VT is a large public by any measure, and it has a great engineering program (best in VA). It also has intentional weed-out classes for engineering students (# of juniors in engineering is much smaller than # of freshman in engineering) and is anything but “less intense”. |
| If he wants Boston, I would think BU is a far better choice than BC for engineering. Why BC for engineering? |
As a hiring manager, I do not hire someone with a general engineering degree from any school. Those degrees lack depth. I will hire students with specific engineering degrees from a wide range of engineering programs - if their degree covers the specific knowledge and skills I need. |
Northeastern is even better. https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/top-feeders-engineering |
| Tufts checks a lot of boxes - a mid-size (6k) private with strong academics in Boston with engineering. Sports are not huge on campus but plenty of top-tier sports in town. |
This is good advice (and I would add Case Western.) |
Sorry, typo. 4.8 W, 3.98 UW |
OP here -- He doesn't want to be right in a city and likes the idea of a Catholic college. |
Yes, Lehigh jumped right out at me, and I like the next poster's suggestions of Pitt and Syracuse. |
This is misleading at best. The OP has not listed any of those criteria. You are mind reading. The OP has provided two schools that their kid has some interest in. The OP has expressed some concern about untraditional engineering and is seeking a less intense environment. So what are schools that offer traditional engineering options and meanwhile are lower intensity? Bonus, I guess, if you can find a private of similar size to Wake or BC? |
Northeastern is huge. |
Lehigh maybe , although location sucks, but Case Western is the opposite of BC/Wake in terms of social/sports scene, as are most of the other schools being mentioned. |
Yes, I worked with the information OP provided. I think it would be a very large challenge to find a student applying to Wake, BC, and Elizabethtown. ODU is a great school for the right student, but unlikely to be attractive to a student with stats that are competitive for BC and Wake and a vague interest in engineering. Tennessee is more in the ballpark, but a much different vibe from Wake a BC socially. |
Lehigh seems to me like a fit with BC and Wake. Similar size and ranking, especially compared to Wake. And Lehigh offers a more traditional engineering program. My understanding is that Lehigh’s school culture is more social/sporty than some of the more engineering-focused schools. True? |
| Notre Dame and Miami could also be good options, though Notre Dame is highly selective. Beyond Lehigh, many smaller engineering schools tend to have very academic cultures and can feel socially isolated. OP's best bet might be finding a public university that offers the right balance. I'd also suggest adding Delaware to the list. |