<p>texaspg:
In Louisiana, people tend not to go out of state for college because it is more economical, since most people in my school is poor (while he doesn’t). For me, it is obvious for him to limit himself even he is capable to go to big schools like Tulane (maybe Vanderbilt) because nobody encourage him to do so (except for me haha!). The valedictorian in my school does not even plan to go to big schools, and she is just planning on going to schools like Nicholls State University. I applied to Tulane and SMU, but Tulane deferred me and SMU rejected me (3.4 GPA and 24 ACT, I know it’s a little low but SMU used to accect many 24s). I was a little surprised when SMU reject me because (no arrogance) SMU is no where better than Tulane while Tulane deferred me and SMU rejected me. I might apply SMU again and make a better ACT score. Anyway, he can do what I did, but more schools. It’s a good idea.
One last question before I shut up 
:
SMU, for example, is a school with big name, but its engineering is worse than LSU, according to the USNWR ranking. Would it be a good choice for him as reach? Is it stupid for him to apply SMU because it has an even worst engineering program and more selective than LSU?</p>