Anonymous
11/17/2025 14:18
Subject: Re:Which engineering programs is your DC applying to?
These large school / small school posts are interesting, thank you!
My daughter is applying to many large schools, so would be very interested to learn of larger universities that afford a more personalized-interactive-team-based experience. (Most seem to say they do? But obviously that is not the case.)
Would also love to know where anyone has had experience with excellent teaching, specifically.
My kid would really like to be somewhere that doesn't feel too small or everyone-knows-everyone -- but would certainly like the opportunity to get to know some teachers and classmates.
She's looking for a bit of a unicorn -- very rigorous academics focused on depth more than churn-heavy course-loads. Any culture-wise, she is looking for students that are looking for genuine intellectual engagement -- but are also looking for a fun college experience and new adventures during these years of their lives.
Any insight would be useful, thank you!
My daughter is applying to many large schools, so would be very interested to learn of larger universities that afford a more personalized-interactive-team-based experience. (Most seem to say they do? But obviously that is not the case.)
Would also love to know where anyone has had experience with excellent teaching, specifically.
My kid would really like to be somewhere that doesn't feel too small or everyone-knows-everyone -- but would certainly like the opportunity to get to know some teachers and classmates.
She's looking for a bit of a unicorn -- very rigorous academics focused on depth more than churn-heavy course-loads. Any culture-wise, she is looking for students that are looking for genuine intellectual engagement -- but are also looking for a fun college experience and new adventures during these years of their lives.
Any insight would be useful, thank you!
Anonymous
11/17/2025 13:45
Subject: Which engineering programs is your DC applying to?
I attended a small school for engineering, and two of my kids currently are studying engineering at a large state school. My kids are lucky enough to live in an engineering LLC where they are surrounded by other engineering majors. They’ve never had a TA teach their classes, or one of these huge lectures someone keeps insisting all freshmen have to take.
The opportunities available to them at a large school far exceed those available at a small one - I know this because I attended a small engineering school which was limited not only in depth and breadth of classes but also in decent faculty to teach them. Larger schools attract better faculty and offer so much more opportunity for everyone.
The opportunities available to them at a large school far exceed those available at a small one - I know this because I attended a small engineering school which was limited not only in depth and breadth of classes but also in decent faculty to teach them. Larger schools attract better faculty and offer so much more opportunity for everyone.
Anonymous
11/17/2025 13:39
Subject: Which engineering programs is your DC applying to?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Reaches
MIT
Georgia Tech (OOS)
Cal Tech
Berkely (OOS)
Michigan (OOS)
UT- Austin (OOS)
Targets
Purdue
Maryland
Wisconsin
I'm surprised that UMD is a "target." It's pretty competitive, even for top students.
I'm surprised that you're surprised. Compared to the reach schools listed, it absolutely is a target.
It probably depends on whether the kid is in MCPS or not. Getting into engineering from MCPS is as hard as the reach schools except MIT. If you're in PGPS, or one of the rural counties, or if you're in Virginia or DC, it will be substantially easier. You could have a 4.0 UW and a 1550 with great APs from one of the MCPS W schools and still not get in -- it's just too random.
Please stop.
+100
The UMD booster is insufferable.
Anonymous
11/17/2025 11:27
Subject: Which engineering programs is your DC applying to?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Targets -
Wisconsin - in state
Minnesota - in state
Purdue
Reaches-
MIT
Berkeley
Cornell
How could they be instate for two states?
Something fishy there.
It's reciprocity. "The Minnesota/Wisconsin Reciprocity Agreement allows Wisconsin residents to attend Minnesota public universities at in-state tuition rates." https://www.wisconsin.edu/reciprocity/
The best deal was WI kids coming to to the U of MN and paying less than I did in state because they paid U of W rates. Not sure it that’s still true.
I’ve heard it’s much harder for Minnesota kids to get into Madison than it was back in the day
Anonymous
11/17/2025 11:21
Subject: Which engineering programs is your DC applying to?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Reaches
MIT
Georgia Tech (OOS)
Cal Tech
Berkely (OOS)
Michigan (OOS)
UT- Austin (OOS)
Targets
Purdue
Maryland
Wisconsin
I'm surprised that UMD is a "target." It's pretty competitive, even for top students.
I'm surprised that you're surprised. Compared to the reach schools listed, it absolutely is a target.
It probably depends on whether the kid is in MCPS or not. Getting into engineering from MCPS is as hard as the reach schools except MIT. If you're in PGPS, or one of the rural counties, or if you're in Virginia or DC, it will be substantially easier. You could have a 4.0 UW and a 1550 with great APs from one of the MCPS W schools and still not get in -- it's just too random.
