Question for the MSU engineers on the board...

[The Usual Suspect]

My son has basically narrowed his colleges to TX A&M and MSU. MSU has come through with good scholarship money, but A&M has not (they don't have to). Do the engineers on here feel that MSU Engineering is as marketable as it has been in the past? It would save Dad a lot of money, but I want him to get great opportunities with his degree also. In Houston, A&M engineers are everywhere.

Thanks

 

[Apoplectic_Objurgator]

My son has basically narrowed his colleges to TX A&M and MSU. MSU has come through with good scholarship money, but A&M has not (they don't have to). Do the engineers on here feel that MSU Engineering is as marketable as it has been in the past? It would save Dad a lot of money, but I want him to get great opportunities with his degree also. In Houston, A&M engineers are everywhere.

Thanks

absolutely tier 1 engineering school for the southeast including texas

grads from both schools will be interviewing for the same jobs at the same pay

 

[Polygonal]

I did my BS and PhD at State and am in the Aerospace/Defense industry in Huntsville, AL. A degree from State carries a lot of weight in our sector and region. We also work with and hire A&M graduates. They are top-notch, too.

I think the answer to your question is…it depends. What major and what industry does he want to work?

 

[The Usual Suspect]

I did my BS and PhD at State and am in the Aerospace/Defense industry in Huntsville, AL. A degree from State carries a lot of weight in our sector and region. We also work with and hire A&M graduates. They are top-notch, too.

I think the answer to your question is…it depends. What major and what industry does he want to work?

Some type of computer engineering...I have suggested electrical but not sure at this point.

 

[Polygonal]

Can’t go wrong with anything computers or software. State is one of only a few universities with a Cyber Center or something that has the endorsement of the NSA. Very big deal. For Electrical, I think State is strong in power? I’m not too familiar with that department.

 

[Mobile Bay]

Where does he want to live?

In my experience going to the largest engineering school in the state he wants to be in is a bigger leg up than any quality of a program. Ultimately the people doing the hiring have a very strong bias toward their own alma mater.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

The devil's advocate is about the networking... Nobody and I mean nobody networks like Aggies. They hire each other no matter what. It's kinda sickening.

I imagine there are 50 Aggie engineers in Houston for every Bulldog. So if he wants to stay in TX after graduation, the who you know factor leans heavy to A&M.

 

[fang]

30 years out of MSU and from my experience it wouldn’t matter THAT much which one he’s got a BS from. Both are excellent. All it really does is give you the opportunity to show what you can do. Work ethic is the biggest thing, give me a 2.8 GPA grad with adequate social skills and a fire in their belly over a 4.0 who pisses people off by just walking in the room any day.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

My son has basically narrowed his colleges to TX A&M and MSU. MSU has come through with good scholarship money, but A&M has not (they don't have to). Do the engineers on here feel that MSU Engineering is as marketable as it has been in the past? It would save Dad a lot of money, but I want him to get great opportunities with his degree also. In Houston, A&M engineers are everywhere.

Thanks

When we toured TAMU two years ago the recruiter said their unofficial motto is, "Nothing is free and there are no discounts."

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

The devil's advocate is about the networking... Nobody and I mean nobody networks like Aggies. They hire each other no matter what. It's kinda sickening.

I imagine there are 50 Aggie engineers in Houston for every Bulldog. So if he wants to stay in TX after graduation, the who you know factor leans heavy to A&M.

The TAMU network is incredible.

 

[PineGroveBully]

Sounds about right for the school that gave Jimbo Fisher $75M

 

[The Usual Suspect]

The devil's advocate is about the networking... Nobody and I mean nobody networks like Aggies. They hire each other no matter what. It's kinda sickening.

I imagine there are 50 Aggie engineers in Houston for every Bulldog. So if he wants to stay in TX after graduation, the who you know factor leans heavy to A&M.

Yep. His mom is an Aggie so we are well aware.

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

Wife used to work for aerospace department at tamu. Have to say their program is top notch and tied in to a lot of big companies throughout Texas, US, and international. That being said, MSU is one of the top engineering schools and also has a lot of tie ins with big.m companies also. I believe our children should they be interested in engineering will be talking to both schools. While I’m an MSU almum I really liked a lot about TAMU when she was working there. I believe TAMU was way more competitive so a lot of kids that applied didn’t even get in. If I remember correctly they couldn’t apply to the actually engineering school of choice until they had been there like a year.

