Intended Major(s) Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering
GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
Unweighted HS GPA: 3.8 / 4.0 possible upward trend
Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): 4.06 / 5.0 possible
College GPA (for transfers): 2 college level engineering classes taken (A’s)
Class Rank: Tied for 1 (all with 4.0 or higher)
ACT/SAT Scores: ACE 33 SAT 1460
Coursework
4 AP, 2 IB, 1 DE, 5 APs for senior year
Awards
3 yrs Academic All Star - hockey league
3 yrs honor roll
Captains award Jr. Year hockey
Extracurriculars
Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) selected for academic year and summer program
3 yr varsity hockey - 2 time champion team
volunteere
Special needs hockey coach
Jr. Lifeguard program - asked to help instruct after 3 years
Work
Hockey official - 5 years, level 3 (out of 4)
Hockey coach - learn to play
Camp Counselor - 3 summers
lifeguard - HS pool 1 year
Essays/LORs/Other
Not sure how to rate, but assumed good to excellent
Cost Constraints / Budget
Not relevant for this exercise but would hope for merit discount. No FA expected.
Schools
Safety (certain admission and affordability)
U Delaware (EA)
Likely (would be possible, but very unlikely or surprising, for it not to admit or be affordable)
Just my opinion and not sure how you are weighting but I’m going to assume, other than the two college classes that the rigor isn’t there.
Delaware and Catholic are safety.
WPI is test blind, not optional. - so it’s a match as is RPI a match although I’m guessing it’s an in at both.
Va Tech - you are in state but will depend, I think on rigor. UVA - being in state will help but I think a reach.
I think BC/BU are reaches and Olin a no - although it also doesn’t fit the other schools.
If you “hopeful” for a merit discount, you want to focus on Alabama, UAH, Arizona, Arkansas, MS State, South Carolina, and UTK. Florida and NC state are affordable (relative to others) full pop as is Purdue - all likely reaches (maybe NC State match). Pitt is another to look at.
As you mention aerospace, you’d probably get a half scholarship both at Embry Riddle and Florida Tech, so two focused schools you might want to look at.
And since you are looking at Catholic schools, it’s a bit smaller but how about Dayton or St. Louis (aviation focused).
If he’s interested in playing hockey (or watching!), I’d check out Clarkson and Quinnipiac as safeties. I believe they have both D1 and D2, but don’t quote me on that. QU was just named #1 in the country for career placement, third year in a row. New but very promising engineering program (S is a sophomore). They don’t offer aerospace though. Clarkson gives great merit, but both should net out around similar with max merit awards.
I didn’t get the “hockey” thing as an athlete but glad you brought it up. UAH - great merit, great aerospace as Huntsville is NASA’s second city…and a D1 hockey team. And the merit is strong!!!
This is the first year BC is offering engineering. At first glance, the program does not seem to fit what your son is looking for, but check it out here:
I think he has a reasonable chance at BC. He’s tied for #1 in his class with test scores in range. And the thing BC will like about his app is his being a special needs hockey coach as they are big on community service especially when it’s a personal interaction type of service
Thanks for all the input, keep it coming. He is focused more on academics than hockey for his first year, but will talk to coaches (club) and hopes to stay involved somehow (coaching, officiating, maybe play).
We toured BC and learned about their engineering program. Not exactly his ideal, but would consider (my thought is he would have to apply ED to have a decent chance, but he is not considering any ED). He loves the BC campus (family history, been there several time, but knows it is not an “engineering school.”) WPI seems to be his first choice, best fit, but I do not think he would get much merit discount and I would question the value compared to VA schools or CUA or UDel.
UAH looks decent but far from home, also thought about UCF. (Lots of family in MA, so not considered too far). Ultimately his choice, just trying to be informed. Again, I appreciate all input and am trying to enjoy the process and help him wherever I can.
If you live in Northern VA, Huntsville is not that much farther than Worcester. A few hours.
UCF is enormous - one of the largest colleges in the nation. WPI is a reasonable size as is UAH.
As for WPI and merit, how much are you looking for? You say cost not relevant - but then you are hoping for merit. I looked on past chats and saw merit from $13-32K. You might be able to get a pre-read.
If you want merit, you don’t get better than Alabama, Arizona (maybe not at his GPA), UAH, MS State, Arkansas, Missouri Science & Tech - but then you can’t worry about distance. If you want the $$, you have to go to where they have the $$. UTK another with decent $$.
The reality is - a 3.8 UW or 4.06 wtd on a 5 scale is - for engineering colleges - nice but not a stud. At every school that I mentioned, these kids are - I don’t want to say a dime a dozen - but definitely extremely common. Engineering is at a whole other level when it comes to the HS academics of kids going to the high merit colleges.
Two other schools I hear great things about on the CC - but again, too far, are Iowa State and Kansas State.
Anyway, you have 20 Common App slots so you can always apply and see what happens People that want merit - have to play the game - and the game means taking auto merit or expanding your base.
Merit is not the reason to choose a college for me, but would be nice for the ones he is interested in. We will go through the process and add schools that he decides might be a good fit. I am keeping an open mind, see how it turns out and choose from what the options are. Thanks.
I agree. Fit, which includes cost, is the most important. I know the minute I took my daughter to Charleston in early Junior year that after we went through all the motions, she’d end up there. Got lucky on cost but 3 mos b4 accepting, cost wasn’t great. She still was going. It just fit.
If you go see UCF, hit the east coast and check out Florida tech…great small campus and food…+ Embry Riddle as it sounds like there’s an interest in aerospace. Both do well with the rockets, etc.
Some of the schools on the list don’t scream engineering like Catholic U, UVA, BC, or BU. Are they all ABET accredited?
For safeties does he like the idea of going to Catholic U? BTW we’re Catholic and sons applied to a few schools but didn’t attend. Safeties have to been guaranteed admission, affordable, AND want to attend.
I get the hockey/Boston connection. It’s a great college town but I would consider Northeastern for engineering. The campus is either love or hate but we liked the program. They’re known for co-ops.
What about Lehigh, UMD, UConn, UMass, or Penn State? Better rep for engineering with hockey programs. Probably not safeties because of being OOS but pretty good odds for some.
UVA has the 4th oldest engineering school in the nation and is ABET accredited. Great outcomes. Not an easy admit, a reach, ( VT engineering these days is tougher too) but great options for an application from a Virginia resident , like the OP’s son.
I would suggest you take your list and break it into types of schools and then make sure you have at least two matches and safety for each one (maybe a reach too). What you don’t want to happen is you end up having a strong preference come the spring to a certain college type and not having any options. Your list might look something like this (my categorizations may be off on Reach/Match/Safety) but wanted to throw in some examples
Large State Univ (Others to Consider Rutgers, Penn State, UMD, TCNJ)
Reach - VA Tech
Match - UVA, ???
Safety - UDel
Private Tech Colleges -(Others to consider Stevens, Lehigh, Tufts
Reach - Olin, BU
Match - WPI, RPI
Safety - ???
Catholic Colleges (Others to Consider Notre Dame, Villanova, Manhattan College)
Reach - BC
Match - ???
Safety - Catholic