Question about Engineering Degree's

FYRHWK1 · #1 02-15-2003, 12:47 AM

I'm not sure how many careeer engineers read here, but i figure its here if anywhere. I'm curious as to how much the name on your diploma got you in the way of work? i'm currently goign to a fairly small school, it has good credentials but its no NYU or major university, I've looked around engineering.com and they dont even list the school so i'm wondering if theres anywhere i can do some research on how the industry views the name?
I know it's a fairly strange question but never know until you ask, the schools name is polytechnic uni. just for the record.

CraigFL · #2 02-15-2003, 07:03 AM

I've been an engineer for the last 30 years an have hired many hundreds of engineers. While I always found it interesting when I interviewed people from top schools like MIT, it really didn't make any difference where thay came from in the end. Job performance was more related to the type of person they were than where they went to school. If you have the right kind of mind for engineering and you are interested in learning and furthering your career, you can go to school almost anywhere to learn the technical things and get your degree. Some companies don't have this philosopy and only hire from the top schools-- maybe in the research area it would make a difference. In the end, performance is all that counts.... Get your first job to gain some real engineering experience and for each different one after that, your school will make less difference.

911GT2 · #3 02-15-2003, 06:09 PM

Weird, they don't have my school either. The engineering faculty isn't huge, but the school is rated one of the top in Canada...

FYRHWK1 · #4 02-15-2003, 06:34 PM

thanks for the info Craig, glad to know some people don't work off the name on a degree alone. Good idea aobut going to the local jobs and asking, i'll have to try that.
911, not sure if you have to pay to be on engineering.com's list or not, so that could play a part in whether its listed or not.

romabimmer · #5 02-15-2003, 06:39 PM

I won't take that directly to seriously, only 110 schools listed with ME programs? Lot more than that in the USA.

Name does matter with some companies or hiring managers, but it's not a career killer to come from a less-known school.

I graduated with my BSME from New Jersey Institute of Technology, whose heard of that school outside NJ?
First job out was with a very large, premier Tier 1 automotive supplier for chassis, Continental-Teves. Then I moved over to Ford and now working aerospace on defense projects (I also have 2 masters degrees now).

Having MIT or CalTech will help, but more important is how well you do in school and your other life experiences. Co-ops, Internships and hands-on projects go a VERY LONG way to getting you a good job. In my opinion if some one has done a few co-ops, worked on non-credit projects such as SAE Formula and design projects, that you would be more desirable to an employer that some one from MIT who has never bothered to do anything but go to class.

That was the reason I got such a great position straight out, I had co-ops, worked on SAE Formula, was a research assistant for a professor and had some racing experience (as a hobby). Plus I had real jobs too. Plus good grades.

It's the total package that counts.

Now I won't lie to you, all else being equal, the guy from MIT will have the advantage. But rarely are things equal!

FYRHWK1 · #6 02-15-2003, 09:57 PM

thanks roma, what about those co-ops and SAE formula projects? is it extracurricular work for the SAE? sounds interesting, i'd definitly get involved in that if i had the chance.

911GT2 · #7 02-15-2003, 11:45 PM

I would very much like to go into SAE competiton.

My school competes in SAE competitons, but not FSAE

BTW, I go to Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS, Canada.

Porsche · #8 02-15-2003, 11:54 PM

nice! I'm applying to Dalhousie but the lack of FSAE is displeasing.

Paperfish · #9 02-16-2003, 04:41 AM

correct me if i'm wrong, but can't you only get a "diploma" in Canada, rather then a "degree" as in the U.S. ?

I went to DeVry Institute of Technolgy and there were quite a few senior year transfers from the Canadian DeVry , the reason being that Canadian diplomas are pretty worthless in USA.

911GT2 · #10 02-16-2003, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paperfish
correct me if i'm wrong, but can't you only get a "diploma" in Canada, rather then a "degree" as in the U.S. ?

I went to DeVry Institute of Technolgy and there were quite a few senior year transfers from the Canadian DeVry , the reason being that Canadian diplomas are pretty worthless in USA.

