Transferring to College: EE Advice for UH Manoa Junior

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the considerations and advice for a student entering their Junior year at the University of Hawaii at Manoa who is contemplating transferring to another institution for their Electrical Engineering studies, specifically focusing on VLSI Design and Processor Architecture. Participants explore potential schools, the timing of graduate studies, and resources for evaluating programs.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • The original poster (OP) expresses a desire to transfer from UH Manoa, citing a decent GPA of 3.57 and a focus on VLSI Design and Processor Architecture.
  • Some participants suggest considering schools that align with the OP's needs and recommend finishing the undergraduate degree at UH before pursuing graduate studies elsewhere.
  • The OP emphasizes the importance of the quality and quantity of VLSI-related courses and research opportunities at potential transfer schools.
  • There is a discussion about the timing of graduate school, with the OP indicating a preference to gain work experience before pursuing a Master's and potentially a PhD.
  • One participant advises that transitioning back to school after working full-time can be challenging, suggesting it may be beneficial to complete undergraduate studies before entering the workforce.
  • The OP seeks resources for identifying other schools with strong Electrical Engineering programs.
  • A suggestion is made to look into IEEE journals to find leading research and institutions in the OP's area of interest.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the value of completing undergraduate studies before transferring or pursuing graduate education, but there are differing opinions on the best approach to selecting a new school and the timing of graduate studies. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best resources for evaluating potential transfer schools.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the OP's uncertainty about which schools to consider and the lack of consensus on the best timing for graduate studies. The discussion does not resolve the question of which specific schools would be best for the OP's focus area.

Niznar
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Aloha!

I'm entering my Junior year at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and I'm considering transferring to another school. When I applied to college I never really considered schools too carefully and ultimately settled at UH, my fall back. It's a decent school, and we have some amazing professors, but I still would like to leave home.

Right now my GPA is alright, I have a 3.57. I'm looking to transfer to another school but I'm not sure where to look and where I'd have a decent shot. Right now I'm considering University of Michigan, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a handful of other institutions.

My focus is in VLSI Design and Processor Architecture.

Any advice you fellas can offer? Cheers!
 
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Niznar said:
Aloha!

I'm entering my Junior year at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and I'm considering transferring to another school. When I applied to college I never really considered schools too carefully and ultimately settled at UH, my fall back. It's a decent school, and we have some amazing professors, but I still would like to leave home.

Right now my GPA is alright, I have a 3.57. I'm looking to transfer to another school but I'm not sure where to look and where I'd have a decent shot. Right now I'm considering University of Michigan, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a handful of other institutions.

My focus is in VLSI Design and Processor Architecture.

Any advice you fellas can offer? Cheers!

The schools that you mention are all good ones. Go to somewhere that fits what you perceive as your needs.

You might consider finishing up a UH and then going elsewhere for graduate school.
 
My biggest focus is the quality and quantity of VLSI and VLSI-related courses, as well as opportunities to work under professors on research projects, as well as finding a school that I can actually get accepted to :P

I've been considering finishing and then going to grad school on the mainland, and I realize that's probably the most likely outcome here, but I'd still like to try and finish my undergrad degree elsewhere.

Although so long as I'm here, in addition to my OP, I'm curious how you folks feel about when is a good time to go to grad school. I'm planning to get into the workforce for a couple of years before I pursue my Masters and (ideally) PhD, just so I have some real world experience. Ultimately, my dream career would be developing processors, ideally for AMD, Intel or Nvidia.
 
Niznar said:
My biggest focus is the quality and quantity of VLSI and VLSI-related courses, as well as opportunities to work under professors on research projects, as well as finding a school that I can actually get accepted to :P

I've been considering finishing and then going to grad school on the mainland, and I realize that's probably the most likely outcome here, but I'd still like to try and finish my undergrad degree elsewhere.

Although so long as I'm here, in addition to my OP, I'm curious how you folks feel about when is a good time to go to grad school. I'm planning to get into the workforce for a couple of years before I pursue my Masters and (ideally) PhD, just so I have some real world experience. Ultimately, my dream career would be developing processors, ideally for AMD, Intel or Nvidia.

My personal recommendation is to continue in school until you are ready to leave for good. While it has been done successfully it is difficult to leave a full-time job and go back to school -- you forget how to live on no money.
 
Haha, fair enough, and your advice is greatly appreciated!

Is there any good resource for finding other good schools to look at for EE programs?
 
Niznar said:
Haha, fair enough, and your advice is greatly appreciated!

Is there any good resource for finding other good schools to look at for EE programs?

Look in the IEEE journals for articles in your area of interest and see who is doing the leading research.
 

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