We are looking for suggestions for colleges to explore for my junior. We weren’t thinking the traditional college route- but he now says he’d like to go to college.
He’s in an aeronautics career tech program for high school but is no longer interested in a career in this. He says he’d like to go into Game Design but in reality- he’d be more in the technical side than the creative side. So maybe software engineering? His hobbies are playing video games. He is in the marching band and on the esports team. He’s not sure about size of school. We are in NE Ohio. Doesn’t need to be that close to home- but driveable. So maybe 6-8 hours max?
Around 3.8 unweighted gpa/4.0 weighted. AP Physics and AP Gov this semester. Likely AP calc next year- in honors Pre-Calc now.
No test scores yet. Struggles with writing. May need some academic support.
No idea on game design and I don’t know if CS would be another avenue - but there are 48 ABET accredited software engineering programs in the US and many land in your geographical request. I put below.
The money will be an issue but I chose a few that should or could work.
Off hand, I’d focus on Bowling Green because it’s in state - is right at $30K and there’s possible merit.
Miami Ohio is $35K - but they have merit (based on weighted GPA) - of up to $4K.
SUNY Oswego is $36K with possible $6500 in merit if I’m reading right.
Shippensburg - is right at $30K - and looks like $4K in merit aid.
You might study their offerings to see if they work from an academic POV.
For the technical side of computer game design, a computer science major with upper level electives in graphics, artificial intelligence, security, and networking would generally be suitable, along with out-of-major courses in art, creative writing, and physics. Software engineering majors at colleges are less common, and usually resemble computer science majors but with some additional courses in software engineering methods instead of a few computer science topics. Some colleges do have specialized game design majors, but they may be somewhat more limiting if he wants to look for jobs in computing generally (i.e. not restricted to game development). The game development industry can be a hard one, with very hard deadlines to push a game out by selling season.
All kinds of writing, or just writing about typical English class topics (literary analysis)? When working in computing (game design or otherwise), writing skills are important in order to document what one does and make written proposals and comments on others’ writings. But such writing will be on topics different from typical English class topics.
Miami would be an instate option with a few majors related to game design, a marching band and e-sport opportunities. They have a large academic support center.
Shawneed State has a game engineering program. They offer course tutoring and a specific writing center.
Kent State. Lots of different CS majors with a game programming minor. Marching band and esports
Within your driving distance
Shenandoah University (VA) - VR design or CS major/ game design and dev minor. Marching band and esports
RIT (NY) Game Design and development major. Pep band rather than marching band. Esports. None to be good for student support.
I have a junior kid who loves video games, is in marching band, and wants to study game design or something adjacent.
Check out the programs at Miami Ohio and RIT – both are top of her list right now. We toured both very recently – I put reviews of both on the Colleges Your Child Crossed Off thread – and I’m happy to share what we’ve learned if you have specific questions.
We, too, have concerns about the game design industry, the availability of jobs, etc. Thus she’s trying to aim a little broader and study UX/UI stuff and experience design – but definitely game design will be in there somewhere, even if it’s just a couple of classes. (She doesn’t have a coding background although is interested in learning – she’s more of an artsy kid.)
Went to a few schools over spring break.
Kiddo loved RIT but it will be a stretch to get in and pay for it. Really liked Gannon.
Will check out Miami, Kent, Shawnee, Mount Union and BGSU in the coming months.
Just got first attempt at ACT scores- 28 composite with a 35 in Math. Retaking this weekend. Hoping for an improvement in Reading and Writing…
Also- based on our visits the plan will be to focus on Computer science or software engineering with a bonus if the school has a minor, concentration, courses, etc in Game Design.
When you check out Miami, try to book a specific Emerging Technology department tour in the afternoon – brand new building that houses the game design program, and they’re doing cool stuff. My daughter was lukewarm about the school as a whole, but she was swayed by this program.
Does your kid want to march in college? (Mine does) If so, how far are you from Ohio University in Athens? It was recommended to us – their Marching 110 has a really fun tradition and reputation. They do have computer science, and also a virtual reality and game development major. The school isn’t for us, but it might appeal to you from a proximity and cost standpoint!
We got second round ACT scores-
32 for this test
33 superscore
35 math, 35 science….
Wonder if that may open up some options we didn’t know were possible…
First time- he got a 28 composite with a 35 in math. 23 and 24 in English and Reading I believe. 29 or so in science.
Second time- 32 composite with a 35 in science and 34 in reading. 32 math and maybe 28 English?
Super score is 33
First test was at school and computer. Second test was paper on a Saturday. And he took my advice to take his time!!
So yes he can go fur $20k a year if you are open to the south. The title says Ohio / Midwest.
Currently UAH is $38,836. Automerit is $19k. So under $20k. See news on game design below. There are others similar - Alabama, ole Miss, miss state. Tenn tech will get under $30k etc.
Clark University in Worcester. Just outside your driving range (9 hours to Cleveland, but an easy drive on 90. We’ve done it many times). Clark recently took over Becker’s game design program, which was well known. I just saw that Clark now has the #3 game design program Interactive Media | Becker School of Design & Technology | Clark University.
He can major in game design with a programming pathway.
The sticker price is too high, so I hesitate to bring it up, but we know kids who did very well with financial aid and merit and I think he’d be an attractive student for them. They are not very forthcoming on their website about how much merit they award, but it might be worth putting in an application and seeing what they offer. No marching band, but a good eSports program and a strong writing center.
The 32/33 may get him into more schools, but I think it will be most impactful in terms of making some schools that would have been likelier admits affordable admits on a $30k budget, if your family does not qualify for need-based aid. Are the Net Price Calculators (NPCs) at RIT or Gannon coming back as affordable? I do think that he is likely to be admitted to RIT.
If you can share what your kid loved about RIT and liked about Gannon, that would be really helpful.
If he likes a more STEM/tech-focused school, particularly on the smaller side, then he may want to check out:
Clarkson (NY): About 2500 undergrads; 7h14m
Illinois Institute of Technology: About 3300 undergrads in Chicago; 5h26m
Milwaukee School of Engineering (WI): About 2700 undergrads; 6h43m
Penn State-Erie (Behrend College: About 3200 undergrads; 1h38m
Rensselaer Polytechnic (NY): About 6k undergrads; 7h5m
If he liked the religious nature and size of Gannon, then he may want to check out:
Calvin (MI): About 3100 undergrads; 4h22m
Wheaton (IL): About 2100 undergrads; 5h38m
If he likes small to medium schools with students majoring in a wider array of subjects, then he may want to consider:
Allegheny (PA ): About 1200 undergrads; 1h42m
Bradley (IL): About 3900 undergrads; 7h18m
Shippensburg (PA ): About 4400 undergrads; 4h35m (already mentioned by @tsbna44)
SUNY Brockport (NY): About 5400 undergrads; 3h49m
SUNY Oswego (NY): About 5700 undergrads; 5h12m (also mentioned by @tsbna44)
If he likes the medium-large nature of RIT, then he may want to consider:
Binghamton (NY): About 14k undergrads; 5h23m
DePaul (IL): About 14k undergrads; 5h26m
U. at Albany (NY): About 12k undergrads; 7h
Also, do not sleep on your in-state options of Bowling Green State and Miami U. If your family is willing to expand the geographic range past 8 hours, I second the suggestion of Clark (and suggest looking at Worcester Polytechnic, too).
(All times are driving times from Cleveland, per Google Maps.)
Huntsville is 9.5 hrs from
Cleveland. Under $20k. Just saying. And you can fly with the save. It’s a name brand school too in a highly educated high tech city.
