Choosing a College for Engineering

College Search & Selection
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<p>So to start off I am currently a junior in high school and have been looking heavily into prospective colleges so I don't have to worry about it next year. I plan on going into some sort of computer/electrical engineering. I hope to either work with robotics, AI, or create the technoolgy of the future. I was just hoping to get an opinion from the community here.</p>

<p>So far I've visited RIT, Renseallaer, and Stony Brook, and I'm definately planning on visiting Georgia Tech after the winter. My top choices right now look like Georgia Tech (financially and education-wise top choice) and Renseallaer, and I'll probably apply to Berkeley or Cal Tech and maybe MIT Just to see if I'd get accepted. I may also apply to Stony Brook and RIT as financial safety nets.</p>

<p>I was just wondering what your opinions of these schools and their engineering programs are. Also how hard would it be to get in to them? I am currently taking as many AP classes as I can and will continue next year and my grades are mostly A's and one or two B's. I took the SAT and without studying at all got a 1940 but I plan on taking it again at the end of this year and I'm shooting to get my math score to around a 750. Also, if it helps I'm an eagle scout, have done plenty of community service, have done wrestling all the high school and will probably be a captain next year, and have been involved in other clubs in school.</p>

<p>Thank you in advance!</p>

2

<p>You can google the Common Data Sets for each school for much of the info you are asking. Section C1 will show you the acceptance rates (MIT and Cal Tech are infinitesimal), section C7 will tell you what elements are used in admission, section C9 will tell you the scores for the 25 and 75 %ile. </p>

<p>You also need to consider the cost of the college. You can run the Net Price Calculator for each school to get an idea of Cost of Attendance. Presumably you are from NY since you are applying to Stony Brook. GTech will cost >$40K/year for an OOS student.</p>

<p>As far as engineering programs, you should look up what programs are accredited. <a href=“http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx[/url]”>http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx&lt;/a&gt; That’s less pertinent for computer programs but very important for EE.</p>

3

<p>Check out Case Western in Ohio. If you are interested in robotics, consider CMU and WPI as well. WPI was the first to offer a B.S. in robotics [Robotics</a> Engineering - WPI](<a href=“http://www.wpi.edu/academics/robotics/]Robotics”>http://www.wpi.edu/academics/robotics/)</p>

<p>Erin’s Dad is right though, you need to do the financial analysis. You can do an EFC calculator to show you what your family’s expected contribution is, but the net price calculators tell you more specifically what the college would offer you (they aren’t the same thing!).
If you don’t qualify for FA you may need to target schools that offer good merit aid to help reduce the cost. All the more reason to keep your grades up and prepare for Standardized tests.</p>

4

<p>If you’re interested in the President’s Scholarship at GT make sure you are aware of the early application deadline of 10/15. The last accepted test dates are the early October dates, selecting GT as a recipient prior to testing (not once you see the scores, ie you have to send them blind).</p>

<p>If you plan to be expanding your list at all you may want to allow for a May or June SAT2 test date for any schools that require SAT2s. (Remember, you only have one SAT date available in the fall (Oct). There is no September date.) If you choose to do this you may want to consider an April SAT test date. The end of Jr year can get very, very hectic with SATs/ACTs, SAT2s, APs, proms, state standardized testing, and finals…WHEW!!! Not to mention EC’s and/or sports that may be having final competitions. Add to that any sort of normal teenage drama, angst, emotion, and it’s the perfect storm for some serious stress. Pace yourself and try to plan ahead to stretch some of these thing over a longer period of time if at all possible.</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

5

<p>Thanks for the info everyone. As far as cost I have made sure to look at costs and Georgia Tech at $40k seems to be the cheapest if I don’t get scholarships for schools like Renseallaer and Cal Tech. I know I won’t get any financial aid other than merit based scholarships. My parents already sent two kids through college so they know all that great stuff. I was more looking for opinions on the reputation of the various colleges.</p>

<p>In response to blueiguana, I’ll definitely look more into the GT scholarships when I go to visit. Also, as far as SAT’s I do plan on taking them again in April. I haven’t heard anything from any of these colleges about SAT2’s and am not sure if I should take ACT’s. Is it better to be safe then sorry or should I not bother?</p>

