Help me find a good enough engineering college (aerospace) and scholarships [CT resident, 3.42 UW, 1330 SAT]

College Majors Engineering Majors
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The latest list you made is almost all reaches, with no safeties. Your safety schools are the most important part of your application. You should tweak your essay to still express your interest in aero while not saying anything about majoring in aero per se.

Here are a few schools which I think you’d get into, possibly with some merit $. Most importantly, they all offer regular engineering degrees AND mechanical engineering technology degrees. If you are dead set on a regular engineering program, you could start out with that. Then if you are struggling, you could switch to engineering technology easily.

**University of North Texas - this one is important because it meets all your stated criteria except having aero. But now you know you that many AeroE’s actually major in MechE! I think you’re actually guaranteed admission here based on your GPA.

Purdue University Fort Wayne - this has the Purdue name that seems to be important to you. You can apply directly to Purdue Fort Wayne. If you apply to Purdue main campus, some potential outcomes are: 1) you’re offered admission to Purdue FYE (huge reach). 2) you’re offered admission to an engineering technology degree within the Purdue Polytech school on the Purdue main campus (possible). 3) you’re offered admission to Purdue Fort Wayne in engineering (possible).

Central Connecticut State University - I like this better than U Conn for you because you could pivot to engineering technology seamlessly.

University of Dayton – wonderful aero opportunities

Kent State University – wonderful aero opportunities

There are others schools that could fit you well, but I encourage you to take a hard look at these.

Don’t apply for CS if you’re not interested in doing CS. That’s like the most competitive major to get into anyway.

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My opinion…you need to identify two affordable sure things for admission that you would be happy to attend. Once you have those two schools chosen…and applications sent…you can add reach schools to your list.

I suggest two sure things…because it’s nice to have a choice come May 1.

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just wanted to add: we toured, and know kids in the aerospace program at Iowa State. It’s a good program! They say their career fair for engineering is the biggest west of the mississippi. Kids coming out of there are doing great.

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Also wanted to add the specific requirements since I feel like the thread is recommending colleges for certain reqs only

Must be:

-coastal school w/ urban population
-Weather is pretty important, it should be around the Northeast (but not too cold like Maine) or in the southeast/southwest.
-(50%) target or safety school
-ABET accredited
-Feeder school for NASA (it’s been my dream company)

-Possible international school recommendations would be good too, I’ve been looking into studying in Singapore

Sucks that most of the colleges I’m applying to are all reaches, I went by what naviance and my counselor told me since my school is very competitive, so it might vary for us. All of these colleges fit my reqs so now I’m kind of stuck. Maybe cal polytechnic @ Pomona? Idk I’ve heard east coast schools are very expensive and Pomona doesn’t seem like the safest area but if it matches my criteria then it’s worth it

I’m not concerned about college lifestyle for now, I’m pretty flexible and independent. I probably overestimated cost stuff, I’m set on not applying to schools that are known for being expensive so I will somewhat get through it, dw.

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You’ve got to choose some safety schools that you’re excited about, and it seems you’re recognizing that which is good. Once you get those settled, you can apply to whatever other schools you want.

50%+ admissions rate is not necessarily a safety for you – it depends on the person, the school, the major. For example, Purdue has an overall acceptance rate >60%, yet it it’s a huge reach for you for engineering. You can’t go off of >50% acceptance, nor will naviance give you the full picture. I don’t know what your counselor is saying, but the advice you’re getting on this thread is golden and you should follow it.

UAH has been mentioned several times and it meets all your criteria (though not super urban, it’s in a decent sized city). Can @tsbna44 give an estimate about the chances of getting in to engineering?

What about University of North Texas? You’re guaranteed admission and it meets all your criteria. Though it’s not a “feeder” school for NASA, Texas is certainly in the right area for that.

How about CCSU? It’s probably not your favorite, but it would work.

Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think Cal Poly Pomona is a safety here. It’s also very expensive for OOS.

