Chance and/or Match Me: TN resident, 4.0 GPA, 32 ACT, <$75k; chemical engineering or nuclear or aerospace

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Hello everyone. Here are the details:

Demographic: SE USA , current 11th grader, US Citizen
State of Residency: TN
High School: private high school
Budget: $75K/year, but prefer less!
Intended major: most likely ChemE, could be NuclearE or Aerospace
GPA: 4.0 W, 4.5 UW (school does not rank)
Courses: several AP incl Calc AB and Chemistry, all others Honors
ACT: 32 composite, 34 STEM, 35 Math (only taken it once)
SAT: not taken yet/ 10th grade pSAT was National Merit commended level/ waiting on 11th grade pSAT results

Awards: numerous outstanding student awards, honors societies
EC: Scholars Bowl, Math Team, basketball, started a few clubs, volunteer youth coach, worked at local retail store
Other: completed a summer internship at Department of Energy; published research work completed with staff

Schools: VA Tech, UVA, NC State, Purdue, Clemson, Texas, Texas A&M, Michigan, Rice (my stretch)

I really appreciate all the input. I’m just beginning on this journey! Please offer any other schools you deem a good fit.

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Forgot to mention, I’m a UVA and UTK legacy.

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I think with the exception of UVA and Rice, you have very strong chance of getting in to the others.
You might want to look into direct admit versus application based programs. NC State will make you go through CODA. FWIW, ChemE requires the highest CODA GPA of all engineering major based on last round of applications. Depending on what you want in a career, RTP/Raleigh has a lot of jobs available to ChemE grads, particularly in Pharma/Biotech.
Just as an unsolicited advise, please focus on fit and outcome over prestige. A grad working at Chevron at Chem E 1 will make the same $$ irrespective of whether he/she went to Rice or VA Tech.

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Thanks! I truly appreciate your input. My parents also stress the “fit over prestige” idea.

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I cannot emphasize this enough. Many schools actively try to weed out kids from certain programs and are notorious for it. Do your research. Also, you may want to look at U of Delaware as they have one of the best Chem E programs in the country since budget is not an issue…that little company called DuPont.

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Got it. U of Delaware is definitely on my radar, too. A relative new addition to my list. It is amazing what DuPont has provided.

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Bumping this thread

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Couple thoughts:

–I assume you’ve swapped weighted and unweighted? Are you saying you have a 4.0 (all A’s) unweighted?
–Hard to tell about your level of rigor compared to your classmates and the competitiveness of your school overall. That makes evaluation a little tricky here. Some more detail would possibly help.

I hate to be a bit of a downer, but Texas and Michigan are absolutely Reaches for OOS students, even excellent ones. UVA would be as well, though legacy status helps. (A higher composite ACT would help too, though don’t stress over it.) OOS application numbers are exploding at Clemson. You don’t have any real Safeties on this list, though NC State is probably the closest.

Is there a reason you aren’t considering applying to UTK? That would certainly be a safety and then you know you’re in somewhere.

(PS you don’t need to bump, just give people time :slight_smile: ).

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Congratulations on your accomplishments so far in high school. I think you are well prepared for college.

These are my guesses as to what your chances might be at the schools on your list, but I am not an admissions professional.

Extremely Likely (80-99+%)

Likely (60-79%)

  • Clemson

Toss-Up (40-59%)

  • NC State
  • Texas A&M

Lower Probability (20-39%)

  • Purdue
  • Virginia Tech

Low Probability (less than 20%)

  • Michigan
  • Rice
  • Texas
  • UVA (if you ED with legacy, I’d move it up a category)

In looking at the schools on your list it appears as though you prefer big schools in the eastern half of the U.S. Except there’s your “stretch” school which has about 4500 undergrads, which would be a very different feel than any of the other schools on your list. Do you have a size preference? How do you feel about urban/suburban/rural campuses? The importance of Greek life or enthusiasm for intercollegiate sports? What kind of vibe are you hoping to find on campus? Are there particular interests you’d like to pursue? What kind of class sizes do you prefer?

If you let us know more about what you want, posters can give you better suggestions.

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I read nuclear, I think UTK.

I hear aero I think UTK.

I hear I have $75k but would like to spend less -I think UTK and a few others.

Given your stats, Alabama as well where you’d get $30.5k off $33k tuition or UAH, smaller and heavily aero focused.

Bama gets more smart kids because of this - loaded with national merit scholars but just really qualified kids (non natl merit) get $28k plus $2.5 for engineering vs other schools that charge extra for engineering).

Good solid schools will help you in all these mediums and UDel and UMN would be two great names for all majors but notably ChemE.

So given your budget UVA and UM need to come off.

You can spend $60-75k or more. UVA is $86k first year and goes up from there. Michigan is $76k the first two years and $80k after. It will be more later. Not sure engineerimg has a charge above like many do - Purdue, UVA UMN, etc

Your folks are right to consider fit. If you have ABET for most disciplines you are fine. My kid ended up at Bama over Purdue so he could get his own room. Bonus that he saved me $ but not why he went. He’s a manufacturing engineer at an aero firm.

