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Page Hometown » Utah
Posted: 7/8/2016 7:46:50 PM EDT
My son is interested in the one of engineering programs at the University of Utah. He’s my oldest and the first to head off to college. He’s a good kid, solid grades and “right” thinking. He has grown up in semi-rural Ohio and enjoys the outdoors. He wants to do the NROTC program and noted the university has a shooting team. We have done all the normal research and plan on flying out for a campus tour. The wife and I are a little concerned about him going to college so far away but he functions well on his own.

Has anyone here attended the university, particularly one of the engineering programs? What’s the street view of the college and is there anything we should pay attention to during the visit?
Link Posted: 7/9/2016 10:48:23 AM EDT
[#1]
Link Posted: 7/9/2016 9:09:40 PM EDT
[#2]
I graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Biology and then an MD from the School of Medicine.



I lived on campus the first year, and then shared an old house with a few guys for my other 3 years of undergrad.




My oldest daughter is starting at the U next month. They've greatly expanded the number of dorms available and they're much nicer. The dining hall options are much nicer too.




I don't know a lot about the engineering program, although I had a good number of friends who were enrolled in them.




As Medicman noted, parking sucks. It has since my parents went there in the 70s. The parking enforcement officers are ruthless and even my mother, an extremely nice woman, refers to them as the parking nazis.




Part of your tuition covers an unlimited pass to use the UTA bus and Trax system, which is a very good idea.




I took a shooting class at the U and we shot in either the Navy building or the Military Science building. It was a blast. I don't know if you can go there to recreationally shoot or not.




Is he a freshman? I'd live in the dorms the first year, which will also give him time to look around the neighborhood and decide if he wants to rent his own place the next year. The dorms will be full of people from all parts of the country.




Also, concealed carry is permitted at the U, if you have a permit. The U absolutely hates it, but the legislature has slapped them down again and again.
Link Posted: 7/11/2016 12:28:01 PM EDT
[#3]
I know some people who went through the engineering program--they liked it. Very nice facility. Also, the U has its own nuclear reactor which is pretty neat. They use it for all kinds of research (it's in the engineering building).

As noted above, student ID gets you on the bus and Trax for "free". That's a huge savings in gas and parking. Also, a lot of people conceal carry on campus which is a huge advantage.

The school has a very nice campus and most of my professors have been outstanding. I hate when they try to push their own political / personal agendas and I haven't run into that here.

I really cannot think of a negative about the U, other than possibly tuition cost. Not sure how it compares to others universities.

Not that it really matters in this situation but the U also has very good law and medical programs.

This seems like a huge benefit for an engineering student as well: http://lassonde.utah.edu/
Link Posted: 7/11/2016 6:56:02 PM EDT
[#4]
Thanks All!!

This info has been very helpful. We plan on flying out in August. We will let you know how it does....
Link Posted: 7/11/2016 11:20:15 PM EDT
[#5]
Link Posted: 7/11/2016 11:42:41 PM EDT
[#6]
Yeah. The nuclear engineering and electrical engineering guys always knew all the Homer Simpson references.
Link Posted: 7/14/2016 11:55:42 AM EDT
[#7]
I did undergrad and grad school at the U. I was also on the pistol team. He should take the pistol marksmanship class then talk with the coach about joining the pistol team. It's bullseye style pistol shooting, not tactical shooting. Members of the team would get together and do the tactical matches though. The range is in the basement of the Naval Science building. A new range in one of the engineering buildings being built has been in the works for years, don't know the status anymore.

I didn't live on campus. The U is a commuter school. Something like 60% of the student body lives off campus. Parking is a PITA and traffic along Foothill Dr. can get heavy but it's really only around certain time. Waiting 15 minutes can have a big affect on what you encounter.

I know many employed engineers from there. Around campus is very safe. The biggest crime is bike and computer theft type stuff on campus.
Link Posted: 7/30/2016 4:31:07 PM EDT
[#8]
If your son is going to live off campus make sure he applies for a UTA (Utah Transit Authority) pass through the school. The cost is minimal, or it may even be free to full time students. The pass will let him ride any bus or the TRAX  line (commuter rail) down to where there is some decent shopping, and into downtown SLC.  If he has a bike tell him to take it with him.  The busses all have carriers for bikes, and he can take his bike on the TRAX line.
Link Posted: 7/30/2016 6:45:49 PM EDT
[#9]

Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


If your son is going to live off campus make sure he applies for a UTA (Utah Transit Authority) pass through the school. The cost is minimal, or it may even be free to full time students. The pass will let him ride any bus or the TRAX  line (commuter rail) down to where there is some decent shopping, and into downtown SLC.  If he has a bike tell him to take it with him.  The busses all have carriers for bikes, and he can take his bike on the TRAX line.
View Quote




 
Free for full time students (free, as in you already paid for it with your tuition). It's a great value. Definitely use it.
Link Posted: 8/1/2016 5:32:45 PM EDT
[#10]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

  Free for full time students (free, as in you already paid for it with your tuition). It's a great value. Definitely use it.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
If your son is going to live off campus make sure he applies for a UTA (Utah Transit Authority) pass through the school. The cost is minimal, or it may even be free to full time students. The pass will let him ride any bus or the TRAX  line (commuter rail) down to where there is some decent shopping, and into downtown SLC.  If he has a bike tell him to take it with him.  The busses all have carriers for bikes, and he can take his bike on the TRAX line.

  Free for full time students (free, as in you already paid for it with your tuition). It's a great value. Definitely use it.