Please stop.
Anonymous
11/17/2025 11:20
Subject: Which engineering programs is your DC applying to?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Reaches
MIT
Georgia Tech (OOS)
Cal Tech
Berkely (OOS)
Michigan (OOS)
UT- Austin (OOS)
Targets
Purdue
Maryland
Wisconsin
I'm surprised that UMD is a "target." It's pretty competitive, even for top students.
I'm surprised that you're surprised. Compared to the reach schools listed, it absolutely is a target.
It probably depends on whether the kid is in MCPS or not. Getting into engineering from MCPS is as hard as the reach schools except MIT. If you're in PGPS, or one of the rural counties, or if you're in Virginia or DC, it will be substantially easier. You could have a 4.0 UW and a 1550 with great APs from one of the MCPS W schools and still not get in -- it's just too random.
I suppose in-state tuition and all.
"There is no separate application; your admission application to the university will also be reviewed by committee within the Clark School. Currently, about 40% of those who apply are admitted.
Admissions into the Clark School closely mirrors that of the overall university, considering 24 factors as a part of a holistic review."
https://eng.umd.edu/freshmen-applicants/prepare
Anonymous
11/17/2025 09:44
Subject: Which engineering programs is your DC applying to?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
In the small engineering school professors all knew me and my name, even in the big intro classes. I had excellent access to both the professor and TAs. Nearly all freshmen were in the same set of core classes so we quickly formed study groups and all worked together. It was also small enough that you'd see the same friends in class, your dorm and in your labs. Those same friends were then on engineering design teams with you and on your design teams for your senior capstone design class.
At the big state school I attended for grad school, lectures were huge and professors were there for research and we're overwhelmed at the idea of being available to undergrads. There were TAs, but they were also overwhelmed by the number of students so students were more likely to Google for help than come to office hours. Most of the STEM undergrads weren't living with other STEM majors and they had trouble getting to know each other, so most studied independently. There was also a culture of not being in study groups because then you'd be helping a competitor in a class with a tough curve. Lab classes were hard to get because they were oversubscribed so no one could sign up with a friend and there were too many students for anyone to have the luck to have a friend in their class. And the university didn't offer a senior capstone design class because there were too many students so it wasn't part of the curriculum. There was almost no teamwork or group projects in the whole engineering program because it was too hard for professors to organize for so many students, and students didn't have a good way to get to know each other to self-form study groups. It was a very, very isolating way to learn engineering.
I'm sure there are large schools with a different culture or that do better at having team design opportunities, but I'd look closely and ask questions.
Thank you so much for sharing this. My child applied to small ABET accredited schools almost exclusively, for this reason. Completely aware that grad school may be necessary before employment but wanted that small college experience first.AnonymousAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Reaches
MIT
Georgia Tech (OOS)
Cal Tech
Berkely (OOS)
Michigan (OOS)
UT- Austin (OOS)
Targets
Purdue
Maryland
Wisconsin
I'm surprised that UMD is a "target." It's pretty competitive, even for top students.
I'm surprised that you're surprised. Compared to the reach schools listed, it absolutely is a target.
It probably depends on whether the kid is in MCPS or not. Getting into engineering from MCPS is as hard as the reach schools except MIT. If you're in PGPS, or one of the rural counties, or if you're in Virginia or DC, it will be substantially easier. You could have a 4.0 UW and a 1550 with great APs from one of the MCPS W schools and still not get in -- it's just too random.AnonymousWPI
VA Tech (in state)
RIT
Rochester
GA Tech (unlikely reach)
ElectricalAnonymousAnonymous wrote:When any course in any field is graded on a curve, then grades become a zero sum game. This sometimes makes it harder for students to collaborate.
MIT addresses this by having many core courses from the first 2 years only be offered as pass/fail. This eliminates the zero-sum issue and encourages both collaboration and the creation of study groups. More engineering programs might want to consider doing the same — at least for their core math, science, and engineering courses during the first 2 years of undergraduate engineering.
Most engineering students are smart enough to realize that any bump down by the success of their 2-3 study groups partners is miniscule compared to how much better they do by working with others to learn the material more thoroughly. I was a student at the top of my classes, and learned a ton by teaching content to my study group. I still got an A, but I got a better A because I knew the material better. There were also time when content didn't click for me and I learned things from my study group. It was helpful emotionally too, when we had weeks with lots of exams and it was overwhelming. You had friends right there with you.
