East Coast Engineer wants out

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello,
Let me say it right off the bat; My family tree has stayed put in Maryland for ages. I know there are good schools here (UMD, John Hopkins, etc.) but I need out. It's a personal thing; I cannot stand the development or the proximity to DC. I want to see the world, and I've always been promised that "first step" comes when choosing a college.</p>

<p>I'm a male pursuing a 4-year university for engineering; either Mechanical or Aerospace. I'd prefer to be an engineering technician rather than an office worker. I enjoy being hands on and working with the gritty stuff opposed to sitting behind a monitor. (I'd also like to know, is that's the difference between engineering technician and engineering science?)</p>

<p>As far as grades; I'm no Ivy League, full-ride, top 5%, Valedictorian. I'm the first college bound generation in my family, so I'm doing what I can. I currently stand at a 3.1 GPA and a 3.8 Cumulative GPA (on the 5.0 WGPA scale). I will be graduating spring, 2014 with 9 AP exams completed. I score 4's on Math and Science APs, and 3's on History. MY SAT score (3 subjects) is 1880, and my ACT is expected to be 31-32 when I take it this fall.</p>

<p>Financing? Phew. I got 0 expected family contribution. Both my parents have been out of work since 2009. Aside from the on-and-off jobs, their lack of degree won't latch a career these days (very unfortunate). I'm relying on scholarships, grants, financial aide, and anything I qualify for to help me before I take out a loan. But I will survive, I've been raised to earn my share, not inherit it.</p>

<p>Naviance and College searches are wonderful, but it can only do SO much. Now that I've summarized my situation, I need help from actual people, experiences from places. I want to either go West or South for college. I've been looking at Embry Riddle, FL ; Purdue, IN ; and some other colleges along the Gulf and not too far north.</p>

<p>I need a university with a firm grasp on engineering, as well as a great atmosphere. I want a place excited about their sports and has campus spirit. Not a ge'drunk n' party school but one with a little spunk. I prefer small town, not a lot of tall buildings. Beaches are always welcome but if not, large open grassy fields and forests will surely do.</p>

<p>Diversity? Co-ed is a must. Most of them are 50-50 or close so that's not an issue. As far as demographics, I like a little diversity. I come from a highschool where Caucasian was the minority. I don't want to sound racist saying it, but I'd prefer if I could go somewhere where the number of white people in school can't be counted on 2 hands and a foot. </p>

<p>I'm not asking for the perfect college that has ALL these things, but if you could list places you've been / attended / know about. I'd like to hear a testimony, not a 500 word blurb on a website.</p>

<p>In short, lemme' hear them Southern and Western Engineering Schools! What's it like?</p>

2

<p>A full ride at Louisiana Tech is waiting for you if you score a 32 on the ACT.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-19.html#post16145676[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-19.html#post16145676&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>Woo. That thread is an eye opener. Thanks!</p>

4

<p>

This is not a “phew” comment. Most schools will NOT meet financial need. Just because you don’t have it doesn’t mean the schools will supply it. Your best bet is to look at the net cost calculators on the college web sites and look for schools where your academic qualifications are near the top, OR go cheap. I know you want out of DC, but it’s possible that you’ll need to wait until you graduate for that. Also, look for first-generation scholarships - you’ve done well with your AP tests and there may be schools that want to help.</p>

<p>I’m sorry I don’t have schools to suggest.</p>

<p>Good luck, and congratulations on going!</p>

<p>Edit - and, of course, that awesome list (above) that I keep forgetting about! :)</p>

5

<p>I meant the ‘phew’ as more of an understanding sigh, didn’t mean to look like “I’ll be fine, they’ll give me money”. That is a bad on my part. Sorry! I’ve looked into the FAFSA calculator and I’m sure to read everything regarding finances on college websites. I do not mind going cheap; As long as the education is quality and the folks are friendly. Just because something costs more doesn’t always mean it’s a universal fit.</p>

<p>And thanks! I am quite excited.</p>

6

<p>Keep that attitude and you will succeed! I wish had some input but the list above is a great start. Good luck!</p>

7

<p>vanderbilt is probably a really good match
[Undergraduate | School</a> of Engineering | Vanderbilt University](<a href=“http://engineering.vanderbilt.edu/academics/Undergraduate/index.php]Undergraduate | School”>Undergraduate | Academics | School of Engineering | Vanderbilt University)
some of what you are asking for is hard to get all in one place .
so while vanderbilt is not a perfect match it is probably as close as you can get</p>

<p>rice univesity also is a very good choice
[Undergraduate</a> Programs : Rice University George R. Brown School of Engineering](<a href=“http://engineering.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=1154]Undergraduate”>http://engineering.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=1154)</p>

