Chance Me/Match Me-Motorsports engineering (Purdue, UNC-Charlotte) or MechE [PA resident, 3.85 GPA, 34 ACT, need merit for OOS or private]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Match Me suggestions outside of my list also appreciated (would prefer urban or close to urban setting). Thank you!

Demographics

  • US domestic

  • State/Location of residency: PA

  • Type of high school: Large suburban public HS

  • Special factors: Not first generation

Cost Constraints / Budget
Will not qualify for financial aid, will need merit aid for out of state/private schools.

Intended Major(s): Motorsports Engineering (back up mechanical engineering)

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.85 out of 4.0

  • ACT/SAT Scores: 34 (first time, will take again)

List your HS coursework:

All prior coursework at honors level

  • English: AP Comp (currently taking Jr year)

  • Math: AP Calc BC (currently taking Jr year)

  • Science: AP Physics C: Mechanics (currently taking Jr year)

  • History and social studies: APUSH (currently taking Jr year)

  • Language other than English: Latin 4 honors

  • Visual or performing arts: Symphonic band, Wind Ensemble

  • Other academic courses: AP Comp Sci A (4)

  • Planned for senior year: AP Physics C E&M, Multivariable calc, linear equations (other courses still undecided)

Awards: Swim Coaches award

Extracurriculars: (will not be pursuing sports recruitment)
HS crew team (every Fall and Spring since Freshman year)

HS swim team (every Winter since Freshman year)

Technology club (since Freshman year – placed at regional and state level comp)

Summer camp counselor (every summer)

Lifeguard (every summer)

Local summer swim team (every summer)

Volunteer hours at the food bank

A good amount of time assisting with driving and babysitting my much younger sibling (not sure how to categorize that)

Schools

(only listing what I am guessing will be target to reach/dream schools. I have safety schools in mind)
Purdue-Indianapolis (Motorsports Engineering)

UNC-Charlotte (Motorsports Engineering)

Purdue-West Lafayette (MechE)

UConn (MechE)

Ohio State (MechE)

Pitt (MechE)

Penn State (MechE)

Temple (MechE)

U. Illinois- Urbana Champaign (MechE)

U. Mich (MechE)

Mich State (MechE)

U. Colorado - Boulder (MechE)

Georgia Tech (MechE)

U of MD - College Park (MechE)

Cooper Union (MechE)

If a scholarship is necessary for affordability, indicate that you are aiming for a scholarship and use the scholarship chance to estimate it into the appropriate group below; also, for colleges that admit by major or division, consider that in chance estimate.

  • Assured (100% chance of admission and affordability):

  • Extremely Likely:

  • Likely:

  • Toss-up:

  • Lower Probability:

  • Low Probability:

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Lots of good schools on your list already! You can refine your list after you have all your test scores and junior year grades.

UMN is a good one to add, if you like urban schools… the setting is much more urban than some on your list (like UConn). You can do their NPC to estimate how much merit you’re likely to get. They also have a well supported FSAE team with workspace conveniently located in the center of campus. :slight_smile:

UMN, Pitt, and UConn all gave my S23 very attractive merit offers. (Edited to add: I see you’re in state for Pitt, so you’re likely looking at less merit, but a more favorable in-state price :blush:)

CU Boulder seems more stingy with merit and is a bit pricey for OOS. It’s a popular choice for wealthy students from CA who didn’t get into their favorite UC.

I am not sure if UMich offers merit at all… it is also quite expensive. If you are depending on merit, I would look closely at affordability before applying there.

You can apply to Pitt and UMN early in the season (as early as August) and because they are rolling, you have a good chance of having acceptances in hand before other applications are due.

For UMD, be sure to apply in the EA round, and keep in mind that everything needs to be submitted by the deadline (including official test scores and teacher recommendations).

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Thank you for your insight…I was starting to get overwhelmed looking through all the programs! So far all A’s this year and trying to keep that going!

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It does, but very little. I wouldn’t count on it.

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I think your stats are good in general for UNC-Charlotte, but they are unlikely to offer much merit, but you might as well try!

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Clemson offers a BS in automotive engineering. The main campus is fairly rural but the ICAR campus is 45 minutes away in Greenville. Merit is possible but you would probably still be well over $50k a year there.

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The Purdue campus you may look into isn’t W Lafayette but Indianapolis.

Oh, sorry, just reading the whole thing and see you mentioned it last.

Sorry about that.

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What is your budget? Purdue’s COA is still pretty reasonable at under $50K but they are very stingy with merit money.

Purdue is another school where you need to meet the EA deadline to be even considered for the limited merit they do award. There is only one application for Purdue, regardless of major or campus, so you’ll apply for your first choice major, and then a second choice major.

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They actually have both on their list already.

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The motorsports is in Indianapolis, but their mech E is in w. Lafayette.

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Would like to keep it 40 or below.

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The estimated COA is $48K at Purdue. You can get $5500 freshman year in federal loans so you are close but still a bit over.

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For many of the schools on your list I think it’s realistic to get under 50k with merit, but 40k or below is going to limit your list a lot more. Is 40k a hard limit?

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Just as an aside - if you were willing to go south, you could go to a Bama, UAH, or Ms State for $20K-ish - all are strong and you know where automotive has moved - the south - from HQ (Toyota in Dallas, Nissan in Nashville, Mercedes-Benz in Atlanta) to all have manufacturing there. And all are placing in automotive.

Closer to home, WVU will be under $30K.

Some on your list won’t be under $40K - only reason I mention these.

But if you applied only to UNCC and Purdue Indianapolis, you’d be fine too.

Good luck.

But you have lots of acceptances - and many under $40K.

But no reason to apply to these:

U. Illinois- Urbana Champaign (MechE)

U. Mich (MechE)

U. Colorado - Boulder (MechE)

Georgia Tech (MechE)

U of MD - College Park (MechE)

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Not a super hard limit, but my brother will be starting college the year right after me, so my parents want to keep costs down.

I actually really like Pitt, so would be happy going there. I was just curious to see what my chances were at some of these other schools.

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UMD does have some sizable scholarships… of course it’s a reach but may be worth a try.

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Was just about to post this.

In addition to the large B-K, they also offer smaller presidential scholarships.

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I think you’ll be a competitive applicant for Purdue!

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You have strong rigor it appears so Anywhere is possible. It doesn’t mean likely but certainly possible - a U Mich or UIUC. But here’s the thing - in most for engineering - the where doesn’t matter. And there’s nothing worse then getting in but you can’t afford

If you like Pitt to stay close to home, you might look at WVU automotive interests. Cheaper, not as urban but has F-SAE and ecoCAR - I’ve come across many WVU grads over the years. Pitt is great but it’s anecdotal but for automotive, I’d think WVU has made more impact. You can ask each school for career outcomes of each into automotive.

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Pitt has a stronger FSAE team (6th place this year!), and they have hosted the legendary Pittsburgh Shootout since 2016. Unfortunately it seems that the Pittsburgh Shootout is looking for a new venue this year because of the closure of the Pittsburgh International Race Complex, but I have faith they will figure it out. :crossed_fingers:

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