Questions for junior considering engineering programs

[Anonymous]

I have a NOVA junior hoping to stay within 6 hours of home for college, the closer the better. He currently has a 4.3 and 1550(800 math). He won’t take the SAT again and I imagine his GPA will stay about the same. This page leads me to believe he won’t get into Tech or UVA. Naviance is unclear thanks to wait listing all over the place. He is thinking of NC, Penn State or Pitt, but in state tuition would be better. He’s not looking for a commuter school.

Are there other in state programs he should consider? Where are kids getting in with his stats? What does direct admit to engineering mean-Don’t all schools require a certain GPA to get your first choice? If not, what are those schools!?

[Anonymous]

Maryland. And if he wants Chemical Engineering specifically, Delaware (which does direct admit to engineering majors including CHEG).

[Anonymous]

By all means apply to NCSU, Pitt and PSU but I would be shocked if he didn’t get into VT with those numbers. I know several kids with 1450s who got into VT Engineering recently.

ODU and VCU have engineering. Would also add Lehigh and Drexel.

UT, Kentucky and Clemson are just outside your 6 hour radius so maybe include those.

[Anonymous]

GMU, ODU, VCU

[Anonymous]

Pitt total COA is $61k and they are likely to offer your kid $10k-$15k in merit aid (apply early…august) which brings the cost to about UVA in state for engineering.

Your kid has an excellent shot at UVA and likely almost sure thing at VT.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the ideas. I’ll be watching the results here this year. Is there an easy way to determine if they are direct admit to your specific (at least intended) engineering major? Or is no major guaranteed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a NOVA junior hoping to stay within 6 hours of home for college, the closer the better. He currently has a 4.3 and 1550(800 math). He won’t take the SAT again and I imagine his GPA will stay about the same. This page leads me to believe he won’t get into Tech or UVA. Naviance is unclear thanks to wait listing all over the place. He is thinking of NC, Penn State or Pitt, but in state tuition would be better. He’s not looking for a commuter school.

Are there other in state programs he should consider? Where are kids getting in with his stats? What does direct admit to engineering mean-Don’t all schools require a certain GPA to get your first choice? If not, what are those schools!?

I am surprised you don’t think he will get into VaTech. The data shows over a 50 percent acceptance rate for boys (higher for girls) in-state to the school of engineering. And this is assuming you are not first-generation. I think he has a good chance at UVA as well according to Naviance at our competitive FCPS school.

[Anonymous]

Purdue is on the table w those stats and is a value. It's not close though if that's a true deal breaker.

I'd think your kid would get into both UVA and VT, not sure where you're getting your information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the ideas. I’ll be watching the results here this year. Is there an easy way to determine if they are direct admit to your specific (at least intended) engineering major? Or is no major guaranteed?

At VT, all engineering majors are accepted to general engineering. You are guaranteed your first choice at the end of freshman year if you meet a minimum gpa. I can't remember the number, but they say the large majority of students get their first choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a NOVA junior hoping to stay within 6 hours of home for college, the closer the better. He currently has a 4.3 and 1550(800 math). He won’t take the SAT again and I imagine his GPA will stay about the same. This page leads me to believe he won’t get into Tech or UVA. Naviance is unclear thanks to wait listing all over the place. He is thinking of NC, Penn State or Pitt, but in state tuition would be better. He’s not looking for a commuter school.

Are there other in state programs he should consider? Where are kids getting in with his stats? What does direct admit to engineering mean-Don’t all schools require a certain GPA to get your first choice? If not, what are those schools!?

Here is the link to VaTech admissions statistics. https://udc.vt.edu/irdata/data/students/admission/index#college

I’d add Delaware to the list. Close by and he should get money. Ranked about the same as Pitt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Purdue is on the table w those stats and is a value. It's not close though if that's a true deal breaker.

I'd think your kid would get into both UVA and VT, not sure where you're getting your information.

+1 they aren't safeties but I'd think they are targets. ED UVA to improve your chances, EA at VT + EA at GMU, VCU, ODU as back ups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a NOVA junior hoping to stay within 6 hours of home for college, the closer the better. He currently has a 4.3 and 1550(800 math). He won’t take the SAT again and I imagine his GPA will stay about the same. This page leads me to believe he won’t get into Tech or UVA. Naviance is unclear thanks to wait listing all over the place. He is thinking of NC, Penn State or Pitt, but in state tuition would be better. He’s not looking for a commuter school.

Are there other in state programs he should consider? Where are kids getting in with his stats? What does direct admit to engineering mean-Don’t all schools require a certain GPA to get your first choice? If not, what are those schools!?

Is this a serious post? Those numbers are a lock at Tech and better than 50/50 at UVA.

[Anonymous]

I don't recommend ODU for a high stats student like this.

[Anonymous]

Have you looked at the naviance scattergrams for your school? My kid is in APS so gpas are slightly lower due to only weighting AP/de and not honors (4.2, expect 4.4x at graduation). We are still waiting on most decisions but they got into PSU engineering with about a 2 week turnaround and lower SAT (1520/790 math).

I think at the very least you are okay for VT if not also UVA. What’s the rigor like in math and science? UVA loves rigor. Are they in multi and physics c by next year?

How about WVU, VVU, Pitt (they are giving $20k for engineering merit this year- apply in September!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the ideas. I’ll be watching the results here this year. Is there an easy way to determine if they are direct admit to your specific (at least intended) engineering major? Or is no major guaranteed?

At VT, all engineering majors are accepted to general engineering. You are guaranteed your first choice at the end of freshman year if you meet a minimum gpa. I can't remember the number, but they say the large majority of students get their first choice.

+1. and VT is a weed-out program unlike UVA