What sucks about the University of Dayton?

Electrical Engineering senior/Grad student and TA for freshman / sophomore CPS classes here, wall of text inbound....

TL; DR: it is the best of times, it was the worst of times, I wouldn't change much. Also the community and peer camaraderie is unbeatable at any other University.

Start with computer Engineering, you get to do more cool shit, guaranteed job on graduation(100% employment /Grad school continuation rate since 2008 fit the ECE department), and much better pay. From what I have experienced, if you want to fix other people's code, fix back end errors, figure out how to optimize code for specific functions, or write user interfaces, pick CPS. If you want to make cool new shit from the ground up, literally build a processor through a operating system and beyond, use microcontrollers in ways hobbyist only dream of, design/ set up server / computer networks large and small, and be able to do more than sit in a room and code, pick computer engineering. If you want to do all of the above, but less theory and design with more hands on experience pick Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology.

The professors at UD I the ECE, ECT, and CPS department rock. The major major majority ECE professors all teach undergraduate and grad classes, and do research, and will do almost everything in their power to make sure you learn if you want to( but they will not guarantee you pass all the time). In the Ece department in particular expect routine test averages of 10-50 out of 100 with interesting curves in some classes, while 80-100 averages in others,; sometimes projects/homework will boost your grade, sometimes homework is worth so little that it isn't even worth doing. I got a B+ in our emag class and I worked my ass off so hard for it, my score out of 100 for the semester was a 30; everyone got a B unless they outright failed or worked their ass of like me. I got an A in another class without trying because the professor gave everyone an A as long as they attempted some of the test, he said it was up to us if we wanted to learn but he would not be responsible for wrecking our GPA (precious to so few of the people in the department). The ECE department schedules all your required classes on the same days, you will be with the same 20-40 people for almost all of your ECE classes for 4 years in the same 4 rooms on the same Tuesday/Thursdays, from 8/9/10am to 5/6 pm. You will ha e 17 or 18 credit hours each semester until your senior year, then you get 16( but with a senior design course that take about 20 hour 's a week). You will get in the engineering department, and see what in the CPS department, they don't give you homework for you to practice what you learned, they gave you homework to force you to learn what they can't teach because it is nearly impossible to get some of the concepts across. In ECE: You will have homework taking 3-8 hours to do, for every class, times 5 classes, due on the same Tuesday /Thursday, every week, the whole semester. You will have at least one formal lab report due every week, or every other week; you will not understand the labs until your senior year because they are weeks ahead of the class(we are working on that). You will have several test on the same day, professors will talk to each other and you to try to make it two or less in the same if day if possible, but I have had 4 in a row before a break once (shit happens).

Regardless, reach out to the local IEEE Student Branch at the schools you are applying to and talk to some real students about whatever. There are generally students at involved at every level, first years to graduating PhD candidates , who can give you their 'two cents'. You can check out the [UD branch here](udayton.orgsync.com/org/ieee).

As for the whole non drinking thing: I have the tolerance of a 300ft godzilla so I don't drink except for the taste or when my student do stupid shit on their test (I would go broke before I get drunk). As such I like chilling with friends for movie nights, homemade baking and pizza parties, playing video games or board games with them, or just generally chillaxin'. No one ever forces you to drink, those that try to do so are often looked down upon by others; sometimes the best laugh is staying sober and watching the drunks do stupid shit. As long as you stay safe the cops and other student leave you alone, if you become a danger to yourself or others expect your peers and the cops to step in and make sure you sober up and stay safe.

In all Dayton is my real home, I love the people I met, love the professors I had, and love the majority of what I learned. Is it a metric fuck tone of work, hell yes, did I sleep much, hell no, would I have done it any different if I had a choice, absolutely fucking not.

/r/uofdayton Thread Parent