Engineering college on very low budget?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>DS is interested in going into engineering. Right now he is thinking CS or CE, although on another forum, it was suggested that ME is the most versatile. IDK.</p>

<p>Anyway, I have been trying to research possibilities, and the only ones I come up w/ that would provide the aid he needs to attend are the Ivy's, which are very unlikely. </p>

<p>So, hopefully, I can get some suggestions here.</p>

<p>Stats: 1920 on SAT, 1310 in CR & Math. He probably could have done better, but he did no prep. He looked at one practice site the night before. That will not happen again!</p>

<p>No subject tests, we didn't know about them. But he will take them. Don't know if he should retake the SAT or go for the ACT?</p>

<p>Grade average this year is 97.2. They grade on the 100 scale? And grades are weighted, honor classes, one AP. Didn't fully understand the counselor on how this works. </p>

<p>He was 6th in his class of 465. That may have changed, the kids are finishing up finals early next week. </p>

<p>He will be taking all AP classes next year. </p>

<p>National Honor Society.
Tech Club, Spanish Club. Was in Chess Club, but that disbanded.
He wants to do the Scholarship Bowl next year.<br>
He has been looking for a job, but they are few around here for teens, especially 16 yr olds.
He has some "official" volunteering thru the school. Mainly, it is neighborhood type of things. Helping out the elderly/sickly neighbors w/ grass cutting, snow removal, etc. Also, raising supplies for the local animal shelter.</p>

<p>We had an EFC of approx. $2100 for oldest DD19 this year. BUT, there was furlough for DH last year, so his income was down. She has since quit college, though still living at home. We will qualify for the Simplified Needs Test for the FAFSA, under $50K. </p>

<p>So maybe above average academically, below average on the EC's. We could probably do $5K a year. Hoping he gets a PT job for his senior yr to add some more to that.</p>

<p>We live in Pennsylvania, so even Penn State is a financial reach. I am looking at the community college, but don't know how it would work for him to transfer after two years. Especially into an engineering program. </p>

<p>He would prefer not to go to a large school, or one that is too far from PA. Would like to be able to be in reasonable driving distance. </p>

<p>I have done the NPC on a number of colleges I have read about here, but they all come out to $20K plus/year. </p>

<p>So what would you all suggest? Thanks.</p>

2

<p>See if he can get those scores up with devoted prep. Substantial merit aid at good engineering schools may be available to a student with that GPA if the scores are high enough.</p>

3

<p>If he scores a 1400 on the SAT composite (CR+Math), he can have full tuition + 2k at Alabama, bringing the costs down to around $10k (90 points is not a huge gap to fill–he will have to practice). Look into RPI, WPI, Franklin W Olin, and try their NPCs too.</p>

4

<p>I believe, in state, Bloomsburg has a some ABET-accredited engineering programs. Other PASSHE schools may as well. And if he can get his scores up to the level of earning the presidential scholarship at Bama, I think he would qualify for a similar scholarship from Temple. </p>

<p>Are you near any of the Penn State branch campuses? Could he commute for two years before heading to University Park? This could save you a lot of dough those first two years.</p>

5

<p>as an engg major, he only needs a 1330 M+CR to get free tuition plus 2500 per year at Bama.</p>

<p>that along with a Pell grant and a student loan would bring costs down to practically nothing.</p>

<p>he would also get into the honors college.</p>

<p>Alabama is gorgeous, has a new Science and Engg Complex, and has many, many, many OOS students. The last two frosh classes have been over 50% OOS. </p>

<p>so, with practice and also taking the ACT, he should improve to get these large awards.</p>

<p>Frankly, for engg, a larger school can have advantages…a larger school can often afford to have more extensive facilities. that may be one reason why large state schools often have very good engg.</p>

