Hello!
US citizen, current junior, S27, NJ public high school. GPA 3.8 UW, 3.9 W.
Average ECs. Robotics, some volunteering. Wants to study engineering- undecided which. (MatSci? Aero? Chem? Bio? Really undecided) Trying to determine OOS safeties. Rutgers in-state. Enjoys sciences. So maybe Chemistry would be a backup option if not engineering. Taking AP science and math courses.
We need more info:
What SAT/ACT score?
What level of rigor - i.e. how much math will he have (calc)? Social Science? Foreign language? Lab Science - what classes, APs, etc?
I don’t know your weighting system but a 3.8 UW and 3.9W tells me you likely have little rigor.
What is the budget - meaning how much can you afford or rather want to afford?
Are there any areas of the country off limits?
Does he only want a huge school like Rutgers? Does he want to be in the city or suburbs or rural is ok?
Any religious or sports preference?
UDel?
Could you please use the chance me/match me template and answer all of the questions. You will get much better answers here if you do. More info would help.
I agree, look at UDel. Also University of Maine.
He took Chem hons in Sophomore year.
APBio, AP Phys junior year
Will take AP Calc AB and APChem senior year. The two GPAs will hopefully show some + variance at the end of junior year. Our school does not allow APs in freshman year.
Took ACT (32 in Math, Science, writing but a 27 in Reading brought the score down). Planning to re-do.
Just trying to think through the college list process from finances pov since OOS is so expensive. We are early in the process.
Rose Hulman might be a safety, if your budget allows. It is an impressive place.
What is the overall ACT score - forget the sections.
OOS could be cheaper than in-state..
That’s why I’m asking what I’m asking.
Give me an ACT score thus far (composite) and budget - how much are you able and more importantly willing to spend?
There will be no shortage - but I need specifics. I asked other questions - like is any specific size or geography off, etc.
So we can narrow down to areas he might like, etc.
If it were chem or ChemE, UDel would make a splendid choice but there’s many, many more. And it’s not inexpensive - but inexpensive depends on your budget.
I’d rather target recommendations vs. just throwing out schools. You could be $20K up to $100K.
Thanks
Sorry I couldn’t edit the first post. To add:
preferably traditional campus experience, secular school, would like to stay in the northeast. In case he changes his mind about engineering would be good to have a strong sciences department. Budget - we can go up to $70k per year. Thank you!
Some other NJ publics such as Rowan may be worth a look. Perhaps some SUNY schools (Buffalo?)
Buffalo is an excellent suggestion! Add that to UDel and UMaine. All have fine engineering programs. UMass Amherst but I’m not familiar with the OOS costs.
OK - so U Del works. You didn’t provide an ACT - just two sections - but let’s say URI, UNH, UVM, Pitt, SUNY Buffalo. Others are Rowan, Clarkson (but small), SUNY ESF (sharing aspects with Syracuse U - so you get some of SU on the cheap), and WVU - which I consider NE. UMBC is another - has a campus but it’s not your flagship type.
If we stuck with ChemE since you noted Chemistry, all those are ABET accredited and likely reasonable. If the ACT gets up, you could go South - as low as $20K - so cheaper than Rutgers - whether a Bama, UAH (for smaller). Just so you are aware.
Since he doesn’t know which type of school, I’d figure out the discipline he likes most - and go from there. Chem schools will have other things - but things like Materials - there will be far fewer schools. Mechanical has the most - and if he wants aero, at most schools if they don’t have the major, they’ll have aero coursework - it’s somewhat aligned with mechanical. My son is a MECHE but works in aero (but as a manufacturing engineer).
If he decided he wanted traditional but smaller, you could add (for MechE) a Quinnipiac, SUNY New Paltz, and Temple (not smaller but another safe choice). JMU is limited (more general) but has 3 concentrations - so could work too…if for example, their Geo-environmental focus worked for him.. Beautiful campus - starting to head south a bit but not horribly far from NJ.
Hope that helps - but these should all work for you.
