I got admitted into and am considering these colleges (not in order of anything):
Loyola Marymount University
Northeastern University
Purdue University
UC Santa Cruz
UC San Diego - sixth college
UC Davis
I love every university listed above, except for UC Santa Cruz, because it is too close to home and I didn’t like the campus as much as the other universities. The only reason I am considering UCSC, though it is a GREAT school, is because most of my friends are going there.
In these schools, I am looking for great internship and research opportunities, low student to faculty ratio (to develop great connections with professors), great campus/social life, and a party life (8 out of 10 - 10 is heavy partying).
If anyone can please suggest me 1 or 2 colleges, I can talk with them to finalize my offer. Cost will be a MINOR issue, and I will talk to the financial office to see the best option for me.
*Please, while suggesting colleges for me, do not factor the cost of attendance.
Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!!!
Specifically to what you are looking for, NEU has an amazing co-op program that will make sure you have plenty of experience and connections by graduation. Both schools will offer good research opportunities. The student to faculty ratios at both are 13:1 or 14:1, so both have about the same teacher accessibility. Purdue will have a much more traditional party life while NEU is more of a city school where people usually interact socially in the city more than classic partying.
Both are great options, as are your others frankly. I don’t know as much on the others, so hopefully someone else can make a case for or against them.
What are your thoughts on UC San Diego, as I am a California resident and my parents love the school. Have you heard anything about their engineering program?
I agree with NEU’s coop program, but I believe the distance from coast to coast would be hard to settle in a few months.
Purdue ranks #9, UCSD #17, UCD #32, and NEU #42 for graduate engineering - undergraduate is only for subscribers, but that gives some sort of reflection.
What I meant was that to settle in the dorms at NEU and the weather would take a lot longer. As I am easily homesick, I can’t stay on the east coast without any immediate friends/family. My parents also discourage moving that far (West coast to East coast - Cali to Mass.)
And I have never seen that site for UCSD engineering before, and I am amazed.
From what I have heard from friends, Purdue is one of the hardest universities to get out of with a good GPA. This is not based on facts, but rather on experiences. Do you have any advice on that?
By the way, thank you so much for your responses, they truly help!
UCSD has a solid engineering program with great industry connections, wide alumni networks and cutting-edge research opportunities. The defense and aerospace industries in San Diego are closely tied to its MAE department, which is the original department of the Jacobs School of Engineering. I’d say of the six schools you listed, Purdue and UCSD will offer the best career building opportunities. Additionally, UCSD is a ten hour drive or a one hour flight from the Bay Area, which sounds like the right distance for you (farther than UCSC but closer than Northeastern).
While the student:faculty ratio at UCSD is a little higher at 19:1, it doesn’t feel large by any means. Faculty are easily accessible if you put in the effort to meet them, whether that’s during office hours, engineering social events, or campus programs like Dine with a Prof. If your priority is to develop connections with professors, and you put in the effort, it won’t be a problem.
The campus is beautiful and located in gorgeous La Jolla. The school of engineering has some really cool public art installations. The college system makes things interesting, although I’m personally not a fan of Sixth College. It has the added advantage of being in San Diego, which is a fantastic city with tons to do. While the party scene isn’t amazing, anyone who’s even slightly social will be able to make friends, find parties, and have fun. If SDSU gets a 10 and BYU gets a 1, I’d say UCSD is a solid 5.5 or 6. I’d visit on Triton Day to see if you’re feeling the overall vibe.
Did you get your green card yet? I don’t think cost will be a “minor” issue if colleges still consider you an international student.
What does this mean? College financial aid offices base their offers on the financial info. you provide. If they decide you’re in the international pool, the aid you get will depend on what they offer international students. If they consider you a domestic student, they’ll base aid on formulas using FAFSA and/or the CSS profile. Have you received your financial aid packages yet?
@DoctorP Thank you so much for your reply! Your comment really strengthened my love for UCSD. Although the Sixth College isn’t my top choice, it would be bad not going to UCSD for such a silly reason. I am definitely going to Triton Day. I already RSVPd and am really excited!
@austinmshauri I didn’t get my green card, but I believe I am considered for instate tuition for the UCs, although I will double check with the UCs. As I said parents - 20k, me-5k (from work while in college), and the remaining 10k student loan. For other colleges, I just have to take a bigger loan, but these 4 years design the rest of my life.
Since I don’t have a SSN, I couldn’t fill out the FAFSA or the CSS.
California will consider a high school graduate with CA high school attendance and parents paying taxes to the state ‘instate’.
However, ask what you’re supposed to do about Fafsa. There should be groups helping you, check out the library, it should have forms/flyers.
Direct costs (tuition, fees, room & board) have to be paid up front in August. Whatever you earn during your first semester can be used to pay for the 2nd semester, but it won’t be available to pay for the 1st one. You need to start working now if you’re not already. Can you get a job without a Green Card or social security number?
How are you going to borrow money? Students who are American citizens can only borrow $5500/year on their own. The only way they can get more is if their parents cosign, but if your parents aren’t US citizens I don’t think they can take a loan. I don’t know how you can afford an OOS college unless you take a gap year and wait for your citizenship paperwork to be finalized.
@MYOS1634 Thank you so much for your reply! I am checking everywhere about what I can do for FAFSA.
@austinmshauri I will see if I can start working, depending on my status. I’m pretty sure that my parents are on a different visa (not H4), but they are not citizens.
@newjerseygirl98 Cost will be a minor issue later on (because I’m pretty sure my green card will arrive soon), but for the 1st sem for the 1st year, it will be pretty tough, so can you please recommend which college would be a great fit, without factoring in the cost aspect.
Again, thank you so much for all your advice and guidance! I really appreciate all the tips!
