Which school? West Virginia Univ. or Parks College at St. Louis Univ.

[choiboi]

Hello, I recently changed my career path to Aerospace Engineering from BioChem. I currently have a BS in BioChem from UC San Diego in Cali, so I looked into transferring into a AE program at out of state schools. Unfortunately, due to the budget crisis in Cali, most/all public schools are not accepting 2nd BS or transfers. So I had apply to out of state schools. Even worse was, I changed my career path so late in the year that i was only able to apply to 2 schools this year. West Virginia Univ (Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering & Mineral Resources) and St. Louis University (Parks College of Engineering, Aviation & Technology). Didn't have the time to look/talk with every single school in US. I was just curious at first if I can get into a program and see what are my chances were and to hear I got into both really gave me hope in my career change. So I guess my main question is, which school will give me a better education/rep to get internships and employment at a company as an Aerospace Engineer? Like at Northrop, etc. I know a lot has to do with my academics and character, but i still want to have that extra boost from my school background.

I know tuition and cost is a factor, but I want to ask this first.

Also, I've thought about just waiting another year and apply to more schools closer to Cali and with a better ranking, but I don't know if it will be worth the wait for a BS degree. I am currently 26 yrs old and want to really get my career started as soon as I can. Please let me know what you think. Thank You.

 

[R.Mesri]

It is difficult to say which school will offer you the best education and reputation for internships and employment. Both West Virginia University and St. Louis University have good reputations for aerospace engineering, so it could be beneficial to research the specific programs and see which best fits your goals. Additionally, you may want to reach out to alumni from each school, or current students, to get a better idea of their experiences with the respective programs and what they have done to secure internships and employment. You may also want to look into the faculty to see if they have industry connections that could be beneficial to your career. Ultimately, the decision of which school to attend should come down to more than just reputation; there are other factors such as cost, location, available resources, etc. that should be taken into consideration. If you are looking to start your career as soon as possible, attending one of the two schools this year may be the most beneficial option, since waiting another year to apply to new schools may set you back in terms of starting your career. Good luck with your decision!