[mad68rs]

The last post from Blackhawk captured much of what I was going to add to this thread. As he said, there has already been a lot of great advice so I will try not to do too much repeating.

My background is as a ME that has worked in aerospace, automotive (GM), and nuclear weapons. In college, I was VP of the SAE Chapter and Team Lead of FSAE. I also worked as a Machine Shop Technician and Supervisor. I had several jobs and internships that greatly enhanced my college academics. I kept a high gpa and graduated from a great school. I’m still on the younger side of the engineering spectrum.

I would say to try to go to the best school that you can. I think of going to college as an investment. You have to consider the total cost and return on that investment. Then make the best decision on what you know at the time. The most sought after companies recruit from the most sought after schools. Having a high gpa from a top school with extra curricular’s related to your major or interest will give you the most opportunities starting out. Companies will mostly likely pay you more and compete to employ you.

There are a lot of factors when choosing a school. Cost, location, programs, etc. Luckily, there are a lot of high quality engineering schools scattered across the country. If there is a specific place or industry you are interested in working in, I would follow Mark’s advice in asking HR what schools they recruit from.

I know Mark pretty well. He’s a pretty big deal in the pro-touring community for his stand out cars, but he’s also a pretty big deal at GM for being a very talented engineer, manager, driver, and leader. He does a lot of recruiting for GM, so he knows what hiring managers are looking for. He’s also very approachable and one of the nicest people you will meet. Have fun chatting with him.

When I’m interviewing engineers, I like to see some work experience. I come from a blue-collar background and one of my first jobs was bagging groceries. It taught me as a shy high school kid how to approach and talk to people from all walks of life. It’s proven to be a valuable asset.

Lastly, depending on what field of engineering you are interested in working in, most are not done “everywhere”. Many engineering fields will require you to relocate unless there is work in your home town. This can be tough for some people and something to keep in mind.

Hopefully this is helpful, and let me know if you have any questions.