America or Australia? (1 Viewer)

[sasha831]

Hello,

I am going to be finishing school soon, and have started looking towards different universities, with the hopes of doing an Engineering degree.

I have bit of a crossroads, with 2 major options, both of which have their merits and I cannot decide the better one:
I am considering applying to a high end university in America, most likely MIT, though possibly CalTech or Stanford. The other option is ofcourse staying here in Melbourne and applying for the University of Melbourne. I have compiled the following list of Pro's and Con's for both, and would like some advice:

MIT:
-Superior Education
-More Freedom (Away from parents)

Melbourne University:
-Located at home
-Friends and Family all here
-Lower Drinking Age
-Decent Education

(Yes, the enjoyment and fun are also important to me)

From this, it seems I am throwing up a better education up against home, friends, family and the like. After graduating, I plan on moving back here to Australia regardless of job offers or the country in which I studied.

So my question is, how much better is the education at MIT, will it make a difference later in life, and is it worth leaving friends and family behind for it?

For further education, I am planning on getting a Masters after my bachelor, no sure whether I would do it at MIT or in Melbourne Uni, even if I got my bachelor at MIT. I also see a PHD as a big possibility, though that will definitely happen back here at Melbourne Uni

Many Thanks!

 

[kalstar]

MIT sounds overrated, but America should be good fun.

 

[Queenroot]

Don't go to Murica' unless you want to get shot

 

[isildurrrr1]

MIT sounds overrated, but America should be good fun.

...

MIT overrated?

lolwat...

If you go to MIT, you will never ever need to line up for jobs. Jobs fucking line up for you. You will be amongst the best and BRIGHTEST in the world. You will feel at times inadequate since everyone there is UBER successful.

here's a sample student who most likely won't get in (weak SAT scores)

Asian
1st generation college student
3.945 (UW), 6.745 (Local Weighted)
Ranked 4th in the school (Local Weighted GPA is very competitive, 1st is at a 7.2 atm)
Non-International Baccalaureate Student (I attend an IB School, where IB students attain higher local weighted GPAs than non-IB students)
SAT Score: 1930 (RMW: 630, 710, 590) (Going to take it for a 3rd time following the summer)
ACT Score: Pending
SAT Subjects: Math Level 1: 780
Math Level 2: 800
Physics: 670 (Awaiting Retake Score)
Chemistry: Awaiting Score
United States History: Awaiting Score
13 AP Classes Taken (So Far):
Freshman Year: Environmental Science(4), Macroeconomics(3), Microeconomics(4)
Sophomore Year: Chemistry (4), European History (2), Human Geography (4)
Junior Year: United States History, United States Government and Politics, Calculus AB, Physics B, Physics C, Statistics, English Language and Composition
298 Community Service Hours at the Moment (45 additional hours need to be inputted, and more hours on the way)
Officer Positions:
Vice President of Bonanza in Math Club
Treasurer in HOSA
Treasurer in EHS
Historian in NHS
Projected to be an Officer in Science Honor Society

That just shows how hard MIT is. I have a friend who went there for an MBA (he was engineer previously) because he was a fucking smart black guy. He pretty much got a job with intel instantly when he grad.

If you get into MIT, fucking do it. Top engineering school in the world. Shit you would never even touch in Australia. The amount of resources and knowledge they have is insane.

edit: also hope you have enough money to pay in case you don't have a scholarship. I doubt banks in aus are willing to shell out 40k a year for your uni degree in america.

 

[someth1ng]

...

MIT overrated?

lolwat...

If you go to MIT, you will never ever need to line up for jobs. Jobs fucking line up for you. You will be amongst the best and BRIGHTEST in the world. You will feel at times inadequate since everyone there is UBER successful.

here's a sample student who most likely won't get in (weak SAT scores)


That just shows how hard MIT is. I have a friend who went there for an MBA (he was engineer previously) because he was a fucking smart black guy. He pretty much got a job with intel instantly when he grad.

If you get into MIT, fucking do it. Top engineering school in the world. Shit you would never even touch in Australia. The amount of resources and knowledge they have is insane.

edit: also hope you have enough money to pay in case you don't have a scholarship. I doubt banks in aus are willing to shell out 40k a year for your uni degree in america.

Pretty much this guy.

The only thing I disagree with is the "fucking do it" part which is somewhat situational - if you can afford it, by all means but if you can't, it's best to stay in Australia, do undergrad here and hope you can get a postgrad place somewhere nice.

 

[pHyRe]

...

MIT overrated?

lolwat...

