S23 is interested in computer engineering but also in technology related to music. Trying to decide between the following options:
Drexel - Computer Engineering
RIT - Electrical Engineering Technology - Audio option
Stevens Institute of Technology- Computer Engineering
Wentworth - Computer Engineering
Montana State - Computer Engineering.
Advantages of Stevens and MSU are programs in Music Technology in which he could minor - at one point he was even talking about switching majors to M/T but I don’t think he has the musical skillset for this. We visited Drexel and RIT last year and will visit Stevens, Wentworth and MSU next week. Other relevant factors: ADHD issues and will need accommodations. He likes team work and team projects but has somewhat of an introvert personality. Also worried about an environment where academic pressure might be too high.
MSU is the cheapest options, followed by Wentworth and then Stevens. Drexel and RIT were the least generous with merit. However cost is not a major deciding factor thanks to his 529 savings plan.
I know that these are very different options but I am interested in hearing thoughts and feedback…TIA.
If you like nature and skiing - you can’t do better than Bozeman…where the billionaires live in Montana (as opposed to Missoula which is just the millionaires).
But obviously this is the outlier for travel and U assume distance from home based on a list. It’s also the only public and while Drexel has many majors, the others don’t…so it and Drexel are somewhat differents school than the rest.
I would certainly ensure that these schools can support his ADHD and what that requires. Will being far from home be part of that ?
I would think that RIT would have particular strengths in audio tech and disability accommodations. This is due to their unique National Technical Institute for the Deaf. I think their environment is supportive and I don’t get the sense that there’s much pressure there. I don’t know about the other schools so I can’t compare.
RIT has a music technology minor: https://www.rit.edu/study/music-and-technology-minor. They also have their own record label called Tiger Records - there is a class associated with it that teaches you how to use the recording studio, organize concerts, do music promotions and publicity, etc – pretty much everything you would do at a real record label. The school has really been pushing the performing arts side of things and they have a Performing Arts scholarship that you can apply for as an incoming freshman - you simply send a video audition. It’s not super competitive (meaning you don’t need to be amazingly skilled - my son sent a video of him noodling around on his electric guitar). It is not a lot of money but it is renewable and it gets you special opportunities - Performing Arts Scholars get bus trips to go to local concerts and plays for free etc. I definitely recommend applying for it since you can only get it as an incoming freshman.
My son is a freshman there now in Software Engineering and loves it – he’s also getting the music technology minor and is involved with the record label and the jam club (essentially a pick-up rock band). He has hearing loss and the school has been amazing with accomodations. There are a lot of ADD/spectrum kids there (overall the school has a very nerdy kind of vibe which totally suits my son) and they have a lot of programs to help them succeed. The school is really good in that way – they honestly want kids to succeed, not fail. There are several layers of advisors and all of the classes are small and taught by professors who genuninely want to help. It is a challenging curriculum and the classes are tough, but everyone is helpful and there is no sense of any cutthroat competitive environment at all. It is not a huge party school at all - almost all of the social activities are through campus clubs and there is a club for pretty much anything you could want. They even have a live-action Humans vs Zombies game twice a year where the kids run around shooting each other with nerf darts for a week straight. (Like I said, it’s nerdy!)
I don’t know specifically about computer engineering but I know their engineering and comp sci programs are supposed to be top-notch. In Software Engineering, there is a lot of team and group work and since most of the kids there are introverts (did I mention that it’s full of nerdy somewhat socially awkward kids? :-)) the professors actually spend a lot of time teaching kids how to work effectively in groups, how to communicate properly with each other etc. The school definitely knows their audience and really does a lot to get the shy kids out of their shells both in and outside of the coursework. By the time the mandatory coops come around (most programs have mandatory coops which really help with landing a job!), they make sure that even the shyest most introverted kids know how to interview well and interact in a job setting. Honestly I think that is one of the main strengths of the school.
If you aren’t happy with the aid they offered, I would appeal and show them the other offers he has - one of my son’s friends did this and they ended up matching the price of the other school.
I will say my son is not enthralled with the dorms or food (both are pretty meh) and he wishes the gender ratio was a bit better but otherwise he loves the school and would definitely choose it again (Drexel was one of his other choices but we are local to Philly and weren’t crazy about Drexel for multiple reasons. Happy to discuss those if you want.)
We know a number of very happy MSU students. It’s a gorgeous part of our country, and the college is really nice. Also, IIRC! It has the program your son is interested in.
I know…I think initially MSU was a safety considering he had no chance at Engineering programs at most UCs/Cal Sates but then it sorts of grew on him. Stevens is probably the better school of the three and the campus is gorgeous with the 180° view of Manhattan…I think it’s going to end up being a choice of small school tech/east coast vs. larger U. / outdoors…
So for four years of his life, he’ll either have the wonderful mountains or the NYC skyline - it’s nice to be able to look out the window and be in paradise.
Wentworth would be more of a draw if they had a consortium relationship with Berklee for the music tech stuff. Unfortunately, Wentworth is part of the Colleges of the Fenway (w/Simmons, Emmanuel, MassArt, MCPHS) but not the ProArts Consortium (Berklee/Boston Conservatory, New England Conservatory, Emerson, MassArt and others).
Stevens, with its Music & Technology program, seems better equipped in this realm, in addition to being generally considered a stronger engineering school than Wentworth. (I do know a Wentworth engineering grad who has done very well and had a good experience there, however.)
Montana State’s Music Tech program doesn’t sound very accessible to non-majors. In the FAQ’s, they state that there is one class in that department (“Basic Home Recording”) that is open to non-majors.
Stevens, where Music Tech is in Arts & Letters rather than walled off in a School of Music as at MSU (and the Stevens catalog says that the required Secondary Concentration can be in any Arts & Letters discipline), may be the best place for him to span his interests, in addition to offering a strong CE program.
Funny twist…S23 just got notification of acceptance from UC Merced. He didn’t apply there but was admitted because he was rejected from all the UCs he applied to (UCLA, UCB, UCSD, UCSB, UCI) Not sure how this will affect the decision process…
No - he declined the offer. I think he really likes his three last choices and wasn’t really enthusiastic about Merced’s location. The only advantages are that it would be closer to home and maybe cheaper than the most expensive option (Stevens) but not that much cheaper than MSU or Wentworth considering the merit scholarships they offered.