<p>And unfortunately I live in CT so I don’t get in-state discounts for NY schools, but Stony Brook is still really cheap and close. And now that I think about it I’m pretty sure my dad said he won’t let me go to Worcester…lol, I’m not sure why. </p>

<p>But yeah, with financials set aside, what are your thoughts on these colleges and engineering (RPI, GT, etc) and are there any other key school around this area I should look into?</p>

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<p>What do you mean “haven’t heard back…about SAT2’s”? Whether any college requires SAT2 test scores is always clearly spelled out on their admissions page.
You are applying to UConn as a financial safety I hope?</p>

<p>You could take the ACT and see your score is better on that than on the SAT, and then just concentrate on one of the two. Of course since you got a 1940 the first time with no prep, then you will probably do very well the second time with a little prep time.</p>

<p>If your Dad is so set against Worcester, then he should look closely at the area around RPI.
Seriously…</p>

7

<p>I’d look at URochester as well.</p>

8

<p>I’d skip Berkeley out-of-state. Too much money to take a risk on California’s budget crisis. </p>

<p>Georgia Tech is “MIT hard” and they admit more people than will successfully get through. If you can genuinely get that 750 on the math, then you’re probably ok, but if you struggle in math at all, consider an easier college. People who are hardcore love Georgia Tech. </p>

<p>RPI is also terrific. Stony Brook is a high quality program. </p>

<p>RIT is a significant step down, and is much more hands on with less emphasis on theory. It will train you for a good job, but it’s not likely to be the road to research, a PhD, or a career working on the cutting edge. </p>

<p>At the high end, a couple of schools worth considering are Cornell and Carnegie Mellon. It’s hard to have a serious conversation about AI and Robotics without CMU being in the discussion. </p>

<p>Also worth considering, though it may not be on your radar, is University of Waterloo in Ontario. It’s geek heaven. Canadian schools are a reasonable lower cost option.</p>

9

<p>I agree with CRD’s assessment. He’s spot on about GT. People will underestimate the difficulty of GT going in as the admission is not as difficult as some other schools. Make no mistake, it is a tough, tough program to get through. I was actually very impressed at their first year support program (and wished more e’schools had similar programs). It’s there for a reason.</p>

10

<p>

You may not know this but MIT and Cal Tech don’t offer merit aid. Berkeley has some (not many) but they are HIGHLY competitive.</p>

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<p>Resource for finding good merit award universities (private) -
[Best</a> Values in Private Colleges, 2012-13](<a href=“http://www.kiplinger.com/tools/privatecolleges/]Best”>Kiplinger | Personal Finance News, Investing Advice, Business Forecasts)</p>

12

<p>Thanks everyone for the feedback. You’ve definitely changed my view on GT. I’m always up for a challenge but I’ll have to see how pre-calc, AP calc, and AP physics goes. I’ll look into Cornell and Carnegie too. My main decision comes down to which school is affordable and right now GT wins with around 40k a year but if I can get scholarships that bring the schools that are around 60k down (like RPI, Cornell, Carnegie, etc) then those are options too. On the comment about UConn, I’m really against staying close to home and my budget isn’t thatttt tight and Waterloo seems interesting, I just don’t know about going to college in Canada.</p>

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<p>Georgia Tech may be cheapest at 40k a year. But 40k a year for 5 years is the same as 50k a year for 4 years. Is it not? I’m not saying that you won’t graduate GT in 4 years… but USnews has them at a 31% 4 year graduation rate. If you aren’t scoring 750+ on Math for SAT I, and 700+ for Math II, and Physics, I wouldn’t expect to graduate in 4 years. Like the others have said, GT is very rigorous.</p>

<p>Anyways, I’m a bit surprised Umich and UIUC haven’t been mentioned in this conversation. Neither are particularly cheap, especially OOS, but they both have very strong engineering programs. Not quite Cal Tech or MIT, but I would say just one level under. I think UIUC is around 40k a year, like GT. UMich may be more around the 50k level. I think your academic level would fit to these schools well. But, they are also much larger schools, so I’m not sure if that’ll fit your interests.</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

