Which schools should I be looking at

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>Hi, Im a high school junior and want to major in some type of engineering most likely mechanical. This summer I want to go and look at some possible schools for me and I'm wondering what school you thing would be good for me. My stats are: </p>

<p>ACT: 28 now hopefully in the 31-32 range after June
SAT IIs: Will take Math 1 & 2 and Chem
GPA: 3.92
Grades:
Freshman:
Religion 1: A
English 1: A
Global 1: A
Algebra 2 advanced honors: A
Latin 1: B+
Biology A
Sophomore:
Trig Log Calc H: A
Religion 2: B+
English 2: A
Chemistry H: A
Global 2 H: B+
Italian 2 H: A
Junior:
Italian 3: A
Religion 3: A
AP Chem: A
AP US: A
English 3: A
Physics H: A
AP Calc: A
Senior Classes:
Writing H:
Religion 4:
AP Physics:
Engineering Science H:
AP Macroeconomics:
University Calc 2 class: </p>

<p>Other Info:
I go to a prestigious High School in New York
Eagle Scout
Lots of service
National Honor Society
Italian National Honor Society
4 Years Tennis
Other stuff</p>

<p>What schools that are good in engineering and would be good for me to go look at over the summer. I have already seen Villanova and liked it. Soon I plan on making a trip and visiting Carnegie Mellon soon. Any help would be appreciated.</p>

2

<p>Welll I got accepted to University of Texas at Austin and I will be attending this fall and transferring to engineering next year.</p>

<p>UT’s cockrell school of engineering is only like one of the top engineering schools in the country and the world.</p>

<p>Take a look at it :)</p>

3

<p>Your stats put you in range of a lot of schools (though the ACT could stand to come up). Do you have any sort of geographic preference?</p>

4

<p>Yeah ACT is a killer. I need to work on my reading a lot I got a 19 on it my first time so there is definitely room for improvement. Geographically i would like to stay close to the east coast, nothing west but could do some south and midwest for the right school.
Texas is a little far for me i think but ill take a look. Thanks for your replies keep em coming.</p>

5

<p>What are your individual scores on the ACT sections? I have a friend who I graduated high school with that got into UIUC with a 29 ACT but he had a 35 on math and like a 33 on science so that made up for it.</p>

6

<p>I’m not sure how Georgia Tech is for MechE, but they are generally well-respected and you would almost assuredly get in there.</p>

7

<p>I had similar stats and I go to UMich, but I’m instate.</p>

8

<p>Yeah in state would help a lot for UMich
Individual ACT: English 29, Math 34, Reading 19, Science 30 (This should go up I didn’t practice this much and was really pressed for time during the test)</p>

9

<p>Well, I can tell you there are a LOT of people from New York here. They might have some sort of favor for New York (or New Yorkers might have some sort of favor for UMich).</p>

10

<p>Also, shouldn’t you take physics as an SATII as well as the math? I remember being told physics was required for some schools. Math 2 is also easier than Math 1, I don’t know why I thought it was the other way?</p>

<p>I’m going to Carnegie in the fall, it’s a cool place but I think if money is a factor and you don’t get that good of a financial aid package then going anywhere else for mechE wouldn’t make that big of a difference prestige wise (unless you want to go more into robotics). It is a very good school though. </p>

<p>Also I was very much into RPI and then Cornell for a bit for aerospace/mechE. I think you could easily get into RPI though Cornell is a reach for everyone. I always keep kicking myself for not looking more into Purdue, Georgie Tech, or california schools like Berkley and Stanford. Harvey Mudd but I hear it kills you and they only offer general engineering but you can specialize.</p>

<p>Also region does matter, south? Look at UT, Rice (though I’d go there for civil over mechE), A&M, Texas Tech is like a smaller version of UT and A&M, Tulane is somewhere I forgot I needed to apply to.</p>