First two years is a diploma program, then the next two years are for your degree.

And you wouldn't get a degree from DeVry because it's an institute and not a University.

911GT2 · #11 02-16-2003, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Porsche
nice! I'm applying to Dalhousie but the lack of FSAE is displeasing.

We've got the faculty to do it, we just haven't done it for a couple years. Hopefully we can get something started, it's amazing shit.

If you've got any questions feel free to ask.

Mr_Meanor · #12 02-20-2003, 12:25 AM

I am currently a 4th year me student at North Dakota State University. I know this not a power house school for engineering but a very very respectable school for me majors in the mid west. I am in ASME, SAE, and also mini baja. I just a got offer for an intership working for K&N. There conducted over 300 interviews from both big well known school and to littler less known one. From what they told me the name of the school mean very little. they were more concerned with how well you are familar with the concepts and material you have learned. They told me hands on experice will look better on a resume than any school name. they are giving 10 interships and 9 were from little or less known school and 1 was from a big well known one. I specifically asked about if the names of schools were inportant and they told me if you want to get ahead of everyone else in your field get the most hands on expericne you and and get involved with the local and nataional activities your school offers. They told me the reason they like me was because i have work on so many differnt project through my school. This is my 3 rd year working on the mini baja. I have worked on the solar car for 2 years know and this is my first year doing alot of various things throught ASME. So my advise to anyone who wants to get ahead is to get involved and learn from hands on experience. Hope this helps some of you.

JE123 · #13 02-20-2003, 08:10 AM

I'm on my first year of college and I'm working towards an engineering degree. I would just like to know how many of you all actually use Calculus in your job? I'm getting sick of working integrals.

ivymike1031 · #14 02-20-2003, 09:29 AM

I'm on my first year of college and I'm working towards an engineering degree. I would just like to know how many of you all actually use Calculus in your job? I'm getting sick of working integrals.

I may not do integrals on a daily basis, but a fundamental understanding of derivatives and integrals will be required for half (or more) of the things you need to learn later. Unless you want to stick with the absolute simplest newtonian physics (like they teach in high school), you won't get far without calculus. Even the classical newtonian physics have a strong basis in calculus, but it can be avoided by memorizing a few key equations. On the other hand, occasionally I DO have to do some very complex calculus to get an answer that I need.

BLU CIVIC · #15 02-20-2003, 09:43 AM

HAPPEND 5 MINUTE AGO...I'M WORKING WITH FUTURE ENGINEERS AND THEY COULDN'T FIND OUT HOW TO TURN ON A VACUUM

I'M CURRENTLY GETTING READY TO GO TO ODU IN VIRGINIA TO GET MY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY DEGREE....PEOPLE SAY THAT THAT NOT REALLY A MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEGREE BUT IT'S WHAT I'VE TRAINED AND WENT TO SCHOOL FOR. WISH I COULD JUST COMMUTE DOWN TO NC AND GOT TO NCSU.....ANYWAYS....I GOT MY ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN CAD FROM ITT IN 2001 AND SINCE I'VE HAVE MANY OF JOBS IN THE ARCHITECTURE FIELD...WETHER PART-TIME OR FULL TIME.....I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AND WHICH COMPANY YOU WORKED FOR IN THE PAS AND HOW YOUR PERFORMANCE WAS WITH THEM....I ONLY SAY THIS B/C IT HAS HELPED ME GET JOBS...... I THINK THAT IT ALSO DEPENDS ON WHAT SCHOOL YOU GO TO....A LOT OF TIMES IT'S A NAME THING.....BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES AND PERFORMANCE THAT REALLY LAND YOU A JOB AND I PERSONALLY THINK THE ENGINEERING DEGREE GETS YOU THE INTERVIEW AND THAT'S ABOUT IT....

NOT SURE IF I EVEN CAN CLOSE TO ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION OR JUST RAMBLING ON:silly2:

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