6

<p>I ran the NPC for Alabama and got these results:</p>

<p>Total Direct Costs: $37,606
(less) Grants and Scholarships: $26,045
(less) Federal Direct Subsidized Loan help $3,500
(less) Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan help $2,000
(less) Federal Perkins Loan help $3,000 </p>

<p>Remaining Direct Costs $3,061 </p>

<p>Add books, misc, etc, of around $2000, and that would be the $ we could provide, roughly $5K. </p>

<p>Is the $8.5K in loans reasonable debt to take on? </p>

<p>It is a huge student body, and about a 14 hour drive for us, two things he did not want, but maybe our only option.</p>

7

<p>I did check the ABET for the PASSHE schools. They are accredited in Computer Science or technology degrees, and I have been told the technology degrees are not the best to pursue; if you spend the money and time, make it engineering. </p>

<p>Bloom offers the 3+2 program: 3 yrs at Bloom then 2 at Penn State for engineering. That just seems an even more expensive route. He would have a BA from Bloom, generally math or physics, and a BS from Penn State in an engineering program. </p>

<p>Is that even something desirable?</p>

<p>DD19 attended a Penn State commonwealth campus. It is manageable, with loans, she got very little aid from Penn State, but then transferring to main campus is a huge increase in fees, $13K to a Net cost of around $25K. Even w/ his loans and our contributions, he’s still short about $13K. </p>

<p>IF he ends up at Community College, what is it we need to be concerned with? All these colleges talk a good game, but how truthful are they? I was REALLY annoyed w/ PS, and did not find many of their departments on campus very helpful. </p>

8

<p>the COA is padded already and includes the most expensive dorms and meal plan. the pricey meal plan is only needed as a frosh. After frosh year, my boys opted for the smallest meal plan, which was fine.</p>

<p>and books can be rented or bought used.</p>

<p>the grants and scholarships number isnt right, unless you only put in 1310…or maybe it doesnt figure the engg money??? maybe not on the NPC since it may not ask for major</p>

<p>If your son bumps his sat to a 1330 (try for the 1400+), then he would get…</p>

<p>2/3 tuition from univ (if less than 1400…if 1400+, then full tuition)
1/3 tuition from engg (if less than 1400)
2500 also from engg
Pell grant of about 3500</p>

<p>so that total of grants and scholarships would be about $30k (about 24,500k tuition, 2500 eng, 3500 pell)
then a 5500 loan
and about $5k from parents…
really, all could be covered.</p>

<p>less would be needed from parents if the student worked/saved over the summer.
He may also be given some work-study.</p>

<p>the npc isnt going to be right since the engg money isnt included.</p>

<p><<<
It is a huge student body, and about a 14 hour drive for us, two things he did not want, but maybe our only option.
<<<</p>

<p>the drive could be an issue, but if the awards are $30k, then flying would be an occasional option… However, the student body really isnt because he would be in the College of Engg…about 4,000 and in the Honors College…so a smaller feel.</p>

<p>this is the new Engineering complex and the engineering quad
<a href=“Facilities – College of Engineering | The University of Alabama”>http://eng.ua.edu/buildings/&lt;/a&gt;
the honors dorms are conveniently nearby.</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>what AP credits will he be coming in with? he may have nearly all of his Core completed…engg has fewer Core. My engg son had all of his engg Core complete by APs except one course.</p>

<p>I think you need to visit. bama is rarely on a student’s early list, but once they visit, they are hooked.</p>

<p>visit the Bama forum here on CC and meet folks from all over…from Alaska to Hawaii to Calif to NY to Maine to Florida to Texas to Illinois to PA, etc.</p>

9

<p>My biggest concern is that the OP’s child has a weighted GPA under 100. What is the unweighted GPA?</p>

10

<p>Also, have you looked at Slippery Rock University? That school would be in your price range. Slippery Rock is around $23000 per year if you are in state and I’m sure he would qualify for merit aid. It’s got about 5,000 students. For tuition, it’s about $9,000 and if you are near there, he can stay at home. He would qualify for about $3,000 in merit aid and if you take out a around $5,000 in aid, that makes it very manageable. Also, if he brings his SAT score up by a lot, he could aim for the Ivies where you would attend of absolutely no cost.</p>

