I would listen to your parents.
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Their concern is valid.
What is your plan if you enroll at Purdue but are not able to switch into FYE (first year engineering) and then to your desired engineering major? Will you give up on engineering to stay at Purdue, or give up on Purdue to transfer to another college which will allow you to study engineering?
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My daughter also had Purdue and VT as her top two choices, ultimately choosing and graduating Purdue MechE. But the schools are quite comparable and while CODO from Exploratory to FYE or EE certainly does happen, it also does not happen quite often.
EE does have a lower document set of CODO criteria, but it also says
Students are admitted on a SPACE AVAILABLE BASIS ONLY after holistic review. Space is limited.
Purdue is a fine choice, as long as you are aware of the risks.
https://www.purdue.edu/advisors/codo/requirements-202021/engineering.php
Is there a big cost difference between these 2 schools? Where do you live now and do you know where you want to live after college? Purdue will place more kids in the Midwest, VT will place more kids in DC, northern Virginia, NC, etc. But both also have large career fairs , are well known for engineering, and also can provide opportunities in other areas of the country if that’s what you prefer. Which seems like a better social fit, are logistics a concern at all, etc. ? Good luck in making your decision.
I get that it can be hard to pivot once you have your mind set on a particular college.
My S had a similar situation where he decided on one college (School A) and then got into the college that was initially his top choice (School B). He had a hard time moving away from School A once he deposited there. We sat down and I asked him “if you had the choice of these two schools from the start what would your decision have been?” and without hesitation he said “School B”. At that point I asked if he really wanted to allow a week or two timing difference change his college decision – ultimately he decided to withdraw from School A and accept the offer at School B. He emailed the teachers who wrote his LORs and his guidance counselor to let them know of the change. He was extremely happy he attended School B!!
So I’d forget about the sweatshirt etc. you bought and whoever you might have told and consider this…If you got into VT engineering program and Purdue Exploratory program at the same time what would your choice have been?
I don’t know the details of the Exploratory program but if you go to Purdue you should: 1) understand what the chance of getting into your preferred program and graduating in 4 years is; and; 2)have a backup major in mind in case you don’t get into your desired program.
Whatever you decide I wish you the best.
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This is a great question to consider.
This is a silly reason to make the wrong choice.
If you decide to go to Va Tech, that’s a bummer for the roomie but it is what it is. He’ll get by. Heck like many, you might not be a solid fit for one another anyway.
A strong skill we all need in life is adaptability.
You need to practice it.
Here’s the bigger cost.
You want to be an electrical engineer and if you are able to do well academically, you’ll have a 40+ year career as an engineer…if you go to Va Tech.
Choose Purdue because you are stubborn or inflexible and you may have that same 40 year career but the odds are stacked against you and you’ll likely have a different life and career.
Forget #10 vs #13 in rank. It could be an unranked school like Kentucky or one like my son goes to (by choice) and the answer would still be the same……
You are literally and greatly risking your (perceived) chosen life path due to your inflexibility and likely hung up on prestige in a field that doesn’t require it.
If you decide to go to Va Tech game weekends are a blast.
And close games are very memorable.
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Enough pictures/videos please.
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Thanks everyone for your inputs and it has been valuable. at this time I request the moderators to close the thread and be reference for future students like me.
well are you staying with Purdue?
Oh honey…that’s not how CC works. I think some posts have been harsher in tone than is either necessary or kind: this is a big decision for you.
What is clear is that the advice itself is pretty consistent: you choice is between the bird in the hand, or the bet that there will be room next year.
What a lot of the regular posters have noticed is that the popularity of Purdue has gone up sharply, and getting into things that were not too hard to get into even just couple of years ago are becoming problematic.
To many here, it is hard to understand why you would take the risk, given how good the alternative is.
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