UNH, URI
RIT / WPI is borderline target/likely with that GPA and rigor IMO and both great engineering.. (My 25 got in TO with a lower GPA and rigor, above average ECs though considered them both target/low reaches at time)
Edit - kid got merit at WPI and RIT too
WPI is definitely worth a visit. It’s engineering focused, but it has a very different feel to it than a state school. Especially worth visiting if they like project based learnining and they have a great robotics program.
Maine will probably be the safest and least expensive option of the New England schools. He might even qualify for their honors program.
Manhattan University has a wonderful, long established (1892) Engineering School, the largest undergraduate school in the university. It would be a great safety. Extensive networking in the tri-state area. Catholic but religion is understated. Lovely small campus in Riverdale, the affluent northwest corner of the Bronx. Lots of open space across Broadway from Horan Hall, one of the dorms, in 1100+ acre Van Cortlandt Park, complete with its own golf course, a lake, and miles of woodland running & jogging trails. Ranked #73 on this year’s Wall Street Journal’s Best Colleges in America. Total cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room & board) = $74,600 before scholarships or financial aid.
WPI is another engineering college in the Wall Street Journal’s top 100 at #99. It is located in a lovely neighborhood in Worcester, MA with parks and museums nearby. Their approach to instruction is experiential, hands on learning with a project based curriculum. It’s another great safety with a 58% acceptance rate. Cost of attendance is $82,000.
Founded in 1824, RPI in Troy, New York in the capital district, is the oldest engineering college in America. It is an excellent smaller research university but has a surprisingly high 63% acceptance rate. Troy is on the Hudson River and the Adirondack Park for endless outdoor recreation opportunities is only an hour away. Cost of attendance is $84,600.
Look into Union, at least partly for its science and engineering facilities:
I was also thinking RIT and WPI as schools likely to give some tuition discounts, with solid engineering programs. WPI and RPI both nice old campuses walkable to small downtown cities. RIT more of a private campus.
Delaware is close by, reasonably priced, and also can give merit aid.
WPI and RIT as all are saying. But…. And I know like all kid’s want to go away, Rutgers is a good place to be for engineering.
So the Act breakdown is important with the sections. You have just discovered what lots of engineering parents know. These kid’s don’t like to write and even sometimes talk 
, and engineering kids tend to have lower English scores on these tests.
Depending on how the other section went as well to find out with testing on his own or with a tutor what he is missing. There is a great book called the 5lb Act book with tons of practice tests and great. google.com 5 Lb. Book of ACT Practice Problems. Lots of tutors use this book. Have him work on both Math and reading hard. Throw in Science. The idea is to make your stronger sections stronger and hopefully raise the reading up a bit. A few extra correct answers in these sections can really raise the score. It’s hard to do it on your own. Tutors are usually good at pointing out “quickly “what the student needs to focus on. Also Act is a fast test. Sometimes the speed needs to be practiced as well.
Good luck.
Would people say WPI, RPI, RIT meet this vs some of the less competitive flagships?
U of Pittsburgh is a great safety because they have rolling admission so if your child applies early, they’ll have an answer early back.
There are some great midwest engineering safeties if your student is willing to travel outside of the NE - MSU and Iowa State will get you a traditional campus, rah rah experience with great engineering programs and merit money.
agree with that, but if they want multiple choices at end of the day…they may still end up at Rutgers but want to have a choice and feel like they PICKED rutgers and not “stuck” with it.
re: “traditional’“ experience at RIT, WPI, RPI etc..
I think that depends on what you mean by that - none are huge football / basketball schools, but each has sports - e.g., RIT has a D1 hockey program and competes at a high level; WPI has a frat scene of sorts; both have VERY robust club offerings, etc. (I know less about RPI) RIT has a lot more non-STEM majors than WPI / RPI -In fact a TON on non-STEM majors and really robust art and media and some health science program and you can really major in anything, though few people major in history, and social sciences..The vibe is kind of nerdier than average campus though.
Certainly, a UNH/URI/Maine would be more like the Rutgers vibe-wise as a state flagship… (and honors might be possible). Depending on interest within engineering - both have cool ocean/lakes/marine stuff - and UNH has a cool interoperability lab a lot of students work at (I think for pay?). https://www.iol.unh.edu/