Colleges for Computer Engineering?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello! I'm a junior in high school looking for a good college in computer engineering. My first three choices are MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and Rose-Hulman Institute for technology. I know MIT is a total reach (as it is for anyone, really) and CMU might be a bit, too, so I am looking for a college strong in engineering/computer science that I have a good shot of getting into.</p>

<p>I've taken all honors in my freshman/sophomore year, and now that I'm a junior, I'm taking 4 AP classes and plan to take more in my senior year. My weighted GPA hovers around a 100% (5% curve for honors and AP, not sure what it translates into 4.0-wise). I've taken the SATs once, and got a 2130 (660 reading, 730 math, 740 writing), so I plan on taking them again. As for extra-curriculars, I have been taking dance and piano lessons for 10+ years, I am a member of my school's chamber orchestra, and I am a part of the speech and debate team (forensics), which I really love. This year, I've joined the robotics team, which I like so far, and I've also started a computer club in school because I really like programming/graphic design/web design. I also have played rec-soccer for a long time, but that probably doesn't count for much.</p>

<p>I'm looking for a college with an intellectual, quirky, and/or "nerdy" atmosphere, somewhere where tech-culture is much bigger than sports culture. As much as I like technology, though, I'd also appreciate a college that's not deprived of a creative spirit, open mind, and opportunities in the arts. I'm interested in trying my hand at research, and I'd love the opportunity to study abroad. Any ideas? Even if you don't know about the atmosphere, any engineering colleges would be a help. Thank in advance!</p>

2

<p>State of residency?</p>

<p>Cost constraints?</p>

3

<p>Pennsylvania, I’m not too concerned about costs, although a college with good financial aid would be great (I know CMU is really expensive, but I like it anyway).</p>

4

<p>*I’m not too concerned about costs, although a college with good financial aid would be great (I know CMU is really expensive, but I like it anyway). *</p>

<p>I love this kind of answer…lol…it’s firm, but vague.</p>

<p>Which of the following best describes your situation?</p>

<p>1) My parents will pay $55k+ per year to whatever school I want. I know this for sure. They have said so.</p>

<p>2) I hope my parents will pay $55k+ per year, but they’ve never said that they would.</p>

<p>3) My parents can’t/won’t pay $55k per year, but I’m not going to worry about money, because I’ll figure something out for a school I love.</p>

<p>4) My parents make a good amount of money, but they can’t pay a lot, so I expect financial aid to help with costs.</p>

<p>5) My parents are lowish income and can’t pay much, so I’ll qualify for lots of financial aid.</p>

<p>6) My parents are divorced and I don’t know how much my custodial and non-custodial parents will pay. </p>

<p>7) None of the above fits…this is my situation: __________________________</p>

<p>BTW…do you care if the school is lopsided boys? like 80% male and 20% female.</p>

5

<p>If cost really is a concern, you may want to include schools with lower list prices:</p>

<p>Penn State
Pittsburgh
Minnesota
Virginia Tech
Cal Poly SLO</p>

<p>Stanford offers good need aid for the few who get admitted.</p>

<p>USC (Trojans) sometimes offers good merit aid.</p>

<p>Virginia and North Carolina are said to offer need aid to out of state students.</p>

<p>Cheap deep safeties would be Alabama with Presidential Scholarship plus extra for engineering majors, and UAB with Blazer Elite Scholarship.</p>

6

<p>Financial situation is pretty much this: My parent refuse to tell me their income (I have no idea why, it’s a bit ridiculous at this point) so I don’t really know. I honestly think that they think I’ll get enough scholarships to lower the cost enough…? My dad is self employed, fixing computers if that will indicate anything. The only thing they really said about paying for college is that they wouldn’t pay if I majored in music.</p>

<p>I’m definitely ok with a lopsided boy-girl ratio, since debate is typically predominantly male and I’m used to it.</p>

7

<p>If they don’t want to tell you enough to make an informed decision on the financial aspects of going to university, have them go to the net price calculator sections of each school’s web site and tell you which of the schools will be affordable without more loans than the subsidized Stafford loan limit ($23,000 for all four years) or less if you and they prefer less student loan debt than that.</p>

