UCSB Mechanical Engineering - PhD Fall 2014

[finallyagradstudent]

Hi everyone, 

 

I am seriously considering attending UCSB for fall of 2014, but I am wondering about that my stipend. I know that the grad student life is not supposed to be luxurious, yet I can help but think that I might be getting short changed considering the cost of living in Santa Barbara. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to discuss the financial package that was offered to them by UCSB. Personally my stipend would amount to $25k a year, which isn't terrible I am just curious if this is what everyone else received. 

 

Thanks,

 

 

[tvorimir]

Hi,

 

I have almost the same offer, or maybe exactly the same offer, - something about $2k/month. Since I am literally from the opposite side of the Earth, I don't know how much it is for the life in SB (and in other parts of America as well), but as far as I know it is a typical funding package for American graduate students.

There is another thing I am wondering about - I am confused a bit about university rankings: while Times (20 in Eng&Tech worldwide) and phds.org (5-16 in ME) rank UCSB pretty high and USN places it on 26 in ME and on 19 in Eng (which also seems not bad) - QS ranks it only as 151-200 in mechanical engineering.

[TheMostPowerfulApplicant]

UCSB Mechanical is respectable program, but getting a job afterwards might be more difficult compared to other higher ranked schools.

 

I think this is the case because mechanical engineering jobs is in much less demand theses days.

[Shijieren]

Congrats! I also submitted application to the program, but I still hear nothing from them...

[CJim]

Don't worry about rankings, there is a reason they are so inconsistent. Companies in CA know UCSB and recruit from there. This is not a university to worry about.

[finallyagradstudent]

I agree, the school is excellent and particularly for MEMS (which is what I want to specialize in).  

[clandry]

I think this is the case because mechanical engineering jobs is in much less demand theses days.

lol...

Want to give us the source of this info?