Match my son for Engineering schools [VA resident, 3.7 UW, 33 ACT, <$50k]

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Current Junior, VA native
4.38 weighted GPA/ 3.7 unweighted
33 ACT
TSA state/national level winner/Cyber scholar/District Chorus/Model UN, Robotics
100+ hours of volunteering
Summer research internship with a local university
AP Physics, AP Calc BC, AP Computer Science Principles, AP MacroEconomics, AP Psychology etc. so far.

Budget up to 50K per year.

Looking for well rounded engineering programs with internships (coop)/research opportunities, ABET accredited schools, good placement records, choice of Minors, school size not a problem.

Engineering Undecided.

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Is he a current junior? And do you have a sense of your budget?

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Current Junior…I want to get some options without looking into budget.

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What does “good” mean to you? It’s not as easy to answer as one might suspect. Different schools chose different ways to produce practicing engineers, but still ending with good opportunities. Is class size important? School size? Location? Weather? Support for hobbies? Coop? Most importantly, budget? No engineering program produces outcomes so outsized that significant debt is worth it.

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Any idea what type of engineering? ABET accreditation?

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FWIW, my son is a senior with very similar metrics. He is interested in engineering and rowing. He applied to Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Virginia.

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Based on test scores - Auburn, the University of Florida, and Drexel - all big schools if that is what you want. The challenge in the south at some of the “better schools,” Georgia Tech, UT Austin, etc., is the low acceptance rate for out-of-state students. So you may need to look to the Midwest or North.
Look here for rankings: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/engineering-doctorate

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That’s fine as long as you’re ok paying up to $90/year. If your limit is lower, it will eliminate many choices unless you qualify for need based aid.

What kind of engineering is your son interested in?

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This doesn’t include some great schools that don’t offer doctorates. I think Cal Poly, Harvey Mudd and Olin are out of reach with those stats, but Rose Hulman certainly isn’t.

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@curiousParent3 Georgia Tech is totally out of reach. UMich is out too. I am not sure about Wisconsin…

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As is UT as an OOS.

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@curiousParent3 - if you are from NOVA, your child needs to apply to schools where he will be geographic diversity, i.e. avoid top schools where all his classmates will apply with crazy competitive NOVA schools and students.

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Some schools you may want to look into include:

  • Worcester Polytechnic
  • Rochester Institute of Technology
  • U. of Louisville
  • U. of Cincinnati
  • Drexel
  • Purdue
  • Georgia Tech - big reach
  • Kettering
  • Michigan State
  • Rose-Hulman
  • Wentworth
  • Clarkson
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Nope. Remove GaTech… It is an absolutely wasted app. 0 chance for engineering with these stats from VA.

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Purdue would fit budget and what you are looking for, but would be a reach.

U of Cincinnati ticks all the boxes and would be a match (engineering OOS is more competitive than the university as a whole).

Drexel would be a safety and your student should qualify for merit to bring it in budget.

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This is a great list. Especially since several of these schools have mandatory co-ops. Dayton might get down to 50K as well.

p.s. Kettering has really limited majors, so he’d have to know he wanted one of them for sure.

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VA Tech…as an instate student?

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Maybe UPitt?

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I would apply but it would be very competitive.

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Adding Iowa State to the list (and seconding MSU).
Not sure Clarkson or Rose will come in under budget. Would depend on merit $.

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