<p>
Feel entitled much? Have you heard of ABET accreditation for engineering programs? [Accredited</a> Program Search](<a href=“http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx]Accredited”>http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx) All the programs listed meet the same criteria for teaching engineering, and graduates from all those institutions make about the same within similar fields.</p>
<p>Erin’s dad is right.</p>
<p>I live near a univ that isn’t ranked that highly at all. However, it is known for having a strong College of Eng’, even if its CoE ranking isn’t that high (Academic strength can be about 40% of ranking…other factors influence ranking).</p>
<p>All of their eng’g disciplines are ABET accredited.</p>
<p>ABET:</p>
<p>Accreditation is an assurance that the professionalswho serve us have a solid educational foundation and are capable of leading the way in innovation, emerging technologies, and in anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public.*</p>
<p>Anyway…the eng’g students there get a good eng’g education, they have close access to co-ops (because the school is located in the second largest research park in the nation), and the graduates go right into well-paying jobs. </p>
<p>At this school, if you have strong stats, you get a generous merit scholarship. </p>
<p>The kids at this school are not settling for a mediocre experience…at all.</p>
<p>(1) As noted above, there is no such thing as a “mediocre engineering school.” Any school that’s ABET-accredited is going to be fine.</p>
<p>(2) The suggestion above to take a gap year is a pretty good idea. The timing on your dad’s $100k salary sucks, because that’s what colleges will see when they consider your eligibility for aid. Take a year off, and the salary they’ll see is the $55k/year.</p>
<p>Your other option is to look at schools that offer [automatic/guaranteed</a> scholarships](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html]automatic/guaranteed”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html) based on your GPA and SAT/ACT score. Your family income won’t be considered at all.</p>