Less selective schools “similar” to MIT

[Anonymous]

Colorado School of Mines

Difficult, but seems to have a very collaborative spirit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WPI is the poor man’s MIT.

I actually went to WPI 40 years ago and this was going to be my answer.

I later transferred because I realized a small male heavy engineering school in Worcester, MA wasn't going to give me the college experience I wanted, but WPI checks the boxes presented by the OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My DC is able to weed through data to find schools that check the boxes for majors etc and trying to get a good range of selectivity. She is having a hard time trying to find schools that match the vibe she is looking for which is why I posted.

We already visited Georgia Tech - currently not considering it. She thought the Georgia Tech kids all looked somber - it was a nice day when we visited and there was almost no one outside enjoying themselves. That stood out. For state schools we have Penn state, UMD & Virginia Tech on the list to look at.

Her current school is a pressure cooker and not collaborative and she does not want a repeat in college. It has become toxic and she is coming to us for help in finding more collaborative college options. She likes working on groups/bouncing ideas off others. Guidance counselor at HS is not helpful. Very different HS experience than my other DC who is at a different high school.

My decided not to apply to GA Tech for the same reason- no one seems happy to be there!

VA tech is a yes for my STEM kid also reaching for MIT.

My child had a positive experience during his GA Tech visit. We visited on a weekend. We saw students out playing soccer, frisbee, chess, having picnics, listening and dancing to music on the lawn, riding scooters and bicycles around campus. He actually spoke with a few students that were sitting down having a picnic. They were approachable, warm, and answered all of his questions. Towards the end of their conversation, they encouraged him to apply to Ga Tech.

During our visit we toured the new John Lewis Student Center. The students were happy and friendly during our visit. The vibe we received from GA Tech was studious, but down to earth students. I think the sunny weather and being in the south really added to the overall vibe of Ga Tech.

You know they pay those kids to dance on the lawn during college tours, right? Most of those kids aren't even students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My DC is able to weed through data to find schools that check the boxes for majors etc and trying to get a good range of selectivity. She is having a hard time trying to find schools that match the vibe she is looking for which is why I posted.

We already visited Georgia Tech - currently not considering it. She thought the Georgia Tech kids all looked somber - it was a nice day when we visited and there was almost no one outside enjoying themselves. That stood out. For state schools we have Penn state, UMD & Virginia Tech on the list to look at.

Her current school is a pressure cooker and not collaborative and she does not want a repeat in college. It has become toxic and she is coming to us for help in finding more collaborative college options. She likes working on groups/bouncing ideas off others. Guidance counselor at HS is not helpful. Very different HS experience than my other DC who is at a different high school.

My decided not to apply to GA Tech for the same reason- no one seems happy to be there!

VA tech is a yes for my STEM kid also reaching for MIT.

My child had a positive experience during his GA Tech visit. We visited on a weekend. We saw students out playing soccer, frisbee, chess, having picnics, listening and dancing to music on the lawn, riding scooters and bicycles around campus. He actually spoke with a few students that were sitting down having a picnic. They were approachable, warm, and answered all of his questions. Towards the end of their conversation, they encouraged him to apply to Ga Tech.

During our visit we toured the new John Lewis Student Center. The students were happy and friendly during our visit. The vibe we received from GA Tech was studious, but down to earth students. I think the sunny weather and being in the south really added to the overall vibe of Ga Tech.

You know they pay those kids to dance on the lawn during college tours, right? Most of those kids aren't even students.

Seriously… having a picnic? Who does that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Really Liked:
Lafayette -- more of an LAC but excellent engr dept. Lots of emphasis on collaboration and cross-discipline approach. More balanced campus (but not sure about STEM specifically)

Liked:
WPI -- also emphasizes collaboration and creativity. Encourages projects abroad that they have some grant support for. Medium sized student body and campus. Also one of the higher female percentages.

You may also consider:
RIT -- also known for being collaborative, not as equal in ratio

I think these are very good points, agree totally. Also, Lafayette has students that look like they should be at UVA or Dartmouth. WPI has students that look like they could be at Berkeley/Carnegie Mellon/Oberlin. That should give you a sense of the vibe at both places.

RIT has a lot of great qualities but it just looks like the Annandale NOVA. Just didn't seem to have a community. I could be wrong, who knows?

The buildings on campus are not attractive, but they're not all crammed together, so that helps. The campus has a more spacious feel. And there's definitely a community if your DC wants that. The kids are smart and kind, and often quirky in a nice way. Lots of school spirit for the ice hockey team, and we've also seen fun groups of kids at the soccer games.

Might also want to take a look at University of Rochester, too. Much prettier campus, more of a traditional community feel. Broad range of offerings.

[Anonymous]

I went to MIT. The student population there is a mix. Some are kind while others are jerks. Kindness didn’t really stand out. People may be collaborative when it works out but ultimately you are on your own - just like any where else. Obviously it is a different vibe than Harvard. They are very different schools.
Yes, on average, Harvard students are more entitled and arrogant than MIT students but in some ways you are comparing apples to oranges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why no-one recommends Georgia Tech? Georgia Tech is right on target for the toptic - less selective school similar to MIT with a strong engineering focus.

I don't know GT, but OP mentioned all kinds of different attributes of how they view MIT other than academics.