<p>If you want something small, fancier named and less of an engineering-centered school try looking at Tufts and Northwestern which were all places I should have applied (I had freakin’ free applications!).</p>

<p>UPitt is also cool since you’ll be in Pitts. Lehigh is also in Pennsylvania and is a good engineering school. Lafayette is right next door to Lehigh. I’m sure you’d get into those.</p>

<p>Apply to U of Ill and Mich. </p>

<p>God, I hate to think of all the damn places I should have applied. I only applied to 5? 6? And I had free applications and fee waivers from my school and I had a good SAT score and grades and I’m a girl. I mean, Carnegie was where I wanted to go anyway, it’s the art + engineering deal that I love, also just the oddities. But I mean, I should have in case I didn’t get in. Though, my safety was UT/RPI which isn’t bad at all. Still, I got lazy so don’t do that. Applications are annoying, I know.</p>

<p>Also, don’t forget all those engineering and STEM scholarships out there. APPLY! FOR THE LOVE OF TESLA APPLY!</p>

11

<p>SAT II tests are only required at a select few schools like MIT, Stanford, CalTech, etc. Most state schools if not all of them don’t really care.</p>

12

<p>That’s true too. But I know Carnegie required 'em, and RPI likes them because they help in class placement. So does UT because I was told I could get out of some math course because of my score on the SAT IIs. It’s not usually required but it helps. You can also substitute SAT II with AP scores at some schools.</p>

13

<p>Yeah it can help some places, but it all depends on where he is interested. I know that UIUC won’t even look at SAT II’s because they just don’t care. UT may be too far west for him since he would ideally like to stay towards the east.</p>

14

<p>I suggest not taking both Math I and Math II Subject Tests - just take Math II. If you’re going to take three, I’d make the third one a different subject (someone suggested Physics). Also, you’re taking AP Physics C, not B, right?</p>

<p>EDIT: I know my advice may be off-topic, just trying to give some type of help.</p>

15

<p>Im going to take the SATIIs no matter what if I need them great if I dont than I wasted a few hours but I would rather waste a few hours than have to limit my college search. </p>

<p>Lucky2010 I see what you mean already. This whole application process seems like a drag and I haven’t done anything yet Ill try and remember your comments 6 months from now when I really need em. </p>

<p>I know im reaching for the stars here but hows Duke or Cornell as an engineering school, my hs seems to have a good acceptance rate with them.</p>

16

<p>ChemE14: I dont think id do good on the physics SATII but ill check it out. Would engineering schools accept a US history one id probably do good in that. As for the AP I think its B but ill check its the only one my school offers, is there a reason C would be better?</p>

17

<p>Get the ACT up a point or two and Virginia Tech is right in range.</p>

18

<p>Well, if B is all your school offers, then take it, but C is more suitable for engineers (unlike B, it’s calculus-based). Engineering schools won’t let you get credit for Physics B (if testing out of physics was something you were considering). But again, if that’s the only physics class you can take, then take it (B actually covers some topics that C ignores).</p>

<p>I think taking a US History subject test would be good just from a basic admissions point of view since it would show that you’re a well-rounded student. It was just the Math I & II that was the bad combo. You’ve got a solid GPA and good EC’s, so once you get your ACT score up, which you will, you’ll have a great chance at a lot of schools.</p>

<p>Did you ever consider taking the SAT?</p>

19

<p>^^^^^^ Yeah the problem is at my AP Physics class next year ill be the only one calc experience everyone else will either not have taken it or just started it. I took the last SAT during a busy time of year so I didn’t even have time to take a practice test so we will see how those scores look and if there even comparable to my ACT than ill look into it. The ACT just makes so much more sense to me the way the questions are worded and what they are asking for i cant imagine i would do better on an SAT.</p>

20

<p>Cornell is an excellent engineering school pretty much across the board. Duke is excellent at biomed but fairly average for most of the others. That said, you will still get a great education at Duke should you choose to go there.</p>