<p>Source for GTs 4 yr acceptance rate:
[Georgia</a> Institute of Technology | Best College | US News](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-1569]Georgia”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-1569)</p>

14

<p>Have you considered BU, Northeastern or UMass Amherst (their engineering program is very strong)…</p>

15

<p>How is RIT a financial safety?
They loved, loved, loved my son at his interview (as they told my husband following interview. Also told him he’d get lots of merit aid. Offer- $7K a year (and they told him it would likely take him 5 yrs)!! $7K is not a lot or even close. </p>

<p>Try U Buffalo, Great engineering program. Lots of involvement on campus. Great internship and job fairs on campus each Fall. Son is graduating this May, double engineering major and on time. (Helped he went in with 45 credits). Had three job offers already! </p>

<p>UB’s engineering program is ranked with most you listed. GT weeks out heavily, or so I’ve heard. Have aback up plan or at least attend a school with other options (that’s what son did) in case you become a statistic. By the way 2 of sons engineering roommates are no longer in the program. Engineering is tough!</p>

<p>Good luck to you.</p>

16

<p>Georgia Tech puts a huge emphasis on experiential learning. They promote co-ops, internships, research, travel abroad, clubs and community service in an amazing almost relentless way. Many of the students are very driven so they take on many of these along with a demanding major. It is very common to work at an internship/coop one semester then back to class the next semester. So it may take longer than 4 years to graduate but you aren’t paying tuition all that time.
Many of the classes are hard, but there is plenty of tutoring and extra help if you need it. You also generally need to be motivated enough to go to class and do your homework.
It all seems to payoff pretty well.</p>

17

<p>Rose-Hulman and Michigan Tech are a couple more to consider, both offer merit aid.</p>

18

<p>RPI does offer good merit aid.</p>

19

<p>I agree with the Northeastern Recommendations.</p>

20

<p>Definitely take the ACT. I recommend everyone take both the SAT and ACT at least once, since different people are often stronger at one or the other.</p>

<p>I don’t mean to pour cold water, but you are extremely unlikely to get into MIT or Caltech. They are insanely difficult to get in, and if you’re not a rock star candidate or extremely unusual case, you will be severely overmatched by others applicants. That’s just the reality of schools that reject 90% of applicants. I can also tell you that the Presidential Scholarship at Georgia Tech is similarly impossible. Everyone wants it, they only give out 50, so you need to be head and shoulders above all their other outstanding admits. Good luck.</p>

<p>My son, now a college freshman from NY, had a list similar to yours. He was admitted to Georgia Tech and RIT, along with Johns Hopkins and Lehigh. Like you, we don’t qualify for financial aid. RIT gave $15K merit aid, the others were all full price (which we were willing to pay). All were wonderful opportunities. RIT was the least prestigious, perhaps, but the co-op experience would be a leg up. Georgia Tech offered similar co-op option, plus a world class reputation. Lehigh admitted him to their honors Integrated Business and Engineering program, the cream of the crop at Lehigh. And Johns Hopkins is as prestigious as it gets.</p>

<p>His choice? He is a freshman electrical engineering major in the honors college at University of Alabama. Throughout the process, what started out as “what are you, crazy?” progressed to “this place is amazing”. He is living in the nicest dorm I have ever seen, a 4 bedroom, 2 bath suite with his own private room. Likely nicer than his first apartment will be. He is taking classes in a new 1M sq ft state of the art engineering complex, with a bunch of incredibly friendly people. As an honors student, he has priority registration before the rest of his class (this perk cannot be understated). He also sat front row 20 yard line at every football game. In an era of budget cuts everywhere, the school is flush with cash and spending like crazy. Fortunately, we are not. He has a full tuition scholarship plus additional $2500 per year engineering scholarship. We just pay room, board, and books, about $10k total. For OOS engineering and computer science students, all that is needed for this scholarship is a 30 ACT or 1330 SAT (M+CR only) and a 3.5 GPA. I suspect your stats are right there or close.</p>

<p>Do yourself a favor and check it out. “What are you, crazy?” just might become “this place is amazing”.</p>