Does this mean you DO have budget constraints? It’s hard for students (and often parents) to predict how much schools will cost. It varies a lot by school. It doesn’t matter where in the country they’re located. You need to research each school and run the net price calculator with your parents for every school you’re interested in to see if it may be affordable.

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46

I’d say UAH is a lock given the student qualifies for auto merit - but I don’t believe they have a technology degree and the OP struggles at math (or maybe just needs to repeat).

Huntsville isn’t sky skraper urban but it is Alabama’s biggest with over 200K and for engineers, it’s a corporate mecca - with tons and tons of aero/defense companies - and is NASA’s second point. It’s nickname is rocket city for a reason.

It’s also listed in many publications as the top city for young graduates.

And a beach that is far more beautiful than either coast (the gulf beaches) is an easy 5.5 hour drive away. Alabama is a coastal state.

So - checks a lot of boxes and frankly, for an aspiring aero engineer of any academic qualification, it should at least make the consideration list. Florida Institute of Technology (similar to an ERAU) is another - surrounded by defense - won’t be as cheap as UAH - but another that should be considered and OP would likely get in. It is just a couple miles from the coast in Melbourne Florida.

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Looking into it but I heard Huntsville has a high crime rate and not many Asians, I’m looking for a community that’s culturally similar since in CT there is a big Indian community. Also the reason why I wanted to go for Rutgers even though it’s out state

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What does this site think of UCF engineering? I’m getting mixed responses my counselor says it’s target, college vine is reach, and on quora/Reddit I’ve heard that it’s a huge school partly because the acceptance rate is “high” and fees aren’t that expensive. Plus the site’s sat range is 1270 – 1390, which I’m on the higher range, the college also has average 4.3 - 4.5 GPA which idk how Florida does their GPAs but I’m gonna assume 4.3-4.5 is not actually higher than A+ grades

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Keep in mind you probably won’t get everything you want. If an Asian type community is very important to you that is where I would start. Pretty much any campus will have some sort of Asian society, clubs, etc and I get wanting to be with people you are comfortable with but… College is also about expanding your knowledge base and going out of your comfort zone. Look at schools that have strong sub groups like societies that speak to you. No matter the size of the campus there will always be people that look like you and be represented of your culture. You can’t be friends with everyone. Even on huge campuses your friend groups will be small.

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Don’t know anything about Huntsville the city safety wise - but I can’t imagine it’s high in crime. Niche gives the school a B+ for safety which is very good in comparison to many others.

4% of students are Asian per CDS.

UCONN is 13%.

At any school, you’ll likely find engineering higher than the school.

If you want to work in aero, it may be in Mass but it’s more likely to be in Florida (treasure coast), Alabama, Utah, TX or Colorado - so you’re going to have to make tradeoffs in life.

In your case, you’ll have to make tradeoffs in what/where you study - and that might include racial imbalance.

At this point, you need a school you’ll get into. And that you can afford. It just so happens not only is UAH both - but it is smack in the midst of all the major companies in a career you want to have.

Good luck.

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What are ur thoughts on my chances of getting into UCF. Everything about it seems good besides from the huge # of students it has

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UCF is diverse but not Asian diverse (about 7%). If anything with female reproductive rights or LGBTQ are important to you, then you have to look at Florida’s actions in its educational systems.

I like the idea of you going to a school with an engineering technology major. With an up to 60% non completion rate, engineering (or CS) is a place where with a 3.42 and a bad calc grade and insufficient pre calc score and physics grades, you are likely, unfortunately, not going to finish. I don’t mean to come off that way and hope you prove me wrong. Engineering is mainly math and physics…I’m not sure if it’s actually the right major for you. Either you went too fast too soon and need to repeat and that’s ok or…they’re not a major for you.

But - I would seek schools with alternatives in case they are needed and engineering technology seems that type of major.

UAH has. UCF doesn’t.

Find schools that do. C Connecticut does (MechE Tech)

As for UCF, I think it’s a reach.

