<p>Here it is...a month from May 1st and the enrollment deadline. You're looking to make your college decision and you're probably considering the following:</p>
<ol>
<li>Rose-Hulman is not the option that is closest to home. You probably would have to pass other great schools on your way to Rose.</li>
<li>Rose-Hulman is not where a ton of your classmates are also planning to attend. You might show up for orientation and not know another soul (other than your tour guide).</li>
<li>Rose-Hulman is not the easiest option. You will have to work harder there than just about every other college given Rose's quarter system and the inherent accelerated pace.</li>
<li>Rose-Hulman is not the cheapest option. You are looking at a higher debt load at graduation.</li>
</ol>
<p>If any of those four factors are in play for a student in her/his decision, why in the world would anyone choose to attend Rose-Hulman? A student comes to Rose because of two factors that are proven and well established.</p>
<ol>
<li>The living environment. I say "living" because that is what students come to do...they come to live at Rose-Hulman. They have surrounded themselves with some of the best students in the world, and they are in an academic environment where collaboration, not competition, rules the day. Too many engineering schools devote resources and energy to determining which students need to be weeded out. Rose-Hulman students find an environment of total support that hopes to ensure their success. They have also surrounded themselves with good people. They live in a place where doors can be left unlocked and wide open all day...where backpacks can be left in the middle of the student union during lunch and will be untouched...where honesty and respect are still the dominant cultural values. They are active on a campus that has been nationally recognized for its on-campus activities and student involvement. They have balance in academics and worthwhile co-curricular activities.</li>
<li>Post-grad opportunities. Honestly, a student who is admissible to Rose-Hulman is on a trajectory that will lead to eventual success no matter the undergraduate college chosen. However, the placement track record at Rose-Hulman for the past thirty years has shown a higher quantity and quality of opportunities that shorten that path to success. Really, all a Rose-Hulman quality student needs is opportunity, and s/he knows that s/he will have an expanded list of post-grad opportunities for industry or graduate school than what will be found elsewhere.</li>
</ol>
<p>To attend Rose-Hulman, there is an investment of travel, time, energy, money, and stepping into the unknown. But what you find is a place that will always be your second home. I hope to see you on August 27th.</p>
<p>Jared Goulding
Assistant Director of Admissions
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology</p>
<p>My (very brief) $0.02: I came to Rose for the people. Students, faculty and staff all make this a great environment in which to spend 4 years and get a degree.</p>
<p>Very well put Jared, I agree with all of it. And as always, if anyone has any questions there are several current Rose-Hulman students (including myself) and Jared on here, and we’d be happy to help you out.</p>
<p>I had this question, and jared, you offered a start of an answer, but I dont think you got to the crux of why someone would pick RH.</p>
<p>Are you assuming that <em>IF</em> someone were interested in being a …</p>
<p>engineer
scientist?</p>
<p>[what else]</p>
<p>then your 1, 2 reasons are reasons to attend?</p>
<p>My jr HS son likes the sciences and math and is particularly interested in physics, math, econ, and <em>maybe</em> engineering, maybe comp sci (he’s taking ap comp next yr). But he also likes English and has doen equally well in that area (vs ‘suffering thru it’ since he is a ‘numbers guy’). </p>
<p>He also said that he likes a small academically serious school.</p>
<p><em>IF</em> someone did not know for sure that he or she wanted to be an engineer - if that is the only thing one becomes post RH - is this one reason to not give RH a second look? That is, ‘undecideds’ need not apply here?</p>
<p>also, RH admissions: Is a student who likes and is good at english (reading and writing) have an opportunity to stretch this part of his brain at RH? </p>
<p>Or might this be a reason to <em>not</em> choose RH (not enough of the ‘soft’ subjects required to grad and given as opps to take IF that is what one wants) ?</p>
<p>Great question, roderick. In reality, “Undecided” is the largest major for incoming freshman. There is a caveat to that statement, however. While those students are undecided as to major, they are confident in their desire to pursue a career that makes consistent use of math and science. And there are many more careers than engineer and scientist that will make use of those tools in day-to-day work. Doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, veterinarian, teacher/professor, executive…the list goes on. So if your son is undecided, that is fine, but he needs to be undecided within our list of majors offered.</p>
<p>It is great that your son is one who enjoys–not suffers through–English. While there isn’t an English major at Rose-Hulman, there is a “Literature and Language” minor. And that is only 1 of 19 minors offered in the Humanities and Social Sciences department (they also offer two majors: Economics and International Studies). Believe it or not, in terms of number of faculty and courses offered, Humanities and Social Sciences is our largest department on campus. As a result, you will find that we require our students to take more of the “soft” subjects than what will be required elsewhere.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Jared Goulding
Assistant Director of Admissions
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology</p>
<p>Is it possible for a younger student with a “non-traditional” educational path to be considered for admission to Rose? My 13 year old has decided that Rose Hulman is the school for him. He wants to study math/computer science/computer engineering. He has been skipped several times which means he will only be about 15 at the time I will let him start applying. He has been attending a local college for math and computer courses this year (to keep him from stagnating in high school), will this hurt him or help him? I’m not even sure a high school diploma is on the horizon for him. He looked into getting a GED (to free him from the constraints of high school and give him more freedom in what he studies) but he’s too young and I’m not sure how that would affect future university admission. He took the SAT once last year and scored high enough to be competitive there. Would Rose Hulman even look at an applicant like this or is he too far off the beaten path?</p>
<p>If there is one thing Rose is good at, it’s giving students personal attention. While I do believe that the admissions requirements state that a high school diploma is required, I’d recommend calling or emailing the Admissions Office and explaining the situation. It would be good to start now so you know what would be required of your son in the next year or two to be admitted.</p>
<p>I am happy to give you a better idea of what we would hope to see, and a GED is way down on the list. You need to look at it from the college’s perspective. We are going to expect a student to come in and work hard every day to complete a set curriculum. I understand the desire to provide academic freedom for your son, but having college be the first place he encounters a set, structured academic environment would raise some concerns in the admission committee. The greatest predictor of success for our students is not test scores, but the overall grade performance in school.</p>
<p>But perhaps I didn’t understand your post and you could give me some more information. Feel free to contact me at any time.</p>
<p>Jared Goulding
Assistant Director of Admissions
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology</p>
<p>That was my concern with allowing him to pursue a GED, that it would be looked at unfavorably. Would a “homeschool” diploma be considered in a more favorable light? Or would this still be too non-traditional, especially combined with being younger than average? I guess I’m beginning to get the idea that if he wants to pursue admission to a school like Rose Hulman, than he would need to follow a normal high school sequence from here on out.</p>
<p>The reason I have chosen this school is because it seems to give more personal attention than other schools do. I don’t know how other schools treat their students, but I was pretty impressed with how Rose-Hulman cared for its students.</p>
<p>The best answer to your questions can usually be got by calling the school. Instead of relying on guesswork from strangers on an internet forum, talk to one of the folks who will actually be making the yea/nay decision on your son/daughter’s admission to Rose-Hulman. I know for a fact that like everyone else at Rose, they’re always willing to address problems one-on-one. In fact they prefer it that way. That’s one of the biggest advantages of the size and environment at Rose. You can always find someone in the school administration to talk to and help you if you have a problem.</p>
<p>The toll free number is 1-800-248-7448, and just ask for the admissions office.</p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of good resources on here and plenty of good perspectives that can help in the college decision process.</p>