s/o Schools for average kid interested in engineering

[Anonymous]

Union College has an engineering program and is test optional, so if he lands at 3.5 or higher, it might be an optioin.

[Anonymous]

Catholic U

[Anonymous]

When you say he is mechanically inclined, that doesn't necessarily mean "be an engineer" -- there are people who work with their hands more than engineers do. My brother is very mechanically inclined... but not academically inclined. He is a tool and dye maker. The mech engineer designs the factory machine, then my brother actually MAKES the machine that the factory worker uses to manufacture widgets. Of course, auto mechanics who are good are worth their weight in gold. (My brother always had about 5 cars in various state of disrepair on our farm.)

It does sound like your child is pretty academically sound, even if not for this area. Question.... how are his math grades? That would be important to knowing if he is really on the right track for engineering... or maybe something more design/manufacturing focused.

[Anonymous]

This is a myth. Yes, it costs a lot to get your car repaired but that doesn't mean the mechanic is making the money.

"Of course, auto mechanics who are good are worth their weight in gold."

[Anonymous]

Many thanks to all. This is a great list. His math grade this year is, so far, an A, but I don't know if it will stay there. He has anxiety issues and does not test well, and his grades often do not reflect his understanding. He hasn't taken physics, but can discuss advanced physics principles in which he has an interest at a high level with my PhD brother; but it won't surprise me if he gets a B in the class. (In case I'm accused of bias, his brother tests really well, and I think his test scores often overestimate his understanding of underlying concepts.) He's also the kid who will do enough to get by in stuff he's not interested in, and go really, really deep into what he's passionate about. There just aren't a lot of high school courses on the stuff he's passionate about. (And for the person who asked, he would like both to design AND build the machine tool--although he's not that interested in coding the computer that will run it.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you say he is mechanically inclined, that doesn't necessarily mean "be an engineer" -- there are people who work with their hands more than engineers do. My brother is very mechanically inclined... but not academically inclined. He is a tool and dye maker. The mech engineer designs the factory machine, then my brother actually MAKES the machine that the factory worker uses to manufacture widgets. Of course, auto mechanics who are good are worth their weight in gold. (My brother always had about 5 cars in various state of disrepair on our farm.)

It does sound like your child is pretty academically sound, even if not for this area. Question.... how are his math grades? That would be important to knowing if he is really on the right track for engineering... or maybe something more design/manufacturing focused.

This is very true. I am an engineer (ME actually) but not very mechanically inclined. Being able to put the bolts/nuts together is very different than being able to understand engineering principles/math/physics.

[Anonymous]

Carnegie Mellon if he's on the upper end of average (i.e. good grades but not perfect)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WPI

My son has a high school friend who went to WPI. He wasn't on the most rigorous math/science track and his GPA was in the lower half of their high school class, possibly the lowest quarter. I don't know what happened at WPI, but this guy pulled it together amazingly. He's working as an engineer now (civil, I think) and his high school classmates are stunned by the turnaround.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also realize that he can move into the engineering program after going to a school for a year. I know a few kids who went to big schools, took a lot of the science/math and an even an engineering courses in freshman year, knocked it out of the park, and then was accepted into the program.

Remember, kids change majors and schools all the time

Incorrect.
Almost every college requires that you apply directly to the engineering program and it is nearly impossible to transfer in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carnegie Mellon if he's on the upper end of average (i.e. good grades but not perfect)

This is nearly comical. Carnegie Mellon is one of the top universities for Engineering and only admits unweighted 4.0 GPA kids with nearly perfect SAT scores.

[Anonymous]

OP, in addition to others that have been listed (Union is a good one BTW), consider
Rose-Hulman Institute
University of Denver
UMBC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a myth. Yes, it costs a lot to get your car repaired but that doesn't mean the mechanic is making the money.

"Of course, auto mechanics who are good are worth their weight in gold."

I don't think you understood the idiom. It means "Very valuable, important, or useful." As in "good auto-mechanics are very valuable", not "good auto mechanics make a ton of money"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Carnegie Mellon if he's on the upper end of average (i.e. good grades but not perfect)

This is nearly comical. Carnegie Mellon is one of the top universities for Engineering and only admits unweighted 4.0 GPA kids with nearly perfect SAT scores.

+1

Some bizarre suggestions in this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WVU
Penn State
NC State
University of Delaware

Penn State and NC State are probably a reach with a 3.5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WVU
Penn State
NC State
University of Delaware

Penn State and NC State are probably a reach with a 3.5.