<p>Slithey, he wants a smaller school than the state engineering powerhouses like Purdue, UIUC. He’ll likely end up at a smaller state school or a private that offers enough merit-aid to substantially offset their “rack rate.”</p>
<p>I reference USNWR because it’s the common language used on CC. I don’t put a lot of stock in any ranking system per se, especially the USNWR engineering rankings. Their methodology artificially separates schools that offer PhDs from those that don’t and bases their rank 100% on institutional reputation. I use IPEDS data to look at freshman retention, graduation rates, percentage of faculty that are full time, etc. and individual common data sets to assess potential for merit aid.</p>
<p>In watching most people’s “where should my DS or DD go for engineering?” threads, most “advisers” just hammer on “ya gotta go to MIT, or CalTech” or you insert big time well known name, usually the most expensive school in the list of options. There’s little justification behind the recs. There are a few engineers and computer scientists who’ve been in the field and are well reasoned and pragmatic. They are rare. Their information is helpful.</p>
<p>Maybe more common around the students. Used by some of the parents, but absolutely not the common tongue. Hang out on the Parents Forum and the Financial Aid forum where there’s a higher percentage of posts with useful content and you’ll see.</p>
<p>Colorado School of Mines (with the added benefit of a silver diploma)? Is Boulder too big? Given the classical music link, is he looking at Rochester? </p>
<p>In that case I know a lot of very lucky kids. Because not a SINGLE ONE of the recent Ivy admits I know fits your description. NOT ONE.</p>
<p>BTW, I have always viewed the USNWR ratings askance. I can’t remember the last time I looked at them. We certainly did not take them into account when developing S’s application list.</p>
<p>Slithey, no to Mines (ME not ABET accredited), no to Boulder, but interestingly, yes to CSU. He feels it fits him better and will be a financial safety. Yes to both U of R and somewhat similarly, Case. Thanks!</p>
<p>This might have been mentioned already, but the statement “There is no there there” was made by Gertrude Stein about Oakland, CA. I think the OP was alluding to that remark.</p>
<p>(I’m not making fun of Oakland at present–Stein was a child there, and that was a long time ago.)</p>