<p>Hokiesfam, I can’t imagine Alabama’s program is not rigorous. Any ABET accredited school is not going to be easy. You seem very negative about Alabama. I’m sure there is some partying there . Any big football school is going to have their fair share of partying, including Virginia Tech, Clemson, Auburn,etc. But it would be hard for a really hard partier to get through engineering.</p>
<p>Here are the usual lists of large merit scholarship schools:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-20.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-20.html</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-4.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-4.html</a></p>
<p>However, if your budget is $40,000 per year per student, there are some well respected schools with engineering with out-of-state list prices under that:</p>
<p>Virginia Tech
North Carolina State
Stony Brook
Minnesota
Cal Poly SLO</p>
<p>If a smaller school is desired, there are South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, both with relatively low out-of-state list prices.</p>
<p>http://**************.com/university-of-alabama/rankings/</p>
<p>Perhaps the above is helpful. It’s a site where students themselves rank the college–take their word for it, not mine.</p>
<p>Personally, I’m in a position where I deal with lots of teens and my kids deal with lots of kids. In our area, Bama has an outstanding rep as a party school. I don’t think you’ll find many current undgrads who will dispute that, as I’ve talked with many of them as well who say that. The party and drug scene is large. That doesn’t mean that everyone who goes will get involved. What it does mean is that if your child is susceptible to getting overly absorbed in this kind of thing, that Bama is not a wise choice. </p>
<p>I’m not negative on Alabama, as they have many fine majors–again I have no dog in that fight. I am simply reporting what many engineers who were in management positions in a variety of firms and government agencies reported to me. It was their experience with hires from a variety of schools. Again, this doesn’t mean that every engineer from there is subpar, simply that it is very possible to get out with subpar ability and that is far less likely at the other schools I listed. </p>
<p>All engineering programs are not the same, anymore than all communications or business programs are the same.</p>
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<p>Georgia Tech’s engineering bachelor’s degree programs are 4-year programs. But delayed graduation is common at schools that do not have that high admission standards, as the students at the low end of the academic range at admission are more likely to need remedial courses or be unable to handle full course loads (particularly with the lab courses common in engineering majors). However, a student entering with good motivation, ability, and preparation will likely graduate on time at almost any school.</p>
<p>[Georgia</a> Institute of Technology - 2012](<a href=“http://profiles.asee.org/profiles/5742/screen/23?school_name=Georgia+Institute+of+Technology]Georgia”>http://profiles.asee.org/profiles/5742/screen/23?school_name=Georgia+Institute+of+Technology) indicates that Georgia Tech’s nominal program length is 4 years, with average time 4.5 years. [The</a> University of Alabama - 2012](<a href=“http://profiles.asee.org/profiles/5671/screen/23?school_name=The+University+of+Alabama]The”>http://profiles.asee.org/profiles/5671/screen/23?school_name=The+University+of+Alabama) indicates that less selective Alabama has an average time of 5 years.</p>
<p>It’s a site where students themselves rank the college–take their word for it, not mine.</p>
<p>lol…you’re joking right? You’re looking at posts from God Knows Who and using them as proof (how do you even know that Bama students made the posts)? That’s your evidence? Please…you’re not a scientist, are you? </p>
<p>Anyway… Even if those are Bama students who made those posts, where’s your evidence that these are eng’g students? The type of kids who would be more likely to post on that site would not likely be serious STEM students. </p>
<p>Who is arguing that Bama isn’t a party school? Not me. I would argue that virtually every school with Big Div I sports is a party school, except maybe BYU. So what? The point is, and has been, that STEM students are less likely going to be the heavy partiers…so why mention partying in a discussion about eng’g? Nutty! </p>
<p>*What it does mean is that if your child is susceptible to getting overly absorbed in this kind of thing, that Bama is not a wise choice. *</p>
<p>lol…then many of the other schools you mentioned aren’t “wise choices” either because they, too, are party schools. </p>
<p>Are you suggesting that because some students in other majors across campus are heavier partiers that it somehow affects the Col of Eng’g? lol</p>
<p>I am simply reporting what many engineers who were in management positions in a variety of firms and government agencies reported to me</p>
<p>Sure. Right. I believe you. </p>
<p>:rolleyes:</p>
<p>It may not be a foolproof indicator of real knowledge, but Hokiesfam has all of 9 posts on these boards. Mom2collegekids will hit 50,000 posts later today (congrats, btw), the most prolific expert on CC. She has actual experience and detailed knowledge of all things Alabama, not to mention most other college topics. When it comes to Bama, there is no one who knows the real scoop better than her, no one more reputable and knowledgeable about the facts.</p>
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<p>This raises a question for me. Do all eng students live together or are they interspersed in the same dorms and houses as all other students?</p>
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<p>However, the level of partying, and the relative ease of avoiding the party scene, may differ between different schools. Alabama does have a relatively high percentage of students in fraternities and sororities compared to many other “schools with Big Div I sports”, so it may have a bigger party scene if one uses fraternities and sororities as a proxy for that.</p>
