Is transferring to UMass Amherst for my engineering degree worth it?

[confusedinMA]

Hi I need some advice, I consulted all the people in real life I can think of so I'm turing to the internet! ;)

I am almost 25 and have a pretty big back log of student loans, that is to say more than most people will carry out of Undergrad.

I finally settled on the major of Computer Engineering and I am currently attending UMass-Lowell, a school which has second tier status in UMass system. I should finish my degree in two years (May 2012) or shortly afterward.

However, I also went to UMass Amherst- the flagship campus- for a few semesters, a couple years back and I could go back there to complete my engineering degree.

Is it worth it to go to Amherst over Lowell? I live much closer to Lowell and would have to move to go to Amherst, but in the long run will the program be so much better and give me that much better opportunities as to justify making the switch?

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I don't know if this is of any help, but anything that I have read on the internet seems to point to Lowell as being the better engineering school.

Ex. Lowell has a functioning reactor from what I gather.

 

[sweetpotato]

I am also from MA :) UMass Amherst is a better school than UMass Lowell in general, but you really have to think about whether it's worth it. For example, do you feel that at UMass Lowell you are being taught poorly? Not being challenged enough? Do you dislike the professors in your department? Basically, do you feel like you're learning something, or just wasting time? If you're pretty happy with your experience at UMass Lowell, I wouldn't change schools. UMass Lowell is a decent school for engineering. If you feel your department is somewhat weak and you're not learning enough, I'd think about going to UMass Amherst.

Opportunities are what you make of them. UMass Amherst may have more opportunities, but if switching schools and locations stresses you out a lot and you don't take advantage of these opportunities, they might as well not exist for you.

 

[confusedinMA]

So far I definitely think I am learning things, however I worry about missing the opportunities I'd get at Amherst, they have better industry ties and better overall atmosphere. Lowell has some industry ties but they are mostly very local to Lowell and companies I'm not really that interested in working with.

 

[sweetpotato]

If there are specific opportunities and/or industry ties at Amherst that you are interested in, and you think will be available to you, then it makes sense to go there.

However, in my opinion, switching schools just because you have a general idea that Amherst has better opportunities is not worth it, especially if you are pretty happy with Lowell.

I turned down a "worse" college for a "better" one with more opportunities, but have I made use of these opportunities? No, because I've been too stressed out with classes and being far away from home. Also because some of those opportunities looked better on paper than in reality.

I don't want to talk you out of going to a better school, but my attitude is one of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

[confusedinMA]

If there are specific opportunities and/or industry ties at Amherst that you are interested in, and you think will be available to you, then it makes sense to go there.

However, in my opinion, switching schools just because you have a general idea that Amherst has better opportunities is not worth it, especially if you are pretty happy with Lowell.

I turned down a "worse" college for a "better" one with more opportunities, but have I made use of these opportunities? No, because I've been too stressed out with classes and being far away from home. Also because some of those opportunities looked better on paper than in reality.

I don't want to talk you out of going to a better school, but my attitude is one of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

By opportunities I also mean the reputation of the school for engineering. Especially since I don't plan on being in MA when I start my career. Lowell might have a good enough reputation in Northeastern MA but in Northern California people would only know Amherst.

 

[sweetpotato]

If you're concerned about the school's reputation outside of MA and the surrounding states, then you should go to Amherst.

 

[confusedinMA]

If you're concerned about the school's reputation outside of MA and the surrounding states, then you should go to Amherst.

So you do think that Lowell's rep outside of New England-or lack there of-would put me at a disadvantage in a job search.

 

[sweetpotato]

Quite honestly, I am a college senior and don't have any definitive knowledge about whether a Lowell degree would disadvantage you over an Amherst degree in the job search process.

Amherst has a better overall reputation, and is more well known outside of MA. If that is important to you, then pick Amherst.

If you are concerned about opportunities (and by that I mean something like: engineering study abroad programs, the existence of a robotics team, undergrad research opportunities), I wouldn't blindly pick Amherst over Lowell without pinpointing and researching specifically what opportunities exist at Amherst that don't exist at Lowell.