<p>Hi guys, i am well into my college search and have applied to for mechanical engineering:
Virginia Tech
Virginia Commonwealth U.
James Madison U.
Purdue U. (it's a stretch)
Tulane U. (Legacy)</p>
<p>I am in Virginia but if the school has a good enough engineering program to justify the cost, then i am willing to go out of state. I'm just wondering if there are any additional schools you think i would be a match with.
GPA: ~3.6
ACT: 29 (29E,26M,31R,31S)</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>You’ll get into Purdue. I think people overestimate how competitive it is in terms of admission. JMU only offers one engineering degree without the established industry and grad school contacts that schools which also offer only one engineering degree (eg, Harvey Mudd) enjoy.</p>
<p>I am not sure what affect Tulane legacy has on admissions, my school has like a 90% acceptance rate into Tulane, the 10% rejection included a legacy. If you are a junior take the ACT again. I took mine cold senior year and got my highest scores.</p>
<p>JMU was just a definite backup incase something goes horribly wrong and I don’t get into another school. Unfortunately I’m a senior so retaking the act isn’t really possible at this point. Any other schools I should apply to?</p>
<p>Is there anything you want out of a college that you find lacking or non-existent at either Virginia Tech or Purdue?</p>
<p>Have you researched NC State? Clemson? Tennessee-Knoxville? All have respected engineering programs and may be good matches.</p>
<p>Whenhen: I’m starting out to apply to the best mechanical engineering schools I could get into (Purdue is #8, VT is around 17), then out of the ones I get into ill visit and look at all aspects to find my best fit.</p>
<p>Snorkel:
I haven’t researched those, but I’ll definitely look into them. I’ve just been using usnews to see the top engineering schools, is there a better place?</p>
<p>but if the school has a good enough engineering program to justify the cost, then i am willing to go out of state. I</p>
<p>Is that what your parents are saying? Will they pay all the high costs to go OOS for an eng’g program when you have VT instate?? Or are you thinking that you’ll borrow to pay those costs?</p>
<p>My parents will help a lot (they are willing to pay a majority of my college either in or out of state) with the costs, but some loans will be involved as they want me to “Have something” in my education. Granted I don’t want to go to a $60k a year school if no financial aid is available, but If the better education will help get me a high paying job…it makes sense</p>
<p>but If the better education will help get me a high paying job…it makes sense</p>
<p>That doesn’t happen in eng’g. Companies that hire eng’rs pay their new hires the SAME amount no matter where they went to college. So, if you graduate from Purdue and get hired by Company A, then you’ll get paid the SAME amount as the new-hire from VT, NCarolina St, JMU or wherever. </p>
<p>So, if company A hires its new eng’rs at $65k per year, then the Purdue grad gets that…and the JMU grad gets that.</p>
<p>There’s no bonus pay for Purdue grads or other “name” grads. Not worth the extra money.</p>
<p>BTW…didn’t Tulane get rid of many/most of its eng’g disciplines?</p>
<p>Good to know, I still feel a company like apple for example is going to hire only “upper end” engineering students. The name may also help with internships, and getting into a masters program. Tulane’s program involves 2 years at Tulane getting a B.S. In Physics, then 2 years at Johns Hopkins getting B.S. In Mechanical Eng.</p>
<p>I still feel a company like apple for example is going to hire only “upper end” engineering students</p>
<p>You can “feel” that all you want. But companies like Apple, and Google and whatever are hiring eng’rs from all over…not those from certain schools. </p>
<p>As for hiring the best eng’g students…that is the goal…but you’re wrongly thinking that the “best hires” are only from certain schools. The best students come from everywhere.</p>
<p>It’s just wrong to think that a company is going to overlook at VT grad for a Purdue grad based on the school’s name. It won’t happen.</p>
<p>Interesting, I’ve always been told differently. Where do your kids go and have you been happy with their choice?</p>
<p>Florida Inst. Technology would be a safety for you. You’d get about $20k/yr in merit money (COA is $55k). It has a co-op program if you are interested in that. It’s at the beach.</p>
<p>There are all the smaller schools like Colorado School of Mines or NM Mines. Do you have any ideas of what you want to do? (Mining? building? factory? small firm?)</p>
<p>I’d stay in Virginia if I were you. Better tuition rates, and there may be state funding only usable in Virginia.</p>
<p>I plan to start my own company. I have always been entrepreneurial and I know I want to do it. I’m going to try to stay in VA if it offers the best for me, but I’m not 100% sure I’ll be accepted into Tech it is extremely competitive here. So I like options, I’ll look into Florida tech</p>
<p>And I either want to do automotive engineering or robotic</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Then you might want to consider Alabama. Mercedes Benz’s only US manufacturing plant is in Tuscaloosa and many with automotive eng’g interests do co-ops and internships there…and get hired there. </p>
<p>IF your GPA is a 3.5 and ACT is 29, then Alabama would give you a half tuition scholarship (about $12k per year) so remaining costs would be about $22k per year. </p>
<p>But, you’d have to apply NOW, since the scholarship deadline is Jan 6th.</p>
<p>Thanks I’ll check it out. As far as applying to Purdue: I have taken the SAT with relatively low scores (610M, 570W, 550CR), should I even send it in? Or should I just use my ACT score? Only reason I’m inclined to send in my SAT score is because my ACT writing score was so horrid (6)</p>
<p>Here are the 25-75% SAT ranges for those enrolled at Purdue:
CR: 510-620
M: 550-680
W: 510-620
You’re well within the 50% range for each one of those sections meaning that it’s not foolish at all to submit your scores. </p>
<p>If you’re curious, the middle 50% of students at Purdue scored between a 24 and 30 ACT composite putting your 29 near the top of scores.</p>
<p>Source: <a href=“http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=purdue&s=all&id=243780#admsns[/url]”>http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=purdue&s=all&id=243780#admsns</a></p>
<p>Whenhen…I don’t think those numbers are for eng’g majors. For Purdue, don’t you have to apply/be accepted to the CoE? If so, then those quoted numbers wouldn’t likely apply.</p>
<p>This student has a 1160 M+CR…that’s low for those applying to a CoE. However, the ACT is fine. So, either way, he’s probably good. </p>
<p>I would guess that many/most eng’g students at Purdue are ACT 27-36. Those with lower scores are probably either struggling or being weeded out.</p>