Engineering schools that won’t crush my child’s soul

[Anonymous]

Try places like Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Nebraska. They are clean, safe, sane, & well-organized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are looking for engineering programs for my DC too. My DH is an engineer and has a PhD in EE. He went to a well known competitive private university that’s highly regarded for engineering. He hated it. He hated his classmates. It was a total grind. He wants DC to go to a state university for engineering. Because engineering programs are accredited, they all teach roughly the same thing (same classes). The difference is the amount of homework assigned and the culture of your classmates/program. He feels more homework doesn’t lead to better engineers.

There are excellent public university engineering programs that are well regarded and offer an excellent education. If your kid did very well in HS, schools like UMD, UIUC, Purdue are top tier contenders. Other good schools include Rutgers, Ohio State, Delaware.

Our son is first year engineering at UMD and has found it very manageable thus far. He has plenty of time for a couple of clubs and socializing. His public HS prepared him well for first semester engineering, but he understands that it will get tougher.

[Anonymous]

I would not send my kid to Purdue or UIUC engineering.

Every exam is stressful and the overall focus of the kids transitions to not failing classes vs learning / exploring engineering.

I think schools like NC State, U Colorado Boulder offer a much better environment with decent outcomes in terms of jobs post graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking for engineering programs for my DC too. My DH is an engineer and has a PhD in EE. He went to a well known competitive private university that’s highly regarded for engineering. He hated it. He hated his classmates. It was a total grind. He wants DC to go to a state university for engineering. Because engineering programs are accredited, they all teach roughly the same thing (same classes). The difference is the amount of homework assigned and the culture of your classmates/program. He feels more homework doesn’t lead to better engineers.

Umm...Call Berkely and Georgia Tech are two of the Top 3 Engineering colleges in the US and they are Public. Quite certain they are no less a grind or less competitive. So, I assume you mean further down the chain among Publics? The question is how far down? Auburn has a good Engineering program as well as UF.

It seemed pretty clear to some of us that she was thinking of an ordinary in-state public engineering program, in whichever state that might be, and not a program chosen for its rank.

Sorry, I'm slower than most.

[Anonymous]

If the kid is happy at a TJ-caliber school he might not be content with a mid engineering program at no-name school and mid peers.

[Anonymous]

If you're going to study engineering, do it in California. Cal Poly SLO has some of the happiest students I've ever seen. At least you're slogging through a rigorous program and not having to battle seasonal affective disorder at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the kid is happy at a TJ-caliber school he might not be content with a mid engineering program at no-name school and mid peers.

This. Go for the peers that match your kid. Top 1/5th of TJ will not likely be among peers if they go to Engineering outside ivy+ privates with actual E schools or T3 Public Engineering schools.

[Anonymous]

I've heard good things about the balance of rigor and culture at

OSU
Pitt
Wisconsin
Marquette
Stevens
UMN twin-cities

(varies a little depending on concentration)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're going to study engineering, do it in California. Cal Poly SLO has some of the happiest students I've ever seen. At least you're slogging through a rigorous program and not having to battle seasonal affective disorder at the same time.

Cal Poly SLO is at least worth a look see. Great placement into Silly Valley tech jobs.

Don't know if it meets OP's criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you're going to study engineering, do it in California. Cal Poly SLO has some of the happiest students I've ever seen. At least you're slogging through a rigorous program and not having to battle seasonal affective disorder at the same time.

Cal Poly SLO is at least worth a look see. Great placement into Silly Valley tech jobs.

Don't know if it meets OP's criteria.

The more important question is: what is OP's kid's criteria?

[Anonymous]

Auburn

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take a look at University of Rochester

URochester is excellent. Also gives you a group that is "less nerdy" than many other engineering schools.

We also liked wpi and CWRU.

Did not like rpi--very nerdy, school has financial issues etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WPI seemed almost joyful when we visited, although with the fast paced quarters, kids still work hard. Rose Hulman has small classes, even freshman year, which helps foster relationships with professors, which is protective against stress.

The 4x7-week quarter system is a crush though. Every 3.5 weeks you either have midterms or finals. You have finished the course when your friends at other engineering schools are approaching mid terms. You have to be a fast learner.

Not sure I would recommend going to a school that is on the quarter system to study engineering.

For some students, quarter system might not work as well as semester. If one falls behind for any reason (eg illness) on a quarter system, there just is not enough time to recover.

+1

My kid had wpi as their top safety. Seriously considered it along with all their other acceptances, they liked it that much. But ultimately ruled it out for the fast pace quarter system. My kid is very smart but loves to procrastinate, and smartly realized the 7 week system might not be the best for them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WPI seemed almost joyful when we visited, although with the fast paced quarters, kids still work hard. Rose Hulman has small classes, even freshman year, which helps foster relationships with professors, which is protective against stress.

The 4x7-week quarter system is a crush though. Every 3.5 weeks you either have midterms or finals. You have finished the course when your friends at other engineering schools are approaching mid terms. You have to be a fast learner.

Not sure I would recommend going to a school that is on the quarter system to study engineering.

Cal Poly SLO is also a quarter-system school

a normal quarter system is very different from wpi 7 week system. Very different

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd really warn here against the advice of going to an "easier" engineering school for a less 'soul-sucking' process. Yes, the introductory classes are a grind, but just like any other step in your kids' education, think about the peers they'll be surrounded by. You want them to be intellectually challenged and with kids on their level.

Yes, engineering majors usually end up employed but the ranking of your program does matter for what companies recruit at your school. Just like any other field. And the reputation of your undergraduate program does affect graduate school admissions, for those considering post-grad education and training.

But you can go to a cwru or u Rochester and have less stress and be surrounded by very smart and motivated kids but who are also collaborative

You also can major in whatever you want and switch it up easily. So if you get a c in calc 2 or 3 you are not removed from your desired major