Please Chance Me: NC resident, 3.87 UW GPA, 1560 SAT, Mechanical Engineering

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Chance me for NC State and other reaches

  • State/Location of residency: North Carolina
  • Homeschooled
  • not first gen, not legacy at any schools I’m applying too

Intended Major(s)

Mechanical engineering

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.88
  • Weighted HS GPA: 4.45
  • Class Rank: N/A
  • SAT: 1560 (800 math, 760 RW)

List your HS coursework

Mostly standard and honors classes freshmen and sophomore year. I took 8 dual-enrolled college classes junior year and AP Calculus AB which I got a 5 on. Dual enrolled classes included ENG 111, ENG 112, Spanish 1, Spanish 2, two engineering courses, gen chem, and public Speaking. This year I’m taking 9 dual-enrolled classes including Calc 2 and 3, General Physics 1 and 2, General Biology, and Spanish 3 and 4.

I’ve gotten 3 B’s, one in each year (besides this year) I got a B in Spanish 1 freshmen year, honors lit sophomore year, and English 112 junior year.

Awards

Dean’s list at community college I’m dual-enrolled at

(Being homeschooled makes it kinda hard to get awards)

Extracurriculars

Founder and captain of FIRST Tech team that won award at states. 10 members, raised $12k.

Founder and mentor of FIRST LEGO League team.

100+ hours of volunteering at WNC rescue mission doing childcare for single mothers in recovery programs

Worked at YMCA summer camp and after school program (30 hrs/week during summer, 12 hrs/week during school year)

Founder of Etsy shop with $1000+ in sales

Youth leader of church youth group

Math club member

Spanish club member

Some volunteering with my church

Essays/LORs/Other

I’m pretty confident in my essays, mostly about my experiences developing a cup for people with Parkinson’s and creating community in my area

LORs should be very strong (especially from AP Calc teacher)

I’m applying to UNC Charlotte ED, Clemson ED, NC State ED, Duke ED, and possibly Rice ED 2.

I know Duke is a crapshot, but there aren’t really any other private schools with engineering programs higher ranked than NC State that seem worth the cost. I really like the more collaborative environment that you find at a lot of southern schools like Duke and Rice. If there are any other schools you think I should consider, let me know. I’ve visited Vanderbilt too, and while the campus is gorgeous, I just can’t justify the tuition for a lower ranked program.

Here’s my evaluation:

  • Extremely Likely: UNC Charlotte
  • Likely: Clemson (I think, not sure on this though)
  • Toss-up: NC State (I know mechanical engineering is one of the most competitive programs in the most competitive department, so I’m just not sure what my chances are)
  • Lower Probability: None
  • Low Probability: Duke, Rice
2

Are you trying to decide which school to apply to ED? Or are some of these EA?

3

EA means it’s binding right? If so, I think I’m applying to Duke EA, but I also know some schools do EA round 2 and I don’t where to apply for that.

4

ED is binding.

5

Ohh, ok.

6

Please change your username to something more anonymous.

7

Ohh, ok. I’m really just trying to know my chances at some of these schools, mostly NC State and Duke, but if there are any schools you think I should consider for ED 2, I would love your input too.

8

Your buckets are right IMHO.

There is early decision 1 and some have early decision 2 - the point being, if you don’t get into the first choice, you can express your similar interest a 2nd time at another school. Colleges like this because they know if they accept you, that you are coming. They’ve closed a customer.

Early Decision (ED) is binding - so you want to make sure the price point works for you before applying. Assuming you don’t have demonstrated need, the cost of Duke is more than 3x the cost of NC State. You have to decide if that’s worth it to you and your family - for outcomes, that maybe but aren’t necessarily better.

Early Action (EA) is non binding.

So if you get into an ED school, you withdraw all other apps. But with EA, that’s not the case.

To answer you, I’d be surprised if you didn’t get into NC State - but if you don’t, UNCC is a nice back up. Since you’re willing to go farther, you might also consider Alabama and Auburn - and for a smaller school, UAH. These are all fine programs, you’d get in, and get $$.

Good luck

1 Like
9

I may have missed it, but do you have any cost constraints?

Also, in regards to rankings, in my opinion many of them are dubious (or based on metrics that can be subjective in nature); and if the difference between two schools is a few places – as opposed to 50 or 100 places in the rankings – I really wouldn’t make a decision based on that. JMO.

10

Yeah, but I come from upper middle class income, so not huge cost constraints. I’ve done the financial aid calculator for Duke and Vandy and both covered around half the tuition.

11

As far as the rankings go, it’s more just from what I’ve heard from people in the industry. Companies don’t seem to view Vanderbilt engineering as super rigorous, but that’s my limited knowledge and it could be completely wrong.

12

what industry?

I agree on Vandy, btw, as a local - but I don’t think people are diminishing.

Most colleges will kick your rear end in engineering - it’s why the major has a 50% drop rate.

Also, your parents, not you, should do the financial calculator. Make sure it’s the NPC and not the My Intuition.

Often times, kids don’t have the info on assets, etc. to get a true #.

13

I was talking to a mechanical engineer at a satellite company here in Asheville, and that was his input.

As a local, what’s your opinion of Vanderbilt engineering?

And yeah, there’s probably not a school with a non-rigorous engineering program.

14

That’s one person’s opinion.

My opinion is it’s a fine school - but here’s the real world.

My kid got into Purdue with merit. It’s a top school and few get merit. He chose Alabama - which has as nice an engineering campus as you’ll see but it’s not high ranked at all.

I was mortified - but he chose it because he got his own dorm room and shared a bathroom with one other kid.

