Engineering/Business Colleges?

<p>So this is my first time posting in this area, so sorry if I'm not posting the right stuff or something...</p>

<p>I'm a junior this year, and I have been looking at going to college for Engineering and Business. I really love physics and I think engineering will be a good area to go into, and I think a business degree will be a good complement to it. </p>

<p>The type of engineering I want to go into is either Mining, Aerospace or Materials, and I really only want an MBA for the business part, but I'm looking for a college that has a great program for both of those things.</p>

<p>Basic Stats: 28 ACT (taking another one and hoping to break 30), 3.7 UW GPA, several APs, and I'm the president of our DECA chapter, was an officer last year and will be president next year. </p>

<p>The colleges that I am going to apply to already are University of Michigan, Pennsylvania State University, Utah State, University of Utah, and Stanford (I know I probably won't get into Stanford, but it's my dream universtiy, so I'm going to try anyways). I really just don't know where to start looking for more options. Thanks!</p>

<p>Double majoring in engineering and business is unlikely to be feasable due to the large number of requirements.</p>

<p>MBA programs do not require a bachelor’s degree in business, but do want to see post bachelor’s degree work experience. Also, going into management in an engineering company does not necessarily require an MBA.</p>

<p>The best thing that you can do that you already seem to understand is to get your engineering degree and then get your MBA. I went to the top international MBA program in the country and among the most sought after grads form my program were those who had engineering backgrounds. As ucbalumnus suggests correctly (and by the way ucb’s advice is among the best if not the best on CC) management in an engineering company is not a requirement for a management position. However, it really helps for an upper management positions later on. All things being equal with your competition, for those top jobs, an MBA can give you the edge.</p>

<p>With regards to your major, Mining, Aerospace or Materials are all very different (however there are crossovers especially with AERO and Materials). Get some real clarity on your major before you apply to universities. The reason why is that you want to go to an ABET accredited program. Any of those programs have less flexibility with the course load as they need to comply with an outside oversight organization. If you change majors along the way you have to make up classes that you did not take. This could extend your graduation date as much as a year. Good luck – here are a couple of schools that fit your profile stats: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona. great programs.</p>

<p>I have to ask, are your parents willing to pay OOS costs for Penn State and UMich? Utah is ABET accredited in Materials and Mining. If you can afford OOS costs look at U Dayton which has both engineering and an MBA, and works closely with the Air Force Research Labs.</p>

<p>Well, I come from a low income family and I am planning on getting decent financial aid, as well as merit scholarships, and as of now it looks like I’m the only one of their children who will be going to a university for a few years, so they will be willing to pay what they can. They haven’t made any objections to me going out of state…</p>

<p>Try the “net price calculator” at each school’s web site. Do not assume generous financial aid without checking, particularly at most out-of-state public schools (although some, like Alabama, offer generous merit scholarships to high-stat out-of-state applicants).</p>

<p>Aerospace is often a subarea of mechanical engineering at schools which do not have a standalone aerospace engineering degree program. You may also want to consider universities which are near employers of the field, since employers like to recruit at local universities because they are convenient.</p>

<p>Again, ucbalumnus is spot on. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has the top AERO undergrad program in the country. Here are some great links to get you excited:</p>

<p>Aviation Week & Space Technology, the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries, recently named Cal Poly first in the nation for industry workforce recruiting. </p>

<p>[Cal</a> Poly First In Nation for Aerospace and Defense Worker Recruitment](<a href=“http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2010/August/Recruit.html]Cal”>http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2010/August/Recruit.html)</p>

<p>Cal Poly Engineering swept first-, second- and third-place awards in the undergraduate and graduate student design competition sponsored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). </p>

<p>[Cal</a> Poly Engineering Sweeps AIAA Student Aircraft Design Competition](<a href=“http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2011/September/aircraft.html]Cal”>http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2011/September/aircraft.html)</p>

<p>Apply for Cal Poly SLO and Cal Poly Pomona. You may want to try the ACT again to get it over 30 to improve your chances of acceptance. Cal Poly Pomona, the sister school in the Los Angeles area, is located in the heart of Aerospace country and has easier entrance requirements.</p>

<p>Both schools are relatively inexpensive and could be a great leg up to your preferred industry. If you are a California resident, which I am hoping you are, tuition will be fairly easy to cover. Otherwise it will be OOS prices. Still not bad, but more expensive.</p>

<p>Both schools have excellent business programs. But it will be hard if not impossible to double major at Cal Poly SLO. Not sure about Cal Poly Pomona. At Cal Poly Pomona, you might get into the Kellogg Honors College with your stats as is.</p>

<p>I’d cross Penn State off. They give horrible merit (I think $4,000 tops) and so-so FA. I’m in-state and I won’t let me son apply because I think it is too costly. Couldn’t imagine OOS.</p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestions, I’m really going to look into Cal Poly. And maybe I won’t get an MBA, maybe just a minor in business. </p>

<p>Does anyone have any suggestions for other universities for mining and materials engineering?</p>

<p>Are you a Utah resident? If so, the [Western</a> Undergraduate Exchange schools](<a href=“http://wue.wiche.edu/search_results.jsp?searchType=all]Western”>http://wue.wiche.edu/search_results.jsp?searchType=all) may be useful.</p>

<p>Some more possibilities: Washington, Minnesota, and Virginia Tech for aerospace. Cal Poly SLO and Arizona State for materials. (Note: both Cal Polys have aerospace, but only SLO has materials.) Be sure to check the “net price calculators”.</p>

<p>There are only 14 schools on the [ABET</a> accreditation list](<a href=“http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx]ABET”>http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx) for mining engineering. Some have “Mines” or “Mining” in their name, and many are in places near mining activity.</p>

<p>I think Minnesota-Twin Cities is a great bargain. If I recall, the total cost of attendance is somewhere in the $25k/year range. That includes tuition, cost of living, housing and books. Calrson is a very good B school and its Engineering programs are stellar.</p>

<p>ucbalumnus – what a great list for ABET Accreditation! I had no idea that there were only 10 accredited programs for AERO in California. Where do you get all this fantastic info? Again, very impressive comments. You are all over CC and never disappoint. Great job!</p>

<p>Great that you are doing this research as a JR - my son began late but as an enginering stud, we have come across these options that sound good:
Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, CA is founded by the Mining engineer HM and is Very well respected. One of the happiest campus’ and expects a LOT from their students.</p>

<p>Rice University (also a Happy campus - rated #1 actually) is one of the strongest merit/needs based fin aid schools in the land - by the way, they are considered ‘Ivy South’ and it is known to be as strong in engineering as any AND Houston is in NASAs’ back yard. Remember Kennedy’s ‘To the Moon’ speech took place from the Rice campus.</p>

<p>Our son was accepted by Cal Poly SLO and he is strongly considering - waiting on fin aid pkg to decide…still hoping to hear good things from HMC and RU as well as UW since we live in Seattle…thanks all for your input…</p>