DD is a junior in high school and we have started the college search. She’s interested in MechE, with her potential vocation being something in human automation/prosthetics. Obviously this is subject to change, although she’s been pretty focused on it for a long time.
We just toured Penn State (DH was an Architectural Engineering grad and DS is a soph there) and she was impressed by all the new engineering buildings and maker space. She’s very intrigued by UMich and we will visit there as well. I’m not sure we can swing that financially (which we’ve been upfront about), but we can definitely visit.
What she’s looking for right now: mid-to-big school with great school spirit, building/maker spaces, strong WIE program, someplace that has opportunities to learn about robotics/human automation even if it’s not a full program (think internships/co-ops/partnerships/research), campus that has enough to do for a non-party kid, study abroad option for engineering students, preferably located in mid-Atlantic/NE/upper Midwest
She’s just at the start of the search, so I’m sure as we tour more she’ll have a better idea of likes/dislikes.
Ideas of places to consider? Other things to look for beyond the usual?
Penn State
UMich
Mich State?
Purdue (maybe too far)
Northwestern (maybe too far and too expensive)
She’s a very strong student (4.0UW/4.9W) with all Honors and AP courses, varsity and club athlete, will be 4 year member of symphonic band, captain of varsity and club teams, plus a few other ECs. Currently in AP Calc B/C and AP Physics. Also has ADHD.
Thanks for any suggestions. DS was set on Penn State from the beginning of time, so any touring we did was really just an effort in futility on my part.
One thing to consider and we made this mistake also. Why look at schools you can’t afford cleanly. They aren’t getting any less expensive and out of state merit most likely won’t happen. She seems to already know where she wants to go and likes the school. That’s great. Less stress senior year. The schools you mentioned are all great. Michigan has some great programs, opportunities, labs and facility. Always a reach like NW and both are very expensive.
You will find robotics exposure everywhere. Minors, classes, etc.
If Purdue is too far, then so are Michigan State and Michigan.
How about PITT, SUNY Buff, BING, Delaware, Ohio State, etc.
I don’t know what too expensive is - $80K, $60K, 40K?
It’s silly to go down a path of applying to schools you have no intention of affording - then you get in a trick bag if you have to tell the student no.
One can crush it career wise in engineering from most any school that’s accredited.
If your kid is already excited about Penn State, that’s great and may be tough to beat. But I’d recommend looking at Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, Georgia Tech and Pitt. Good luck to her!
Thanks all. I should have clarified—we’re in Maryland. She’s not interested in UMD bc so many people from high school go there. Also, our state is so tiny it doesn’t feel like going away. Campus is only 40 minutes from home.
Right now, she’s willing to consider researching schools in a 10 hour radius (subject to change, of course). I could see this getting smaller—more like 5-6 hrs as reality sets in.
We could probably swing up to $60K COA.
Sometimes visiting campuses just helps you confirm what you like/don’t like or gets you thinking about aspects you might not have otherwise. She’s only toured JHU (too small) and PSU (feels like home since she’s been there so often).
My suggestion is that you have her apply to UMD anyway. One issue is budget. Another issue is that admissions is often easier at an in-state public university.
If you live on campus, then being 40 miles from home will seem like a completely different world. However, if something goes wrong help will be nearby. Even undergraduate students sometimes have a bad breakup, or get the flu, or run out of money. Also, university is not going to feel like high school.
When I was a graduate student at Stanford there was a student in the same program who was a friend of mine and a UMD graduate. He was quite a strong student and was clearly well prepared for graduate work at Stanford.
UMD isn’t exactly a tiny university. She will have ample opportunity to meet many people who did not graduate from her high school, and she really never needs to see or hang out with HS kids unless she wants to.
If she applies to UMD, she needs to do so in the early round…because that is when over 90% of the freshman class is accepted.
Note that some schools like PSU, VT, and Purdue have secondary admission to engineering majors. PSU varies by major, with ME currently listed at 3.0 college GPA. VT and Purdue have 3.0 and 3.2 automatic admission, with competitive admission below those GPAs.
Pitt was my first thought - as one of the few schools that offer grad programs in prosthetics and orthotics (probably the only one that has this and also meets your criteria), they have a lot of great interdisciplinary research for students who are interested in that field. Also, the beauty of Pitt is their rolling admissions - you can apply when the application opens on August 1st and have an acceptance in hand in September.
For a reach, Georgia Tech is about the same drive time as Purdue, and an easy direct flight… and there’s a lot of great research there - one example: Projects – HumAnS Lab
Would she be a D3 prospect in her sport? CWRU and URochester could be worth a look - lots of great research at both, and merit potential. Also WPI - very strong robotics, lots of relevant research, and particularly strong study abroad opportunities for engineers. But… if JHU felt too small, all of these could have the same problem.
UMD is a top Engineering, I would not rule it out just because it is too close to home. S24 is attending UC Davis, 1.5 hour from Bay Area home. Never come home nor call us ever since school start (Just text us about all the fun he is having). I would also apply to Ohio state, we had engineering tour there, very impress with the ENG program. And they offered $14.5 K/yr merit to S24 who had lower stat than your D. Good Luck.
Man alive - it’s okay for your kid to not want to go to the school down the street. Neither of mine wanted to go to the great engineering school down the road. There are often options in your budget for what your kid actually wants.
I get the not wanting to live close to home or go where many high school kids you know are going. Everyone wants to feel special. Our son didn’t want that either and went out of state. Our daughter was in state but transferred oos her Junior year but was actually physically closer. Lol. It took us less then 1.5 hours to get to her. We live in Chicago so bringing kids home with her to go downtown was easy. Us going to her Saturday farmers markets and then out to breakfast or lunch then back home was really wonderful. She never felt like she was “close” to home. We weren’t on her campus just walking around. It’s funny since my son took Northwestern off his list once I mentioned that I could take him and his friends out to lunch on Fridays . He crossed it out right in front of me … We live within 30 minutes of the school.
We’ve actually seen almost universal acceptance at Georgia Tech - high stat kids who were rejected at MIT and CalTech - it’s one I’d say is a target for high stats kids
. He crossed it out right in front of me 
… We live within 30 minutes of the school.