Interned with ga tech kids in automotive - he got invited back, they didn’t. Works with kids from UM, Purdue, NC State, Ohio State but also Utah, Akron, W Michigan. The common thread - ABET.

If you want to spend more, then go see where fits. Va Tech is gorgeous and has top rated food. NCStates campus is a 20 min walk or short bus from the main. UTK has a great rep today from OOS but of course in state kids like mine dismiss. . Rice is smaller but has the Rice investment if you qualify - look it up if your folks make under $200k. (go TO there - but it will be an impossible get unless you can bring up your non stem ACT).if you like that size there are other options for you within budget.

Go check them out - but bang for the buck - saving your folks $200+ vs budget you have UTK, Bama, UAH, MS State - all good.

But if nuclear is likely, your best bet is to stay home.

Of course lots of schools can get you to price with a $75k budget. . Those on your list and more.

For chance me, I’d say UVA, TX, Michigan and Rice would be a reach.

Purdue high match / low reach. .

Va Tech, NC State low target…

Have you considered UF, like Purdue it’s value priced OOS. I also know kids at UK who’ve done well (I’m in Williamson County TN). No one talks UGA engineering but your high STEM ACT can help get u money if you raise the reading. It’s solid.

One last to look at - Arizona - wonderful in aero. Doesn’t have nuclear but with 17 majors likely one close enough. You’d get $32k off tuition so not Bama cheap but $25k a year all in.

These schools will all get you go the same place so if saving for your folks (maybe to help with your first home) is important - well you can hold to your list or save them a boatload.

Best of luck.

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Thanks for your reply. Sorry about the bump…I’m new here!

I appreciate your input. I’m somewhat considering UTK. I really want to get out of my home state and see a new part of the US. If I lean nuclear, then UTK it is.

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Yes, I inadvertently switched W and UW. Thanks for the catch!

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Thanks. This board is incredible and I’m so appreciative of everyone’s efforts.

I prefer a bigger school, but mid-size is okay, too. I really want a college experience with full athletics and some social scene. My parents keep telling me connections made in college are invaluable.

I’m indifferent about urban/sub/rural campus. Greek life doesn’t matter to me, but I would like a social school.

I believe small class size is important; however, I also realize lower-level courses at big schools will be taught by GTA and will be huge.

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Thanks so much! UTK is really popular among OOS. The biggest issue with UTK seems to be housing - not for freshman, but sophomores +. Nothing is guaranteed and off-campus ROOMS rent for $1500/month!

I appreciate the Arizona and UAH ideas. I will definitely explore these. Also, your son sounds like it was a great experience and is prospering!

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Note that all of the above have secondary admission to major after taking some courses in college frosh year. For frosh who start as undeclared engineering students, the automatic admission to major college GPAs are 3.0 at VT, 3.2 at Purdue, and 3.75 at Texas A&M (no automatic admission GPA at NCSU).

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He went Bama. He wanted his own room. Purdue had a shortage (this was 2019, not today).

Rooms around UTK are pricey but can be far less than $1500. But it’s a booming downtown and like every growing school nice sky rises are going up and yes they can cost more, much more. . It will be more than other college cities but your tuition is so low, you’ll still be way under budget even at $1500 a month vs paying $40 or $50k tuition alone elsewhere.

My son was paying $699 next to campus in Tuscaloosa for a nice place his last year.

You could also consider trying to become an RA.

I’d say - start taking trips - start with close schools, have your folks get you to Purdue/UIUC/OSU etc. Bama, auburn. UAH, UF, UK. If you go to the Northeast, Delaware, UMD. WVU will price well.

Va Tech and NC State can be done back to back.

Good luck.

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:smiley:
Thanks!

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Sorry. Fixed some of the names in the last one.

Good luck whatever you decide but definitely go see schools. It may change your thoughts. Even a Purdue, UIUC - two big ten close to one another - totally different feels.

Have fun.

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If you think you want (or might want) nuclear engineering, it’s hard not to go with your own state flagship. Some other schools you may want to consider that also have nuclear engineering at some level are:

  • Ohio State (has nuclear engineering at the graduate level…unsure what offerings in that field are available for undergrads)
  • Penn State
  • U. of Maryland (offers nuclear engineering at the graduate level)
  • U. of Pittsburgh (PA ): Offers an undergraduate certificate in nuclear engineering
  • U. of Wisconsin – Madison

If nothing is mentioned by the school, it means that it offers a regular major nuclear engineering (and probably through a PhD…I think they all did, but can’t guarantee it). And @tsbna44 already mentioned U. of Illinois - Urbana Champaign.

If you decide you’re not interested in nuclear engineering, you may want to check U. of Dayton as I think you’d get some of the smaller classes, but there’s a definite social atmosphere there on-campus and basketball is big there.

If you’re willing to look at sports leagues that aren’t on ESPN all the time, you might want to check out Lehigh, Lafayette, or Bucknell in Pennsylvania. You might also want to investigate Case Western, Colorado School of Mines, or U. of Tulsa, too. I suspect that all of these schools would have smaller class sizes than at some of the big state schools mentioned.

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I will check those out! Much appreciated.

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