<p>North Carolina State University - FYC planning on majoring in Chemical Engineering
Florida Institute of Technology - accepted to Chemical Engineering
SUNY Stony Brook - accepted to Chemical Engineering
University of South Florida - Undeclared planning on Chemical Engineering</p>
<p>Potential Credit from AP Exams
AP Bio - 3
AP Eng Comp - 3
AP US History - 4
AP Chem - 4
AP Physics - taking in May</p>
<p>Having a tough time deciding between the four.<br>
NSCU - original #1
USF - surprised how much i liked when visited
FIT - small campus but great program
SBU - safety…last on list</p>
<p>I only have personal experience with two of the schools on your list - SUNY Stony Brook and NCSU. I don’t know anything about FIT, but I have heard nothing but good things about USF.</p>
<p>I’m originally from NC and was a recruited walk-on athlete (no athletic scholarship, only a small amount of merit money) at SUNY Stony Brook. I didn’t particularly love the campus when I visited, but the team was successful, I liked the coach, and my 18-year-old self thought living ‘near New York City’ would be a neat change. </p>
<p>I ended up not liking it there because many students were commuters or went home every weekend. I didn’t have a car, so it was tough going off campus except when a teammate offered to take me somewhere. It was a big culture shock for me and I didn’t have a whole lot of friends … I admit that I was spoiled by a southern small town where everyone knows everyone. I also didn’t like the lack of school spirit. I struggled to find friends to go to basketball games with. A lot of students seemed to complain about the campus and the university in general, and I think it was a lot of people’s safety school. I don’t remember feeling inspired by any of my professors there either.</p>
<p>I transferred to NCSU my sophomore year. It was “home” almost immediately (even though my home was 3 hours away) and I loved every minute there. I also got my MS degree there several years later. The College of Engineering is outstanding and I had excellent professors in all my classes. There is tremendous school spirit, most students are very friendly, and the population is pretty diverse. I made great business connections through internships while in school, and I’ve never had trouble finding a job in the software engineering industry.</p>
<p>I think NCSU is more recognized nationally (no one around here knew what SUNY Stony Brook was when the baseball team made it to the NCAA tournament). That may not mean much in the grand scheme of things, especially if you ultimately choose to stay in the New York area. Similarly, I think FIT and USF would serve you well if you plan to live in Florida.</p>
<p>Sorry this was long-winded. Best of luck in your decision!</p>
<p>@ncnative thanks for the advice. At this point I think SBU is last on the list and will only come into play if my parents want me closer to home (CT).</p>
<p>NCSU and FIT I think are 1 and 1a in terms of the Engineering programs. (NCSU being more reputable)
The campus environment at USF felt more comfortable than any of the others, and its engineerng program is growing fast.
NCSU was the first school I visited so I didnt know what to expect, but I didnt get the comfy feeling. could’ve been timing of the visit.
FIT is a small campus, and I didnt like the feel walking around.</p>
<p>I will be able to use more AP credits against major classes at USF vs NCSU.</p>
<p>My husband and son are both NCSU grads. H was a Mech. Eng. major. S was in the College of Natural Resources(received a very nice departmental merit scholarship). We live in NC. Both H and S loved NCSU. The campus doesn’t blow you away on first inspection but my guys learned to to love it. The new Hunt library is amazing. NCSU has lots of history and school spirit, Raleigh is a really nice city. And the weather is good…all fours seasons whereas Florida is just warm, warmer and hot!</p>
<p>BenzDadCT, you bring up a really good question about weighing environment against strength of program. My personal opinion is that you can choose to move to a new environment later in life, but choosing the strongest program is more time-limited. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if you genuinely didn’t like the NCSU, don’t try to force yourself to spend four years there. I agree that it’s not beautiful or amazing. (However, the new student center is supposed to be fantastic and there is always some type of renovation going on, so they do try to constantly improve campus.) I transferred back home to NC because I didn’t like the environment at Stony Brook, so I certainly appreciate where you’re coming from. If my program had been outstanding at Stony Brook and mediocre at NCSU, I still probably would have transferred!!</p>
<p>Is there any chance you could visit again? You may look at both schools with a different set of eyes now. At the very least, try to watch youtube videos at each school, look at students’ pictures on social media, etc. That might help you decide.</p>
<p>I’d also consider the difference, if any, in cost. If you’re considering grad school, definitely take that additional expense into account.</p>
<p>Oh, and I almost forgot … yes, we have ideal weather with four reasonable seasons in Raleigh!</p>
<p>Net cost is about the same at all schools, so that has been take out of the equation. It’s coming down to fit vs strength of program vs environment.
Another concern is that I applied for Engineering (Chemical specifically), but got accepted to First Year College at NC State…not even Engineering-First Year. Not sure if its going to be difficult applying for College of Engineering in my sophomore year.
