Freakout #38214:UCLA vs UC Davis for MS in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering

[gkong88]

Hey everyone. First post here, I've been lurking for a while now trying to glean whatever useful information I can from other threads. I'm still having a hard time deciding so I figured I might as well make a thread.

I've been accepted into UC Davis and UCLA to pursue a MS in MAE engineering with an emphasis on solid and structural mechanics. Afterwards I hope to work in the aerospace field designing aerospace structures. I received full funding from UC Davis for my first year (tuition waived + $12,000 stipend) and I received no funding from UCLA, so I'd have to take $34,000 in loans, mostly unsubsidized and maybe hopefully down the line get a TA/RA position. I went to UC Davis as an undergrad and I had a pretty good experience. Going back to Davis would be easy because it is familiar, but getting a fresh start at LA would be nice as well.

UCLA definitely has more clout than Davis in general but its hard to weigh that against funding; it seems like apples and oranges :-\. My main concern is which school would best help me find a job afterward. Due to a terrible lack of foresight, I have no intern experience/research experience and I'm having a real hard time finding a job (until going back to school). LA is also closer to where a lot of aerospace companies are in SoCal.

Anybody from UCLA know how helpful the UCLA career center is in finding work?

Is UCLA's reputation worth enough on the job market to undertake 30,000 in loans? Anyone from UCLA have any insight on obtaining a TA/RA position?

This post is kind of mess, much like my thought process right now, but any kind of insight on either schools would be appreciated. I'm pretty torn between the two right now, and I'm starting to feel like I shouldn't have procrastinated on making a decision, haha.