<p>*Quote:
I know I won’t get any financial aid other than merit based scholarships
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>
<p>Cal’s merit is largely for instate and has a “need” component for the amount to be significant. Those without “need” are lucky to get $1k in merit.</p>
<p>Chardo…yes, Bama is an amazing place.</p>
<p>Chardo - Did your son apply to Northeastern? Just wondering what he thought considering the intersection of co-op and merit aid.</p>
<p>My DS is a HS senior who also is on the “Alabama Journey” from “What are you crazy” to … After a visit, he is currently, “I can see myself here, but I don’t love it”. He does however love the scholarships. Depending on other results he may be re-visiting.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Did he meet with Eng’g profs? Did the honors college arrange his visit? Did he meet with honors college faculty? If not, then if you re-visit, please contact the Honors College (Allison Verhine) before arriving and give her your son’s info…stats, major, etc. She’ll arrange the day meeting with profs and honors faculty and touring the Science and Engineering Complex.</p>
<p>Mom24, DS did not apply to Northeastern. I can’t recall why, but I think he just preferred RIT, a similar school.</p>
<p>Wow, wasn’t expecting such a huge response, but thanks everyone.</p>
<p>In response to Moreover, if you put it like that then GT definatley sounds like a great match. I may not be a super-genius but I’m definitely willing to work hard.</p>
<p>In response to Chardo, I’ll probably end up taking the ACT’s and I don’t plan on going to Cal Tech or MIT. Applying would mostly be for the ****s and giggles. University of Alabama sounds really interesting, especially if it’s an easy full tuition scholarship. I’d have to look up how the engineering program is and what kind of internship and co-op opportunities they have. If a school can bundle a great college experience and great education like that then it would definitely be an option.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>The state of Alabama is home to the second largest research park in the nation - Cummings Research Park. CPR has many, many high-tech companies (Fortune 500, Fortune 1000, and smaller companies) clustered together in one large area. So internships and co-ops are available.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/new_exp/new_crp_toc.html[/url]”>http://www.huntsvillealabamausa.com/new_exp/new_crp_toc.html</a></p>
<p>Some of the companies in CPR</p>
<p>Rank Company Headquarters Industry
*10 Hewlett-Packard Palo Alto CA Computers, Office Equipment
*11 AT&T Dallas TX Telecommunications
*15 Verizon Communications New York NY Telecommunications
*19 International Business Machines Armonk NY Information Technology Services
*39 The Boeing Company Chicago IL Aerospace and Defense
*48 United Technologies Hartford CT Aerospace and Defense
*49 Comcast Philadelphia PA Telecommunications
*58 Lockheed Martin Bethesda MD Aerospace and Defense
*64 Cisco Systems San Jose CA Network and Other Communications Equipment
*67 Johnson Controls Milwaukee WI Motor Vehicles and Parts
*77 Honeywell International Morris Township NJ Aerospace and Defense
*92 General Dynamics Falls Church VA Aerospace and Defense
*104 Northrop Grumman Northern VA * Aerospace and Defense
*105 DirecTV Group El Segundo CA Telecommunications
*108 Avnet Phoenix AZ Wholesalers: Electronics and Office Equipment
*117 Raytheon Waltham VA Aerospace and Defense
*120 Emerson Electric St. Louis MO Electronics, Electrical Equipment
*133 Arrow Electronics Melville NY Wholesalers: Electronics and Office Equipment
*162 CSC Falls Church VA Information Technology Services
*174 L-3 Communications New York NY Aerospace and Defense
*171 CenturyLink Monroe LA Telecommunications
*254 Jacobs Engineering Group Pasadena CA Engineering, Construction
*236 Textron Providence RI Aerospace and Defense
*245 SAIC McLean VA Information Technology Services
*275 URS San Francisco CA Engineering, Construction
*297 Ball Broomfield CO Aerospace and Defense
*319 Goodrich Charlotte NC Aerospace and Defense
*322 AECOM Los Angeles CA Engineering, Construction
*422 Exelis White Plains NY Aerospace and Defense
*439 Booz Allen Hamilton McLean VA Information Technology Services
*491 Alliant Techsystems Minneapolis MN Aerospace and Defense
*496 Rockwell Collins Cedar Rapids IA Aerospace and Defense</p>
<p>Because these companies are in the state, the federal gov’t invested VERY heavily in the University of Alabama’s new mega-sized Science and Engineering Complex - over 800,000 square feet of new academic and research space - brand new labs, classrooms, equipment, etc…very state of the art.</p>
<p>I’d be careful about overvaluing the scholarship at the University of Alabama. </p>
<p>It’s nice to have the scholarship, but there is a reason that people choose renowned schools like MIT, Georgia Tech, RPI, Cornell and CMU. Some people even pay full price to go there. Northeastern does a great job with co-op and is great if you prefer more hands on. </p>
<p>I’m actually in EE doing high end research, and I make hiring decisions for my research group. I can tell you that Alabama is not viewed as a top school in electrical engineering. I can’t recall reading a research paper by someone from Alabama, I don’t know anybody we’ve hired from there, or that anybody I’ve ever worked with went there. I don’t think they are even in the same league as Stony Brook which has a broad and vibrant research program. </p>
