My D18 went from 32 to 35 after she did some serious prep on her own.
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My kiddo took the PSAT and SAT once each. Scores were just okay. Then got a 29 on the ACT but one subject test point away from a 30 (so was a 29.25). Took it a second time and got a 28 composite but improved on one test and now has the 30 super score.
My kiddo gets extended time and often uses some of that time, has some test anxiety, but willing to take again. Though Iām not sure how much work they will do between now and the September test.
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This compensation will eventually be taken away, if not in college, certainly once on the job. How do they do in Math? That is probably the highest correlate to success in engineering. First thereās the actual math courses themselves, but beyond that, fluids, vibes, thermo, etc. are all essentially applied math. Aerodynamics gets pretty deep in the math weeds. Continuum mechanics requires tensor calculus. I didnāt even know what a tensor was until my son took that class. I still donāt explain it well. 
Long story short, will they be ready for the rigor and speed? Thatās the challenge for engineering no matter where one goes.
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This is an interesting statement. I was just having a conversation with my husband today about how much easier it is to do work as an engineer than to study as an engineer. He found college very taxing, and always felt like he was a step behind. But he has been a very successful engineer in his particular field.
He said that, for him, the biggest difference is the lack of artificial deadlines. Often he will work on a problem for weeks or months before he gets a really elegant and effective solution. He did not have that flexibility in college. He has never had a supervisor complain about how long it takes him to solve problems, but he has had plenty of compliments on how good his designs are.
I know there are deadlines in industry, but I think they are nothing compared to the time constraints imposed in college classes & on tests.
Also many engineers (by study) donāt actually work on engineering. I read somewhere itās like 70% but I canāt find it.
As my son told me, companies want people who think like engineers. He had an internship requiring an engineering major yet said it was all about process and not engineering at all.
I think it varies by position, but what is certainly true is that on the job no one works on extremely disparate things. People tend to focus in on a specific area.
I think within each team thereās an understanding of the lifting that needs to be done at the speed with which itās required. Some problems donāt have speedy answers. Some companies want them, even when they arenāt. 
All that said, you have to make it through to get into the workforce.
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My kiddo got a 30 on math and science and did not need the extra time on either one. They will be taking AP calc this fall. The subject they needed extra time on was Reading and they got a 34 and English which has always been a struggle and they got a 25 maybe?
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āI just re-ran the NPC for Case with our latest info and it shows our responsibility as 24,891 (strange how close that is to the 25,000 I mentioned!!!). Since they meet need- it makes it a bit more possible.ā
I donāt think an ED at Case is giving up potential merit that would reduce the net price for this particular student since the need package estimated by the Case npc is substantial.
I think the Case net price might even be slightly lower than what the family would pay at OSU in state since there is a $2,000 per semester engineering fee now. There is some need based institutional aid for middle class families and Pell families usually have at least tuition and fees covered in their packages, so running the npc at OSU is worthwhile to see if there is likely merit or institutional need based grants. You can also trim that price a bit by applying to alumni group scholarships, outside scholarships and college of engineering/department scholarships. And there are also some very competitive full tuition and full ride scholarships some students are awarded, supplemental applications are required for most of them.
UAH oos merit for the listed stats is $18,230 off an oos estimate of $44,800 or $26,570 net price (assuming you arenāt Pell eligible) which is slightly more than youād pay at Case which meets need. That premium may be worth it for this student given his interest in NASA.
My S really liked UAH, and they would have taken all of his dual enrollment credits, but in the end OSU was cheaper so thatās what he chose.
My point is - they are all in the same ballpark as far as cost even though they are very different.
If on the other hand you are looking to beat what you could pay at Kent with the tuition waiver, you are really looking for full tuition and full ride opportunities.
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How is the college list shaping up?
If you have decided you really want to pursue full ride and full tuition opportunities Iād recommend Ohio State. I know the tour is overwhelming. I recall our tour a few years ago and even though I love the school, I did not care for the tour either. The engineering campus is actually very compact and weāve found the departments to be very supportive once enrolled. Your student may feel differently in spring with financial aid offers in hand.
If your student is Pell eligible the full ride Land Grant is a possibility. Financial aid packages are moving toward eliminating the need for loans. The Morrill scholarship is full tuition or full ride and I think your studentās leadership and ECās would be a good fit for that scholarship, which requires a supplemental application.
EA is very important to maximize merit and for admission to engineering majors.
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College Navigator Net Price Table for Ohio State main campus:
Full-time beginning undergraduate students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded Title IV aid by income.
| AVERAGE NET PRICE BY INCOME | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 ā $30,000 | $7,068 | $7,759 | $6,956 |
| $30,001 ā $48,000 | $8,581 | $8,932 | $8,402 |
| $48,001 ā $75,000 | $13,273 | $14,619 | $13,620 |
| $75,001 ā $110,000 | $21,575 | $22,494 | $22,528 |
| $110,001 and more | $24,870 | $26,051 | $26,186 |
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Thanks for checking in! We were finalizing my kiddos list tonight (of course could add/change later butā¦)
Case (extreme reach)
Kent state (tuition waiver)
University Cincinnati
Ohio State (yes, going to apply)
UAlabama Huntsville
West Virginia
SUNY Buffalo
Dayton
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Congrats thereās at least one school on the list that assuredly will get you to your goal and I assume all have the possiblity.
Best of luck.
What an exciting time.
Thanks for updating us.
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For sure. My first internship was at Boeingā¦as an Industrial Engineerā¦
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Here is some information about additional Ohio State scholarships from the College of Engineering and how to apply.
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Thank you! OSU application was submitted tonight.
My kiddo has officially submitted all applications (unless something new is discovered!)
Case
Kent state (during free app week)
U Cincinnati
WVU- admitted and invited to apply to honors (free application code from visiting)
UA Huntsville (free application code from admissions)
Dayton- admitted and admitted into honors college (free application)
Wright State (free application)
U Buffalo (free application week)
OSU
And last minute Ohio U when they got a free application code in the mail today
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Thanks so much for the update and the early admissions offers (including honors college!). Hope youāll let us know how the rest of the college selection process goes!
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