<p>Hey guys, just a quick question. Does taking PLTW add any edge to your app if you apply to an engineering school? Thanks.</p>
<p>Your username ends in “ltw” too. That’s gotta count for something.</p>
<p>On a related note, what the Sam Scratch is PLTW?</p>
<p>Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is an organization that provides elective STEM courses in high schools. Some courses offered include Intro to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering, Digital Electronics, Biotechnical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Aerospace Engineering, etc. Some schools in my area offer college credit at a CC for these courses. </p>
<p>[PLTW</a> | WHO WE ARE](<a href=“http://www.pltw.org/about-us/who-we-are]PLTW”>http://www.pltw.org/about-us/who-we-are)</p>
<p>But my question is is taking the course something that colleges like to see?</p>
<p>It’ll look better than cooking or gym, obviously. But if fitting a PLTW class in your schedule means cutting out an EC like Band/Choir it might not be worth it. AP math and science are preferable as well. </p>
<p>It’ll help a tad bit, but not all that much. If you want to take the class, take it. If there’s something you’d rather take, take the other class.</p>
<p>I don’t know why in the world an engineering college would care whether you were in band or choir.</p>
<p>Super selective colleges care about Extracurricular Activities / Leadership, so in some instances it <em>might</em> not be worth it to drop extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities for a class that only provides a few small benefits.</p>
<p>Super selective engineering colleges not named Princeton care much more about whether you can handle their engineering curriculum and be successful in their program than they do about in what chair you sat in the flute section.</p>
<p>My S completed 3 years of PLTW courses in HS. I think it’s a great program. However, as noted above, it may provide a SLIGHT advantage on your application to an engineering program, but it’s not going to be significant. The engineering schools are going to be more concerned with the math and science courses that you take and your performance in them, than whether or not you took a specific elective that is not even offered at every school.</p>
<p>But these are the benefits I do see to the program -</p>
<p>It allows you to see if you truly have an interest in pursuing engineering. Most students that go into engineering have never had any type of engineering course. Although they think that’s the correct path, they don’t know until they actually take coursework. PLTW courses offer the ability to see if that’s where your interest really lies.</p>
<p>In many states/schools you can earn dual credit for the courses and or some colleges allow you to skip intro engineering courses if you have completed PLTW coursework. Getting early credit is always a positive - it either allows you to save a little tutition money and/or take other courses that you might be interested in.</p>
<p>and</p>
<p>It gives you a basic foundation in some of the concepts you will learn later. Just like it’s advantageous to learn algebra before taking a calculus class - learning the basic fundamental concepts will be beneficial when taking more advanced coursework (also why some colleges allow students with PLTW credit to skip introductory courses).</p>
<p>TomServo and boneh3ad, you crack me up! Sam Scratch…schools not named Princeton </p>
<p>Typically, your standardized test scores, along with your GPA and course rigor (as in did you challenge yourself by taking a lot of honors classes or AP classes) are what a lot of schools look at. </p>
<p>When considering which schools to apply to, look at their stats/admitted freshman profile; you want to be in the UPPER end of the middle 50% of their posted stats since the engineering admissions are always more competitive than the posted general university admissions.</p>
<p>While it may not give you a significant bump in admissions, there are several engineering schools which offer scholarships or credits for students who have completed 2 or more PLTW courses
[PLTW</a> | University Partners](<a href=“http://www.pltw.org/university-partners]PLTW”>Our Partners Support Access to STEM Curriculum | PLTW)</p>