<p>If you can’t afford to go to college another way, then it’s a great opportunity, but if you want to go there because you think it’s a great value, with all due respect to the Alabama boosters and parents, I simply disagree. It’s not the solution to every problem, and you are giving up a lot by choosing it over a well respected school. </p>
<p>It would be like turning down Alabama for MIT to major in football.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Those who get the Regents’ or Chancellor’s scholarship at Berkeley get $2,500 if not needy, with greater amounts possible based on financial aid need (looks mainly like replacement of some expected loans and work earnings with grants; it is not clear if out-of-state students can get coverage of some of the out-of-state additional tuition in this case).</p>
<p>Mechanical engineering majors can also apply for the full-ride Drake scholarship (which does cover the out-of-state additional tuition). Obviously, that is highly competitive.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Huh? Stony Brook is cheaper than that, even if you are out-of-state. Other state schools with relatively low out-of-state costs include Minnesota, Virginia Tech, NCSU, Cal Poly SLO, South Dakota Mines, and New Mexico Mines.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it does not seem that the New England regional tuition discount for Connecticut residents applies to any worthwhile engineering or CS major programs at places like University of Massachusetts - Amherst.</p>
<p>Hello Im currently a freshman chemical engineering major at gt and love it so far. Yes its difficult, but I think thats part of the process of preparing engineers for the real world. I wouldnt want to breeze through college only to find out that industry isnt an easy. Over the years tech has done a lot to make sure that if you are smart enough to get accepted here then you are smart enough to do well and graduate from tech. And I dont think tech is harder or easier than any other top engineering school.(engineering by nature is difficult and as a result the degree is going to be hard to attain at any top eng school) In order to do well here you have to put in a TON of effort, but it most certainly can be done. Ive found that the people who do the best here arent the genius people(and there are a lot of them), but the people who work the hardest. In terms of the other schools mentioned I also looked at northeastern(honors program), umich, UIllinois,umass amherst, Purdue, and RPI.(was accepted into all of them) It ultimately came down to northeastern and GT;the other schools werent good fits for me. This debate was similar to the alabama honors vs gt. Although the northeastern honors program was very convincing, what swung me towards gt was the atmosphere there. Almost everyone here is some sort of math/engineering/science major and is very driven. There arent students studying “easy” majors(poly sci, art history, etc) that can distract you.(no offense to those majors) Even when people party here often times the next day they are seen studying hard in the library. In terms of schools like cal tech/mit/uiuc/mich/purdue vs Gt I honestly think it comes down to which school is the best fit for you. Make sure you think you will be happy at your school because engineering is a very stressful major and disliking your school will make your life miserable. In terms of getting accepted I would really try to get your sat over a 2100 at least over 2000 with a math score 740<. Your gpa seems to be right on track. Like I said earlier I love georgia tech and if its a good fit then you should go for it. BTW classic rocker dad has some great points and has an industry view of tech and other colleges.(this is important because he knows what the people who eventually will hire you want to see) Hope this helps and if you have any questions about gt feel free to ask.</p>
<p>I’ve heard so many good feedback about SUNY-Geneseo. Maybe you should consider this school. It would be even much cheaper for you. [Academics</a> | SUNY Geneseo](<a href=“http://www.geneseo.edu/academics]Academics”>Academics at Geneseo | SUNY Geneseo)</p>
<p>SUNY Geneseo does not have engineering, except in a 3+2 program.</p>
<p>There are other SUNYs that do have engineering natively (e.g. Stony Brook).</p>
<p>^ But the OP is fine with computer science, and SUNY Geneseo has a respectable comsci program. It’s certainly not of Stanford’s level. But it is a good comsci program, nevertheless.</p>
<p>Classicrockerdad?? I would love your input on our D decision… is McNair finalist at USouth Carolina(tuiton free+), Purdue Trustee Scholarship(honors college), UMich no merit money but honors program and M-stem, OState Honors C. and 1/2 tuition, GTech no merit money, UCincinnati honors college and up for scholarship, so how in the world do we decide where to go? Money or best Engineering schools? Any input would be appreciated…I know my H company hires Eng from all these schools including a McNair scholar engineer? But I think that also compares to U alabama program? HELP</p>