 

[TrueMaroonGrind]

Some type of computer engineering...I have suggested electrical but not sure at this point.

I graduated in computer engineering in 2013 and felt education wise they set me up for success. If you want a good job out of college do an internship or co-op. That field experience is invaluable on a resume. You can get a job pretty much wherever you want if you do that.

 

[PirateDawg]

I had 12 job offers when I graduated from State

Got offers from companies that interviewed MIT and GT grads. I asked a couple of the people that offered me jobs why they selected me over the big name engineering schools. They told me that their experience with State grads was excellent. We learned from books like the other schools but our lab experience was much better and translated to going to work quicker. Boeing wanted me to interview but I couldn't make the trip and they offered me a job without a plant trip! I got my degree in Electrical Engineering.

BTW, the US is having to import engineers because there are not enough US graduates. No matter which engineering he chooses the jobs are there.

My son has basically narrowed his colleges to TX A&M and MSU. MSU has come through with good scholarship money, but A&M has not (they don't have to). Do the engineers on here feel that MSU Engineering is as marketable as it has been in the past? It would save Dad a lot of money, but I want him to get great opportunities with his degree also. In Houston, A&M engineers are everywhere.

Thanks

 

[dawgman42]

Let me go ask the A&M guys that work for me what they think.

 

[MSUDAWGFAN]

My son has basically narrowed his colleges to TX A&M and MSU. MSU has come through with good scholarship money, but A&M has not (they don't have to). Do the engineers on here feel that MSU Engineering is as marketable as it has been in the past? It would save Dad a lot of money, but I want him to get great opportunities with his degree also. In Houston, A&M engineers are everywhere.

Thanks

Honestly, I would say it would come down to cost. I've said on here before that my dad went to GT. I grew up a GT fan and was going there even into my senior year in HS. Then scholarships came in. I got some to Tech, but not much and I got a lot to State. Being a kid and not realizing the value of a dollar, I still wanted to go to Tech. But my dad actually talked me into going to State. Saved me a tremendous amount and gave me a head start in life by not being saddled with massive student loans.

When we went to the Orange Bowl together, we were talking and I told him that the worst engineer over there was not better than the best engineer over here (we sat in the MSU section). He told me his experience with MSU engineers was that in the lab or theoretical, he would take a GT grad, but in practice, he would take an MSU grad over a GT grad.

All that to say this- A&M is an excellent engineering school and has more of a national name than does MSU. But if he is wanting to live in the southeast for sure, MSU has an excellent reputation. Can't beat that cost either!

I don't hesitate to say that my life is better - standard of living, income, etc. - because I went to MSU.

If he really wants to go to A&M, have him look at student loan costs on a monthly payment and determine if it's worth it.

 

[Mobile Bay]

The TAMU network is incredible.

It's more of a cult than a network.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

Has he seen the tamu cheerleaders?

That should make the choice pretty clear

 

[horshack.sixpack]

You can do anything you want with an engineering degree from MSU. His success will depend on his willingness to make the most of opportunities put in front of him and his work ethic.

 

[Russ Wheeler]

Keep it simple. Go with the lower cost. The difference is a couple of public state schools is negligible.

 

[aspendawg]

I work with so many Aggies and to put it lightly they're the weirdest bunch... If he wants to wear a class ring as an adult and considers Columbia PFG button ups as Monday dress attire then go ahead.. not to mention the weirdness of 'Yell Leaders'.

Already had this conversation with my wife.. if we're still in Houston (or Texas for that matter) when our kids graduate... we will both do anything in our power to convince them not to go to A&M.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Tell your son to watch this and ask himself if he wants to be associated with that.
View attachment 19745

 

[dorndawg]

My son has basically narrowed his colleges to TX A&M and MSU. MSU has come through with good scholarship money, but A&M has not (they don't have to). Do the engineers on here feel that MSU Engineering is as marketable as it has been in the past? It would save Dad a lot of money, but I want him to get great opportunities with his degree also. In Houston, A&M engineers are everywhere.

Thanks

Not joining a cult, that's gotta be worth something.

 

[Upyurs]

Totally agree with those that have stressed work ethic. Will take you much further than any level of education. I’ll take an Ole Miss engineer with work ethic over a lazy MSU or AM grad, any day. In fact I have one working for me right now. Fantastic employee.