I know kids happy at GT, but don't describe it as collaborative or whimsical or the various other things OP used to describe MIT.

I have an engineering student at GT and I am blown away by the collaboration amongst their piers. The work is no joke but they support each other even in the weed out classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My DC is able to weed through data to find schools that check the boxes for majors etc and trying to get a good range of selectivity. She is having a hard time trying to find schools that match the vibe she is looking for which is why I posted.

We already visited Georgia Tech - currently not considering it. She thought the Georgia Tech kids all looked somber - it was a nice day when we visited and there was almost no one outside enjoying themselves. That stood out. For state schools we have Penn state, UMD & Virginia Tech on the list to look at.

Her current school is a pressure cooker and not collaborative and she does not want a repeat in college. It has become toxic and she is coming to us for help in finding more collaborative college options. She likes working on groups/bouncing ideas off others. Guidance counselor at HS is not helpful. Very different HS experience than my other DC who is at a different high school.

My decided not to apply to GA Tech for the same reason- no one seems happy to be there!

VA tech is a yes for my STEM kid also reaching for MIT.

My child had a positive experience during his GA Tech visit. We visited on a weekend. We saw students out playing soccer, frisbee, chess, having picnics, listening and dancing to music on the lawn, riding scooters and bicycles around campus. He actually spoke with a few students that were sitting down having a picnic. They were approachable, warm, and answered all of his questions. Towards the end of their conversation, they encouraged him to apply to Ga Tech.

During our visit we toured the new John Lewis Student Center. The students were happy and friendly during our visit. The vibe we received from GA Tech was studious, but down to earth students. I think the sunny weather and being in the south really added to the overall vibe of Ga Tech.

You know they pay those kids to dance on the lawn during college tours, right? Most of those kids aren't even students.

Seriously… having a picnic? Who does that?

Dp, but the day we visited GaTech was some kind of food stand market that occurs weekly. There were definitely kids spread out all over the lawn eating, i.e. picnicking.
My student liked that there was ACC sports and Greek life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't it likely because there are no grades first year (or just pass-fail) (or course I am basing that entirely on an instagram reel I watched because I don't have a STEM kid)? I wonder is any other STEM heavy schools take a similar approach.

WPI does something different but has similar results. They have the NR---if you do not earn a C or better in the course, you automatically get the NR. So you don't get a bad grade to drain your GPA. You simply have to retake the course. You have space for 3 NRs I believe and can still graduate in 4 years with a single major.
I think it helps take the pressure off of kids. Lets you go thru the final and try, learn the material and see if you can get a C or higher. If not, your gpa is not tanked.

+1 for the WPI way. The NRs really take the pressure off.it also doesn't affect your merit aid until you've had 3 or 4 (can't remember ) and then it only goes down by 5%. I also see that, if your kid can handle the 7week terms, there is little in the way of
competitive atmosphere amongst the students.
Merit aid ranges from 15k/yr up to 32k/yr (from what I can tell).

[Anonymous]

RIT, RPI, and WPI all are good sci/tech options.

That said, most engineering schools do a good job of preparing students to work in the field their degree is in.

As an employer, I am happy with those 3, but also with many other e schools, and that includes being happy with nearby “lower ranked” in-state engineering schools such as GMU, ODU, or UMBC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking for less selective schools similar to MIT in that they encourage kids to pursue their interests and students are supportive as opposed to competitive with each other.

And the students are truly kind. That is key.

That is what has stuck out to us about MIT - it is not just a phenomenal school academically but they seem to have found a way to select and encourage those who foster team work.

Doubtful DC will get into MIT next year (it is truly a lottery even with great stats) so looking for other options where there is not fierce competition and the school has a truly a collaborative approach to learning. Also where professors engage with the students and it is not just rote learning.

Maybe Wash. U.?

In parent times, it was a nice place. There were individual students and professors who weren’t saintly, but people generally seemed nice. The school didn’t do anything to promote being a jerk, and people there might be more humble than students at a place with a higher ranked engineering program.

[Anonymous]

Colorado Mines or CU Boulder

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hard to believe MIT is all that collaborative despite what impression you got on your tour.

This. MIT has been a lottery for decades. And “kind” is not an adjective ascribed to their students ever, I think.

Huh?? Ask a Boston cabby. No joke. Day 1 in Boston cabby says, "Ah you MIT kids are wicked smart and much nicer than the Harvard ones" lol.

I went to MIT and it was so hard we had to work together to survive. It was us against the institute. When I got stuck and needed help I ask the upperclassmen or friends that were genius in whatever class that was for help. At our sorority we also created course bibles to pass down and help others.

I am not a grad of MIT or Harvard, but am friends with a bunch of alums of both. Very smart people, but different personalities. MIT grads tend to be dorky in the best of ways and super nice. Harvard grads are a lot more transactional and kind of full of themselves.

Spot on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MIT acceptance rate 2023 6.4%, CIT 6.4%, Rice 9%, Hopkins 11%, CMU 11%,

Wouldn’t those statistics show that MIT admitted 6.4% of the top applicants, the cream of the crop. The other schools accepted the applicants that didn’t get into MIT but are still top qualified students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Colorado School of Mines

Difficult, but seems to have a very collaborative spirit

+1

Outstanding education. Beautiful location. Healthy lifestyle. Supportive and collaborative environment.