The University of Texas - Arlington

Date: Aug 17 2008
Major: Computer Engineering (This Major's Salary over time)
Im a CSE transfer student age 22- my ranking is listed as senior via hours, and I have about 2 years left before I graduate, also im a 8 year resident of the DFW area. For me UTA is OK..but not outstanding.

Class wise difficulty and relevance increase as you scale up with regards to your degree. Freshmen classs do come off as completely pointless at times, while most of the upper level ones seem to give you a fair bit of relevant work. Professor wise, the CSE department degree really has two classes of professors; the old school guys who are hyper intellectuals who have been there forever, and the ones who the cat dragged in. Old school professors are hit and miss, some really use there talents to teach you law of the land and give you the skills necessary, while others are literally just there to hate your existence until they retire (there names are legendary). As for the cat, well a significant portion of CSE professors havent been there for that long. This set would be comprised of grad students, newly minted professors, and newly hired professors. Again these people are hit and miss as well. While some strive for education excellence, others fall short due a severe lack of teaching competence with regards to conveying what they know to others. Also, I should point out, that there are ton of foreign professors at UTA. The CSE department is a regular UN, However, dont be put off by it. Many of the foreign ones are extremely good, but getting use to all the accents and ideology is a bit daunting. Also should you survive to graduate, the pay off comes when you get your job out there in the real world, average starting salary value among past grads in CSE is very good.

Now campus wise, I am one of the many who commute. I dont live on campus, I live 20+ miles north west of UTA, and for good reason. Firstly, the campus is OK, it has its perks. Lots of trees, green grass, nice waterfall by the science building, but it could be way better. Its more like a complex of high rise office buildings than anything else. Also, the campus is surrounded by a city that is now in shambles. Torn to shreds by many recent/major city construction projects, its become an unimaginable hassle navigating the area near the university. Moreover, did I mention a major 4 lane road rips right through the center of campus splitting it into two distinct halfs! AND! cause of all of this, the smog is thick and the traffic noise is beyond daunting! Peace and tranquility, UTA has little of. There are other problems as well: 1. Not nearly enough parking, 2. Small campus police force, 3. Lackluster security protocols and control, 4. Moderate crime from the city spilling on to campus, 5. A bureaucratic, state styled system of management, not capable of streamlining it self to adequately handle the capacity of trying to be a “major university. 6. way too many old irrelevant/abandoned buildings that need to be torn down near the campus.

Now social life wise, I came UTA because I just wanted a CSE degree with out the hassle of relocating another sector of Texas, im not into the “experience of college. I could care less, I work too, and I graded HS in the top 10.2%!, So for me the lack luster student social unity part works great! As for athletics, they just spent a cool couple million rebuilding the Rec center,..and there is a big green park near by…

But yea its OK, not outstanding at the moment, it is what you make of it, in short UTA is big on engineering and is the land of the GEEKS!…but if your looking for that Aggie/Austin partying this! Is! College! Life! Exp. wOO foot ball games!..you will be disappointedguaranteed