 

[SheltonChoked]

My son has basically narrowed his colleges to TX A&M and MSU. MSU has come through with good scholarship money, but A&M has not (they don't have to). Do the engineers on here feel that MSU Engineering is as marketable as it has been in the past? It would save Dad a lot of money, but I want him to get great opportunities with his degree also. In Houston, A&M engineers are everywhere.

Thanks

An MSU and an A&M engineer are going to make the same money, at the same jobs. With one, he'll have little to no student loan debt. With the other he'll have a lot?

The only difference in the schools is A&M has more engineering students than MSU has students.

 

[dog12]

Tell you son to watch this and ask himself if he wants to be associated with that.
View attachment 19745

WTF!?

That is supremely 17'ed up.

Are those men?

If any of you ever catch me doing anything like that, then please do me a favor and blow my brains out . . . double tap, to make sure.

 

[dorndawg]

Totally agree with those that have stressed work ethic. Will take you much further than any level of education. I’ll take an Ole Miss engineer with work ethic over a lazy MSU or AM grad, any day. In fact I have one working for me right now. Fantastic employee.

Salts the fries right & makes sure there's a few at the bottom of the bag, huh?*

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Agree, although I've struck out with UM engineers. But I've only had a couple. Had very good luck with MSU, Auburn, Georgia Tech and LSU guys. Alabama engineers have always been marginal in my circles. I mean they were OK, but not same caliber as the other schools.

 

[TrueMaroonGrind]

Agree, although I've struck out with UM engineers. But I've only had a couple. Had very good luck with MSU, Auburn, Georgia Tech and LSU guys. Alabama engineers have always been marginal in my circles. I mean they were OK, but not same caliber as the other schools.

Alabama does a phenomenal job of marketing their graduates. Their capstone program plus working on soft skills and resume before graduation really helps their students out. MSU was trying to catch up as I was leaving, but having just a couple of mandatory resume reviews would have helped me tremendously. I know I should have seeked them out, but you don’t know what you don’t know.

 

[cindy.sixpack]

We live in Austin, and my husband has a BS in Electrical Engineering and a MS in Computational Engineering from MSU. He's currently working at Facebook for Oculus doing virtual reality development. For him it hasn't been about who he knows, it's about what he knows.

Our youngest is starting at MSU in the summer for software engineering. He chose MSU rather than try to get in to TAMU AND get the engineering that he wants. I've seen too many smart kids get their second choice, which feels like a waste to me. The middle child has joined that TAMU cult though, but not in engineering. Maybe it's the timing, but I'm still waiting to see how that Aggie Network is an advantage for anything.

 

[memphisbulldog]

I am an MSU mechanical engineering graduate. I went to a six-month training with 40 engineers from all over the country and all over the world. I was top of the class.

 

[Snave]

Could get a BS at state and a MS at TAMU and skate cheap for both, but they will have to work as a TA during the MS to get a free ride.

 

[Apoplectic_Objurgator]

An MSU and an A&M engineer are going to make the same money, at the same jobs. With one, he'll have little to no student loan debt. With the other he'll have a lot?

The only difference in the schools is A&M has more engineering students than MSU has students.

Agree

 

[was21]

Just curious. How does a BS degree in mechanical engineering from Louisiana Tech rank, just generally?

 

[Shmuley]

Y'all some smart MFers in that family.

 

[paindonthurt_]

This is a good answer.

If dad is willing to put half of what aTm would cost into sons account while going to state, he’ll be a real white privileged situation upon graduation.

I’d take it and feel good abt it a hundred times.

I’ve got an ME degree at state. Could have worked for schlumberger or baker Hughes out of college.

Work for an engineering firm now with 70 plus engineers many of them from Waterloo in Canada. If he has experience, work ethic, a decent gpa and a personality, he’ll be able to find a great job when graduating.

 

[RocketDawg]

The "spin" move with the hand wave sorta tops it all off.

Do they have normal female cheerleaders at all? I don't remember ever seeing any.

 

[paindonthurt_]

If you are ranking them side by side, definitely lower.
If you graduate with coops, internships, work ethic, decent gpa and a personality? Abt the same.

 

[o_fredgarvin]

He will get job offers either as a State grad or an A&M grad. He will get more companies to choose from nationwide as an A&M grad