<p>al6200— If I decide to transfer to an engineering school after my freshmen year, do you think it will be hard for me to catch up with engineering courses???</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestion by the way.</p>
<p>It won’t be that hard because your first year, you will be taking general education courses, basically physics, calculus. You can also do away with your english courses and humanities requirements. There are also comp. sci courses that are required and I’m sure you can do them at BC or anywhere.</p>
<p>BTW, I was offended by the entirely idiotic reference to SAT scores. Yes, I got a high SAT score (2200+/1400+) and did well in HS and had good EC’s, but I had a disciplinary incident that basically barred me from being admitted from many schools, including BU.</p>
<p>I like WPI and I don’t want anyone, like DHMan06 to be insulting a school he does not attend with false facts. I know people with the same scores as me or even 2300’s/2400’s at WPI. I also know many HARD WORKING AND INTELLIGENT PEOPLE WITH LOWER SAT SCORES WHO DESERVED TO BE ADMITTED. The flex path application at WPI is very innovative and I think that within time, even top schools will realize that the SAT does not mean SH!7 (the first time I took it in 10th grade, I got <2000). They attract great students with merit aid and many students like the theory and practice policy that they use. I didn’t bother to apply to many top schools (besides MIT, Cornell, CMU, UMich (where I was accepted)) or tech schools other than WPI for that matter because I like the program at WPI. And yes, I do hate BU for rejecting me; it was an ego-killer.</p>
<p>I think that this thread is getting very inflammatory. WPI is a great engineering school and no school deserves to be insulted, although it would be nice to have an intelligent and substantial comparisons of criticism of programs at a school.</p>
<p>Sure. Go to Top Forums, and you will see Parents.</p>
<p>It won’t be heard to catch up with engineering courses. In my freshman year at WPI, I took a whooping 3 EE courses. Your freshman year will be focused on math, physics, and basic science. </p>
<p>If you decide that you really want to be an engineer, it will not be hard to change.</p>
<p>Hey al6200 and IndianPwnerDude-- thanks for the info. But the only thing I am concerned about is this- If I do engineering, I will most likely do EE or BME. I looked into WPI’s course selection for a typical EE major freshmen and it seems like a freshmen who intends to major in EE, finished CALC 1,2 and 3 during his freshmen year. If I go to BC, they have a year long program. So, I can only take either calc 2 or 3. Do you think it might be a problem for me. </p>
<p>If I do go to BC, what classes should I take. I think I have to take 5 classes in my freshmen year at BC. I am taking Hon.physics 2, AP gov., AP calc AB, AP eng, Hon.spanish and Hon. java/c++ now. </p>
<p>Honestly, if I would make up my mind on engineering and would get a better fin. aid package from WPI, I would probably attend that school. But since money is a bit tight now, I have to give it a second thought.</p>
<p>And by the way, thanks bookwarm. Although I feel a bit stupid now, but I am happy that I finally found the parents forum. :)</p>
<p>Thanks for that post IndianPD. This thread IS about choices, and making the one that is right for you. You have done so, as has al6200, as has DHMan06, as has, hopefully, my S and, as will the original poster, who is doing the correct due diligence. My bet is each chose the school they chose for different reasons, and other than DHMan, did not use WPI as a safety. It is gratifying to hear you chose WPI over MIT and Cornell and the others -underlining my point that rank is not a reason to choose a school.</p>
<p>Actually is that big of a deal, might I suggest telling WPI about BC’s offer and asking them to match it. It’s definitely a long shot, but if you really would go to WPI if both schools were financially equivalent, then I would do it. If not, be glad that you’re going to Boston College, one of the best schools in the country : ). </p>
<p>Also, I would not worry too much about the classes that you take. Most schools have the program set up so that you can come in with no college credit and graduate in 4 years. The APs and such really help with double majors and taking extra electives, more than anything else. </p>
<p>My other piece of advice is to start around Thanksgiving of your freshman year getting a last of research grants and internships that you want to apply for over the summer. Don’t be discouraged by your age. If you engage in advanced coursework you can get research or a nice position. I came very close to getting some very nice math research this summer, and I’m only a freshman. </p>
<p>Here is a nice list of NSF funded research programs: </p>
<p>[US</a> NSF - REU - Search for an REU Site](<a href=“http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm]US”>Search REU Sites | NSF - National Science Foundation)</p>
<p>I did write a appeal letter to WPI telling that to match BC’s offer. The most they could give me is $41500 when my EFC is $2500. I don’t understand why? 