If you want a Florida public, apply of course, but I would add FAU (mechanical) as a more likely.

Back to engineering may not be the right major for you and I don’t want to dissuade you - but I suggest you do when I thought law school was for me. I made an appointment (at Uconn of all places as I was living in Bristol) - and i went and sat in on a class and talked to a faculty member about law. Needless to say, I didn’t pursue law school.

You should go learn what engineering is like - from an academic POV - given your scores in math and physics, I think that’s a must before you jump in. Set up informational meetings with a prof or advisor at CCSU - so you can learn about the technology plus regular majors and make sure it (including coursework) is right for you.

Best of luck.

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  • You have not taken the most rigorous classes at your school.
  • You struggled with the pace of honors/AP classes and have Bs, B-, & Cs in pretty much all of them.
  • Engineering is largely tons of math and physics. Your latest grades for those subjects are a C+ (so far) in AP physics and you received a D for Calc AB.
  • You have a tutor that preps you before unit exams and are still doing “poorly” with 4-5 hours of study before a test.
  • You’ve described yourself as “Terrible at writing in general (liberal arts majors), bad memorization skills (biology) and hated chemistry.”

You want to attend

  • coastal school w/urban population
  • a school in the northeast (but not too cold) or in the southeast/southwest
  • Feeder school for NASA
  • Schools that are targets or safeties
  • ABET accredited schools
  • Schools with a respectable population of Asian students

Everyone’s been recommending ABET-accredited schools for you that are targets/safeties. Additionally, your list of colleges you/your family came up with include Purdue…which is definitely not coastal, does not have an urban population, and is not in one of your desired geographic areas. Virginia Tech, on your list of schools to consider, doesn’t have an urban population either, and Texas A&M is definitely not urban.

You said:

Realize that being in the geographic location of your college will only be for around four years. After that, you can move wherever you want to be. It’s more important to focus on colleges where you are likely to do well so that you can be successful once you graduate from college.

That said, however, post #26 has several options that are all in the northeast.

Another school that @ColdWombat mentioned upthread is U. of Houston (TX). It is ABET-accredited for a number of fields in both engineering as well as engineering technology, should you end up realizing that engineering technology is a better path for you. Houston is the fourth most populous city in the nation, so definitely urban. And 24% of the U. of Houston’s students identify as Asian. With its location, I strongly suspect that it has strong links to NASA. It has about 38k undergrads, so it’s not small, and though I might have some concerns about falling through the cracks (as I would at any large state school), it does hit a number of the things you’re asking for.

The priority deadline for merit scholarship consideration just passed, but as it was a priority deadline and not an absolute deadline, there’s still some hope if you get the application in ASAP. I think that if you get at least $1k/year in scholarship money that you may qualify for in-state pricing. But even the out-of-state pricing is likely to be less than $35k/year for tuition, room & board.

What is your approximate class rank?

If you’re in the top 50% or if your school doesn’t rank, then this might be an assured admission, if U. of Houston hasn’t changed its minimums from 21-22. That said, it may not guarantee admission to your desired major (i.e. engineering). Look into the requirements for admission into engineering and/or engineering technology to see what additional requirements there are and how likely you are to meet them.

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UofH is a great suggestion. It’s a lovely and diverse campus with opportunities galore in greater Houston. Since there are so many first gen students there, academic supports abound. I would definitely throw in an application OP!

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My school doesn’t rank, and yes I think university of Houston will be an excellent fit. No aero though but I think I can do BS in ME and a minor in AE or Computer software engineering, which I don’t have an experience in but if anything goes wrong both my parents are software engineers too

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We are all concerned about your math and physics scores.

Are you going to retake classes? What is your plan because you will be taking classes at levels 20x higher than you are now in these subjects.

It’s not relevant what your parents are. Perhaps they can help but you’ll be away and they won’t be in class with you and a lot of this will have been many years forgotten to them.

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I’m glad you think that U. of Houston might be a good fit for you.

