<p>I'm looking for schools that have a very good Aerospace engineering program.
I don't have any restrictions on location, size, fee (college is expensive let's face it).</p>
<p>If you suggest a school can you list the pros and cons of the school?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>When applying to Aerospace Engineering, be careful that at some schools, it is part of the Mechanical Engineering.</p>
<p>What are your stats?</p>
<p>Here is a list, in no particular order. You will have to check out websites yourself. We can’t do all your research for you.</p>
<p>U Washington at Seattle
Stanford U.
U. Southern California
Arizona State University
U. Colorado at Boulder
UCLA
U.C. Davis
MIT
Caltech
Michigan
Georgia Tech
Purdue
U Illinois
U Texas
UC San Diego</p>
<p>well I haven’t taken the SAT or ACT yet as I am still a Junior so I’m not sure if my stats will be of use to you
but as a baseline I have a 3.7 unweighted GPA and 2 sports teams robotics and I founded a club
However, this is of course not the right forum for that haha</p>
<p>Sorry I must have been unclear in my question.
I’ve looked into the schools that offer Aerospace Engineering.
I Was wondering about more what each one offers and how easy it is to develop a career upon graduation from there?</p>
<p>For example I’ve heard that UMich has recruiters from Boeing, Lockheed Martin…
but then MIT has its reputation?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Florida Tech (Florida Institute of Technology) offers a well-respected program and there are a lot of defense companies in the area who hire aerospace engineers. Positives: well-established programs, professors, network of alumni, connections to NASA, new football program, and vision. Negatives: high tuition (perhaps not a concern of yours), Melbourne is a nice but quiet town (though you are not too far from Orlando or Miami if you want to get away.)</p>
<p>Here’s a link: Florida Tech Aerospace Engineering [Mechanical</a> and Aerospace Engineering](<a href=“Mechanical and Civil Engineering | Florida Tech”>Mechanical and Civil Engineering | Florida Tech)</p>
<p>And, of course, there is Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach, FL. I don’t know anything about the school except that I hear plenty of aerospace engineers talking about getting their MS degrees there (paid for by their employers - another important consideration once you get your BS and get that first job - go where they will send you for your Master’s degree and pay your way.)</p>
<p>Embry-Riddle highlighted its USNWR ranking here:</p>
<p>[US</a> News Best Colleges Rankings, News, Embry-Riddle](<a href=“http://news.erau.edu/top-news/find-news-releases/2013/us-news-best-colleges-rankings.html#.Uso81_Q85iM]US”>http://news.erau.edu/top-news/find-news-releases/2013/us-news-best-colleges-rankings.html#.Uso81_Q85iM)</p>
<p>Wherever you go, make sure the university will get you into an internship with a leading aerospace-related company (NASA, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Harris, to name a few.) You will need that experience along with your degree in order to get the best job offers. Oh, and keep your credit clean (for future security clearances) and keep your grades way up in college (to get into some of those Masters and PhD programs, even with the employer paying, some of these universities will not accept a grad student with Cs on their undergraduate record.)</p>
<p>Do you know any other Universities with such opportunities?</p>
<p>I’ve always cautioned friends against applying to schools based on the major alone unless they’re 100% sure that’s what they’re going to do. 50% of college freshmen end up changing majors (and I’ve heard the drop rate for engineering is even higher) so make sure that the college has other programs you’re interested in if you’re not completely set on aerospace.</p>
<p>Well im 100% on something in Physics and most schools have that right so I’m not too worried although I am 99% sure my future is in aerospace</p>
<p>Do you know what part of the aircraft you’d like to work on? This could make a difference. Lockheed employees more mechanical engineers then aerospace engineers. My son applied to, and went into e’school, thinking aero’E. He did research, took early classes, talked to a lot of people, and decided on mech’E. He’s interned within the aerospace industry, takes his tech electives in aero, and will pursue work there when he graduates. The suggestion to keep your nose clean if you have any thoughts of going this direction is wise. He has needed a security clearance since his first internship. He’d been given the same advise as a hs sophomore, taken it seriously, so this was no problem. Clearances are vital if you’re going to work in defense.</p>
<p>You can search for aero schools here using the college search engine. You can add all kinds of qualifiers…size, location, major, selectivity, etc…and generate a list of schools. It’s quite handy.</p>
<p>I would caution against a school that specializes a much as Embry Riddle for undergrad. It’s an excellent school chosen by many students who eventually want to fly. If you change your mind this requires a transfer of schools, not simply a change of departments.</p>
<p>I was thinking about working more in terms of space although I am most interested in wing aperture and engine design on an aircraft if I was given the opportunity to work with aircraft.
However I do assume you need a clearance for both probably.
