Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:06     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Anonymous wrote:Look into the University of Rochester.


+1

Case, U Rochester are both excellent choices. My kid had those along with WPI as their top 3 final choices (hated RPI, and WPI was their safety so didn't need to apply to RIT)

Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:06     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:He wants to study electrical engineering. He didn't like RIT because of the difficulty students report getting the required coops. He didn't like RPI because he thought the location was bleak. He didn't like Stevens because he knows someone who goes there who had difficulty making friends. He's on the fence about Rose Hulman due to the location (he liked the school itself ok).

He did like Colorado School of Mines, but we are concerned that it is far.

I am not sure where else to look. He has a 4.0 GPA and a 1480 SAT, does not want a big state school. He won't get into Case Western.

He needs some other options besides WPI, which I agree is a solid choice.



First I agree on the RPI---my daughter hated it. Was only school we visited where they stated "no way in hell am I attending here, we can leave now". And I agreed.

2nd, don't discount Case. My similar stat daughter got in there (OOS, not the NE so a nice geographic difference, but still) with $42K merit/year (3 years ago).


Ha! RPI had the most miserable looking students and vibe. We kept looking for opportunities to slide out of the long and somewhat depressing tour.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:06     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Restricting your kid's college choice based on distance is a total helicopter parent move.


There are many good reasons to make this call, including the cost of travel and seeing a colleges stats on where the kids get jobs. Mine turned down a school out west after learning that 90% of students stay in that city for jobs.


That's fine if your kid made the decision for that reason. It would be another thing if you had forbidden him or strongly discouraged him from attending because you didn't want him to plant roots too far from the nest.


?? Depending on distance, it can add thousand per year to college costs: airfare for several rounds, car rental, summer storage, etc. OP never said they wanted child close bc they don’t want them to plant roots far away.

You’re being weird.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:05     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Restricting your kid's college choice based on distance is a total helicopter parent move.


There are many good reasons to make this call, including the cost of travel and seeing a colleges stats on where the kids get jobs. Mine turned down a school out west after learning that 90% of students stay in that city for jobs.


But maybe the kid wants to live somewhere other than DCUMland
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:04     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Restricting your kid's college choice based on distance is a total helicopter parent move.


Why?


Because unless you cannot afford the travel, why would you ever restrict your 18+ from finding the best college for them? Denver to DC is not that far---it's not a "you need to drive 2 hours, then take 3 flights to get home" situation. It's a less than 1 hour to airport then a 4ish hour flight to IAD. So unless your kid has major mental health issues or medical issues (that require them being closer to home), why wouldn't you let them spread their wings and fly?

Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:03     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Those schools, plus Clarkson and Drexel, were the schools my '25 looked at. She rejected RIT and RPI for the same reasons. She didn't like Drexel because it didn't have enough of a campus. She ended up applying to Rose Hulman, WPI, and Clarkson and chose WPI. The project based curriculum is great for her and she's really looking forward to her IQP.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:02     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Anonymous wrote:He wants to study electrical engineering. He didn't like RIT because of the difficulty students report getting the required coops. He didn't like RPI because he thought the location was bleak. He didn't like Stevens because he knows someone who goes there who had difficulty making friends. He's on the fence about Rose Hulman due to the location (he liked the school itself ok).

He did like Colorado School of Mines, but we are concerned that it is far.

I am not sure where else to look. He has a 4.0 GPA and a 1480 SAT, does not want a big state school. He won't get into Case Western.

He needs some other options besides WPI, which I agree is a solid choice.



First I agree on the RPI---my daughter hated it. Was only school we visited where they stated "no way in hell am I attending here, we can leave now". And I agreed.

2nd, don't discount Case. My similar stat daughter got in there (OOS, not the NE so a nice geographic difference, but still) with $42K merit/year (3 years ago).
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 19:01     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Kettering University (formerly GMI). They have amazing co-op placement and are well known at the major companies in Michigan and Midwest that have headquarters in MI (Ford, GM, Stryker, Whirlpool..).

It is in Flint- which is terrible. BUT, it’s very social if you want to be social. They have a very vibrant Greek life- in a nerdy Greek life way, not like SEC Greek life.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:59     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Anonymous wrote:How about rose Holman?

See the original post.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:56     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Look at larger colleges like Purdue, Michigan, UMass, UConn. You can get a smaller college feel in that major.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:34     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Restricting your kid's college choice based on distance is a total helicopter parent move.


There are many good reasons to make this call, including the cost of travel and seeing a colleges stats on where the kids get jobs. Mine turned down a school out west after learning that 90% of students stay in that city for jobs.


That's fine if your kid made the decision for that reason. It would be another thing if you had forbidden him or strongly discouraged him from attending because you didn't want him to plant roots too far from the nest.


Nobody said anyone did that so what's your point?
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:33     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
How about rose Holman?
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:31     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Northeastern
Drexel
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:13     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Look into the University of Rochester.
Anonymous
Post 11/20/2025 18:11     Subject: Son only enthused about WPI - what other options?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Restricting your kid's college choice based on distance is a total helicopter parent move.


There are many good reasons to make this call, including the cost of travel and seeing a colleges stats on where the kids get jobs. Mine turned down a school out west after learning that 90% of students stay in that city for jobs.


That's fine if your kid made the decision for that reason. It would be another thing if you had forbidden him or strongly discouraged him from attending because you didn't want him to plant roots too far from the nest.