No need to apply. School ID is your bus pass. Tap on, tap off.
Link Posted: 9/23/2016 10:44:40 PM EDT
[#11]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I did undergrad and grad school at the U. I was also on the pistol team. He should take the pistol marksmanship class then talk with the coach about joining the pistol team. It's bullseye style pistol shooting, not tactical shooting. Members of the team would get together and do the tactical matches though. The range is in the basement of the Naval Science building. A new range in one of the engineering buildings being built has been in the works for years, don't know the status anymore.

I didn't live on campus. The U is a commuter school. Something like 60% of the student body lives off campus. Parking is a PITA and traffic along Foothill Dr. can get heavy but it's really only around certain time. Waiting 15 minutes can have a big affect on what you encounter.

I know many employed engineers from there. Around campus is very safe. The biggest crime is bike and computer theft type stuff on campus.
View Quote


I also shot on the pistol team there, but not for very long.  Was Matt DeLong the coach when you were there?  I graduated 10 years ago with a degree in Civil Engineering.

I don't know if the OP stated what kind of engineering they are looking at but I know the faculty had little respect for the faculty at the computer science department.  Mostly because of the culture at the time was to weed out all the students they could.  I had a job in grad school doing some programming and I asked if I could take some programming classes to count towards my degree and everyone from the dean on down told me to stay away from the comp-sci guys.  That was 10 years ago.

Link Posted: 9/30/2016 1:03:20 PM EDT
[#12]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I also shot on the pistol team there, but not for very long.  Was Matt DeLong the coach when you were there?  I graduated 10 years ago with a degree in Civil Engineering.

I don't know if the OP stated what kind of engineering they are looking at but I know the faculty had little respect for the faculty at the computer science department.  Mostly because of the culture at the time was to weed out all the students they could.  I had a job in grad school doing some programming and I asked if I could take some programming classes to count towards my degree and everyone from the dean on down told me to stay away from the comp-sci guys.  That was 10 years ago.

View Quote


Yes Matt was the coach at the time. 12 years ago for me.
Link Posted: 10/3/2016 4:54:33 PM EDT
[#13]
We have the trip scheduled - flying out on Friday 21Oct arriving in the morning, doing the campus tour and meetings on Saturday morning - then driving up to the University of Idaho to repeat the process on Monday . He is leaning more toward civil engineering but that is still open.

Any interesting places around campus to eat or things we should see within walking distance of campus.

Thanks for all the comments, he is excited - Mom and Dad are nervous.
Link Posted: 10/3/2016 10:41:18 PM EDT
[#14]
Link Posted: 10/3/2016 10:50:51 PM EDT
[#15]






Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
We have the trip scheduled - flying out on Friday 21Oct arriving in the morning, doing the campus tour and meetings on Saturday morning - then driving up to the University of Idaho to repeat the process on Monday . He is leaning more toward civil engineering but that is still open.
Any interesting places around campus to eat or things we should see within walking distance of campus.
Thanks for all the comments, he is excited - Mom and Dad are nervous.
View Quote
If you want to do something just for fun, go to the Natural History Museum. It's near the Red Butte Gardens which are adjacent to the U of U campus. Beautiful area. Ought to be some great scenery there in October.

 













Take a tour of the Honors dorms and student center near the TRAX station. They're quite impressive. And the Lassonde studios look really cool, but really expensive too.








If you have time and want to shop, take TRAX downtown to City Creek center. It's a huge, upscale, indoor/outdoor shopping area. If you're downtown, go visit Temple Square (which is adjacent to City Creek). The Temple and the Conference Center are both world famous, and you don't have to join up with us Mormons just to do the tour.








Too bad you can't see a football game. They're at UCLA that weekend.






 
 
 
 





My daughter is now 6 weeks into her Freshman year and absolutely loving it. She's only been home twice (on a couple of Sunday evenings). I guess that means she likes it, but dear old Dad would like to see her a bit more.


 
Link Posted: 10/4/2016 8:36:36 AM EDT
[#16]
Pie Pizza gets my vote. I always get the BBQ chicken. Be warned...the cheese is thicker than the crust.

I mentioned it earlier, but you really should check out the new Lassonde building. It's amazing. DIY heaven.
Link Posted: 11/1/2016 8:47:24 PM EDT
[#17]
We had the big trip to University of Utah, Beautiful campus, everything looked new and shiny. The scheduled visit was different than what we expected - more of a high end production. Large number of kids (1000+?) split into groups to attend 4 sessions out of 20 to choice from. Slick videos and the tour ended at the bookstore (gift shop). No face time with any professors and the Army & Navy ROTC was not present.

He has applied but Utah went from his #1 choice to just a top 5 choice after the visit. I didn't get a great feeling for the place but he may going there not me.

The pizza place was great along with Big Ed's. SLC appeared to be really nice clean city.
Link Posted: 1/5/2017 11:30:33 PM EDT
[#18]
I graduated in 03 with a BS in Political Science.  Ended up getting an MA at George Mason.  I was married while going to the U so I dont know what life is like being under my parent's wing, free n single. clubs close kind of early in SLC.  Did you get to eat at the Training Table?
Link Posted: 3/10/2017 3:16:22 PM EDT
[#19]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I graduated in 03 with a BS in Political Science.  Ended up getting an MA at George Mason.  I was married while going to the U so I dont know what life is like being under my parent's wing, free n single. clubs close kind of early in SLC.  Did you get to eat at the Training Table?
View Quote
The Training Tables have all closed. It's gone.
Link Posted: 3/19/2017 4:45:57 PM EDT
[#20]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
The Training Tables have all closed. It's gone.
View Quote
I have been gone since 2005.  But at least UT now has In-n-Out and 5 Guys.
Link Posted: 3/20/2017 6:14:38 PM EDT
[#21]
And Culver's, and Freddy's, and some fantastic other local burger joints. Still have Crown, Astro, and Apollo.
Page Hometown » Utah
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