<p>DS has to decide between University of Alabama (full tuition + freshman year + $3500 extra/yr), University of Minnesota ($3000 shy of full tuition), and University of Pittsburgh ( full tuition) for Computer Engineering. We will be visiting Pitt next week and Minnesota after that. Any input on advantages to Pitt would be appreciated. (job placement, research chances, facilities) Also, is there anything we should look for on our visit?</p>
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<p>Not a CoE but I can tell you a few nice things about Pitt:</p>
<p>1- Almost completely renovated building, classrooms, and lab space. We got a grant for $65 million dollars that the school has used to completely redo the inside of the building. What does that mean for students? Nicer, more modern classrooms. Great, big meeting places for group projects (lots of whiteboards everywhere). Better, newer, cleaner labs with better, newer equipment. More up-to-date technology. The renovations are still going on and you will see them when you visit, however, they’re almost done (I think about 1-2 years left max?) so your son will be able to utilize a great basically new building all of his junior/senior year (plus I think a lot of the freshman facilities are already done).</p>
<p>2- I have yet to meet an engineer student who did not get a Co-Op placement or internship when they looked for one. Not one. We have great career services, especially department specific ones, who will help get you job placement for the summers between school years (the only exception is probably after freshman year when you haven’t really learned enough to be useful to any company). In fact, Pitt just started a guaranteed internship program. Also, when I graduated, almost every single student who walked graduation in <em>April</em> already had grad school or a job lined up for them to go to after they left Pitt. My parents and sister (who went to a “better” public school in another state) were super impressed by this, because they had never seen or heard of anything like that before.</p>
<p>3- Pittsburgh is a city. You have so much to do here. Your student ID lets you ride the bus system for free. Go downtown for a show (theater, opera, orchestra) where you can get the best seats in the house for under $20. Go to another neighborhood (Shadyside, Waterfront) to shop around, eat good food, or see a movie. Check out some of the various museums (Heinz History Museum, Carnegie Natural History Museum, Phipps Botanical Conservatory) that your student ID gets you into. Explore the nationality rooms in the Cathedral. Play a game of Quidditch on the lawn. Fight to stay human in a campus-wide game of humans vs. zombies. Whether you want to stay on campus or go off it to explore, Pittsburgh will give you loads of options for things you can do.</p>
<p>4- When you visit, go to the SSOE and talk to the advisors there. Ask if you can meet with someone from CoE and see if they’ll let you sit in on a class or two. Talk to the professors IN CoE (<em>not</em> the freshman professors) as they will be your teachers for 3 of your 4 years of undergrad. See if you can talk to a current CoE student and ask them questions. Walk around the campus of Pitt, eat somewhere local (lots of good places around Forbes/Fifth and down the side streets).</p>
<p>During the Swanson Engineering School presentation at the Accepted Honors Students Day, a few things really stood out.</p>
<p>They have a huge network of companies that offer coops and internships. These companies are located nationwide, as well as worldwide. Several students talked about their coop experiences. About 50% of the engineering students do this.</p>
<p>There are a large array of study abroad programs specifically tailored for engineering students. They really advocate this to make students more competitive in the work force.</p>
<p>Research is strongly encouraged, and there are many opportunities to participate.</p>
<p>Even though our older D is in Swanson (she transferred in Sophomore year), and she is having a rewarding experience, we couldn’t help but be even more impressed with the engineering department after this presentation.</p>
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I’m surprised that Pitt didn’t expound upon it’s own virtues during your last visit.</p>
<p>You could ask for a meeting with a professor who works in the major he is interested in. Or to sit in a class. Just call the engineering department and they will arrange this for you. We met with a professor who showed us his lab in the institute of regenerative medicine and say in on an honors bio class.</p>
<p>Also Pitt students can take courses at Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>You can take classes at CMU only if it is not available at Pitt.</p>
<p>Thank you for your responses. I think the more info my son has the better. Not being from the area we do not know anyone that has ever attended Pitt so we knew very little about it. My son went in fall but was there less than a day on campus and engineering visit was cut short. He went back on Friday and as suggested went up to the engineering department he was is interested in. A prof just happened to walk in and answered our questions and was very friendly. We were very impressed.</p>