</p>
<p>I will have about 5 AP classes at the end of my senior year (I know not enough). I will try to score a 4 on AP calc, Gov and probably a 3 on English. PS-because I hate English literature.</p>
<p>al6200-- Thanks for the great piece of advice. But I think around Thanksgiving, I will probably be working on my transfer application (that if I want to do engineering). I will definitely try to do that in my sophomore year. Can you PM me more about that please?
Also please PM me any other advice that you might have… I would really appreciate that.</p>
<p>I meant to thank you for that link earlier, al6200. I have sent it to my son</p>
<p>So since I decided to go to BC, should I decline my offer of admission at WPI or should I defer the admission for a year? (That way I think I can hold my spot for a year In case I want to do engineering)</p>
<p>Does anybody know what is the acceptance rate for transfer students at WPI?</p>
<p>^You can defer admission for a year while attending another institution. They would tell you that when they ask you to sign the deferment form. I am sure transferring won’t be very difficult if you change your mind.</p>
<p>I meant to say “you can’t defer admission for a year.”</p>
<p>right
if you defer you are naming them as your colelege choice essentially agreeing not to attend another college. You can take a GAP year and work to earn money or do community service or travel, but not attend another U. You can reapply to transfer (and you would probably get in)-but they will not hold your place while you attend another college</p>
<p>Yes, I don’t think that you can tell WPI that you’re taking a gap year, and then attend BC. I mean, it might be possible to do, but it is not what deferred admissions are for. If you are feeling uncertain about your decision to go to BC, I would remind you that BC has a balanced gender ratio, which is much better than WPI’s 3:1 ratio (assuming you are male of course). </p>
<p>Also, I think you should be able to transfer to WPI or any other engineering school if you don’t like BC. Considering your huge scholarship, you are probably one of the more talented students applying to WPI anyway. </p>
<p>Finally, you can apply for REU’s even if you are transferring.</p>
<p>@theorymom. I was not admitted at MIT, CMU, or Cornell… I was admitted at UMich, which is an OOS ripoff but still a “top school” to many. sorry about the ambiguity.</p>
<p>I would have chosen one of those top schools had I been admitted and if I got good FA (eliminating CMU, with its ridiculous tuition and inability to meet all finaid).</p>
<p>Thank you all. I was going to defer my admission for a year while I attend BC, but now I think I should just deny my admission and if I change my mind, then I will just transfer. </p>
<p>@ IndianPwnerDude-- I think you should apply to MIT, CMU, or Cornell after your freshmen year as well. I am about 70% sure that you will get in as long as you maintain a 3.70/+ gpa in your freshmen year.</p>
<p>You do not have the choice to defer AND go to a different U. It is a commitment you would make to one or the other.</p>
<p>Best of luck at BC</p>
<p>OK IndianP
I guess with your SAT’s it would not have surprised me if you HAD got into MIT - of course my son had equal scores and was not accepted there, but getting into MIT is more involved than test scores and this was an extremely competitive year (at WPI as well)</p>
<p>If son had been accepted at MIT he would have chosen it - but WPI has taken up a close second position for him. Some people will just not thrive at a tech school, but for others it is perfect.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE=SRB]
I think you should apply to MIT, CMU, or Cornell after your freshmen year as well. I am about 70% sure that you will get in as long as you maintain a 3.70/+ gpa in your freshmen year.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I don’t think it is realistic to transfer to MIT. I know a freshman international student at WPI who is very, very brilliant who is trying to transfer to MIT next year. I also had a friend in High School who got nearly perfect SATs and didn’t get into MIT. </p>
<p>But yes, you should be able to transfer to WPI after your freshman year if you keep a decent GPA (3.5+).</p>
<p>Only few out of hundreds transfer to MIT every year. I know a girl who transferred from WPI to MIT 6 years ago… It is extremely difficult. On WPI she took Advanced Calc I and II in C and D term of freshman year.
Other thing, ppl on MIT dont think like some ppl that posted on this thread, they dont care too much about your SAT scores. The thing that they care about is which project have u done, which great achievements have u accomplished, in which clubs are u involved…
@SRB2006
Good luck there. I think that you are making really good decision.
And yeah, I wanted to ask you about your nickname… Does it represent some country or some name?</p>
<p>yes I would agree, MIT bases its decisions on much more than SAT scores - I think a lot of schools do. But MIT and Caltech are in a league of their own as far as tech schools go. To be accepted there is very difficult for the typical white male high scorer. You have to come to them with much more than that (high scores). </p>
<p>MIT is hopefully a grad school option for S. But it is way too soon to tell</p>