Considering Transfer - UCF to FIU

[osnarf]

Hello everyone,

I'm considering transferring from UCF (double major in Aerospace Engineering and Electrical Engineering) to FIU (double major in Physics and Electrical Engineering). The transfer would be due to personal reasons, not anything academic-related. The change from AE to physics is because, the way credits transfer, it would set me way back to transfer into FIU's Mechanical Engineering: Aerospace Track program, compared to transferring into Physics. Since I've always wanted to study physics and originally had it my a major, this really isn't a big deal to me. I still don't know exactly what I want to do in graduate school and after.

I was wondering if anybody has personal experience with both of these schools and could compare their engineering departments, or tell me about FIU's physics department?

I don't want to transfer if it is going to limit my grad school/career options, but as far as I understand it, the effort you put into undergrad and your research activities are much more important than what school you actually went to (please correct me if I am mistaken).

Thanks for your help.

 

[clope023]

Hello everyone,

I'm considering transferring from UCF (double major in Aerospace Engineering and Electrical Engineering) to FIU (double major in Physics and Electrical Engineering). The transfer would be due to personal reasons, not anything academic-related. The change from AE to physics is because, the way credits transfer, it would set me way back to transfer into FIU's Mechanical Engineering: Aerospace Track program, compared to transferring into Physics. Since I've always wanted to study physics and originally had it my a major, this really isn't a big deal to me. I still don't know exactly what I want to do in graduate school and after.

I was wondering if anybody has personal experience with both of these schools and could compare their engineering departments, or tell me about FIU's physics department?

I don't want to transfer if it is going to limit my grad school/career options, but as far as I understand it, the effort you put into undergrad and your research activities are much more important than what school you actually went to (please correct me if I am mistaken).

Thanks for your help.

What do you want to know about FIU? I'm an EE/Physics major there.

 

[osnarf]

Thanks for the reply clope, you sound like the perfect person to ask.

I would like to know such as how prevalent undergraduate research/co-ops are, the general level of seriousness/knowledge/etc of the majority of students, the quality of labs/lab equipment - pretty much your general take on the programs.

If you happen to know what most students do (or if not - intend to do) after finishing undrad, that would be great to know as well.

Thanks again

 

[clope023]

Thanks for the reply clope, you sound like the perfect person to ask.

I would like to know such as how prevalent undergraduate research/co-ops are, the general level of seriousness/knowledge/etc of the majority of students, the quality of labs/lab equipment - pretty much your general take on the programs.

If you happen to know what most students do (or if not - intend to do) after finishing undrad, that would be great to know as well.

Thanks again

Plenty of people get into research internships here, I know 2 engineers who got into Boeing internships, few people who've done research in MIT, Vanderbilt, Berkeley, abroad in Brazil or Germany; one girl just got into the UMichigian applied physics program, I know one guy who got into MIT's EE grad program.
We've got plenty of impressive people who are serious about their studies; thought the teachers are very hit or miss with both EE and physics (though sometimes you don't have a choice in the matter). a lot of the EE and physics lab equipment is outdated IMO, but the school is very slow to fund STEM across the board (in fact they opted to increase tuition on STEM majors specifically). They do make due though, I'm doing research in plasma physics ATM and our lab collaborates with labs in Princeton and London so we're doing ok.
Most the EE's intend to go to work after undergrad, most of the physics majors intend to go grad school.

 

[osnarf]

Thanks for all the information; it was very helpful. Do you know why tuition was raised specifically for STEM students? That seems odd...

 

[clope023]

Thanks for all the information; it was very helpful. Do you know why tuition was raised specifically for STEM students? That seems odd...

I'm not sure of all the details, but I imagine that we're more expensive than other students and they don't want to hamper on the business, law, and other students that don't warrant such expensive equipment and labs, etc.