I was like - yeah, but jobs, outcomes - and he said, rankings are for people to buy magazines…they mean little. And given he works in a program, at the same salaries, with kids from Michigan, Purdue, Case Western, U Was, Cal Poly and more including NC State but at the same time also Akron, Buffalo, W MIchigan, etc (all earning the same) - the ranking thing is a marketing ploy people play on but companies are looking for kids from ABET accredited engineering schools.

The reality is that you could very well have a similar income from NC State or Alabama or Mississippi State or U of SC or Clemson or wherever - as Duke.

It’s not to say you would - but it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility.

When my son interned, he worked with two kids from a top 5 engineering school. He went back a 2nd summer. They were not invited back. In the end, it was about him, moreso than the school name.

Again, kids that go into engineering anywhere - get their butts kicked - because the rigor is large and workload large - and again, that’s why half drop out of the major.

Find the right school for you - and go from there. Right includes finances…don’t over strain.

Good luck.

1 Like
15

Ok, that’s actually a relief to hear. Thank you so much for the input.

16

NC State should be an easy in for you. At least in the regular cycle. Also, you have to CODA into the major after completing your courses.

If you truly want to become an engineer then NCSU will give you just as many opportunities as Duke or Vandy. NCSU hosts the second largest engineering job fair in the country.

If however you want to become…say a management consultant, then I recommend Duke or Vandy as they are target schools.

5 Likes
17

I agree with you that in-state at NC State is a fantastic deal for MechE. To the point I am thinking you should consider carefully whether you would really want to ED to Duke or Rice (Rice now has ED2, so you could do both), unless their NPCs were saying they would be competitive on cost (or close enough).

I can’t tell you the odds you won’t at least get into NC State, but if there is any doubt, that might be the area in which you could think about having a couple more alternatives. Or not, if you are happy enough with UNC Charlotte and (maybe?) Clemson.

But, for example, Iowa State has a fantastic MechE program. Not that this is definitive, but this gives you an idea of how strong they are in this area:

You can then calculate what they call a RAI, and I am pretty confident you would have the RAI to get admitted:

And then with your GPA, you are going to qualify for a big merit aid award as well (and note they will use weighted):

https://www.iastate.edu/admission-and-aid/admissions/first-year-students/national-scholars/first-year-scholarship-awards/nc

Would I suggest you go to Iowa State over NC State? Probably not. But again if you were not admitted to NC State, could it be competitive with UNC Charlotte? Or Clemson? Up to you but that at least seems plausible to me.

Another I would put in this category is Minnesota. Again, super good for MechE specifically. I believe if you run their NPC, they will actually tell you what merit you automatically qualify for.

I note these are not in the South. However, you said what you liked about the Southern schools is a collaborative environment. I think you will find that is just as true at Midwestern schools like these, not least in Engineering.

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CODA into engineering majors after frosh enrollment involves competitive admission, described at Join a Department – Change of Degree Application (CODA) | College of Engineering . Pay attention to how your AP scores and grades in duel enrollment courses are included in your GPA for CODA purposes (described in pages linked from the above linked page).

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19

@MX_Vortex - My s’s are both engineers. One is a MechE from Rice. He loved the small size of the school and the collaborative relationship with peers and faculty. He is still very good friends with several of his MechE classmates.

As for internships elsewhere, it’s quite possible, if not most likely, that there is “more to the story” than some know. At schools like Rice and Duke and such, there will be wonderful internship opportunities from well known companies. And wonderful alumnae networks.

Many years ago, when my s was in school, he accepted an internship his sophomore year (for the summer after that year) from a large, well known O&G (oil and gas) company. At the end of the internship they wanted him to return and to commit to accepting a job with them after graduation! He knew, after that internship, that (a) he didn’t want to work in O&G and (b) those companies tend to stick new hires in undesirable locations. So he declined the opportunity to commit to accepting a job after graduation so didn’t return for another internship (maybe some could have thought he wasn’t offered one, but the reality is he declined their offer and job acceptance requirement, so there was no point in going back and he didn’t want to work in that industry). So, summer after junior year he accepted a better internship with a large, well known company in a different industry/sector. He liked it much better but realized after the second internship that he did not want to work for a big corporation. So he didn’t even consider the job offer from them. So both “could” have looked to others like he wasn’t offered a second internship (when he was actually quietly offered a job 2 years down the road) and like he was offered a job from the second internship when in fact he was offered an opportunity in their specialty program (the company selects a top few for the program he turned down).

Internships are not only an opportunity for companies to get to know you, but for you to get to know them, the industry sector, etc, and to see what you do and don’t want. While you will be fine at most any ABET engineering program, the caliber of the companies that will come to look for interns and potential hires may vary at different schools. And the alum network at these schools can be very helpful too. Please take some of the stories you hear with a grain of salt.

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20

In the last couple years Duke has increasingly emphasized admitting more students from the Carolinas, including rolling out a new generous financial aid initiative (here: Duke to provide full tuition for Carolinian students with family incomes below $150,000 - The Chronicle). So your chances may be slightly higher than the overall (low) admission rate.

Applying Early Decision at Duke also boosts the chances of admission beyond the impact of legacy, athletics, etc. If Duke is your #1 choice and your family can afford it, ED is the way to go.

I have an ME major at Duke currently who’s having a great experience with plenty of access to engineering clubs (like Duke Aero), research, and internship opportunities.

Your SAT scores are fine; not as sure about the grades, particularly in the context of a home school situation but they are what they are. FIRST experience is pretty common for ME majors so I’d focus as much on your experiences mentoring of the FLL team as your own FTC experience, as well as any independent engineering work stemming from things you learned in FIRST.

As others have mentioned, internships are often a big part of engineering. The earlier you can start getting those experiences the better, regardless of where you end up getting your undergrad degree.