Is this why some schools label the major aeronautical engineering or aeronautical/aerospace engineering or just plain aerospace engineering?</p>
<p>Thank you</p>
<p>Most of the aerospace engineers my husband has worked with over the past nearly 30 years did not go to MIT or Stanford, but either came from a military background or attended really good state universities that were located in areas full of the kinds of companies that hire most of the aerospace engineers: defense companies, including Boeing, Northrop Grumman, GE, Harris, Lockheed. It is good to be an area with a lot of defense companies, because the defense industry goes in cycles. Lockheed will hire a thousand engineers, then lay them off when a project comes to an end, and then Northrop will hire them, and then lay them off, and then Lockheed re-hires them, and on and on and on. These companies recruit at any university, public or private, that has a well-respected engineering program, and smart students (and that can be the local state university or the prestigious private school.)</p>
<p>Recommended locations: the Silicon Valley (San Jose, Santa Clara, Los Gatos, Palo Alto); Southern California (Redondo Beach); Texas; Huntsville; the Space Coast of Florida (Brevard County, Orlando Metro); and the DC-NorthernVirginia-Maryland area.</p>
<p>You don’t even have to earn a degree in aerospace engineering - my husband was a double computer science and math major, with a solid science background (especially physics) and started his career in flight simulation software engineering and had some great times going up in the military aircraft as a passenger to test the simulation software. Of course, there may not have even been a specialized aerospace degree program then. But still, you cannot go wrong with a lot of math, a lot of computer science/engineering. and physics, too. It is one career where you will actually use all of that math and science on a daily basis.</p>
<p>What distinguishes his fellow engineers is not their particular alma mater, but their sheer brains and work ethic and they all participated in hands-on senior projects or internships while they were in college. You must get some hands-on experience in order to get the best job offers. And don’t go straight from your BS to a Masters - get out into the industry, find out what you like to do, and then let your employer pay for you to get your Masters or PhD (that is what my husband did, in Systems (of Systems) Engineering.) You might even go get that Masters at one of the more prestigious schools, and what a deal if your employer will pay for it!</p>
<p>Key, though, is that security clearance. You will have to have that clearance to get a job in this industry, and you will have to be able to keep that clearance throughout your career. Just get in the mindset now to never destroy your credit and never get a criminal record.</p>
<p>And here is a fun article for you, because you will get an idea about some of the most exciting things going on in aerospace engineering, including unmanned aircraft and these drones:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20131230-texas-is-among-six-states-to-land-drone-test-sites.ece[/url]”>http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20131230-texas-is-among-six-states-to-land-drone-test-sites.ece</a></p>
<p>aerospaceAK97,</p>
<p>Do you prefer larger or smaller schools?
Are there any geographic/weather preferences? (don’t underestimate this factor!)
What do you see yourself doing for fun, when not in class or studying?
What type of personality do you have?
Are tuition costs going to be an issue for you?</p>
<p>If you can help by answering these questions we can suggest schools with a better fit.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I disagree with this. The OP has already stated his committment to engineering, or physics as a backup. E-R would make a great choice, assuming it was the right fit for him.</p>
<p>I caution (read -> carefully consider) anyone thinking about a highly specialized school. It’s not a negative to the school or the student, just a consideration. I appreciate that others have different opinions.</p>
<p>[Awards</a> - Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering - Oklahoma State University](<a href=“http://www.mae.okstate.edu/aero/awards.html]Awards”>http://www.mae.okstate.edu/aero/awards.html)</p>
<p>yes - It is Mechanical and Aerospace, but you will see they are quite well respected.</p>
<p>Well as I stated before, I don’t have a preference on location
But I would like to clarify that in that I prefer a school in the North or on the coasts.
Also I am grateful to those who have responded with information about future opportunities after college. Of course making a career out of this is my main concern and this is my main concern.</p>
<p>Also in addition I am very proficient on the field of Computer Sci if that helps me in my school choice.</p>
<p>Of course I have schools such as MIT , CalTech and UMich
But I’m not guaranteed to get into these schools and I would like to know other well respected, hidden gems if you will, that will let me continue my dream of being a successful Aerospace Engineer</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>If you’re looking for less competitive schools with good aerospace programs to help build a well rounded list consider UMDCP and VaTech. These are very good schools, just less competitive admits then MIT, Cal Tech, and Michigan.</p>
<p>Why not just go to the ABET website and search all of the accredited aerospace engineering programs and then you can send for information - I guess that is old school 
- or just look at the websites for each program. You will have a lot of fun exploring.</p>
<p>Here is the link the search page at the ABET. Enter a state where you think you might like to live while in school and even beyond, and narrow the search by program to aerospace engineering, and in a click, you will have a list of potential schools.</p>
<p>Have fun! [Accredited</a> Program Search](<a href=“http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx]Accredited”>http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx)</p>
<p>NC State University
[Mechanical</a> and Aerospace Engineering, NC State University](<a href=“http://www.mae.ncsu.edu/]Mechanical”>http://www.mae.ncsu.edu/)</p>
<p>Thanks for the help!</p>
<p>The information y’all are giving me is really useful.
OF course sooner or later I’m gonna have to start asking which one I should go to (haha)!</p>