<p>Yes…DD’s research teams included the professors and undergrad students.</p>
<p>You know…I am not saying that ALL students should go to smaller universities with engineering programs. I’m saying that this worked well for my kid (and the other engineering majors at her small university…which DID have a masters program in engineering…but the grad students seldom were on research teams with the undergrads…it’s just the way they worked).</p>
<p>There are advantages to a large research university. There are advantages to a good smaller university. If these didn’t have appeal to a variety of students, the different types of programs would not exist.</p>
<p>I think we forget that these are just kids from HS, how can they possibly really know what their paths will be? They are just 17 and at that age, as mature as I was, I could never have known whether I wanted to go into research or practice directly in my field.</p>
<p>My son knows he wants an advanced degree but who knows what area of engineering that will be. And I don’t want him to know until he has had more exposure to the options.</p>
<p>All it takes in one good or bad teacher to get a kid motivated or demotivated and those exist at both larger and smaller schools.</p>
<p>Thanks for this thread. Bookmarking it for future reference. Son ended up at a large school, but may want to look at a smaller school for grad work. Now that he’s broadened his interest from biomedical to mechanical even at the grad level, he’ll have more of a choice of schools.</p>
<p>WPI was one of the first schools I looked at for son. An older boy from our high school went there, and his mom says he loves it. It will definitely be on our list to check out for grad schools.</p>
I agree that the student should research available majors when screening schools, but this generalization is not true in all cases. Lafayette offers ABET accredited majors in chemical, civil, electrical & computer, and mechanical engineering.</p>
<p>I keep seeing Tulane mentioned on many of these engineering threads. I think people still aren’t aware that Tulane cut a lot of engineering majors since Katrina. They do still have some, like biomedical, but they do not have the full slate of engineering majors that they used to. If your child would want to switch engineering majors, I think they could still continue at Tulane, but then would switch to a cooperating school, which last I heard were Hopkins, Wash U and Vandy. This could have changed in the last few years, so please correct me if I’m wrong. I don’t believe they have a mechanical engineering major, last I heard. Many biomedical engineering majors at Tulane are premed, so they don’t really care about how well they’ll be prepared for a career in engineering. I imagine the chemical engineering major has probably been kept on because of the local oil industry.</p>
<p>The ABET accreditation listing shows that Tulane currently only has biomedical and chemical engineering for ABET accredited engineering degree programs.</p>
<p>S2 looking at small engineering schools too mainly in weather-friendly areas. SCU is on the top right now due to its size. He is actually smiling a lot these days because he has visited and likes it so much!</p>
<p>This is exactly the thread I’ve been searching for. My S (junior) and I are beginning his search. Looking for small college - wants engineering. Thinks computer eng., but not yet sure. One thing that wasn’t mentioned in this thread is a completely different reason for wanting a small school: social. My son would feel more comfortable in a small school - better chance he will get involved, join clubs, etc. His personality is more of the timid type. Most of the entries here addresss merely academic reasons for wanting/not wanting small eng. school (comparing research opportunities, TAs vs. prof. etc.), however college life and “fitting in” is also important when selecting a college. While I agree with the opportunities that can be exist in a larger school with an excellent reputation, I also think it’s important that my son enjoys his experience and is happy. Surprised this hasn’t been mentioned?? Not all college students (regardless of academic ability) fit in at some of the schools mentioned. Thoughts?</p>
<p>I’ve got to put in another plug for Rose-Hulman. It’s small, but top-rated undergraduate engineering institution. S1 graduated in May, and he loved it there. Excellent, challenging academic programs and great value. Generous merit money. R-H had 100% placement for senior class last year (includes employment, grad school, etc.) , so that made me very happy. Only down-side is location - kind of out in the middle of nowhere - but the campus is not bad, and the community is very friendly.</p>
<p>We looked for overall fit. At 17 ds was concerned about going strictly engineering in case he changed his mind. Plus he wanted non techie types as well at any school. He has a strong passion for music though it wasn’t a deal breaker.</p>
<p>Our list included, Case Western, Univ of MD, Lehigh, Univ of Rochester, Va Tech, NC State and a few more super safeties. The first 4 were his top choices, he’ll be going to Rochester in the fall. Small campus, with a music school, a type of student that fits his personality, ability to switch majors or double major or minor. </p>
<p>There are many roads to engineering. The coursework will be rigorous wherever you go. Your criteria may not be someone else’s and that’s okay. My son wanted specific things, that may not matter to others.</p>
<p>Lafayette and Bucknell are two smaller LAC with strong engineering programs you might consider. My son has a friend at Layfayette who likes it. Lehigh is another but it has a strong Greek presence which appeals to some. </p>
<p>Stevens is a STEM school but about the size of a large HS in Hoboken which is a hip town a train ride away from NYC. WPI is another STEM school others know more about. RPI is a very highly regarded STEM school with a variety of tech majors. </p>
<p>Union is also a smaller LAC with engineering. There is a tiny school in Potsdam, can’t recall its name that is highly regarded but is fairly isolated. </p>
<p>In Calif there is Harvey Mudd. </p>
<p>Deciding whether to consider a STEM school or not is one of your first decisions. My son applied to both.</p>
<p>Don’t know if Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering has been mentioned yet, but here’s a plug for that. It’s tiny (like 90 students per graduating class) and costs about 40k pre-financial aid ([Olin</a> College : Admission : Costs and Scholarship Information](<a href=“http://www.olin.edu/admission/costs.aspx]Olin”>http://www.olin.edu/admission/costs.aspx)). Admission is very competitive, but if you can deal with the small school atmosphere (if not, it’s right next to Babson and close enough to Wellesley to take classes there), it might be a possible choice.</p>
<p>That might be true. But if you are looking for that in particular, also remember that you might find it on some larger campuses where the engineernig school is so self-contained its a community unto itself. My child will be going to such a school- university is about 15,000 but engineering school is about 2500 and they provide a relatively tight knit, supportive environment with a very strong culture.</p>
<p>Not sure why I need to meet with DS’ guidance counselor after reading this entire thread again. I can’t imagine she has anything to add to the information you have all provided. </p>
<p>Love the parents on CC. You are all a wealth of information.</p>
<p>Also, if Tufts hasn’t been mentioned, it seems to fit your criteria quite well. 5k kids, about 20% of whom are in engineering. Excellently rated, great campus atmosphere, whole nine yards. Contact me if you want me to say more.</p>
<p>DH and I are Clarkson grads - very satisfied. We also have a son at Olin and daughter that started at CO School of Mines. We’ve researched and/or visited many of the schools mentioned above.</p>
<p>There are pros/cons to a college being mostly STEM. But what I liked was the ability to have a fairly small school… yet tons of course options in my major. And yea, I liked the geeky vibe too ;)</p>