Look at Union and Lafayette - SLACs with engineering.

Go to a school with a good engineering program already
wth

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS completed the 3+2 program at Davidson and Wash U. Students are guaranteed admission to Wash U. Absolutely amazing program and value. Here's a link with more details: https://www.davidson.edu/academic-departments/engineering/plan-study

The pathway program can be great--there's nothing wrong with it academically--just see how many people are able to/opt to do it and know that going in.

It really isn't a good way to learn to be an engineer. At a school with an actual engineering program you'll do group engineering projects and work on engineering teams starting as a freshman. You miss out on a ton academically by being at a school that doesn't teach engineering.

I can sort of see your point. But you might gain something by having a lot of experience deeply working with people that aren't engineers and not having the built in comforts of an engineering cohort from the beginning. I think the LAC engineers are a different type--less in love with the technical for its own sake, more drawn in by helping people/problem-solving etc. I may be biased though because the one engineer I hired from a 3+2 program was a great engineer and became one of the best managers/leads I've ever seen. None of the getting lost in the weeds or being overly literal/technical that you sometimes get -- vision, empathy and could relate to everyone--engineers, clients, other managers--and just see where a project should go and get it done.

The point you're missing from this analysis is the huge drop out rate from these programs. So many kids who want to be engineers and are under supported. Good engineering schools have a series of classes that build starting from freshman year. To be dropped into that progression so late is very hard. To make it that far without a study group is very hard. To even figure out what engineering discipline you want to pick without being at a school with an engineering program is very hard.

It's a bad idea to choose to attend at school that doesn't have your intended degree program. Options to transfer after three years, even if guaranteed, don't change that.

I'm the PP--I don't disagree that there are serious reasons not to opt in to a 3+2 degree program--I am one of the ones who argued against them earlier, primarily for the large numbers that don't make it through. That said, I think for those who actually make it through the program, they can be excellent engineers with some strengths sometimes missing from traditional engineering programs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS completed the 3+2 program at Davidson and Wash U. Students are guaranteed admission to Wash U. Absolutely amazing program and value. Here's a link with more details: https://www.davidson.edu/academic-departments/engineering/plan-study

The pathway program can be great--there's nothing wrong with it academically--just see how many people are able to/opt to do it and know that going in.

It really isn't a good way to learn to be an engineer. At a school with an actual engineering program you'll do group engineering projects and work on engineering teams starting as a freshman. You miss out on a ton academically by being at a school that doesn't teach engineering.

I can sort of see your point. But you might gain something by having a lot of experience deeply working with people that aren't engineers and not having the built in comforts of an engineering cohort from the beginning. I think the LAC engineers are a different type--less in love with the technical for its own sake, more drawn in by helping people/problem-solving etc. I may be biased though because the one engineer I hired from a 3+2 program was a great engineer and became one of the best managers/leads I've ever seen. None of the getting lost in the weeds or being overly literal/technical that you sometimes get -- vision, empathy and could relate to everyone--engineers, clients, other managers--and just see where a project should go and get it done.

The point you're missing from this analysis is the huge drop out rate from these programs. So many kids who want to be engineers and are under supported. Good engineering schools have a series of classes that build starting from freshman year. To be dropped into that progression so late is very hard. To make it that far without a study group is very hard. To even figure out what engineering discipline you want to pick without being at a school with an engineering program is very hard.

It's a bad idea to choose to attend at school that doesn't have your intended degree program. Options to transfer after three years, even if guaranteed, don't change that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS completed the 3+2 program at Davidson and Wash U. Students are guaranteed admission to Wash U. Absolutely amazing program and value. Here's a link with more details: https://www.davidson.edu/academic-departments/engineering/plan-study

The pathway program can be great--there's nothing wrong with it academically--just see how many people are able to/opt to do it and know that going in.

It really isn't a good way to learn to be an engineer. At a school with an actual engineering program you'll do group engineering projects and work on engineering teams starting as a freshman. You miss out on a ton academically by being at a school that doesn't teach engineering.

There are certain fields within engineering where there's a greater likelihood that one would like to get a professional engineer's license; in those cases, attending an accredited undergraduate engineering program will shorten one's timeline to get a license. Civil engineering is the classic example. However, only about 20% of professional engineers are licensed, mostly because there's no requirement for a license in their field. So it depends on the field (and sometimes even their state). An undergraduate degree in engineering confers certain advantages for many situations, but an undergraduate degree in a natural science followed by a graduate degree in engineering can confer advantages for other situations, such as doing engineering research where (for example) deeper knowledge of natural laws is useful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS completed the 3+2 program at Davidson and Wash U. Students are guaranteed admission to Wash U. Absolutely amazing program and value. Here's a link with more details: https://www.davidson.edu/academic-departments/engineering/plan-study

The pathway program can be great--there's nothing wrong with it academically--just see how many people are able to/opt to do it and know that going in.

