Chance a pilot kid for Aerospace Engineering schools [CO resident, 3.78 GPA, 1540 SAT]

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Demographics

  • US Citizen
  • CO resident
  • Large Public HS
  • No hooks

Intended Major(s): Aerospace Engineering, MechE for some

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.78/4 (Got a few Bs and one C)
  • Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): 4.34/5
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1540 (800M, 740RW)

Coursework
AP Calc BC (5) AP US History (4) AP Physics C (In progress) IB Physics HL (In progress) Multivar Calc, AP Comp Sci Princ

Awards
A few related to aviation/flying. Won $26,000 to pay for flying/flight training. A couple leadership awards. Nothing insane.

Extracurriculars

  • Private Pilot License - Airplane & Glider ratings: 200 hours of flight time in 15 aircraft types. Advanced mountain soaring expertise in high performance gliders. 3 years of diverse flight experience.

  • Instrument Rated Aircraft Pilot, Ground Instructor: Rated as pilot-in-command in instrument weather conditions - zero visibility, low cloud ceilings. Advanced/most difficult pilot certification.

  • Line Service Technician: Service & fuel a range of civilian/military aircraft, lead flight school customer services, responsible for operational safety of >$3M in aircraft (part time job, work 10-12 hrs/wk during school year and 40 hrs/wk during breaks)

  • Squadron Commander, Wing Glider Coordinator, Civil Air Patrol: Responsible for all glider operations in state. Lead 45 cadets in military-style aerospace training. Qualified in Search & Rescue Emergency Response.

  • Young Eagles Pilot, Scholarship Coordinator: Offer free flights to encourage local kids into aviation. Manage $24k youth flight scholarship program. Fly shelter dogs to new homes for PNP.

  • Marching Band - Saxophone Section Leader: Varsity level 5A competitive marching band, tenor and baritone saxophonist. 2-time State Championship finalists. Co-led saxophone section.

  • Track & Field JV Team Member (9, 10): Competed in long jump, triple jump, 100m, 200m, and 4x100m events on 5A JV level at interschool track meets and competitions.

  • Founder and President of Aerospace Club (9,10): Led club of ~40 members. Raised funds of $3k. Organized field trips to local institutions. Coordinated diverse guest speakers in aerospace industry.

  • Youth Grassroots Soccer Referee: Certified youth soccer referee for U7-U19 soccer games. Professionally moderate and help resolve conflicts with players, coaches, and parents.

  • USAFA Summer Seminar Graduate: Selected for competitive summer program for prospective USAFA candidates, with <18% selection rate.

Essays/LORs/Other

  • Personal Essay: 7/10, pretty okay. Nothing great, I’m not a great writer.

  • Supps: 6/10, okay, mostly.

  • Teacher 1 LOR: 8/10, Physics teacher who I had for 2 years, likes me

  • Teacher 2 LOR: 7/10, Math teacher who I had soph and now senior year, okay.

  • Counselor LOR: 6.5/10, She barely knows me.

  • Other LOR: 9.5/10, retired Air Force general, knows me very well.

Schools

  • Arizona State University (Rolling) - Aerospace Engineering (applied to Barrett Honors)

  • Colorado School of Mines (EA) - Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace

  • Georgia Institute of Technology (EA2) - Aerospace Engineering

  • Northeastern University (EA) - Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace (it was free lol)

  • Purdue University (EA) - First-Year Engineering (Aero & Astro)

  • Rochester Institute of Technology (RD) - Mechanical Engineering (it was free lol)

  • Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (EA) - Mechanical Engineering (it was free lol)

  • University of Colorado Boulder (EA) - Aerospace Engineering

  • University of Southern California (EA) - Aerospace Engineering

  • Case Western Reserve Univeristy (EA) - Aerospace Engineering

  • US Air Force Academy - Aeronautical Engineering, already secured a congressional nomination

  • Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott - Aerospace Engineering

I applied to all my schools EA on purpose, to maximize merit scholarship potential. I also applied for AFROTC and NROTC scholarships. Expecting to get NROTC, pretty good chance for AFROTC. These would be full rides to anywhere but I don’t want to put all my eggs in the military basket, just in case.

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I love this.

You sound like a really unique, fascinating candidate. I can’t chance you for these schools, but I definitely wish you luck!

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Haha, thank you! It’s extremely fulfilling work, if anybody reading has the means to, Pilots N Paws is a great organization that needs volunteers (non-pilots, even). Check them out!

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I think this is a great, balanced list. You should have plenty of choices!

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I think you’ll have lots of acceptances but the question is cost as you seek ROTC.

I could see Ga Tech not happening and Northeastern. Maybe not CWRU. Purdue 50/50. The rest I think will happen.

Would a school with flight - ERAU, Florida Tech, Auburn, Purdue give you a chance to make money as a flight instructor ?

Or if cost is an issue, have you looked at Alabama, UAH, or Mississippi State, all very solid and you’d clean up on auto merit - so your cost would be all in under $20k a year at each.

Good luck.

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Thank you!

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Thanks for the reply! Yeah GaTech was a hell of a reach anyway. In regards to making money as a flight instructor, I could honestly do that anywhere. Most sizeable universities will be near small airports which will give me opportunities to instruct if I so choose. I’ve looked at Bama and UAH, although it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for me to go there because my instate (CU Boulder) would be the same price for a much better ranked school.

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It would be more unless there is merit. CU is showing $32k.

Ranking is near meaningless in engineering. They are peer schools. My kid went to one and had 5 offers, two in aero. ABET is what matters.

But I agree with your sentiment on CU but then why are ASU, RIT, ETAU, etc on your list?

All three i mentioned would save you $50k-ish over Boulder and likely get a similar outcome.

You had me roomed ROTC is all and cost. And you applied to a vast array expense wise.

Anyway - good list and I think admission wise you do very well.

My kid had a similar list so I think many think similarly. He chose Bama over Purdue and Mines - loved Golden’s proximity to nature (top 3) but also had Boulder and ERAU (but Daytona, not Prescott) on his acceptances. He chose Bama, not for cost (although it helped dad) but so he could have his own dorm room and shared bath.

It didn’t hurt job wise (he works with Purdue, Michigan, CWRU, Ohio State, U Wash grads etc but also W Michigan, Utah, Akron and more ) - so if you have a favorite, and can make it work financially, I suspect you’ll be fine. ABET accreditation is the equalizer - not what US News says.

Best of luck. Like I said, lots of opportunities on your list.

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