Small Colleges with Engineering

[Anonymous]

RPI and WPI are both well-known good engineering colleges. I am not sure what the travel times might be.

Rose-Hulman also is small and very good, but again might be farther than desired.

UMBC is nearby and not small overall, but their engineering is smaller than UMCP or VT. Same is largely true for UVa, which has a decidedly small engineering college.

[Anonymous]

NJIT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who know about engineering colleges, how would you rank these in terms of easier or harder to get into?

Lehigh
Stevens
Bucknell
WPI
RPI

This analysis ranks these schools in order of Lehigh, Bucknell, Stevens, RPI by difficulty of admission (WPI N/A):

College & University Rankings in 2026 https://share.google/n6FbaU8VcimbByoO1

[Anonymous]

Smith College
Lafayette
RIT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those who know about engineering colleges, how would you rank these in terms of easier or harder to get into?

Lehigh
Stevens
Bucknell
WPI
RPI

Lehigh is the hardest of these (unless you ED). Then probably Bucknell but not sure.

RPI, Stevens, and WPI pretty similar in terms of getting in, but WPI is test blind so that could make things easier or harder depending on score.


This is mostly based on personal experience—my kid applied to all but Bucknell—rejected from Lehigh RD, accepted RPI EA, deferred and then accepted WPI (test blind hurt him, since he had a 34 ACT), waitlisted and accepted off WL, Stevens.

RPI seems OK with a mid GPA if test score is high.

Starting this year, wpi is now test optional.

[Anonymous]

Clarkson is a bit farther, but worth a look.

[Anonymous]

If you would like to consider programs by their lab facilities, this site may be of interest:

Best Colleges for Science Lab Facilities | The Princeton Review https://share.google/BXoPjWI7kx2WMvuWc

Lafayette, for example, may represent a good choice. If you might be willing to extend your geographical range, look into Union.

[Anonymous]

U Delaware - very good engineering school.

VCU

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U Delaware - very good engineering school.
VCU

Good catch.

[Anonymous]

NJIT

[Anonymous]

Johns Hopkins
Cooper Union

[Anonymous]

Swarthmore

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know anything about the engineering programs at Elizabethtown or York College if Pennsylvania?

[Anonymous]

York (PA)

[Anonymous]

RPI, Stevens, and WPI pretty similar in terms of getting in, but WPI is test blind so that could make things easier or harder depending on score.

WPI is now test-optional but not test blind if you submit.