Is it always better to go to a UC than a CSU? I hear UC’s have better connections to industries and do top notch research. I never really considered going to a UC because I thought I was too incompetent, but after seeing people with similar qualities as me getting accepted I’m left with the idea I aimed low. It’s my second year in CC and I did everything right so I could to transfer out in time. Now I’m considering staying an entire year just to apply to UC’s. I really just want to get a job after graduation. I choose electrical engineering because it was a practical career, csu’s are more hands-on which seems like a better way to learn for engineering.
The age old question which is better a CSU or UC??? The answer is it really depends upon your career goals, what you are looking for in your college experience and affordability.
If your goal is to get into the job market in 2 years after transfer, then a Cal state will meet that goal. If research or graduate school are something in your future, then a UC might be a better option.
The Cal states were originally setup to give local students access to an academically challenging 4 year university to prepare Undergrads for the job market. The UC’s were setup for students that wanted to continue with their Undergrad studies via Research/Grad programs/Pre-Professional programs etc…
The lines have blurred between these schools and many Cal states offer the Research and Grad programs similar to the UC’s.
I would not delay your transfer if your target is to get a job after completing your Bachelor’s degree.
Many of the Cal states are heavily recruited by Engineering firms looking for new grads especially the 2 Cal Poly’s (Pomona and SLO).
I would look at the career center websites for several Cal states to get an idea of internships and job opportunities.
My husband’s company hires many Civil, ME and EE Engineers and they receive the same starting pay regardless of where they went to school, Cal State vs. UC.
My husband prefers hiring CSU grads because he and his peers have noticed that the CSU students don’t need as much “handholding” as the UC students.
He and his peers have noticed that, overall, the UC students tend to balk at the grunt work. Since none of the students have security clearances, the work has to start at entry level. When he is asked to conduct final interviews, he starts with a clean slate and tells the candidate: “if you work here, you need to be aware that the initial work isn’t “pretty” and we’re asking you to do some entry level work. You okay with that?” His company has a LOT of work and are often behind in their contractual obligations. They can put the CSU grads to work right away. This has been his observation, but he has also hired some UC candidates that have had non traditional “life-experiences”, started at CCs, and are awesome employees.
It really depends on the resume, the gpa, and the results of the internship. Other than that, there’s no real difference between a CSU and a UC grad when applying for a job in the industry.
(My daughter is an EECS engineer, she doesn’t conduct interviews anymore, since she doesn’t have time, but she tends to train entry level employees. She agrees with her Dad, but her job also is showing students how their previous coursework applies in some algorithms. She says, both grads get it at the same level.)