^ Yes. And UT is one heck of a safety. Feel free to roam about the country – er, to explore matches and reaches. Verify that the school offers what he wants, that the location and setting are adequate, that the social/sports vibe works (as far as reading about them informs us…), and that the school is affordable (run NPC before applying). “Fit” level should help you narrow down these options into the final app list.
I didn’t post his stats because they are not finalized but this is what we know so far.
4.0 unweighted GPA
1420 SAT’s (760 math, 660 reading) - taking again in Aug
Taking the ACT’s this Saturday
Awaiting subject test scores
So he isn’t auto admit to engineering, right? Those stats might not (will not to quite a few) get him in to competitive engineering OOS, just as he wouldn’t get into UT if he were OOS for Tx. Is he guaranteed for Engineering in any Texas schools?
These would seem to be big reaches for admission, period, let alone eng. I am not sure I ouwld encourage my kid to bother on those current stats.
Duke
Carnegie Mellon
Georgia Tech
Northwestern
Johns Hopkins
Correct, while he has auto admit into UT, he still has to apply to the school of engineering. I’m unsure about other schools whether they automatically admit into engineering. We are not assuming that UT is a safety at all.
Is Duke really a good school for engineering outside of biomedical? Every kid I know who wants to stay in state in NC for engineering goes to NC State. I don’t even think Duke has chemical engineering.
Northeastern has the co-op program built in to getting a degree. They have a lot of connections with companies around the Boston area and beyond for engineering. Very pricey and as someone else stated, even with merit still very expensive.
agree with @jeneric - for engineering in NC, State > Duke
Thank you! This is the kind of information that I was looking for. Chemical is a possibility for now, not a def.
@eyemgh and @prezbucky you are both incorrect in regards to engineering admissions to University of Texas. Many many people make the same mistake and many many people are very disappointed when the decisions roll out.
Auto admission to UT based on rank is to the university. Admission to engineering at UT is holistic and more competitive. Per this website, the 2016 average SAT was 1420. I would not for a single hot minute assume UT engineering is a safety admit for this student. Those are great stats, but this student could be admitted to the university and not to engineering. As I posted above, we know of students with auto admit to UT but were denied engineering. These were both top 6% students too. One had a highly coveted and competitive guaranteed 4 year internship to a major defense company as well.
This kid needs safeties, not reaches.
@3bound I don’t know how or if SAT subject scores factor into admissions decisions at UT. Mine submitted none and was still admitted to engineering.
@3bound You say your son is not 100% sure about Chemical engineering. This was our problem with UT. We have friends in the community whose UT engineering students decided at the end of freshman year that they wanted to change engineering majors and they were denied. We perceived a lack of flexibility there. I’m not sure if that still holds true or not since these were stories from a few years ago. But…something to be aware of for sure.
@3bound Unless the stats go up into the 1500’s (or an equivalent ACT), the competitive OOS engrg. schools will be a reach. Rice will be a reach as well. I would also agree with the folks who are suggesting you need safeties and matches.
Purdue and U of MN are worth looking into as matches. University of Delaware is very nice campus with a well respected Chem. Eng. program. Also, ASU - Barrett Honors(match) and Univ of Arizona (match/safety).
Agree that MN should be considered. More merit money there than some of the other publics listed.
You really have to understand what is required at each school to get into ChemE. At some schools it is direct admission. At others ( Wisconsin) you have to do a year of coursework first. Many who go wanting to be ChemEs don’t make it. That is how CivilEs are made.
I wouldn’t expect merit at U minn. COE average SAT is almost 1400 (act over 31). Unless they still give merit for top 10% but I would have thought it required a higher test score to qualify. It is a top chem eng school. Would be a nice match as OOS $. Watch rising prices though. Not direct admit as would be the case with several of the publics on this list.
Is the student direct eng admit at A&M even? Is that in your pocket?
@Sybylla — no one is direct admit to engineering at A&M either: Top 10% are auto admit to Texas A&M; then admission to engineering is holistic and competitive and not guaranteed. Then students must compete and apply to their specific major at the end of the year.
@Eeyore123 I’m sure your comment was meant to be funny but lots of students choose Civil Engineering.
Doesn’t Texas have numerous other state schools where engineering majors are not competitive majors? These can be automatic admit safeties.
As @carachel2 stated, top 6% students are auto admitted but are not guaranteed their first choice major. If an applicant’s first choice major is not highly selective then the chances of getting accepted are high, on the other hand some majors are highly selective and only those “auto admit” kids who have strong holistic applications get admission to their first choice majors, but are then offered admission to their second choice major.
For comparison, accoding to someone who worked at UT admissions office, my son with a 1560 SAT (M=800, R=760), 99.83 wGPA and mostly 5s on 8 AP exams, only has a “small chance” of getting into UT Austin Computer Science department (no auto admission since he is outside of 6% at his high school). I think 80% of the seats are filled by the top 6% Texas students. The next 10% are filled by other Texas students outside of top 6% and then the remaining 10% are for OOS and international applicants.
OP’s daughter/son should count her/his blessings for being auto admitted to UT. There are other students (like my son) who would be thrilled to have the same opportunity.
count her/his blessings for being auto admitted<<<<<<<
Nice thought but not much use if the student doesn’t get anywhere near engineering. What does he do then? Obviously the answer is he needs a better list and has way too many reaches. Wanting a step up from UT indicates that this might be hard to hear. For sure, the auto admit peculiarity might foster a sense of expectation that isn’t especially warranted when looking at competitive engineering programs elsewhere.
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Nice thought but not much use if the student doesn't get anywhere near engineering. What does he do then?
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Well, I don’t know if OP has shared stats. But for someone with aspirations of going into an engineering program, I expect the stats to be commensurate. Otherwise either a different major at UT Austin or one of the other Texas schools such as A&M or UT Dallas would be fine choices. Good luck to OP’s kid.
@jamgolf OP’s current stats are 1420 SAT with an ACT coming up.
Read this admissions thread and try not to weep…many many ACT 32+ IN state auto admits rejected for engineering. I stopped reading after I saw a few 1490 rejections.
@carachel2, I stand corrected. Thanks for clarifying. I do agree though with @ucbalumnus that there should be several options in state where engineering is both still good, but not as competitive. It would certainly be the most affordable route. Tech and Houston both have Chem E.