Application season is coming along and I’m wondering which schools to apply for. I was interested in Aerospace engineering, but now have gained in interest for Petroleum engineering. I’m applying to Texas A&M, UT Austin, Colorado school of mines, Penn State, and New Mexico Tech. I’m wondering which other schools to apply for, or whether these schools are good or not. I have a 3.5 Unweighted GPA, 4.3 Weighted GPA, and a 1360 SAT score (Taking it in August and hopeful I’ll get a 1400+). Thank you.
You have to balance not only who is good, but where you think you’ll get in AND be able to pay for. In state or out of state. A&M, UT and Mines are all going to be long shots with a 3.5 GPA. Texas has so many of their slots spoken for by class rank that their are only a small number left for those in state beyond the cutoff (I think top 10%) and OOS.
The good news is, there are only 20 ABET programs, quite a few of which you’d certainly get into. I’m no expert on engineering and very much not on petroleum, but there are three schools that you probably haven’t considered that I’d look at.
Missouri S&T (formerly University of Missouri - Rolla, formerly Rolla School of Mines) is a well respected school off the beaten path. Its main drawback is that it is in Rolla, not the most inspiring location. It’s also not in the heart of petroleum country. That said, you’d get a very solid education there. They are also one of the only schools to offer a degree in explosives engineering.
Next, often overlooked, University of Wyoming. They, like NM Tech, are CHEAP! It’s because they are underwritten by all the energy revenue. It’s a very underrated campus aesthetically. They also have the country’s first ABET accredited Energy Systems Engineering program. The student body is really into the school’s athletic program.
Lastly, Houston. It’s in the heart of oil country, but gets overlooked by the state’s sexier schools, the two you’ve named. U of H does have a bit more of a commuter vibe to it, but still has big time athletics if you’re into that. David Chen recently said he thinks Houston has the most vibrant and diverse food culture in the country. The biggest drawback…humidity. If you’re going to be in oil, better get used to that no matter where you go to school.
Hope that helps. Good luck!
Thank you! I’m sorry for replying late but I obtained the Golden Admission application for mines, is this good? Or is it simply to increase applicants. I’m also interested in applying to University of Oklahoma, is this a school I’m able to compete for? Thank you!
I’m also involved in many extra curriculars like co-founding and becoming vice president of Future Engineers of America Club at my school, involved in many sports/ clubs, etc.
It sounds like you have great qualifications and perhaps some scholarship. If you describe your areas of interest in petroleum engineering, you may get some more insights (from others, it’s not my area of expertise… but I do know CO School of Mines is a tough and well respected school).
@colorado_mom
Thank you. From what I’ve researched (truthfully haven’t done much), I believe i’m most interested in reservoir. I really REALLY like CO Mines but I’m from California and their tuition is very pricey. I truly hope that I get accepted, but I might not be able to attend if I’m not able to obtain much financial aid.
I can’t tell you much about Mines. My son didn’t apply for several reasons. One, they had a more generalized engineering education philosophy and didn’t have an ABET accredited ME program at the time. That has since changed. Two, the M:F ratio is still pretty heavily male. Lastly, it has a reputation as a grind. @colorado_mom can better qualify that, as she’s from CO. It didn’t though seem like a wise choice given all of his other options at the time. As for the Golden Ticket…I thought that was a Willy Wonka thing. 
“eyemgh” gave some sound advice, but don’t give up on Colorado Schools of Mines. According to their Common data set (CDS) for 2017, the average secondary school GPA was 3.78 (unweighted)., but 26.45% of the class had GPA scores in your range. Just don’t bank on it because they sent you an application. Schools send out these mailings if your test scores are in within their range. It does not imply you are a top candidate. Check them out. EC’s count!
Whatever your major interests are at this time, keep options open. Aerospace and other possibilities should be kept on the menu as the first year or two of many engineering majors have a lot in common. What universities offer both? What is your third choice of majors. What interest you outside of the engineering fields?
Why did you want Aerospace in the first place? Why Petroleum Engineering? Did you know that two senior Exxon-Mobile VP’s have their degrees in Chemical Engineering? Why?
FA is not to be forgotten. This very popular STEM universities are not likely to throw money at you with an unweighted 3.5 GPA. BUT YOU ARE AN EXCELLENT STUDENT! If motivated at the right university, you can do anything!
Welcome to college admissions!
According to the Mines website a 3.5 unweighted GPA & a 1360 SAT would get you $12,000 in merit this year as an out of state student. If you have good class rigor especially in STEM, a decent math SAT and good EC’s I think it’s worth a shot. Also, I know a letter of recommendation is optional (at least last year) but try to send one in if you can and write the optional essay as well.
Mines doesn’t have an aerospace engineering major, but they do have a Space and Planetary Science and Engineering minor:
For a complete listing of ABET accredited Petroleum engineering programs go to http://main.abet.org/aps/accreditedprogramsearch.aspx Check the 4 year box. At the same website you can search for ABET accredited aerospace programs.
To get a handle on the quality of the student body, look up the Common Data Set (CDS) for 2017 and find out the average GPA of the entering class in the fall of 2017.
Employers tend to recruit at ABET accredited programs, even if when you have never heard of the university. To get an additional handle on quality, take a look at the “outcomes” or job placements by major. These are often available through the website.
FYI: Check out the background of Exxon Mobile’s chief executives @ https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/en/company/about-us/management
I am involved with one of the sororities at Mines. I was surprised at how many were from Colorado and then remembered, duh, it is a state school! But there are quite a few from Texas too. There are still many more men than women, but my daughter went to a STEM school that has a similar ratio and it really didn’t see to be a problem. The women who attend are usually strong leaders so are involved in the school organizations. Also, Mines is not that far from Boulder, Back in my day, and I’m sure it is still true today, they would ‘import’ women for the parties. Three of my sorority sisters married guys from Mines.
For petroleum engineering, go to Mines. For aerospace, go to CU.
“…but my daughter went to a STEM school that has a similar ratio and it really didn’t see to be a problem.”
The challenges for males and females in this scenario will be different.
Petroleum and other energy companies come to South Dakota School of Mines to recruit students. There are petroleum industry companies who you’ve never heard of but are significant players in the industry that attend the Career Fair at SDSM&T.