<p>Hi! My son is down to the wire in having to choose his college. He is soooo confused. Likes all the schools. Big vs. small, distance, etc.....doesn't matter to him. Food did matter and all have fine food (we've eaten at each).</p>
<p>He wants a good mechanical engineering program. He wants to get involved right from the beginning in Formula SAE or BAHA racing clubs. He has played soccer his whole life...year round and would like to continue on a club team in college.</p>
<p>His choices are University of Maryland, Lafayette, North Carolina State, and Clemson.</p>
<p>Any guidance, ideas, things for him to consider would be GREATLY appreciated!</p>
<p>Counting down....2 days to go......</p>
<p>Karen</p>
<p>If year round sports is an issue then Lafayette and Maryland are going to put you indoors for a few months. Depending on where you are from, he may be used to that and it wouldn’t be an issue. NC State has a great design school, I’m not sure about mech eng. Maryland really jumps out at me. </p>
<p>Try posting this on the engineering forum. There are a couple of people on there that are VERY good about helping with questions like this! Congratulations to your son on the admissions and good luck!!</p>
<p>Lafayette has a nice club sports program. Because it is a D1 school club really acts as a D3 program. The teams play the consortium of schools in the Lehigh Valley so travel time is limited and they have a nice schedule of games.</p>
<p>A very nice school with a strong alumni network and a very strong hands on engineering program. Did your son visit campus or attend accepted students day?</p>
<p>Second the Lafayette comments above.</p>
<p>I know someone who’s really involved in the Formula SAE team here at Clemson and he loves it! Let me know if you have any questions but we have a great team here.</p>
<p>Our club soccer team participates in tournaments around the southeast and we have a great club sports program. In addition, nearly everybody plays intramurals here so everyone’s really active. I’m a freshman engineering student and I’ve had nothing bad to say about the engineering departments here at Clemson so far. Definitely consider Clemson as a college option!</p>
<p>Are the costs about the same? Will any of them require loans or big loans?</p>
<p>Some schools would be a bargain compared to the others (LOL), but we would like to keep cost out of it as he makes his decision. We are more trying to figure out what would be a good fit for him.</p>
<p>It is definitely something my husband and I have considered as he has made choices. Thanks for the additional thoughts!</p>
<p>Karen</p>
<p>I’d say that Maryland and NC State have the best-known engineering programs, with the former strongest.</p>
<p>I can’t speak to specifics but can say that my DH is a mech. eng. grad of NCSU and has a great career in the nuclear power generation industry. S graduated from NCSU last May (not engineering) and Loved NCSU.<br>
NCSU has great weather, great sports and is in good sized vibrant city with lots of young people. The Research Triangle Park is nearby. On campus housing is plentiful and there are lots of good off campus options when they decide they need an apt.<br>
Also has a large airport (Raleigh Durham International) if your location requires a flight home for school breaks.</p>
<p>They make homemade ice cream fresh from NCSU dairy cows available at every meal (even breakfast!) in the student dining halls :)</p>