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<p>University of Alabama Huntsville is amazing for engineering and generous with financial aid (from what I’ve been told anyway). It’s a small-ish school but the faculty really cares and there’s tons of opportunities in the surrounding area for internships and that kind of thing.</p>

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<p>For need-based aid estimates, you can try the net price calculators on the various schools’ web sites.</p>

<p>But be warned that most out-of-state public schools will be far short of meeting need in the absence of merit scholarships. Of the private schools, it is mainly the more selective ones that meet need. Also, “meet need” schools typically expect a student contribution of $4,000 to $10,000 per year (Stafford loan and/or work earnings).</p>

<p>The least selective private schools with mechanical engineering listed as meeting 90% of need on [CollegeData:</a> College Search, Financial Aid, College Application, College Scholarship, Student Loan, FAFSA Info, Common Application](<a href=“http://www.collegedata.com%5DCollegeData:”>http://www.collegedata.com) are places like Clarkson, PINYU, Syracuse, and Union, which are likely reaches with a 3.1 HS GPA (Vanderbilt and Rice are likely even more extreme reaches).</p>

<p>South Dakota State does have a very low list price, even for out-of-state students, though you would still need to find some scholarships or financial aid to bring it down to where you can cover it with Stafford loan and/or work earnings.</p>

10

<p>You may want to both take the ACT and retry the SAT this fall to give you two chances to hit the thresholds of the automatic full ride scholarships.</p>

<p>Find actual released tests and try them under test conditions (with time limits) so that you can evaluate what you need to improve on (time management, specific types of questions, etc.).</p>

11

<p>WPI in MA. This is based on your preference for hands on work, and the fact that you sound like someone who is self directed.</p>

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<p>WPI is not great on meeting need, and the average incoming GPA is 3.8, so he wouldn’t be likely to get much merit aid. And I don’t think it meets his requirements for “anywhere but the East coast”.</p>

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<p>Thank you all for the input so far! I’ll definitely be taking the ACT as well as retaking the SAT. My goal and expected was around 2000; guess it was my first time and just did a bit under (my) par. Now that I’m familiar with it I can better prepare.</p>

<p>As far as location; I just need to get out of the MD, VA, WV tri-state area. My father has told me about his hitch-hiking travels (back when people actually did that) and how the state parks out west and the southland are beautiful. I don’t -mind- going north but I tend to prefer places a bit warmer.</p>

<p>Years of looking at pictures and realizing college can help me move somewhere else. Kind of a kill-2-birds-with-1-stone idea; get a quality education in a fitting location.</p>

<p>I know you shouldn’t pick a college on location alone, but I guess I just have my preference in surroundings. Dunno if that’s good or bad, necessarily, I don’t want to rub off as a picky chooser.</p>

14

<p>What is your weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale?</p>

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<p>If you have 0 efc, you can’t afford the transportation cost. Therefore, You have to stay in the northeast. </p>

<p>Your GPA is wayy below 25th percentile for UMD- College Park. You could get into UMD- Baltimore County. </p>

<p>If you are looking for a full ride, increase your SAT or take the ACT.</p>

16

<p>@moms2collegekids
I would assume by that, it would just be my WGPA on my transcript. And that’s;</p>

<p>GPA - 3.1
WGPA - 3.8</p>

17

<p>Once again, people are missing the point.</p>

<p>Raw weighted/unweighted GPA are both useless. You need class rank. OP said he is not within top 5%, if he is not in top 10%, or at least top quarter, kiss getting a free ride at a top private with a bottom 25th percentile test score + 1st generation college hook goodbye. What is your class rank?</p>

18

<p>@Zonlicht</p>

<p>In the 3 years I have so far attended my highschool, I have never heard someone mention, nor been told of anyone’s class rank. As far as I know, either we don’t have one or we’re not big on releasing student’s ranks to them.</p>

19

<p>Focus on your ACT. If you can qualify for one of the automatic merit scholarships listed above, that would be your best bet.</p>

<p>Do you understand that studying engineering will involve far more math and physics problems than “being hands on and working with the gritty stuff”? Engineering technology is usually closer to the latter.</p>

<p>Remember that relocating and going to school are linked only in your mind, and that you are not obligated to continue your education immediately.</p>

20

<p>Engineering Technology is the hands-on? I always thought “Engineering Technician” meant hands-on as opposed to “Engineering Science/Technology”.</p>

<p>On your point of relocating; Either way I would be required to find work to pay for housing/college expenses. While I could relocate, find work, apply for residency, then pay in-state after time requirements, etc; I feel like independent housing would end up costing me more than a dorm (I could be very wrong though).</p>

<p>I would assume if you are in college, you have a better chance at finding a paid internship/part time job.</p>