To the engineers out there, question about school choice

[inline6turbo]

Hey,

I'm planning on continuing my mechanical engineering degree and I was wondering what schools you'd recommend. How was the environment, the teachers (english speaking, eager to help etc), price of living (if it's out of Calgary) and how your overall experience was while there.

A couple I'm considering are MRU (for the first two years), UofC, UofA, UofS, UofM. If you have a different suggestion, please share! I'm really open to ideas. I briefly attended the UofC and wasn't happy with it at all so I'm trying to judge my other options!

Thanks for your input :)

R

[Ebon]

Not an engg student but I think UBC and waterloo are known for their engineering programs. If your gonna consider out of province, might at as well consider big.

Never heard of anything about UofS or UofM. I think UofA has an alright program.

[Cos]

UVic and UBC are great. UVic is a great place to live and a bit cheaper than Van. However if you can get into UBC it is a great school.

Another good one for mech engg is Dalhousie

[gretz]

Only one of my graduating Mech Eng buddies from ontario went to university in thunder bay... I know, thunderbay is shit, apparently not many distractions to keep you away from doing the workload...

He also said you want to get out of that shithole, doing well and graduating are the only ways out...

If you don't like calculus, it can be pretty heavy - lots of derriving, and then derriving that to something else etc...

Lots of the testing, from what i've heard, requires correct answers for the following question - you get one wrong, chances are... - understandable for an engineer not to fuck up important "calculations" in the beginning (if ever) as its all downhill from there.

Good on ya and good luck

[dandia89]

i don't think it really matters in terms of prestige or popularity, i think you just got to find a university that'll get your engg degree and possibly have an internship program. once you get experience, its all you and not where you came from.

[jwslam]

UC sucks (4th year now, 4 years of discontent), plus tuition is skyrocketing.

Waterloo IIRC is a 5 year program where 6 terms of Co-Op are required. It's nice because you'll have experience after school.

UT I believe does not have Mech but has Industrial.

I also heard McMaster is the only university in Canada that gives BEng and not BSc in Engg

[Super_Geo]

Went to Queen's for eng and loved it...

Queen's alumni in Calgary is a pretty tightly knit group, as it's somewhat of a novelty having your university friends and acquaintances in the same city post grad (as opposed to UofC or UofA, where it'd be pretty common).

Even if you didn't graduate together, older Queen's grads still seem to have a lot of school spirit. One of the senior engineers at my company is a '76 Queen's grad, and he was super stoked form day 1 that another Queen's grad had joined and we've been real tight ever since.

The school itself is well regarded, and I like how it's in a small town (~120k people in Kingston, ~30k of those are in some way affiliated with the university). It's pretty kickass being 1/4 of the town, you know people at every bar/pub you go to. That was the tie-breaker between Queen's and UofT/McGill back when I was trying to make up my mind...

[dirtsniffer]

I did my first year at mrc and liked it, but it is really only set up to transfer to the u of c, if you want to do your first year at mrc and do not wish to go to uofc then you should really be in contact with the school you like to make sure you take applicable classes

[Das Auto]

Originally posted by gretz
Only one of my graduating Mech Eng buddies from ontario went to university in thunder bay... I know, thunderbay is shit, apparently not many distractions to keep you away from doing the workload...

He also said you want to get out of that shithole, doing well and graduating are the only ways out...

If you don't like calculus, it can be pretty heavy - lots of derriving, and then derriving that to something else etc...

Lots of the testing, from what i've heard, requires correct answers for the following question - you get one wrong, chances are... - understandable for an engineer not to fuck up important "calculations" in the beginning (if ever) as its all downhill from there.

Good on ya and good luck
Yeah we've got a retarded amount of engineers from Lakehead in Thunder Bay. I really don't know if it's a good school although.

[punky]

Originally posted by dandia89
i don't think it really matters in terms of prestige or popularity, i think you just got to find a university that'll get your engg degree and possibly have an internship program. once you get experience, its all you and not where you came from.


I agree with this. I too found that when i graduated from engineering and go to the field and work. My technical degree doesn't give me much. Everything you learn you learn on the job. The only thing the engineering degree gives you is the ability to find information and learn really fast given your years of fundamentals. Engineering degree (University) is all accredited in canada anyway, so they have to follow a certain standard. So i say go find a decent university (better than technical school in the long run) reputation and reasonable tuition fee.

