applicannot

Have you considered taking the SAT again? If you can get your SAT over a 1440 (math and critical reading), you have a shot at a full tuition scholarship from the University of Pittsburgh. After that, room and board is $10,000. Your Pell Grant will cover about $4000. Work study and summer money can cover books and living expenses, and if you work hard you could cut down another $1000 from tuition. That leaves you $5000 to pay or borrow each year. If you work hard on outside scholarships, you could bring that cost down. It's possible to go to the University of Pittsburgh, or any school at which you qualify for a full tuition merit scholarship, but there are a LOT of IFs and at least $20,000 of debt.

GoOakland

Well so much for the american dream then... its not all its made out to be.

...That was probably too harsh, but all well. I understand that my EFC hurts me. That was made abundantly clear within the first page. But due to my career choice, I ONLY have large colleges. ABET approves nuclear engineering at:
Air Force Institute of Technology ,OH, United States
University of California, Berkeley ,CA, United States
University of Florida ,FL, United States
Georgia Institute of Technology ,GA, United States
Idaho State University ,ID, United States
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ,IL, United States
Massachusetts Institute of Technology ,MA, United States
University of Massachusetts Lowell ,MA, United States
University of Michigan ,MI, United States
Missouri University of Science and Technology ,MO, United States
University of New Mexico ,NM, United States
North Carolina State University at Raleigh ,NC, United States
Oregon State University ,OR, United States
Pennsylvania State University ,PA, United States
Purdue University at West Lafayette ,IN, United States
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ,NY, United States
South Carolina State University ,SC, United States
University of Tennessee at Knoxville ,TN, United States
Texas A & M University ,TX, United States
United States Military Academy ,NY, United States
University of Wisconsin-Madison ,WI, United States

None of these are slouches to get into and notice how NONE are in VA (which is Ironic as hell because The Navy is here, Areva is here, their are several reactors used within the state, and we have the largest undeveloped uranium mine in the U.S.). I'm applying to Florida, GT, Illinois, MIT, Michigan, Penn State, Purdue, TAMU, and Wisconsin. A lot of people will probably criticize me for it, but, from the list, those are the ones I liked most and they represent a relatively broad range of difficulties.
However, due to the financial dillema that has clearly been laid out and critiqued, I probably wont be able to afford any except for MIT. But I wont get in there 99.9% of the time anyway. That is why I am also applying to VCU. Its a local college that has absolutley no respect on the national level for engineering but they have presented me with an interesting situation. The local power company is beginning to use nuclear reactors and is pressing them to start up a "nuclear tract" within their mechanical degree(non ABET approved of course but whatever). So if I graduate (I KNOW I can get in there) from VCU I would have an excellent chance with the local power company. It will be my safety valve. I don't want to stay in VA for the rest of my life but it sure as hell beats the alternative of applying to all of the bigger schools and not going at all. I'm also of the opinion that taking a non approved ABET school beats any "CC and transfer" scenario since I would have a hard time transferring from a CC in VA to an OS, ABET approved, school for one of the hardest fields.

So in the end its a go big or go home (literaly) scenario. Scenario 1 is I get into and afford OS school. Or Scenario 2 is I go to a college 20 mins down the road and work with the local power company the next 10+ years. Both options are "successful" and good. I understand that. I just don't want to stay here in central VA for the rest of my life with a degree from a college that only people in VA would care about. I'm sure yall understand that. But thats what I'm doin. Thats my plan.

O and just in case I haven't mentioned... I can get in-state at GT due to a clause that nuclear engineering isn't "distinctly" offered in VA. I never really cared for GT because of the student life I have heard/read about and the ratio of guys to girls is rediculous. But If I can afford there then I will by ALL means go there and not VCU. I can suffer through 4 years of testosterone for a top rated engineering school.

Any comments, questions, critiques, concerns, or jokes about it, then fire away. I'm all ears when it comes to my future.

mom2collegekids

I think GT is your best option because of the tuition exchange. RPI is another possibility, but your stats are a bit too low.

The problem with state schools is that most don't always have the ability to meet "need" for their in-state students, much less for their OOS students.

Penn St does not meet need for its own students, and you're OOS.
UIUC doesn't meet need either for OOS; neither do the UCs
Purdue is also bad with OOS...I could go on.

Stick with GT and privates that will meet need. Your stats are too low for merit at publics.

JustAMomOf4

>>>>>>>>Well so much for the american dream then... its not all its made out to be.<<<<<<<<<
Attitude is everything. There is a way - you could major in Mech eng and then get a Masters in Nuke. Most colleges have some nuke courses and/or nuke concentrations.

The Navy has their own Nuke School. This is why I asked if you had any interest in the Navy.
You should talk to people about their career paths and keep your mind open and your attitude positive.

speedo

congrats. looks like youre developing some options. Don't forget to put your dream school on the list just in case and a financial non nuclear related safety if you can find one, just in case you change your mind.

GoOakland

"There is a way - you could major in Mech eng and then get a Masters in Nuke"

Very true. I've asked on CC before in the engineering threads about the option but I never got too much of a response. I've considered it heavily and thought it might be right but I'm not "commited" to the masters idea yet (right now its what I think I want but 4 years from now I might change my mind). And in the event I decide I don't want a masters I would rather have undergrad in nuclear.

I dunno. I'll dwell on it some more. But very good point.

static75

HEY I just remembered. Lehigh gives GREAT aid. espesh if you're a minority though. lol maybe even exclusively so. but it's in PA. so maybe look into it?

EDIT: *facepalm* really? you have to do nuclear? really? that's getting rid of a lot of great schools. for your sake, I hope you don't have a moment of sudden clarity during college where you change your mind about your major and don't love your school :/ ehh good luck lol. I'm just kinda bummed for you b/c your major choice is closing a LOT of doors

speedo

Lehigh sounds like a good bet. It's also no loan for low incomes.