Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)

[Anonymous]

Many engineering programs meet the description OP provided, including more than one in-state school in both VA and MD.

[Anonymous]

Olin is neat, but so so tiny. Go visit it, for sure, so you can know if it's a "fit" for your D or not, but our kids (who liked MIT a lot but ended up not applying) felt Olin was confiningly small.

Since your daughter is interested in grad school, perhaps consider Carleton, which has one of the highest PhD-per-capita placement rates in the country.

[Anonymous]

"Friends don't let friends transfer to MIT."

-WPI

[Anonymous]

To OP: It would also be helpful if you specify whether "STEM" for your daughter means "science" or "engineering" or "math" or some specific combo of those. STEM is so broad-brushy, it can lead to bad recommendations as people see it with their own preferred lens.

[Anonymous]

She might as well apply to MIT as a reach. Who knows.
I think a less reachy school really depends on what she is interested in studying and maybe going to grad school in. "STEM" is very generic. Physics? Astronomy? Biology? Chemical Engineering ?

The desire for a well rounded and enjoyable college experience isn't necessarily synonymous with MIT.
I went there as undergrad and grad. Would have had a happier life if I went somewhere like Harvard and MIT as a grad student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many engineering programs meet the description OP provided, including more than one in-state school in both VA and MD.

Not ruling it out, but DD has never mentioned wanting to be an engineer, so most likely end up in a basic science department instead of an engineering department.

[Anonymous]

Cornell

[Anonymous]

Cooper Union is a highly regarded bargain, if she in interested in NYC. Tuition is only $22k & free senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many engineering programs meet the description OP provided, including more than one in-state school in both VA and MD.

Not ruling it out, but DD has never mentioned wanting to be an engineer, so most likely end up in a basic science department instead of an engineering department.

Then Olin wouldn't be a good fit. They only have engineering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She might as well apply to MIT as a reach. Who knows.
I think a less reachy school really depends on what she is interested in studying and maybe going to grad school in. "STEM" is very generic. Physics? Astronomy? Biology? Chemical Engineering ?

The desire for a well rounded and enjoyable college experience isn't necessarily synonymous with MIT.
I went there as undergrad and grad. Would have had a happier life if I went somewhere like Harvard and MIT as a grad student.

Even if she did pick some specific major now, I'm guessing the odds of her sticking to it are slim, so I'd rather leave it open to her to explore what field she wants after taking some actual college courses. I'm pretty sure she's not going to switch to a humanities major, but so far math or science is all she can really say with confidence.

I take it the unenjoyable experience was because the coursework was super competitive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many engineering programs meet the description OP provided, including more than one in-state school in both VA and MD.

Not ruling it out, but DD has never mentioned wanting to be an engineer, so most likely end up in a basic science department instead of an engineering department.

Any liberal arts school has science departments -- science is part of the liberal arts. But does she want to go to a school where everyone does stem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many engineering programs meet the description OP provided, including more than one in-state school in both VA and MD.

Not ruling it out, but DD has never mentioned wanting to be an engineer, so most likely end up in a basic science department instead of an engineering department.

Then Olin wouldn't be a good fit. They only have engineering.

I had never heard of Olin before and am amazed at how tiny they are and that they only have 3 majors! It sounds great for the right kid, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To OP: It would also be helpful if you specify whether "STEM" for your daughter means "science" or "engineering" or "math" or some specific combo of those. STEM is so broad-brushy, it can lead to bad recommendations as people see it with their own preferred lens.

She has always loved any kind of science or math. She is honestly not yet "pointy" enough to be more committed to a particular topic than this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To OP: It would also be helpful if you specify whether "STEM" for your daughter means "science" or "engineering" or "math" or some specific combo of those. STEM is so broad-brushy, it can lead to bad recommendations as people see it with their own preferred lens.

She has always loved any kind of science or math. She is honestly not yet "pointy" enough to be more committed to a particular topic than this.

I'd strongly recommend touring a few LACs and seeing if any strike a chord. There are the WASP ones, but if you're trying to move away from the hypercompetitive grind, there are a bunch of others that could be good, like Davidson or Carleton or Grinnell. I also like St. Olaf a lot, and recommend visits to Northfield early in the process if possible.

As you're in MD, you might also take a look at St. Mary's, which does well (as do the others I mentioned) on lists like this one: https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/top-feeders-phd-programs#biological-sciences

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many engineering programs meet the description OP provided, including more than one in-state school in both VA and MD.

Not ruling it out, but DD has never mentioned wanting to be an engineer, so most likely end up in a basic science department instead of an engineering department.

If not expecting to major in engineering, the pool of LACs with otherwise strong STEM opens up dramatically. (Some consider CS a subfield of engineering, but I digress.)

PhD feeder rates are one way to get a sense of how strong a school’s program is. It’s not the only indicator, but a school that consistently sends larger percentages of students into highly selective PhD programs to which only top students even apply is usually doing something right.

Here’s a list to consider from Swarthmore (which btw has engineering.)

https://www.swarthmore.edu/institutional-effectiveness-research-assessment/doctorates-awarded