<p>If they won’t even do that, include the cheap deep safeties like Alabama and UAB in your application list, and/or consider community college followed by transfer to Penn State or Pittsburgh as your safety.</p>

8

<p>I would suggest looking into RPI as well as Northeastern. You are in their 25%-75% range for SAT. Tech is a bigger deal than sports at both of the schools (although both have good hockey programs) and NU is D1 for all sports. Both schools are also very good for entrepreneurship which brings out a lot of creativity and business savvy for their CS/Science/Engineering students. Location speaks for itself as I don’t think Boston needs to be sold to anyone.</p>

9

<p>*Financial situation is pretty much this: My parent refuse to tell me their income (I have no idea why, it’s a bit ridiculous at this point) so I don’t really know.</p>

<p>I honestly think that they think I’ll get enough scholarships to lower the cost enough…? </p>

<p>My dad is self employed, fixing computers if that will indicate anything. *</p>

<p>Ok…you need a strategy otherwise you may end up with no affordable choices. Consider some of the following…</p>

<p>1) Ask your parents how much they’re willing to pay for you to major in some kind of STEM major (since they won’t pay for music). If they hem and haw, give some specifics, such as: “Will you pay $45k per year for me to go to URochester or Rose-Hulman?” If they come back with a number like $20k per year, then you know what you’re dealing with.</p>

<p>2) Your dad is self-employed. CSS Profile isn’t kind to those who are self-employed. I don’t know all the details, but supposedly, CSS schools will often “add back in” deductions that business owners take. And, someone posted that some of the SS deductions are put back in (business owners pay the full SS, not half). Anyway, the point is that you may not get as much need-based aid as you may need. (Does your mom work, too?)</p>

<p>3) Top schools often do not give scholarships or don’t give much. All their students are “top students” so no need to give merit scholarships. To get merit scholarships, you need to target some schools that give them. If your parents are expecting you to get scholarships, then make sure that they understand that some schools don’t give any (or only give a few to those with perfect/near-perfect stats or are URMs)</p>

<p>4) Include a couple of schools that you know FOR SURE will give you large assured merit scholarships for your stats. Those can be your financial safeties. </p>

<p>5) Practice for the SAT and ACT…take both. You need the best scores possible, and some kids do better on the ACT. </p>

<p>6) Encourage your folks to go with you on some campus visits. Ask lots of questions, but be aware that schools sometimes “over-sell” their FA to encourage applications. They’ll often talk about giving away millions of dollars in aid, without indicating that much is loans and/or for instate students only or for low income students mostly. </p>

<p>7) Avoid OOS publics unless you know your parents will pay the costs or you know you’ll get a merit scholarship from them.</p>

10

<p>Thanks for all the advice! I’ll try to keep it in mind. My mom does work part-time at The Limited (retail).</p>

11

<p>Have you been to visit all of your top choices?</p>

12

<p>Not yet, I’m planning on spending my summer vacation visiting lots. So far I’ve only visited Cornell, since I’m busy.</p>

13

<p>*I honestly think that they think I’ll get enough scholarships to lower the cost *</p>

<p>Cornell</p>

<p>The ivies and MIT do not give scholarships.</p>

14

<p>You need to explain to your parents that if they can not afford full price, they need to tell you NOW what they can pay. Or else you’ll be like many who end up at a far lesser school than they should have.</p>

<p>MIT is probably out of reach and neither CMU or R-H meet need. </p>

<p>Your stats will get you into some schools that meet need if you apply to them.</p>

<p>Your parents might have amazing assets and be able to pay for any school. Or they might be more typical of people who fix computers and work in retail that can’t. Either way you need to know before making your college list.</p>

<p>Tell them you don’t need their income, but you need them to work through some online aid calculators and tell you what they can pay or you risk going to your local state school as your only financial safety and graduating with large loans.</p>

15

<p>Ok sorry to reply so late but the reason I asked if you had visited your top choices is that two of them are in fairly large urban areas and the last (Rose) is in the hopping town of Terre Haute. Don’t get me wrong I love the school but the town is lacking. If that is not a problem for you then more power to you. Also as far as financial aid goes Rose generally doesn’t give more than 1/2 tuition in scholarships, however, there are ways you can get the money (Rotc, SMART scholarships, Yellow Ribbon if you are a military brat). Best of luck picking your school.</p>