Since you are interested in a career in the automotive industry, check out the Buick Achievers Scholarship.
Would OP qualify for this since she was out of the country?
** What if I miss the one chance at the PSAT/NMSQT when it counts?
If your student misses the PSAT/NMSQT in their junior year due to illness or extenuating circumstances, they can take the “alternative testing option.” Students can take the SAT 1 in exchange for the PSAT/NMSQT and the score is converted and used in substitution for the PSAT/NMSQT. They have up to eight months to retake this test several times (after the October PSAT/NMSQT has been administered). This procedure includes calling or sending a letter or fax to the National Merit Corporation (by March 1st) stating that your child did not take the test and you want the extension/alternative testing time. Students will need to have a counselor (or parent if homeschooled) sign-off on this request. It is not necessary to give a reason why they missed the test on the packet. The National Merit Corporation will send you information showing future SAT test dates and tell you to use their code on the test (code 0085). The scores will then go directly to them [The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (847)866-5100]. Students will still be eligible for scholarships opportunities. These scores can also count for their SAT as well. Besides the National Merit code, students will need to put down the code(s) for the colleges they want their SAT score to go to as well. (It is always best to take the PSAT/NMSQT if possible because it is shorter an easier than the SAT so start in 9th grade practicing on and taking the PSAT/NMSQT.)**
quoted from FAQ on this site http://www.collegeprepgenius.com/sat-psat-nmsqt-faqs/
Great idea, @mommdc. OP, are you interested in NM?
What about RPI, Worcester Polytechnic, Stevens Institute, or Drexel?
@noVADAD99
Thanks I didn’t know about the UA partnership with Mercedes, University of Alabama is starting to look like a really good fit.
Mines is not considered a safety I don’t care what your stats are BUT it is lower priced I think than some of your choices above. Mines has companies wait listed to attend their job fairs and they have a really high job placement rate there. Petroleum engineering is definitely king there. It’s a very small school and it was on my sons list too but he decided not to stay in CO and merit offered was minimal. Only a handful get the big scholarship.
GT is also not a safety but I’ve seen lower stats kids get accepted where higher stats kids didn’t but RD results aren’t out yet, so not sure how acceptance rates pan out. This year they had 45% EA acceptance rate.
What about Texas A&M? Or Univ of Minnesota? Both higher acceptance rates and solid engineering programs.
Mines is not considered a safety I don’t care what your stats are BUT it is lower priced I think than some of your choices above. Mines has companies wait listed to attend their job fairs and they have a really high job placement rate there. Petroleum engineering is definitely king there. It’s a very small school and it was on my sons list too but he decided not to stay in CO and merit offered was minimal. Only a handful get the big scholarship.
GT is also not a safety but I’ve seen lower stats kids get accepted where higher stats kids didn’t but RD results aren’t out yet, so not sure how acceptance rates pan out. This year they had 45% EA acceptance rate.
What about Texas A&M? Or Univ of Minnesota? Both higher acceptance rates and solid engineering programs.
CO Mines or SD Mines? SD Mines is both less selective (some applicants may gain automatic admission on stats) and less expensive.
I think you have a good shot at RHIT, Mines, RPI and Missouri S&T if you do well on your SATs. My older D considered all of these. She ended up at RHIT with a merit scholarship (partial) - yes, it’s nerdy and about 75% male, but she loves the collaborative environment, professor accessibility, etc. She also wanted a small school. It’s a great fit for her.
My younger D is also on an engineering merit scholarship, but at a polar opposite school - U Michigan. She wanted a larger, more diverse school and the ability to double degree in music. UM is a great fit for her. (FYI, UM is becoming questionable as a safety for anyone OOS.)
Neither of my D’s would be happy if they switched schools. I think it’s good to think through factors like size, location and learning environment - as well as things like job placement rate and making sure you have some safeties.
@MomOf2TeenGirls
What field is your daughter studying at RHIT? Also, what kind of internship opportunities does RHIT have?
@Basoonitup - My D is in ChemE.
RHIT has three large career fairs per year that include internship and full time recruiting, and they encourage all students to intern at least one summer. You can find the list of Fall 2014 companies that participated on the RHIT website at http://www.rose-hulman.edu/careerservices/FairAttendees/.
While my D has not interned due in part to a medical issue, most of her friends secured internships last summer (following sophomore year).
Another vote for Case Western. They have merit aid, too. But show some interest, they seem to care about that.
@MomOf2TeenGirls
Thank you so much! I just looked at the the list of employers for the RHIT career fairs and saw a lot of car companies so RHIT is looking really good.
@Basoonitup - RHIT posted recently on Facebook about sending a bunch of female students to a major auto event and attending a dinner hosted by Ford. Apparently this is the third year they attended. Here is the article from a prior year: http://www.rose-hulman.edu/news/academics/2013/students-explore-automotive-innovations,-career-opportunities-at-north-american-auto-show.aspx.
I don’t know much about opportunities in that industry other than what’s on-line since my D is ChemE. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions though and I can ask my D to check with her ME/EE/etc. friends.
Best of luck in your decision process!
UIUC comes to mind and though not a safety by any means GTech is also great for engineering.
I do not understand Boston and Tufts in the middle though for engineering. Just my opinion though.
The auto manufacturers send recruiters to various schools. Naturally, schools with solid reputations and are located near major auto engineering/manufacturing facilities can provide a leg up to new graduates. Schools like the Great Lakes universities and places such as Alabama and Clemson have significant ties to regional auto factories. Therefore, I would imagine that places like U Akron (home of the Goodyear Research Center) and Clemson (home of a BMW technology center) send as many if not more graduates into the industry than some “higher profile” schools.
Another poster mentioned Virginia Tech; the Transportation Institute includes the Advanced Automotive Research Center, part of the engineering school. http://www.vtti.vt.edu/research/index.html. You’d be a good Honors school candidate and the associated merit scholarships. Plus, like other state schools listed, they have an very good Performing Arts school, if you want to keep your music interests alive.
Speaking of Virginia Tech-their most recent post grad survey indicates they send quite a few kids to Ford and General Motors from their ndustrial and systems, mechanical, and electrical engineering. majors. .One of my kids’s friends (ISE) from VT is currently working for Ford .
A friend of mine’s son just got a job at GM’s advanced propulsion lab. He graduated from Michigan State. He really loved his experiences there and they helped him find work at GM during the summers. Sounds like a safety school with your stats.