<p>I hear what people are saying about the larger state schools leaving students “in the dust” but those schools ought to do a better job of providing resources for students if for no other reason than their own retention statistics. I know that isn’t the “traditional” engineering approach, but I wonder how many students would succeed with a little more support?
I know at UMass Lowell they analyzed why there was so much attrition from the engineering program and discovered that math was the roadblock for many students. So they now have multiple paths for getting through calculus: the fast path for the AP kids, the regular one-year path for many students and a slower path that takes 1.5 years to get through freshman calc. They found that many students can succeed with enough support and the appropriate pacing to get them that foundation. They presented this info at the admitted students day for engineering and I found it pretty interesting. They also decided to house engineering students together for freshman year because it helped students form study groups. They really seem to be making an effort.</p>