Our professors always told us that engineering is a team sport. Problem sets (which is how most learning is accomplished) were ungraded, so there was no real disadvantage to working with others. Exams were tough and graded individually. I don't this this is a real problem for engineering outside of highly competitive environments.AnonymousAnonymous wrote:When any course in any field is graded on a curve, then grades become a zero sum game. This sometimes makes it harder for students to collaborate.
MIT addresses this by having many core courses from the first 2 years only be offered as pass/fail. This eliminates the zero-sum issue and encourages both collaboration and the creation of study groups. More engineering programs might want to consider doing the same — at least for their core math, science, and engineering courses during the first 2 years of undergraduate engineering.
AnonymousWhen any course in any field is graded on a curve, then grades become a zero sum game. This sometimes makes it harder for students to collaborate.
MIT addresses this by having many core courses from the first 2 years only be offered as pass/fail. This eliminates the zero-sum issue and encourages both collaboration and the creation of study groups. More engineering programs might want to consider doing the same — at least for their core math, science, and engineering courses during the first 2 years of undergraduate engineering.
Anonymous
A fundamental difference between humanities and engineering is that most engineering schools grade most courses on a bell curve, while at most schools most of the humanities grading is not curved.
This is partly because most engineering, math, and science courses have purely objective grading (either one used the correct equations and got the correct numeric result or one did not). By contrast, grading an essay is inherently more subjective.
AnonymousPost just above is very helpful - and consistent with my own experience.
AnonymousI went to undergrad at a small engineering school and grad school at a prestigious large state school.Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Haven’t seen anyone mention Rice - strong engineering programs, including BioE and Aerospace
I have one at Rice engineering - mechanical. Excellent overall. And the internships he's been getting from freshman year on have been outstanding.
My impression is that rice is a hard admit—is that right? So not as hard as mit, caltech but harder than Pitt, Delaware, WPI, Stevens, right?
Not sure if it’s too much of a reach for my kid who has mostly Bs in math.
The reality check is that any student with mostly Bs in math is going to have a tough time getting admitted to any engineering program.
And yes, Rice is a reach for everyone.
I know. He doesn’t want to hear it since it’s been his dream for years. He will have a close to perfect math sat and probably a 5 (at least a 4) on the BC calc exam plus taking multivariate as a senior. We have tons of engineers in my family so I know he’s capable of it but he just doesn’t have the best grades for a variety of reasons. I’m wondering if places like Delaware, Arizona, Connecticut etc are possible. Ideas welcome.
He's totally fine in engineering. Look at schools like RPI, Clarkson and RH.
Just to add, engineering schools are better for support and study groups. It's easier to get lost in the crowd at large state schools. He wants to be at a school where he can email the prof with a question and have others on his hall in the class who can commiserate when studying for a hard test or completing a hard problem set.
You can absolutely email professors at large state schools, in addition to forming study groups and having dorm mates to commiserate with. Many large state schools have LLC dorms specifically for engineering students (and other disciplines) for precisely this reason.
DP. It definitely can work at a large school. I also could win the lottery. It is much more widespread and common at smaller schools than at larger schools.
What is "more widespread and common" at smaller schools?
In the small engineering school professors all knew me and my name, even in the big intro classes. I had excellent access to both the professor and TAs. Nearly all freshmen were in the same set of core classes so we quickly formed study groups and all worked together. It was also small enough that you'd see the same friends in class, your dorm and in your labs. Those same friends were then on engineering design teams with you and on your design teams for your senior capstone design class.
At the big state school I attended for grad school, lectures were huge and professors were there for research and we're overwhelmed at the idea of being available to undergrads. There were TAs, but they were also overwhelmed by the number of students so students were more likely to Google for help than come to office hours. Most of the STEM undergrads weren't living with other STEM majors and they had trouble getting to know each other, so most studied independently. There was also a culture of not being in study groups because then you'd be helping a competitor in a class with a tough curve. Lab classes were hard to get because they were oversubscribed so no one could sign up with a friend and there were too many students for anyone to have the luck to have a friend in their class. And the university didn't offer a senior capstone design class because there were too many students so it wasn't part of the curriculum. There was almost no teamwork or group projects in the whole engineering program because it was too hard for professors to organize for so many students, and students didn't have a good way to get to know each other to self-form study groups. It was a very, very isolating way to learn engineering.
I'm sure there are large schools with a different culture or that do better at having team design opportunities, but I'd look closely and ask questions.