So here’s my problem. I have a 34 composite (maybe higher if superscored) but my math is miserable at a 30, I’m studying math over the summer and will take it again so I hope it will be better, but if it isn’t where should I apply? I’ve always wanted to be in aerospace but systems engineering is interesting, too.
My GPA is 4 unweighted and my class rank is at or near the top of my class. We don’t have aerospace engineering at any of my in-state schools so I’d be OOS everywhere.
The freshman profiles don’t really help me because engineering is harder to get in to. Some places don’t even care what the composite is, they only look at math and English. Does anyone have any advice or ideas?
Thanks.
Aerospace is sometimes offered as electives in mechanical engineering.
What are your cost constraints?
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/ lists some big scholarships that you will qualify for, including at schools that have mechanical, aerospace, and/or industrial engineering. But verify scholarships on school web sites, since they may have changed.
Hi, thanks.
I don’t really have any costs constraints, I know from my bro & sis going to college that we won’t qualify for financial aid. They have gone OOS and to private school but had scholarships. My parents say don’t worry about it.
Also, I have taken almost all the APs my little school has, will take calc next year. I don’t know what my problem is with the ACT. I will have taken six or seven AP classes by the end of next year and most of my other classes are honors.
So far I’m looking at Purdue, GA Tech, VA Tech, Texas AM, U of Ariz, Cal Poly, Penn State, IA State, Maryland.
You can use http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx to search for schools with aerospace engineering (65 schools), but be aware that this may not include those which offer aerospace electives under mechanical engineering (mechanical engineering would be a much larger set of schools). You can also search for industrial engineering (95 schools).
For the schools which have both of your majors, consider also whether there is any difficulty declaring or changing major after enrolling. Some schools enroll engineering students into a first year pre-engineering program and then make them compete by GPA to get into their majors. Some schools do direct admission to the major, but may also admit students as undeclared, but the latter may find it highly competitive to get into the major after enrolling.
Ga Tech so far is the most strict about changing major (once before you start, and once afterwards is the limit). My in-state school does have aerospace as a minor with mech., but i worry about getting a good job. I’ve heard the big companies in aero have a few schools they like to hire from, I don’t think my state school is on the list, lol
Ideally, I’d like to go to cal poly and do their 5-year MS in aero/systems but maybe that’s just a dream.
You may want to add MN-Twin Cities as a match (very reasonable OOS tuition) and Michigan as a low reach.
Many of them recruit locally. For example, University of Alabama - Huntsville and Wichita State have well developed aerospace engineering programs, due to local employers.
haha, wayne’s world!
Thanks, my parents suggested that, it’s close (meaning only one flight away instead of two or three, we are pretty far from everything). But lots of humanities requirements, do ppl really get their engineering degree in only 4 yrs? That’s why I pretty much ruled out all of the Univ. of California schools.
wayneandgarth, what’s a low reach?
I’m not sure what it is with ACT math . . . also one of the lowest sub-scores for my son and he’s a pretty STEM-oriented kid. He would often do the worst on the earliest math concepts, i.e., going back in time to early high school. He did OK on the math, but I always wondered if it hurt him a little bit at GT.
Your stats sound good overall, though I would worry about GT some. It was tough this past year.
You’d probably have a very good shot at VT, especially from OOS.
Have you checked Alabama? or UAH? You would get full tuition scholarships there, and possibly housing too from UAH.
UF has aerospace, and they’re trying to raise their OOS numbers (mostly IS students). You might check there too, though UF is not handing out lots of scholarships.
Purdue would be great, but again - watch for scholarships, especially with your stats.
Why would UCs be a particular problem here? You mention wanting to go to Cal Poly, which is a CSU, and the CSUs have rather voluminous general education requirements.
UCB, I’m going by my bro who visited some of the UC schools, I think at UCSD he was pretty much told that straight up. My parents went there for med school and were disappointed with that they wanted him to like it. So I haven’t visited but the size of the places are intimidating for me anyway. Cal Poly doesn’t seem to have as many humanities requirements, but I only went there last week and need to look into it more. Was kind of sad about the way they used the ACT and got discouraged. So you may be right.
SouthFloridaMom9 Really Vatech? That would be great. I liked it and there is actual snow skiing not too far away, which surprised me! I know about Huntsville, I went to NASA Space Camp there.
The airport is so awesome! I thought they must really love aerospace in Huntsville, not just Space Camp. They’ve sent me some stuff but it’s not ranked on US news so I didn’t know. Do companies hire from there?
UCSD has different residential colleges with different general education requirements. Some of them (e.g. Revelle) have more voluminous requirements than others. See http://provost.ucsd.edu/colleges/compare.html . Note: UCSD is on the quarter system, so typically 3 courses there would be like 2 courses at semester system schools (of the UCs, only UCB and UCM are on the semester system).
Other UCs have different general education requirements, sometimes specific to the engineering division.
Cal Poly’s general education requirements are described here: http://ge.calpoly.edu/content/ge-requirements-and-courses . Note that it is also on the quarter system (but most CSUs are on the semester system).
Remember that all ABET-accredited engineering bachelor’s degree programs will include humanities and social studies general education requirements, though they vary in how much.
These are all great places, but am I qualified? I think my math ACT will sink me anyway.
Cal Poly SLO Engineering majors are usually on a 5 year plan due to the # of credits required but if you have some AP credits, you could make it in 4 years. UC’s actually have a higher 4 year Engineering graduation rate than CSU’s.
Rensselaer.
Huh. Maybe the UC ppl are just smarter? I’m not sure that those schools are an option for me anyway with my math score and being OOS. I’m just trying to figure out which ones I can get into, the UC schools probably not.
Cal Poly SLO admits by major using a formula that’s calculated from your GPA, ACT/SAT, and ECs. The composite ACT score is what’s used in the calculation. So you could be in relatively good shape there. I don’t have the link to the calculator but you can find it by searching the Cal Poly threads here.