[this is purely opinion for undergrad studies only, and does not really apply to grad studies]

[badatusrnames]

What industry are you planning to work in? If it's oil & gas, you might want to go to UofC, UofA, or even UofS. I wouldn't bother with the MRU thing. Go straight into university if you can.

One big point to mention about UofC is that tuition is increasing huge. But from what I understand the engg school isn't too bad, but the University as a whole kind of sucks (I started in bio and switched to engg, the comparison is night and day for quality imo)... engg schools in Canada are all pretty standard from what I've heard, so it really depends on what you're wanting to get out of the place. Do you want to live in a nice town, a place with good school spirit and campus life, are you willing to go far away from home, etc...

[A|pine]

From the Dean herself - a good comparison:

The fees, however, are not commensurate with its peers across the country. The tuition for 2009-10 at schools we compete with for students and faculty are as follows:

University of Waterloo $11,500

University of Toronto $9,347

Queen's University $8,215

University of Western Ontario $8,600 (approx average of tuition across

all four years)

McMaster University $7,307

University of Ottawa $6,857

University of Calgary $5,677 (based on 11 courses)

University of Alberta $5,441 (to be increased similarly to the proposal

from the U of C)

University of British Columbia $5,421


The current proposal from the University of Calgary to the government is to increase the engineering course tuition by $200 per course. Arts and science courses, which engineering students take as part of their degree, would not be affected by this market modifier.

This increase would result in first year tuition for the Schulich School of Engineering being $6,680 with increased amounts in upper years when the number of engineering courses increases. Even with these increases, the average yearly tuition would not exceed a number of other quality programs. A similar increase is being proposed by the U of A.

The current plan is to implement the market modifiers in a phased approach starting in September, 2010, and would roll out as follows:

Sept 2010: All 200 level engineering courses

Sept 2011: All 200 and 300 level engineering courses

Sept 2012: All 200, 300 and 400 level engineering courses

Sept 2013: All 200, 300, 400 and 500 level engineering courses as well as internship courses (INTE)


This plan would have minimum impact on current students. However, the ability of the University to implement a phased approach, as opposed to applying market modifiers to all engineering courses in September, 2010 will depend on the province's funding to the U of C for the 2010-11 fiscal year. This will be announced on February 9, 2010 when the provincial budget is presented.

I've heard bad things from all schools and good things from all schools. I hear UBC is good in its mechanical program, but I also hear BC IT has a great power / hydro engineering.

I think U of C is a great school, like any post-secondary education you get out of it whatever you put in. As per extra-curricular, there are opportunities to work with one of the best solar car teams in the world, one of the best solar decathalon teams in the world (solar house that competed in Washington DC), probably the best petroleum opportunities in western Canada.

The Society of Petroleum Engineers chapter club (Petroleum & Energy Society) do some amazing things with respect to student experiential learning. Fort McMurray trips, conference trips, gas plants, refinery plants. Lots to do.

ISEEESA (Institute of Sustainable Energy Economy Environment Students Association) does amazing this with respect to all forms of energy and promoting it in a sustainable manner - wind farm tour, e3dp, drake solar community tour.

There are the SAE teams - Baja and Formula. Lots of beyond engineers are involved with the formula and baja team. Alberta being an energy capital for western canada, it is natural that they implement a new program. This program is called energy and environment minor which touches base on all sorts of different contemporary technologies.

If you're looking for internship - lots of top companies recruit here. They have a switzerland exchange program, Google, Microsoft and RIM recruit here in Calgary as well. All O&G Companies recruit here. There are some opportunities in Australia and Japan as well. Construction companies also recruit here.

There is also the Engineering conferences where you do many things from designing to lecturing and defending technologies. You can win awards and scholarships and travel all over the country (and internationally). This is all funded too with the help of ESS (engineering students society) and Seymour Schulich (25 M donated, 25 M match by Alberta).

Civil program is really good too, there is the concrete toboggan race and different societies like one that focuses on transportation infrastructure.

As per the biomedical side, U of C is lacking comparative to say U BC. But they do have their positives, for instance David Beckham's shoes and ergonomics were designed here at the U of C.

As you can see I can go on and on how good U of C is extra-curricularly. But if you are seeking academic advice I'd say its difficult like any other program. You put the hours in, you put the effort in - you'll get whatever you put in.

