<p>Interesting story: My D tells me, out of 9 of her friends that went into engineering from high school, 3 went to Rose (including her) 7 went to highly ranked larger schools (Top 10). All the Rose students stayed (3) and only 1 in the other larger schools stayed in engineering. That means that 6 left engineering in larger schools. They ended up dropping out of engineering and going into another major. Not good odds. All of there kids were in the top 10% of a competitive high school and very bright. True Story: My D went to one of the arger school accepted students day for engineering and they said look around only 3 out of the 10 of you will graduate in engineering.</p>
<p>She talked to a couple kids and it all came down to the support and the larger weed out classes that they had. She was telling them of the support of the profs, the students and the admistration she had at Rose. They were amazed. </p>
<p>So to all of you who selected Rose Hulman for Fall 2009, I think you all made very a very good choice. I hope the President of Rose will say the same thing he told the class of 2011, shake hands with the students around you, because you will graduate with them. </p>
<p>Rose has a graduation rate of 85% and most of those graduate in 4 years (Big savings when you look at some other schools and you are going that extra year).</p>
<p>Good Luck to Fall 2013 you made an excellent choice!</p>
<p>Cheezwhiz – you should think about receiving a few bucks before you deliver such an incredibly positive statement about the school. That is a great statement – and although the scientist in our children may argue the experimental group of those who went are identical to those who did not – the issue you presented is exactly what was preached when we looked at the school. And, that message was heard loud and clear.</p>
<p>BTW: not to anger parents of techies, but face the realities. They are not the boisterous pat-you-on the back, buy-you-a-beer, tell a mildly dirty joke, yuk yuk crowd. For the most part, they are introspective and often less aggressive questioners. When their push-comes-to-shove hard-as-it-gets engineer classes pile up, that shell needs to break. In the larger environments, the shy will probably not ask questions and may succumb. And,since the majority may be shy, the majority (or at least about 35%) will not make it through.</p>
<p>Rose counters this with smaller classes and professors’ ajar doors. </p>
<p>One other true story about Rose: On CC, I was e-mailing couple who knew the subject – they were EE’s. They sent uber kid (something like 14 AP’s) to big name Tech school and he was okay with it. Younger sibling went to look at RHIT in beautiful Terre Haute with the youngest and oldest. Not a classic family vacation. Oldest was awed by small size and amount of toys. Uber kid thought seriously about transferring. Sibling went.</p>
<p>While Rose does foster student learning and professors are very helpful, I think it’s still worth realizing that when you’re at a Big 10 or most any other school, if you want to change majors you can. At Rose you can’t. So you have either decided before entering that you want to do engineering or a straight “hard science” (Bio, chem, physics). I know several people that don’t want to do engineering anymore but have already spent 3 years here… Is it worth it to transfer after so long? Had they been at another university I bet they would have dropped engineering sooner.</p>
<p>Yes, JohnWillkins you are right…once you are there if you change majors from engineering or hard science you would have to transfer. Also, once you have an engineering degree the doors are open for almost anything. </p>
<p>Its interesting to note that 70% of our top “Executive Staff” (top 10) had engineering degrees in the company that I work. We are not an engineering company and are in the top 100. I was surprised when I saw this. </p>
<p>I would have to say it is also easier to transfer out of a big 10 because the work load gets heavy and then regret it later that you didn’t stick it out. Sometimes it is easier to drop a major not because of the fit but of the work.</p>
<p>We had the same experience Father of the Boarder describes. S is at a big tech school, and D looked at RHIT with him in tow. D is now headed to RHIT and S thinks he might have had more fun there too.</p>
<p>Engineering is not for everyone; but it is worth the effort if you stick it out, even if you use it as a springboard to another career.</p>