11

<p>Yes, include Renselaer and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Also investigate U of Rochester, Saint Louis University and SUNY Buffalo. See also Ohio University in Athens.</p>

<p>One more thing; while spending at least a year at community college would be cheaper than a Freshman year at a 4-year university, it won’t provide much benefit if you cannot satisfy the engineering foundation courses at community college. Otherwise, you’ll simply spend a 5th or 6th year at university. While you may take the Calculus sequence and Differential Equations at CC, computer programming for engineers (numerical methods), Fluid Mechanics, and Engineering Materials may not be available on the CC course schedule.</p>

12

<p>As you are finding, Pennsylvania is a bad place to be if you are low income trying to afford a state university. It would be wise to relax the distance restriction in order to find more options with better financial aid and scholarships.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-p20.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-p20.html&lt;/a&gt; lists big scholarships for stats. His stats would pick up full rides at Tuskegee and Prairie View A&M and full tuition at a few more places (though it looks like just full tuition would still be a financial stretch for you and him). Higher ACT or SAT scores would open up more options, so it would be a good idea for him to try both tests.</p>

13

<p>Re: community college</p>

<p>That can be a viable option if</p>

<p>A. The community college has courses accepted for transfer subject credit by the four year target schools, so that the student can complete the bachelor’s degree within four semesters of transfer. Check the transfer credit pages of the four year target schools.
B. Two years at community college and two years at the four year school would be affordable. Given the poor financial aid at Pennsylvania public schools, and the fact that many private schools give worse financial aid to transfers, this may be a problem.</p>

14

<p>Take a look at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology over in Terre Haute, Indiana. </p>

<p><a href=“http://www.rose-hulman.edu/”>404 | Rose-Hulman;

<p>Private college, and ranked as highest tech school which only offers a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Plus I hear that they offer excellent merit aid. Worth serious consideration.</p>

15

<p>Check out university of pittsburg They are well know for some of their computer related majors, and it is in PA. The instate tuition is cheap, and with his sats im pretty sure he could get in</p>

16

<p>First look into Rice, USC, Notre Dame, and Tufts - those are “meet full need” colleges with engineering and lower admission standards than the most elite colleges. Scores will have to increase for a good shot, although 1310 is at least within the mid-50% at USC. </p>

<p>Alabama was mentioned and that is a good place to try for large merit aid. Some others would be Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech, UAB, and UAH. Like Alabama, most of these will require higher scores to get close to the price you are looking for. 1400 is sort of the “magic number” for large automatic merit scholarships - if he can get there, lots more possibilities like Temple, Ole Miss, etc.</p>

17

<p>Some of the [url=“&lt;a href=“http://theaitu.org%22%5DAITU%5B/url”&gt;http://theaitu.org”]AITU[/url</a>] schools have been mentioned already but you should definitely look into all of them.</p>

18

<p>I vouch for Rose-Hulman. I live in Indiana, and many of my engineering friends go or will go there. It’s a small, rigorous, school, and employers do recognize it. Though it’s not as common for Indiana residents as Purdue is, you get the more one-on-one atmosphere. They have a lot of scholarships available; here’s a link: <a href=“Scholarships & Grants | Rose-Hulman”>404 | Rose-Hulman;
I don’t know about other schools, sorry, but Rose-Hulman would be a good option.</p>

19

<p>To the person who said Saint Louis University - I live very close to this school and I am considering attending there, it is very strong in aerospace / mechanical engineering, so I’ve been told. Mostly due to its school of aviation. However SLU is notoriously a bit stingy with their financial based aid. However, still run the net price calculators and give it a shot. </p>

20

<p>slu is stingy…I wouldnt bother with it.</p>