One of my family friends recommended this to me. I was looking into it and leaning that way.
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@JCMCL, frankly ISyE is very far from regular Engineering…
I have MS in ISYE from GaTech.
ISyE is more process improvement, optimization, data analysis, cost/benifit analysis, modeling, simulation, statistics. There is a reason we are called Imaginary Engineers 
It is not really business either…
I hardly can imagine working in technical sales…
Good to know, thank you.
@momsearcheng and others - how would Purdue IBE differ?
Not sure if there’s a transition from FYE into it - but it might be another option.
Also, the student could minor in business at Bama or NC State.
And Bama has the STEM to MBA track - which I’m not a fan of because I believe in getting work experience first (to pivot careers or grow salaries) but it’s a well respected program - and given the four years tuition, if the student has APs, etc. part of this could be funded.
Integrated Business and Engineering - Purdue Business
STEM Path to the MBA – Manderson Graduate School of Business | The University of Alabama
My son is a newer IOE from Michigan. He does all of that you mentioned. Lol. The OP might want to check it out. Some do, do technical sales etc. In his company a lot of the industrial engineers go into management. etc.
IBE sounds like something very artificial to me. I had hard time to explain any HR what is ISyE… I can only imagine troubles with IBE…
After deeper dive looks like mostly business classes with couples engineering options.
Lol. I just asked @momofboiler1 this yesterday since I was too lazy to look it up. It’s business degree with some engineering. Not even close to engineering requirements.
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Sounds like each school is trying to create their own field…
I wouldn’t say it would help students…It probably will just confuse employers…
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Lets try to move back to OP goals -technical sales?
Yep. You are right. When I looked at requirements it is 80% business…
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I think for technical sales maybe business with engineering minor or engineering with business minor will be better than ISyE or some other strange unique to particular school degrees…
But I never worked in technical sales…
But I do see problem with very unique degrees and finding employment…
I’m surprised you didn’t apply to the ISyE program at GT, rather than MechE. That’s the best-of-both-worlds major for a student who wants to enter the business world with a rigorous engineering background. It’s also the #1 program in the nation, in this field. Industrial and Systems Engineering Program | College of Engineering I have trouble seeing double the value in a GT MechE degree vs. an NC State MechE degree, but for GT ISyE I would be inclined to consider paying more. If you look at this and think it’s a better fit, perhaps look into how easy it would (or wouldn’t) be to switch.
On the other hand, NC State has a strong program in this field too: Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering | NC State ISE And Purdue is the #2 ranked program after GT… and you know you could get the major there, given the FYE system. Undergraduate Program IE - School of Industrial Engineering - Purdue University
Direct-admit to KF is great, but I don’t think you can count on better ROI. You’ve been planning on a degree with an engineering foundation, so to me, an IE major would be best of both worlds. You get the tech rigor, which definitely gives you an edge in the job market, but you get to start applying it to the kind of work you actually enjoy, as part of your education, rather than pivoting afterwards.
JMHO. If it were me, I’d be looking at those three IE programs and doing the cost-benefit analysis from there. Of course, I could be wrong about your best-fit major, but your description of yourself and your interests sure seems to point that way, to me.
ETA: and while I was writing that reply, this very conversation proceeded without me, lol. And yes, Purdue IBE would be another option.
OP applied Aerospace to GT…and Biomedical at NC state, and Mech at Bama… so it is all over the place…
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I do not think we are helping OP. We are confusing him now and pushing for IE that he is not sure is interested in…
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Oh, right… and aero is even more specialized. It’s hard to see the point of that unless maybe there’s a very specific desire to work on the business side of that industry? But even then…
(Once upon a time, I followed friends into the aero major at MIT, convinced by somebody’s arguments that it would be the most versatile because it was interdisciplinary… avionics, yada yada. In retrospect, it is straight-up bizarre to me that I cannot recall even once discussing this decision with an adult - not a faculty advisor, not a parent, nobody. Did we even have advisors? I can’t recall. I was barely 18 and had no idea what I was doing. The “Unified Engineering” course sequence sounded cool. Spoiler: I am not an aerospace engineer.)
Biomed is a lot of specialty content too, for someone who isn’t excited about working in that field as an engineer.
I’d say flexibility to choose a program and good advising would be priorities here, in choosing a school.
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Well Mech and Aero can be related but yes, Bio is off.
The offer at Bama is pretty compelling - especially if the extra $2500 is there and I’m pretty sure it is.
I’m not homing for Bama…but in general I home for low cost 
I’m just not sure the cost difference between Bama and NC State is compelling in this case, in the lower-cost category, if the really big discount isn’t for all four years. NCSU is a great school for a great price. (Also, if the IE idea does get traction, that doesn’t seem to be on the menu at Bama, nor do I see and IBE-like option. But I think we’re at the point where all lines of speculation have been exhausted, and OP needs to weigh in on what they’re thinking about major.)
Agreed NC State is a great option but @momsearcheng said they applied biomedical - that would be the only hesitation if - a) they don’t want that or b) internal transfer to what they do want isn’t easy.
Then there’s the question if they want to go to school so close to home - which OP did note is a positive (friends) to which I countered wasn’t OP would also have to be comfortable with working two campuses in regards to NC State as the engineering is a 20 minute or so walk away (or a bus ride). But in the end, OP has to balance costs, program of study and comfort.
No doubt NC State is a fine school.
I think OP needs school with flexibility and affordability. Going to UNC CH with option for cross registration for several courses at NC State and Duke is not bad. Same going for NC state and doing Engineering there…He is clearly not sure for major yet…
I am not sure OP is very excited about Bama. I would not go to GaTech with 50k loan for exploration…
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OP has pointed out that NC State has a FYE system, similar to Purdue. So it sounds like there’s pretty good flexibility to choose a different engineering major there, and some exploration is built in. I think that’s what I’d do in this situation. I don’t think GT/Purdue are worth double, given that the difference can’t be paid without debt. I know that being close to home can be a negative for some, but it doesn’t have to be; it’s just a matter of having boundaries and making sure both student and parents behave as if the student is away at school.
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