| I would pick VT and UMD which are both solid and “good enough” because I’m not a fan of Indiana or Illinois. |
| UIUC or Purdue. |
I would probably go with UIUC. |
| uiuc |
| Purdue for aero |
Why are down on CWRU, my DS is a senior Engineering major, had multiple summer internships and a job offer after graduation. He likes Cleveland |
| Purdue. |
| Pick best fit program for the specific student. |
| I went to Wichita State for undergrad and strongly recommend it. Wichita won't prepare you for hard school but it will get you ready to a job. It has a strong industry connection and one of if not the best wind tunnel for undergrads. |
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I just stumbled on this. Not suggesting this student was typical, but it shows the depth of opportunities and mentorship available at VT if a student is willing to reach out go explore.
https://news.vt.edu/articles/2022/05/honorscollege_classof2022-hasan.html |
| I’m guessing OP’d kid has even better options in RD. Please update us! |
| You don't have Wichita State on your list. Sorry but I have to recommend my alma matter. I recommend Wichita because you mentioned employment opportunities for aerospace majors. Wichita has an incredibly amazing practical Aerospace engineering program with very strong industry connections. The undergrad program is well known. Now if you plan on going to grad school then I guess Purdue may be better |
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I would take a very close look at how each school handles entrance-to-major requirements. I have a kid at Purdue and, strictly from an aerospace engineering standpoint, the only true peer on this list is Georgia Tech. My kid loves Purdue.
That said, among these schools and most engineering programs, Purdue has one of the least forgiving pathways into aerospace or mechanical engineering. To guarantee first-choice major, Purdue requires a 3.2 engineering GPA and a 3.2 overall GPA at the end of the first year. You can apply later, but at that point it becomes competitive and usually requires a significantly higher GPA. There are nuances to the process, but the bottom line is that Purdue leaves very little room for a rough first or second semester. Maryland and Illinois are direct-admit, and VT's major application process is much more forgiving with a lower GPA threshold. Case Western is simply a different type of school and sits in a different tier engineering wise. I tried to push my kid toward a direct-admit option, but if aerospace is their passion, it is almost impossible to move them off Purdue. |
Georgia Tech was on his admit list. |
Sorry PP here, I mean Georgia Tech was not on his admit list. |