<p>Also suggest taking the ACT in addition to SAT. Every school accepts either exam, but many kids do better on one vs. the other.</p>
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<p>With few exceptions, if you are learning mathematics by rote memorization, I’d contend that you are doing it wrong. This is why so many kids struggle with and hate math, in my opinion. The current trend of teaching to the test just exacerbates the problem.</p>
<p>Picking safety schools is an art. As such, it’s very difficult to pick one or two without extensive knowledge about the applicant. There are hundreds that you could get into, MANY of which have reputable engineering programs.</p>
<p>You want one you KNOW you can get into, that you KNOW, regardless of your merit aid package, you can afford, that you WANT to go to. A perfect safety should vie for top spot on your list, not just a school you’ll settle for if nothing else pans out.</p>
<p>For financial reasons alone, they are usually your state’s schools or in states your state does tuition exchanges with.</p>
<p>They should match what you are looking for academically, but also non-academically. Like the rest of your list, they should be about the total experience, not just the engineering.</p>
<p>Also consider the fact that one of your safeties may end up being the best choice for you. </p>
<p>IMO, people on this forum tend to overemphasize match based on SAT scores and GPA, ignoring other aspects of a school that may end up being far more important to your education and experience. In other words, don’t just pick the school that you barely make it in to as you may end up hating it there.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your input everyone. Everything that was mentioned is very useful to me in the elimination process for my college list.</p>