Mom2, will check it out. yowza! wish there was something closer to home, but sounds like a good fit!
mamaduck, yes, RIT fits all the criteria. really need to visit and learn more about this. could be right up his alley, and engineering technology & rowing!!
Magnetron, thank you dearly for the info on each up there. Doesn’t seem to fit too well. I think he is interested in the NW for the physical beauty, but the school needs to make sense. Nothing on the extensive list you gave seems to make sense, and we don’t need to spend the money and effort to go out of state for a non serious student who to just see him not get into engineering due to GPA. That is the major state schools in Texas’ story too. Altho I don’t think he could even get in them. Many thanks for all the information!!
momofthree, that is Bozeman, right? We visited one time we were there. He would just ski and continue his non serious student days. He needs to be hands on engaged. These tech RIT type schools make more sense. Many thanks.
ucbalumnus, class rank is probably going to be middle 50. He will not get any auto admits at UT or Texas A and M, the two top engineering schools here. Can get into Texas Tech, and they have engineering technology and LD, but he is not interested in Lubbock, likes U Arkansas better…prettier.
it is hard, my oldest is a serious student and first year at Wake Forrest and loves it…dont mind spending the money and hassle of commuting when they are serious about their schooling, but this guy?? A competitive academic environment is not for him…Dont need to go halfway across the country to find out that. IF it were a good fit, like it sounds like RIT might be, then yes…hard to treat kids the same when they are SOOOOOO different!! 
thanks all