There will be teachers who have horrible english. That is part of the learning proccess. Problem solving from a textbook can be realistic. In the real world, you may be dealing with international clients who suck just as bad if not worse at english. All school does is teach you the principles to use in real life, and upon graduation it doesn't end. There are endless opportunities for you to further yourself, but remember you are a professional engineer and it is your responsibility to be a professional whether it be in regards to safety or ethics.

[A|pine]

I also want to add is don't rule out U of A or U of S. They are both top engineering schools.

A LOT of Calgary founders are graduates from U of S. For example, Doc Seaman owner of the flames and entrepreneur in Alberta (mechanical Engineer from U of S). You'd be surprised to see how many of these founding engineers or geologists are from U of S or U of A.

Ralph T. Scurfield (Scurfield hall where all business students hang out) is from U of M (Manitoba).

I personally am a believer it doesn't matter where you get your education. It is what you do with it after, and what you do during your education that is most significant. All schools will have opportunities, like anything you'll have to understand the system.

[Abeo]

I got my degree at Carleton in Ottawa, its an okay school with a great engineering program. I actually got my job out here because most of the senior vp's where I work are from Carleton (who worked with the NEB back in the day)

If you are looking for a good school and want to stay in the area, I'd say U of C is the way to go. My friends who went there got good jobs at the end of it, due to a good internship program and good relationships with employers (which I can't say about Carleton).

In any case, enjoy being drooled over by hundreds of lonely, socially awkward boys.

[Jlude]

Originally posted by gretz
Only one of my graduating Mech Eng buddies from ontario went to university in thunder bay... I know, thunderbay is shit, apparently not many distractions to keep you away from doing the workload...

He also said you want to get out of that shithole, doing well and graduating are the only ways out...

If you don't like calculus, it can be pretty heavy - lots of derriving, and then derriving that to something else etc...

Lots of the testing, from what i've heard, requires correct answers for the following question - you get one wrong, chances are... - understandable for an engineer not to fuck up important "calculations" in the beginning (if ever) as its all downhill from there.

Good on ya and good luck

You're talking about Lakehead... which is an OK school. I have a freind who graduated from there.

[bimmere92]

University of Alberta has one of the top ranked engineering programs in Canada, let alone North America (I believe it was within the top 10 in NA for engineering schools).

[autospeed]

Avoid U of C. I've been here for 4 years now (finishing this year) and I'm not happy at all with the quality of the education or the faculty.

Most of the prof's aren't too great, they're here to research and could care less about the students. Teaching to them, is to walk in the room and blab away completely monotone. I will admit there are a few who seem to care about the students, but there aren't nearly enough of them. To give you an idea of this, when I bring up how bad a prof is with my friends I usually get flamed for hating, because to them a good prof is one that can speak clear english... Kinda sets the bar a little low doesn't it? I personally expect that when I pay $550/class that speaking english isn't a perk...

Undergraduate office is garbage! Those morons have no clue that their job is to help students plan out their education and overcome obstacles. Sandy Thompson was the only hope for that place and she's retired now, anyone who's gone through there and is sorta old school knows of her. I could go on for a while about these idiots but you can pm me to hear some horror stories.

Now the clubs such as formula SAE and the solar team are great! Formula SAE has gotten better now that the clicky old team is gone and its a new group of people. The solar team is well funded and a great learning experience that can take you around the world. I'm assuming since you're going with mech and on beyond you've got somewhat of an interest in these things.

I feel U of C Engg tends to be geared towards Oil and Gas, not a bad thing if that's where you want to end up, as for anything else well I wouldn't expect much.. The clubs are good but course wise you don't get much variety, the manufacturing program here is gone as well, I don't know if they'll keep a lot of the manu courses as tech electives either, I could be wrong though.

Starting at MRU is a good plan, you'll have smaller class sizes and teachers that can actually teach and are willing to help. I have a number of friends that started here and transferred to the U of C and all have nothing but good things to say of MRU. The only thing I'm not sure of and this may have changed now is the transfer program was mostly geared towards U of C, find out from the other uni's what will and won't transfer.

I've also heard that Sait has a transfer program with the U of Vic. I haven't heard too much about U of Vic but great things of Sait and their instructors. That could be another option in terms of transferring.

Waterloo is supposed to be great, I've had a few friends go through there with nothing but good things to say. Great co-op program, and great profs, the only thing I can think of is that it's pricey, but with tuition going up here anyways going out east is hands down a better option!