Also, USF asked that I change my major from Chemical Engineering to Undeclared for the first year. Again, not sure if its going to be a problem trying to apply to College of Engineering.
Stony Brook and Florida Tech accepted me directly into Chemical Engineering.</p>
<p>My U/W GPA is 3.4 and I’ve scored well on SAT (CR-610, M-700, W-540), plus I should receive credit at some schools from AP Exam scores.</p>
<p>Should this all should play into my decision? Or, am I over thinking?</p>
<p>Quality of overall engineering and chem e in particular will be levels stronger at NCSU than Florida choices. Stonybrook is undervalued academically, but warning about commuter feel is legit. NCSU will offer up a great and much stronger overall college social experience. Alumni are devoted. Job prospects, recruiting, are excellent. </p>
<p>I don’t believe you’re over-thinking this at all! These are great questions. Being admitted directly into the College of Engineering vs. FYC (or Undeclared vs. Chem E at USF) is something you would definitely have to be pro-active about at either school.</p>
<p>At NCSU, your situation is very common. I just looked at the COE website, and only 1300 out of 6400 freshman applications are typically accepted directly into the COE. So you certainly will not be alone, and I’m confident that the FYC advisors are well-versed in helping driven, focused students like you along the right path. They would hopefully help you take the right courses (calculus, chemistry, and ideally the Introduction to Engineering courses) during your freshman year to help you increase your chances to earn a spot in your desired program.</p>
<p>I have heard very good things about the FYC advisors, that they work closely with students and help with declaring a major. You may want to email or call the FYC office to talk with an advisor about your concerns.</p>
<p>Does USF have a similar program if you have to enter as Undeclared? That’s worth looking into.</p>
<p>I would also consider the worst case scenario, which may help you decide: if you didn’t get into the COE for some reason (or changed your mind about your major), which school do you think you’d be happier to attend? Does one school offer a better backup plan than the other? Sorry to add another dimension to this already tough decision. :)</p>
<p>@11bawb and @ncnative thanks for the feedback. Both of you have helped tremendously. </p>
<p>Applying RD at NCSU may have impacted me not getting into EFY or COE. I’m sure there are only a set number of slots that could might have been filled by EA. </p>
<p>I havent seen anything about a structured 1st year program at USF. When talking to admissions, they said I’m a good fit for USF, but not quite ready for Chem Eng. </p>
<p>In the end, it may all boil down to “Alumni are devoted. Job prospects, recruiting, are excellent.” - @11bawb</p>
<p>Wherever you ultimately end up, try to form a good relationship with your academic advisor early on, so they can help guide you on your path to Chem E.</p>
<p>I hope that a USF person will chime in to give you another perspective on campus life, academics, job prospects, etc. The fact that you said the USF campus environment felt the most comfortable to you is very important because it will be your home for a few years. How comfortable you feel, how much the school/spirit/traditions become part of your life as you move forward into your career … that is part of what creates devoted alumni! </p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I have met countless State alumni throughout my career, all at various stages of their lives. I’ve never met a single one who said they hated their time there, or that they regretted their choice. </p>
<p>You have two great choices, a blessing that is making your decision harder. You seem to have a very good head on your shoulders and I think you’ll be successful wherever you end up.</p>
<p>I chose NC State. In the end, it came down to what I thought was the best school. There is so much that needs to go into making the decision. While fit (atmosphere/environment) is important, you cannot overlook how good the school is academically. And, you have to factor in your personality. I felt the environment at USF might be better and more fun than NCSU…but when I weighed in my personality (not really into partying) I realized that wasnt much of a factor. FIT is a great school, but the campus is was just too small. Stony Brook, although a good school, was never really in the running (my parents made me apply). Upon visiting NCSU a second time (while school was in session) I saw a big difference in the environment. </p>
<p>Every person is different. Every school is different. Remember why you applied to the school in the first place. Visit the campus and the department for the major you’re interested in. Think about post college opportunities (alumni associations). If finances are of concern, that needs to be considered as well. Do your research on site such as this. Realize how lucky you are to be in this position. Dont strees. Be excited about the oppotunity ahead of you. </p>
<p>I went into this looking to attend a top engineering school that will launch a successful career in chemical engineering. I kept my list short, and was accepted to 4 of the 5 schools on my list. The decision was tougher than I thought. All of these schools are great. The important step is visiting the campus…get a feel for the environment and what will work for you.</p>
<p>I will say, when I was accepted to FIT it quickly became my first choice. Then when I got the letter from USF, it suddenly became my first choice. And I started to consider Stony Brook when I got that acceptance. I ended up chosing NCSU becasue it a top engineering school that will launch me into a successful career in chemical engineering.</p>
<p>Bottom line is its an exciting time. You should enjoy it and trust your instincts.</p>