What engineering schools have the ability to change majors and coops?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Under 10K would be great if they have a variety of engineering majors. Co-op and flexibility are more important to him than size or selectivity or location.

WPI
RPI
RIT

start with those
They all have a variety of engineering majors (my son was looking for ChemE and he found it at all of these---it's not found at every school).

Most schools have the ability to do coops, especially in engineering. Only RIT will have it that mostly everyone is doing it.

There are plenty of great engineering schools out there where your kid can select whatever major they want, and switch it up at any time (and the only issue is whether you will graduate on time due to the new major, not because you can't switch or cannot get into the classes you need). I think it's a much better plan than playing Hunger Games 2.0 to just major in what your kid actual wants to major in.

I don’t get the Hunger Games reference.

I know there are a lot of schools where switching is easy and a lot of schools where it isn’t. It’s just not always easy to tell from the websites which is why I am asking. UW seems to be an example of a school where from the outside it looks easy but it actually isn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I should add RIT is already on his list. So that suggestion was perfect! He really likes cold weather (had to get that in because you know someone will ask!).

I was going to recommend you check out RITs College and Career program, because they have a great, hands on overview of the programs they offer, but it looks like that's happening right now!

[Anonymous]

Duke
USC
Northeastern
RPI

[Anonymous]

Engineering + Coop = Northeastern

The most obvious one.

[Anonymous]

Purdue-tough admit though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Under 10K would be great if they have a variety of engineering majors. Co-op and flexibility are more important to him than size or selectivity or location.

WPI
RPI
RIT

start with those
They all have a variety of engineering majors (my son was looking for ChemE and he found it at all of these---it's not found at every school).

Most schools have the ability to do coops, especially in engineering. Only RIT will have it that mostly everyone is doing it.

There are plenty of great engineering schools out there where your kid can select whatever major they want, and switch it up at any time (and the only issue is whether you will graduate on time due to the new major, not because you can't switch or cannot get into the classes you need). I think it's a much better plan than playing Hunger Games 2.0 to just major in what your kid actual wants to major in.

I don’t get the Hunger Games reference.

I know there are a lot of schools where switching is easy and a lot of schools where it isn’t. It’s just not always easy to tell from the websites which is why I am asking. UW seems to be an example of a school where from the outside it looks easy but it actually isn’t.

Having to continue to compete intensely to get the major you want (hunger games reference), just like in HS to get into college. Many engineering schools are not direct admit to the major, most are just to the engineering school, then you compete to get into your major. Want a top major like BME or MechE and you might not get in if you get a B- in a few intro eng courses.

And yes, UW is not easy to switch, not easy to get the courses you want. Also not easy to switch out of engineering to a competitive major (Biology, Business, and many other popular majors etc)---so the typical fallback for engineering when they switch out (business is popular) simply isn't possible. Business is almost as competitive as Eng and if you are not direct admit you likely wont' get in. UW is a great school but it's big and you can count on 5 years to graduate and possibly majoring in something you didn't plan to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Under 10K would be great if they have a variety of engineering majors. Co-op and flexibility are more important to him than size or selectivity or location.

WPI
RPI
RIT

start with those
They all have a variety of engineering majors (my son was looking for ChemE and he found it at all of these---it's not found at every school).

Most schools have the ability to do coops, especially in engineering. Only RIT will have it that mostly everyone is doing it.

There are plenty of great engineering schools out there where your kid can select whatever major they want, and switch it up at any time (and the only issue is whether you will graduate on time due to the new major, not because you can't switch or cannot get into the classes you need). I think it's a much better plan than playing Hunger Games 2.0 to just major in what your kid actual wants to major in.

I don’t get the Hunger Games reference.

I know there are a lot of schools where switching is easy and a lot of schools where it isn’t. It’s just not always easy to tell from the websites which is why I am asking. UW seems to be an example of a school where from the outside it looks easy but it actually isn’t.

Having to continue to compete intensely to get the major you want (hunger games reference), just like in HS to get into college. Many engineering schools are not direct admit to the major, most are just to the engineering school, then you compete to get into your major. Want a top major like BME or MechE and you might not get in if you get a B- in a few intro eng courses.

And yes, UW is not easy to switch, not easy to get the courses you want. Also not easy to switch out of engineering to a competitive major (Biology, Business, and many other popular majors etc)---so the typical fallback for engineering when they switch out (business is popular) simply isn't possible. Business is almost as competitive as Eng and if you are not direct admit you likely wont' get in. UW is a great school but it's big and you can count on 5 years to graduate and possibly majoring in something you didn't plan to.

Most engineering schools are not competitive to choose an engineering major once you're in the engineering school. That's super rare.

[Anonymous]

Where Drexel and Northeastern were early coop schools, things have changed so many college students do not do typical summer jobs, but take engineering internships. In most cases though they don’t start after freshman year unless the school is exceedingly well-connected or you are. The internships often start low-level and offer more as they advance through school. That said, Drexel engineers I know said they were light years ahead wrt functioning in a workplace due to their co-ops, and it’s not uncommon for engineers to sometimes take more than four years to finish anyway.

If there’s a chance your kid wants to leave engineering, choose a school with other strong departments.

[Anonymous]

Case Western allows you to switch majors within engineering or double major in 2 areas of engineering. It is also surrounded by major hospitals including the Cleveland Clinic and encourages co-ops.

[Anonymous]

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

[Anonymous]

Cincinnati engineering also has a strong co-op program.

[Anonymous]

Unless very very sure about engineering, another consideration is a school that offers everything, in case like many they decide to change majors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless very very sure about engineering, another consideration is a school that offers everything, in case like many they decide to change majors

Engineering department is very hard to get into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless very very sure about engineering, another consideration is a school that offers everything, in case like many they decide to change majors

Engineering department is very hard to get into.

Depends on the school. VERY easy for most girls to get into Engineering at the non T20 schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless very very sure about engineering, another consideration is a school that offers everything, in case like many they decide to change majors

Engineering department is very hard to get into.

Depends on the school. VERY easy for most girls to get into Engineering at the non T20 schools.

No