How important is your technical degree college choice?

[T_Hill]

I'm trying to decide on a school in my area (San Diego) to go to for an Electrical Engineering degree, so that I can then take the patent bar.

Here are my choices so far:

• University of California: San Diego (UCSD). Top of Tier 1.
• University of San Diego (USD). Bottom of Tier 1.
• San Diego State University (SDSU). Tier 4.
• Various San Diego community colleges (to get a brunt of the credits).

Do patent attorney employers put great emphasis on the school that the technical degree was obtained from? I am most attracted to SDSU, but I don't want to cripple myself.

Another thing to consider is that I graduated from a Tier 4 law school. I was wondering if a Tier 1 EE school would help balance-out some of the tarnish from my law school.

Any thoughts?

[landonew]

From what i have read it can be fairly difficult to get into IP unless you graduate from a tier 1 school.  I am graduating from University of Alabama (T1) in december and I have not been able to find a job yet do to my medicore class rank (top 50%).  I haven't passed the patent bar yet, so that probably hasn't helped.  Regardless, from my admitadely limited understanding of the industry, it is still a difficult sector to get your foot in the door.

That being said, I would definately suggest that you attend the BEST program you are accepted to.  The quality of the departments, in EE especially, will have a material affect on the quality of education you recieve.  The better rated departments typically have larger endowements and can afford the expensive lab equipment.  If you are considering pursuing a masters, as you mentioned in another post, then you will have a wider array of options when it becomes time to choose your thesis if your program has the proper equipment.   
 

[Upnorthguy]

I think landonew leaves something out of his first line...
"t can be fairly difficult to get into IP" at a top firm with top pay (i.e. $160k/year) "unless you graduate from a tier 1 school." (my added text in bold)

Anyone could hang their shingle and start doing IP work, so it isn't hard to get into it...

Some IP firms require you to include a copy of your undergrad transcript with applications, some don't.  Getting into the best EE program you can never hurts, but as long as they are ABET accredited, you should be fine. Where do you want to practice (CA somewhere?)?  How are the schools viewed in that area?  If you aren't going to practice near those schools, their reps might be lost.  I'd bet most people around the country have heard of the three schools you named (UCSD, USD, SDSU) and likely couldn't tell you what their ranking was (unless you are talking to someone in another EE undergrad program). 

I don't think a "better" school for your new EE is going to shine up your T4 law degree that much.

I don't know what you need to get your EE, but if you need any foundational courses in math and physics (stuff that is typically part of the first two years in a four year EE program) I would take it at a community college (cheaper) and then transfer it into the EE program of your choice.   If you have those courses out of way already, then just dig in for the upper division EE stuff you need.

You should also do some searching with your law school career office- have them see if there are any patent attorneys that went to the schools you are a looking at.  Try and track these attorneys down and pick their brains about EE undergrad choice.  You won't be in the exact same boat because you are getting your EE after your JD, but it still could give you some insight.

[T_Hill]

Thank you guys for the very helpful responses. Your opinions have lined up with another couple lawyers I've been speaking with.

Upnorthguy, I am going to practice here. At least, that's the present plan. Turns out USD has a great engineering school, and I'll most likely be going there. In fact, UCSD and SDU ended up not even being options, as I am going to explain in the other post.

Very good point on the CC courses. I've found about 6 CC's in the area already, so it will just be a matter of making sure the credits will transfer. USD is EXPENSIVE, so I thank you for bringing that up.

I actually know there are some grads from my law school in this area, so thank you for reminding me about that route too! I'm also going to just blind e-mail some attorneys in the area and see if I can get any response.  Never too late to network, I suppose.