4 answers
Taofeek
Student
Lynn, Massachusetts
1
Question
Asked
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Im interested in becoming an engineer and I'm not really sure what colleges to look at to become one
I'm currently a 17 year old Junior and i'm the oldest of 4 children and I play football I'm going to be the first of my parents kids to go to college and I don't really know what to do #engineering
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4 answers
Richard Gines
Manager
15
Answers
Meridian, Idaho
Updated
Richard’s Answer
There are some prestigious universities for Engineering, however, unless you have a particularly strong academic background, outside of those, it won't matter too much which one you go to. Some are better than others but what matters most is how well you apply yourself to your studies. Engineering is pretty standard and rigorous anywhere you go. As you look at colleges first confirm if they offer the engineering specialty you are interested in (Mechanical, Software, Electrical, etc.). If they offer a degree in your interested field then ask for some contact information for others who attend there. Prepare some questions that matter to you and how you like to learn and ask each university to determine if you would be comfortable there.
I've hired many students from less popular schools, and as long as they studied hard, they often were better hires than those from more prestigious universities.
I've hired many students from less popular schools, and as long as they studied hard, they often were better hires than those from more prestigious universities.
Thank you for your time and advice
Taofeek
Nattakarn Alkire
52
Answers
Updated
Nattakarn’s Answer
Hello, there
Please see below for what I found that would be good guideline for you to consider.
Choosing a school will be one of the most difficult decisions of your academic career. You'll need to consider what type of degree you'll need in order to accomplish your engineering career goals, as well as whether or not the institution you're considering meets your personal needs.
In the end, your choice may boil down to the school's tuition, location, and reputation.
ABET- accredited: Does the school meet the minimum education standards set by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology? Accreditation is important for any college degree program, as it ensures quality education, and that the curriculum is reviewed by engineering professionals.
School curriculum: Does the focus and philosophy of the program match your interests? Are the clinical facilities up-to-date? Does the school offer dual-degree programs with other majors?
Internships and co-op programs: Does the school offer programs that will give you industry experience? Does the school offer foreign study programs that will give you an edge in the job market?
Location: Are you willing to move out of state? Do you prefer an urban environment?
Size: What is the student-to-instructor ratio?
Tuition: Will money factor into your decision? Will you qualify for in-state tuition at a state school?
Another huge benefit of school? The connections you'll make, and the job placement services that a good engineering college can provide. Many companies searching for future engineers go directly to engineering colleges to find qualified candidates. They will likely hire the Co-op student after they completed the program and their degree as well. So I highly recommend you to find the company that you would like to work for and apply for the Co-op program to help start your career.
I also provided the links to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Website which has a great information for each engineering field. You will be able to find the Job Summary, Payscale, Work Environment, etc. from this website to help you determine which engineering field would fit you better. Please check out the link below for more details. You can also search for other career fields as well.
Architecture and Engineering Occupations
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/home.htm
Mechanical Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm
Civil Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/civil-engineers.htm
Aerospace Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/aerospace-engineers.htm
Architecture and Engineering Occupations
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/home.htm
Industrial Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/industrial-engineers.htm
Environmental Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm
Agricultural Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/agricultural-engineers.htm
Electrical and Electronics Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm
Petroleum Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm
Nuclear Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/nuclear-engineers.htm
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/biomedical-engineers.htm
Computer Hardware Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer-hardware-engineers.htm
Chemical Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/chemical-engineers.htm
Health and Safety Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/health-and-safety-engineers.htm
Materials Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/materials-engineers.htm
Electrical Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes172071.htm
Electrical and Electronics Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm
Please see below for what I found that would be good guideline for you to consider.
Choosing a school will be one of the most difficult decisions of your academic career. You'll need to consider what type of degree you'll need in order to accomplish your engineering career goals, as well as whether or not the institution you're considering meets your personal needs.
In the end, your choice may boil down to the school's tuition, location, and reputation.
ABET- accredited: Does the school meet the minimum education standards set by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology? Accreditation is important for any college degree program, as it ensures quality education, and that the curriculum is reviewed by engineering professionals.
School curriculum: Does the focus and philosophy of the program match your interests? Are the clinical facilities up-to-date? Does the school offer dual-degree programs with other majors?
Internships and co-op programs: Does the school offer programs that will give you industry experience? Does the school offer foreign study programs that will give you an edge in the job market?
Location: Are you willing to move out of state? Do you prefer an urban environment?
Size: What is the student-to-instructor ratio?
Tuition: Will money factor into your decision? Will you qualify for in-state tuition at a state school?
Another huge benefit of school? The connections you'll make, and the job placement services that a good engineering college can provide. Many companies searching for future engineers go directly to engineering colleges to find qualified candidates. They will likely hire the Co-op student after they completed the program and their degree as well. So I highly recommend you to find the company that you would like to work for and apply for the Co-op program to help start your career.
I also provided the links to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Website which has a great information for each engineering field. You will be able to find the Job Summary, Payscale, Work Environment, etc. from this website to help you determine which engineering field would fit you better. Please check out the link below for more details. You can also search for other career fields as well.
Architecture and Engineering Occupations
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/home.htm
Mechanical Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm
Civil Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/civil-engineers.htm
Aerospace Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/aerospace-engineers.htm
Architecture and Engineering Occupations
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/home.htm
Industrial Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/industrial-engineers.htm
Environmental Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm
Agricultural Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/agricultural-engineers.htm
Electrical and Electronics Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm
Petroleum Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm
Nuclear Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/nuclear-engineers.htm
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/biomedical-engineers.htm
Computer Hardware Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer-hardware-engineers.htm
Chemical Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/chemical-engineers.htm
Health and Safety Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/health-and-safety-engineers.htm
Materials Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/materials-engineers.htm
Electrical Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes172071.htm
Electrical and Electronics Engineers
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm
Brayden Reiland
119
Answers
Corvallis, Oregon
Updated
Brayden’s Answer
There are a wide range of colleges all over the US that offering varying degrees at varying prices. In the end it will ultimately be up to you to decide what college you want to attend based on the specific career bath you choose to go down. If you are interested in engineering in general I suggest doing some research (online) to see what types interest you the most and then look at what colleges offer these degrees and try to visit. Another main thing to consider is cost. In many cases the college you choose (public or private) offer some type of merit based scholarship that usually depends on your family's finances as well as your high school GPA and test scores. From there you are able to apply to schools and scholarships to see what type of merit you receive. I would definitely have cost being a major driving force in your decision because while you might graduate with a in engineering that generally pays well also having tons of student debt isn't great.
Hopefully this was helpful. Good Luck!
Hopefully this was helpful. Good Luck!
Dianne Baughman
Sr. Manager - Network Engineering & Ops - Expense budget/tracking focus
4
Answers
Columbus, Ohio
Updated
Dianne’s Answer
Check out your smaller, local colleges to see what their programs are known for...some have great engineering programs! In Ohio, Youngstown State University had a very well known Engineering program and it's a smaller college. There are plenty of options and your state universities will be more financially feasible than private ones. Google search "top Engineering colleges" but also look at the smaller schools.
There are so many young adults who are starting out with high college loan debt. Some will be repaying longer than 10 years so you really need to think about all of your options before deciding which school you will 'invest' in. Good Luck!
There are so many young adults who are starting out with high college loan debt. Some will be repaying longer than 10 years so you really need to think about all of your options before deciding which school you will 'invest' in. Good Luck!