If you go to MIT, you will never ever need to line up for jobs. Jobs fucking line up for you. You will be amongst the best and BRIGHTEST in the world. You will feel at times inadequate since everyone there is UBER successful.

here's a sample student who most likely won't get in (weak SAT scores)


That just shows how hard MIT is. I have a friend who went there for an MBA (he was engineer previously) because he was a fucking smart black guy. He pretty much got a job with intel instantly when he grad.

If you get into MIT, fucking do it. Top engineering school in the world. Shit you would never even touch in Australia. The amount of resources and knowledge they have is insane.

edit: also hope you have enough money to pay in case you don't have a scholarship. I doubt banks in aus are willing to shell out 40k a year for your uni degree in america.

that's a pretty weak SAT score, im not surprised he didnt get in. AP scores are pretty poor too, he's got a lot but they're not great at all. 2s and 3s is pretty much in an instant reject from MIT. oh also he's asian which makes a difference of like 100-200 SAT points (out of 2400) in the states

but yea, biggest thing to consider is the money. it's 10k here, 40k a year there. Plus accommodation (10k a year).

i applied to about 7 schools in the states, only got into one in the end (UCLA) most likely because of poor class ranks at a top 10 school. Usually the best schools in America don't give class ranks, they just give lots of As to people (which is fair enough cause those schools are quite smart) and also universities know of them already. So if OP wants any help then shoot me a PM and ill try to help out.

 

[isildurrrr1]

that's a pretty weak SAT score, im not surprised he didnt get in. AP scores are pretty poor too, he's got a lot but they're not great at all. 2s and 3s is pretty much in an instant reject from MIT. oh also he's asian which makes a difference of like 100-200 SAT points (out of 2400) in the states

but yea, biggest thing to consider is the money. it's 10k here, 40k a year there. Plus accommodation (10k a year).

i applied to about 7 schools in the states, only got into one in the end (UCLA) most likely because of poor class ranks at a top 10 school. Usually the best schools in America don't give class ranks, they just give lots of As to people (which is fair enough cause those schools are quite smart) and also universities know of them already. So if OP wants any help then shoot me a PM and ill try to help out.

That's one major flaw of US HS system, it's non-standardized to the point where its heavily reliant on SAT and AP scores (done by a private corporation) to determine quality of applicant. One exam doesn't mean everything and every tom dick and harry has a 4.0 GPA as well, hence the push for uber extracurriculars and top range marks and a sad story of their life.

A degree from MIT is definitely worth the cost in my opinion. Come out of uni with at least a 80k per year job lined up for you. CSIRO would probably try and snatch you as well, not to mention all the top tier R&D firms.

 

[Kiraken]

MIT sounds overrated, but America should be good fun.

This post should be ignored

 

[obliviousninja]

Dont doubt the new south

 

[emilyjay]

Have you already organised everything to go to the University? Because generally there are prerequisites, needs that must be met, specific conversations, SATs/ACTs that need to be sat and a requirement met, discussions about cost and pay, and much more.
If you've already looked into all this then I would reckon to head overseas, you can just try and see if you like it before heading back here on a transfer!

 

[nerdasdasd]

Don't go to America . Too dangerous..... So many gun massacres

 

[rumbleroar]

Don't go to America . Too dangerous..... So many gun massacres

Wtf have you actually been to America before? You realise a lot of things in the news are sensationalised right?

 

[nerdasdasd]

Wtf have you actually been to America before? You realise a lot of things in the news are sensationalised right?

Regardless of sensationalism.

Gun massacres still happen

 

[braintic]

The problem with America - its full of Americans.

 

[isildurrrr1]

Regardless of sensationalism.

Gun massacres still happen

So do terrorist attacks. Doesn't stop me from visiting London or Madrid.

 

[Queenroot]

So do terrorist attacks. Doesn't stop me from visiting London or Madrid.

Everyone don't own a bomb in those countries

 

[RenegadeMx]

have fun with ur americans

 

[bangladesh]

So do terrorist attacks. Doesn't stop me from visiting London or Madrid.

lol, you're a very very thick human being

 

[pHyRe]

So do terrorist attacks. Doesn't stop me from visiting London or Madrid.

didnt realise 30,000 people die every year form terrorist attacks in the UK and spain.

 

[isildurrrr1]

didnt realise 30,000 people die every year form terrorist attacks in the UK and spain.

Don't go to shitty neighborhoods and you'd be fine. There were school shootings in Norway and Germany but it doesn't stop people from living there right?

30,000 deaths a year in a country of 300 million. You have better odds of being hit by a bus than getting shot in a school shooting.