USC has a December 1 deadline for applying for merit scholarships.
http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/firstyear/prospective/datesdeadlines.html
I’ll chime in since not as much has been posted about Rose. My D graduated from there last year in Chem E (in 3 years due to AP credit) and is there a fourth year now to get her MS. My thoughts…
Being “somewhat reserved, and very driven” is a good fit. The Rose academic environment is very challenging, but with support. Students work in groups a lot, and it is not overly competitive. Some students will struggle and get their first Bs, Cs, Ds or Fs, but there is loads of support via professors (open door policy), study groups, resource center, and student tutors (all free with your paid tuition!) if they look. The sophomore year is typically most challenging, so sophomore dorms have residential student tutors and study rooms.
Rose has been rated the #1 engineering school for schools not offering a PHD for the last 17 years by USNWR. They tied with Harvey Mudd the last two years. They were first in 5-6 specific disciplines, including ME. The majority of kids co-op or intern (paid) at least once, and it seems this is most common in ME and CS/CE. The auto industry pulls a lot of Rose grads (one ME friend interned at Rolls Royce last summer and another started full-time at Ford this year), but the companies who interview there are diverse. There are three huge career fairs/year, and I think this fall’s had >150 companies. Job placement by graduation is typically >95%. You can read more about this on their website. Also check out the info on Ventures, their industry-partnered research where some students work.
I don’t have stats on aid, but the numbers quoted above seem reasonable. Rose tends to give some merit aid to a lot of students. There are only a very small number of larger scholarships, but a fair number of kids get in the $15-20k range. As to need-based aid, Rose doesn’t always meet 100% but they tend to work with you. If it ends up being a contender but cost is an issue, do let them know. They won’t promise to meet “competitive offers” but many families have found a way to work things out with the financial aid office.
Speaking of working things out, Rose is definitely a community. Most professors are extremely accessible and student affairs is top-notch. Many kids who visit say they know immediately if Rose is for them and make comments like “I’ve found my people.” My D went to an overnight sponsored by SWE, and that sealed it for her. While a few of the most-reserved kids may struggle, my introverted D has formed the best friendships. On the parent side, there’s a very supportive Facebook page. Lots of help there from those who have “been there, done that,” but truly amazing when parents solve problems like kids stranded at airports all over the U.S. or facing illness/injury and needing help from a local parent. International and far-flung domestic parents have found this invaluable.
What’s not to like? Rose is small. Very small. And it’s in Terre Haute, which is a pretty small Midwest town in the middle of nowhere (an hour to Indy). It’s not for everyone! The campus is very pretty though. A great feature in the winter is that all of the academic buildings are connected, and it’s not a far walk from the dorms. My D and her friends go apple-picking and to a corn maze this time of year. They’ve also done paint ball, bowling, movies, a ropes course, and various road trips and other things I’ve forgotten. Rose is about 75% male. This has never been an issue for my D. Her close circle of friends is probably 60% male/40% female.
There is some Greek life, but it’s not pervasive, nor is there a massive party scene. Kids can find alcohol if they want it, but my non-drinking D has never been uncomfortable. There are some local concerts, but you’d have to go to Indy for most of the caliber your daughter may want. Working out is not a problem. The SRC (gym) is very nice and many students participate in intramurals. Quite a few are also getting into distance biking. For more recreational biking, the SRC loans out bikes (free) and there’s about a ten mile trail that runs past campus. Food on campus is so-so, and is probably the source of the most complaints. My D thinks it’s OK, but variety is limited and it gets old. Terre-Haute does have a pretty good variety of college-friendly restaurants (mine goes out for pizza, Paneras, Chinese, Mexican, BBQ, subs, etc and most places have veggie options). D liked when she moved to an on-campus apartment third year and switched to only eating lunch in the cafe.
Sorry this is long, but I hope that gives you a feel for most of the things you asked about. If not, feel free to post more Qs or message me.
Good luck with your search!
Rose Hulman “recruited” the son of a good friend for football a couple of years ago. Academics were the priority of the family and they came away impressed by Rose Hulman. He eventually chose a very well known STEM school closer to home, but Rose was certainly in the running.
My son is currently a freshman ME at Rose-Hulman. He had a 4.3 weighted GPA and a 35 ACT and did not get into Olin (remember they only admit around 85 per year) or Harvey Mudd which is close to home. Of the others you mentioned, he got into RIT and Colorado School of Mines as well as some others. Rose offered him the most merit ($18,000/year). The description that Momof2 gave above is accurate. Due to APs, he has 33 college credits, started with Calc 2, Physics 2, and skipped Freshman English. He feels like he fits right in. Although in the middle of “nowhere”, Rose is absolutely beautiful. All the dorms surround a lake and there is woods all around the school. And if your daughter likes the small classes that Olin offers, she will like the size of Rose. My son’s largest class is 21 and his smallest is 10. Good luck!
I think all of these smaller tech schools have so much to offer, if they are the right fit for the student. They are their own niche really.