<p>Well, It’s only #18 on the party school ranking on C0___Pr ! Other big engineering schools like Texas and Illinois are ranked higher in the party school ranking . If a kid wants to find a party, they’ll find a party.</p>
<p>UCB…</p>
<p>Eng’g majors, especially males, are the least likely to join social fraternities. So, really it’s irrelevant. </p>
<p>Sevmom…yes, you’re right. Many other schools are ranked higher on the “party school” ranking, yet likely Hokiesfam is probably fine with those schools. :rolleyes:</p>
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<p>At TX A&M for instance there is a dedicated dorm, Mosher, for engineering students. There are also Honors Programs at most large state universities, where the students live in separate dorms and are quite serious about their studies.</p>
<p>OP, your son’s SATs are very good. They fall within range even at Caltech. It is small, but the undergrads do have to contend with grad students for faculty time. Harvey Mudd College, also in CA, is small, so there is lots of interaction with the faculty. It has excellent engineering and liberal arts, especially considering classes available at Pomona, Scripps, CMC, and Pitzer all on the same campus area. The Harvey Mudd program is pretty hands-on. Both Caltech and Mudd are reaches for most.</p>
<p>DS is in the engineering program at Hope College in Holland, MI. Great liberal arts school with ABET-accredited engineering in a wide range of areas. On day 1 of classes, DS was in Intro to Engineering stripping wires and soldering photovoltaic cells on a frame to make a solar- powered battery recharger. They had him at “hello”! Lots of faculty research and interaction, too. Great facilities, great people and town, too, and more activities than my son knows what to do with. Total cost, including R&B before scholarships is $37k.</p>
<p>Thank you for all of the suggestions! Will certainly check them out and send on to my son. I believe he really likes GA Tech. Anyone know about stats for GT? Will definitely check out the other schools mentioned as well. It’s great to have so many perspectives on this forum. It really does come down to personal preference I suppose. My son is really mellow but focused on academics and running can’t see him joining any Greek scene, but as long as it’s not all encompassing I think he’ll be happy; He has applied at Case Western which may be a reach? Will be interviewing soon…any suggestions? Heard only wonderful things about Harvey Mudd by the way. Seems to be a super reach? Didn’t know about specific dorms for engineers will look at TX A&M. Do other schools also have dedicated dorms? Finally, gloworm, thanks for the e mail. I’m glad your daughter is happy there and I will certainly check it out on line.</p>
<p>Hope College. The hands on component from day one sounds great! Not familiar with the school, but that’s why I asked the question in the first place, to find out about “hidden gems” so to speak; now I have lots of schools to research and pass on to my son.</p>
<p>*Quote:
This raises a question for me. Do all eng students live together or are they interspersed in the same dorms and houses as all other students?
*</p>
<p>It’s the student’s choice at most schools.</p>
<p>At Bama, engineering students can choose from:</p>
<p>Honors housing (for those who are in honors)
Engineering residence hall
standard housing</p>
<p>I don’t think I’ve seen a school that requires eng’g kids to live in a particular hall.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info about Alabama. My son applied last evening. It turns out that a student from his HS is a jr at Alabama in eng (can’t remember which speciality) but loves the school. He’s also maybe, kind of considering CA Poly SLO. I can’t help thinking that he may be really well served in a smaller program though. As I mentioned, he is very introspective and is all about his relationships with teachers and personal connections. Not that those things can’t happen at a large school, but just wondering what some options might be. I know time is running short, but I think he still could apply to a regular decision school.</p>
<p>Thanks perazzi and momof2.</p>
<p>I like the idea of an engineering dorm option. Or a honors one, or an honors engineering one :D</p>
<p>My son graduated this year from Cal Poly SLO. He was sold on the hands-on, learning by doing philosophy of the school from the very first visit to the campus, and applied ED. His first quarter he built a power supply that was then used in later courses. All the engineering classes have a significant lab component, and there are numerous opportunities to create or join other projects outside of class (robotics, concrete canoe, zero energy houses, radio-controlled aircraft, etc). Summer internship opportunities are plentiful as companies recruit on-campus every quarter. My son got a fantastic education there.</p>
<p>[Home</a> - College of Engineering - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo](<a href=“http://ceng.calpoly.edu/prospective/]Home”>http://ceng.calpoly.edu/prospective/)</p>
<p>The only reason for concern with your son’s course rigor is that you mention he won’t have taken calculus or AP Physics. If he had both he’d be ahead of the curve, so he would have to work to get through those courses as scheduled to keep in synch with his major’s flowchart.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.ee.calpoly.edu/media/uploads/13-15.52EEBSUFlowchart.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ee.calpoly.edu/media/uploads/13-15.52EEBSUFlowchart.pdf</a></p>
<p>There are engineering dorms and themed dorms. There are also apartments (4-6 students) for freshman honors students.</p>
<p>When I saw Hokiesfam’s first post, I couldn’t wait to see M2CK’s reply.</p>
<p>Hokiesfam, did you really believe that such a tremendous over-generalization could be supported by comments from a handful of party-monster students? LOL.</p>