In looking at the criteria for the engineering college, it appears as though you will not qualify for admission to the College of Engineering as a freshman.

For direct entry to the College of Engineering (CoE) as a freshman, you would need a 1420 SAT score. To switch majors into the CoE you would need to have at least an overall college GPA of 3.25, with at least a 3.0 in your math, science, and engineering classes.

The mechanical engineering program lists slightly different requirements (you would need a 1370 SAT score), but I don’t know if it’s just not updated with the latest requirements.

The technology division (i.e. the engineering technology majors) is housed within the CoE. You may want to ask if it has the same entry requirements as for engineering (non-technology) majors.

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I am not saying that you can’t become an engineer (with an engineering or engineering technology degree). But from your comments it appears as though you’re entering the field via a process of elimination (i.e. eliminating all other possible fields based on your current understanding as a high school senior) rather than selecting it because of your actual interest and aptitude for it. You may want to spend some time exploring additional careers and options that could interest you as well. @Blossom may have some additional ideas, too.

There are tons of jobs in the space industry that have nothing to do with being an actual engineer. At NASA alone, there are more than 18k civil servants. They’re definitely not all engineers. They have scientists studying planets, or water purification, or developing special metal detectors. That doesn’t take into account everyone that NASA describes this way (source):

NASA also employs scientists who play a critical role in science management. Program, project and discipline scientists work together to carry out science investigations, monitor program execution and ensure the scientific success of the mission. And, our discipline scientists also manage research programs, develop policy and maintain oversight of budget and scientific progress of selected investigations.

And that’s just the science side of NASA. There’s also human resources (hiring people, helping them with their benefits packages, etc), or people who design logos, or curating exhibits for related museums, and accountants, operations, etc.

Or maybe you decide to work for a non-NASA company that’s trying to allow private citizens to fly into space. Maybe you can work on grant applications, or developing a marketing strategy to attract clients, or lobbying officials to expand your market. (And don’t think that developing a marketing strategy needs to include lots of contact with folks, or that lobbyists don’t have lots of people doing research and creating the presentations that the front-facing folks then use.)

Perhaps consider something in environmental science, or geology, or geomatics, or something where you might have more hands-on work.

Additionally/alternatively, have you thought about a career in architecture? With your art skills and interest in design, you could even focus on environmental architecture or designs that are tailored toward dealing with the effects of climate change.

Many (most?) jobs in law and business require very little extroversion.

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@MarylandJOE. Any opinions on this? He is an engineering tech if I remember correctly.

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I’m an electronics engineering technician. I work with a variety of engineering techs and mechanical, electrical and computer engineers, etc.

@Sunnys_2006 I see you like working with your hands. Me too. I would much rather be fabricating, testing, troubleshooting, doing field work, etc.

Engineering can be quite competitive. The math is intense. I personally don’t believe I could handle it. As an engineering technician the math necessary is not nearly as complex. I’m not saying you aren’t capable by any means, I’m just saying you have other options.

The engineering technicians I work with have a variety of education. No one has a bachelor’s degree though. I personally have an associates degree and some have high school diplomas. We all make a similar salary although the extra education does help with advancement and career outcomes. I’m sure a bachelor’s in engineering technology would be valuable if you go that route, but I would try to get it as cheaply as possible. Perhaps attending a cc for two years first. I’m just putting that out there to say that there are many paths that can lead to similar outcomes.

As far as salary. In my industry there is currently little difference between the salary of the everyday engineers and technicians. There is more headroom once one moves into a management situation which is more likely with an engineering degree.

NASA or some other space oriented company needs a variety of workers and talent. If that’s your dream you can achieve it from several different routes. I don’t think you need a top school to get a good job. You do need a quality school that will give you the background necessary to do the job. Most employers in my experience are much more concerned about the individual and not the school they attended. Work experience through internships and or coops will be very valuable to you. Those are what are going to help sell you if you do go the engineering or technology route.

If you have any questions about engineering technology or my specific industry than you can PM me. I’d rather keep my specific career information more private.

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