Clearly hit a nerve here. BTW, my job as a “narrow-minded” hiring manager is, at best 5% of my job function. During most of my 60+ hour work week I’m engaged as a Subject Matter Expert in aerospace dynamics where my MIT education has served me well. Call my posts arrogant if you want, but I am actually trying to be helpful in an area where I have significant knowledge beyond what is typically offered on these boards. I do think that ERAU has a respectable program, but I stand by my comments and believe them to be accurate, although that appears to have profoundly offended you.</p>
<p>Hiring Manger, Lockheed Martin Co., Lehigh, MIT, 60+ Work Week Hours, Subject Matter Expert, Aerospace Dynamics… that’s all fine and dandy. You can attempt to construct an ambience of your of self-proclaimed “credibility” for the audience on this forum, yet there is no direct correlation between your credentials, and the quality of education provided by the schools that you comment about. None of your comments are supported by factual evidence, rather, your assertions are dripping with bias. It is truly sad that you are actively herding impressionable young individuals in a direction of your liking, and misleading them, using a lackluster set of credentials and an especially jaded view of ERAU (for some odd reason). Your opinion is useless. Facts are what these kids need, hard facts. Just curious, is your employer aware of the significant amount of time you spend on this forum (950+ posts)? It is very possible that if you devoted more time to perfecting the tasks necessary to actually be deemed a competent hiring manager and/or aerospace dynamicist, rather than flooding this forum with your unsubstantiated claims, you’d possibly expand on your current knowledge base, and be able to weigh in on matters intelligently, in an unbiased fashion.</p>
<p>I am herding impressionable young individuals in a direction of my liking? Guilty as charged, when that means potentially saving the OP the expense of an ERAU undergradute education when he can go to UCF for far less expense. It is obvious that opinion is “useless” to you…but some may find value in it (literally).</p>
<p>(Also, thank you for the career advice.)</p>
<p>Clearly, you are missing the gist of the point that I am trying to make here rogracer. As far as straightforward advice for drumstyx123, any of the aforementioned institutions can facilitate his/her goal of becoming an aerospace engineer. And yes, anyone with half a brain and access to the internet could discover the fact that the tuition at ERAU is greater than that at UCF. Whatever drumstyx123’s specific circumstances may be (and I highly doubt that they are accurately detailed here), should dictate which institution he or she chooses. Yet my response(s) are not just for drumstyx123’s sake. They are for the sake of the individuals you’ve attempted to influence through your posts on numerous other threads where ERAU’s engineering prowess has been questioned. You (and any other individual considering between ERAU and another institution, PURELY based on the quality of the curriculum) should take a look at the following facts/sources:</p>
<p>UF Aerospace Engineering, Senior-Level Curriculum: (Semesters 8 - 9)</p>
<ul>
<li>Technical Electives (6 credits)</li>
<li>Aerospace Structures (Junior Level Course at ERAU)</li>
<li>Stability and Control of Aircraft (Junior Level Course at ERAU)</li>
<li>Aerospace Propulsion (Turbine and Rocket Engines at ERAU)</li>
<li>Senior Design 1 & Senior Design 2</li>
</ul>
<p><a href=“http://www.mae.ufl.edu/newwebpage/PDFs/ASECurriculum20092010.pdf[/url]”>http://www.mae.ufl.edu/newwebpage/PDFs/ASECurriculum20092010.pdf</a></p>
<p>UCF Aerospace Engineering, Senior Level Curriculum: (Semesters 7 - 8)</p>
<ul>
<li>Feedback Control (Combined w/ Flt. Mechanics as Flight Dynamics & Control at ERAU)</li>
<li>Flight Mechanics</li>
<li>High-Speed Aerodynamics (Junior-Level course at ERAU)</li>
<li>Senior Design 1 & Senior Design 2</li>
<li>Propulsion Systems (Turbine and Rocket Engines at ERAU)</li>
<li>Technical Electives (6 credits)</li>
</ul>
<p><a href=“http://www.cecs.ucf.edu/documents/programs/Aerospace.4YP.pdf[/url]”>http://www.cecs.ucf.edu/documents/programs/Aerospace.4YP.pdf</a></p>
<p>ERAU Aerospace Engineering, Senior Level Curriculum (Semesters 7 - 8)</p>
<ul>
<li>Turbine and Rocket Engines</li>
<li>Aerospace Structures/Instrumentation & Lab</li>
<li>Flight Dynamics and Control (Feedback Control Systems)</li>
<li>Senior Design 1 (Preliminary Design) & Senior Design 2 (Component/Detail Design)</li>
<li>Electrical Engineering II</li>
<li>Technical Electives (6 credits)</li>
</ul>
<p><a href=“http://www.erau.edu/db/degrees/requirements/0910/db-aerospace-engineering-bachelor.pdf[/url]”>Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University;
<p>Hey Rog, if you care to discuss engineering curriculum quality per dollar spent, bring it on, that’s a different agenda. As far as UCF, or UF, blatantly trumping ERAU’s aerospace engineering program (with regard to technical quality), as you have claimed on numerous other threads, all I can hope for, is that the individuals visiting this thread (and other threads on ERAU’s aerospace engineering program) can utilize the information provided above as a starting point for independent research, providing a means to discover factual evidence that easily uncovers the foolishness of your strong, yet childish convictions.</p>
<p>OP…Are you determined to stay in FL? There are many good aeronautical programs at other OOS privates and publics you might consider. With FA and/or merit $, the price could be in the same ballpark as your IS options. My husband is a pilot (former F-16/commercial) and chose to go OOS for a number of reasons. In fact, he turned down the academy because at his chosen school he would graduate with more flight hours, they had one of the best aviation departments in the nation, AND they paid him as an instructor. My point is that you might want to open that umbrella a bit more unless there’s a personal reason that’s keeping you tied to your home state.</p>
<p>Holey moley, the venom in this thread is…well, other than midly entertaining, I don’t know how to describe it. Good luck to the OP and best holiday wishes to all.</p>
<p>Speaking of honesty, ERAU has embarked on a marketing blitz which includes billboards trumpeting itself has having the “Nation’s Best Aerospace Engineering Program”. No footnotes to be found. </p>
<p>The OP was clearly influenced by this marketing campaign and believed UCF’s program to be second-rate by comparison. This, despite the fact that UCF has significantly better students, has a better freshmen retention and overall graduation rate, has 2.5X the research expenditures in aero alone….all for significantly less expense than ERAU.…a factor the OP clearly indicated was important.</p>
<p>Attack away if you must, but I feel like I was doing a service to the OP by telling him not to overlook UCF.</p>
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<p>You would think it was a Dook-Carolina or USC-UCLA thread.</p>