It really isn't a good way to learn to be an engineer. At a school with an actual engineering program you'll do group engineering projects and work on engineering teams starting as a freshman. You miss out on a ton academically by being at a school that doesn't teach engineering.

I can sort of see your point. But you might gain something by having a lot of experience deeply working with people that aren't engineers and not having the built in comforts of an engineering cohort from the beginning. I think the LAC engineers are a different type--less in love with the technical for its own sake, more drawn in by helping people/problem-solving etc. I may be biased though because the one engineer I hired from a 3+2 program was a great engineer and became one of the best managers/leads I've ever seen. None of the getting lost in the weeds or being overly literal/technical that you sometimes get -- vision, empathy and could relate to everyone--engineers, clients, other managers--and just see where a project should go and get it done.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS completed the 3+2 program at Davidson and Wash U. Students are guaranteed admission to Wash U. Absolutely amazing program and value. Here's a link with more details: https://www.davidson.edu/academic-departments/engineering/plan-study

The pathway program can be great--there's nothing wrong with it academically--just see how many people are able to/opt to do it and know that going in.

It really isn't a good way to learn to be an engineer. At a school with an actual engineering program you'll do group engineering projects and work on engineering teams starting as a freshman. You miss out on a ton academically by being at a school that doesn't teach engineering.

My DS completed this program and is thriving at a FAANG company. He found his STEM-focused liberal arts education to be incredibly valuable and is an advocate for these programs. In fact, his company specifically looks for such students as they tend to be great at teamwork, writing and management.

Anonymous wrote:Wellesley with dual enrollment or courses at MIT?

It's possible but Wellesley does not encourage it. They say the Wellesley/Olin dual degree is a better bet.
From the Wellesley Course Catalog:
"The MIT-Wellesley double degree program enables a Wellesley student who is accepted to the program to earn a B.A. degree from Wellesley and an S.B. degree from MIT over the course of five years. This opportunity is not viable for most students due to the highly competitive nature of MIT transfer admissions as well as the challenges of earning two degrees in five years from highly rigorous institutions."
vs.
"The Olin-Wellesley Double-Degree Program enables a Wellesley student to obtain a second bachelor's degree from Olin College through a fifth year of study at Olin. Students apply to the program during the fall of their junior year; admission is selective. Students enrolled in the double-degree program begin their engineering study at Olin while they are enrolled at Wellesley; by the time they complete their Wellesley liberal arts degrees, double-degree students have typically completed all of the Olin math and science prerequisites as well as at least five engineering courses towards their Olin degree. In their fifth year, double-degree students enroll at Olin College and spend both semesters in residence there, completing requirements as well as the senior capstone project."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS completed the 3+2 program at Davidson and Wash U. Students are guaranteed admission to Wash U. Absolutely amazing program and value. Here's a link with more details: https://www.davidson.edu/academic-departments/engineering/plan-study

The pathway program can be great--there's nothing wrong with it academically--just see how many people are able to/opt to do it and know that going in.

It really isn't a good way to learn to be an engineer. At a school with an actual engineering program you'll do group engineering projects and work on engineering teams starting as a freshman. You miss out on a ton academically by being at a school that doesn't teach engineering.

Anonymous wrote:My DS completed the 3+2 program at Davidson and Wash U. Students are guaranteed admission to Wash U. Absolutely amazing program and value. Here's a link with more details: https://www.davidson.edu/academic-departments/engineering/plan-study

The pathway program can be great--there's nothing wrong with it academically--just see how many people are able to/opt to do it and know that going in.

Wellesley with dual enrollment or courses at MIT?

Anonymous wrote:My DS completed the 3+2 program at Davidson and Wash U. Students are guaranteed admission to Wash U. Absolutely amazing program and value. Here's a link with more details: https://www.davidson.edu/academic-departments/engineering/plan-study

Students who pursue the dual degree program can attend Davidson for either three or four years and, if accepted, attend the engineering school for the last two years. Davidson partners with Washington University and Columbia University, and information on each can be found below. Students who have completed the science and math prerequisites and achieved the requisite GPA are guaranteed admission to Washington University. Admission is not guaranteed to Columbia Engineering.

The pathways for these programs tend to be pretty tough - you are completing the coursework over 3 years instead of 4. You also have to fulfill the GPA and be accepted to the program - not always a quarantee.

I would review how the program actually works. I see someone mentioned that they are guaranteed admittance to the +1 school. Normally you take classes at your originally enrolled school and you still have to be accepted at the +1 school. I would review the admittance policies of the programs. In general, you want an ABET accredited program and you need to ensure the pathway the student is taking is going to provide them with an engineering degree. When we reviewed this with our student we decided that it was better to go to small schools that offer engineering for the 4 years ( Union College) and not have to leave for another school.

Anonymous wrote:It’s a good idea bc you get a masters and bachelors degree in 5 years.

Uh, that doesn't make it a good idea.

My DS completed the 3+2 program at Davidson and Wash U. Students are guaranteed admission to Wash U. Absolutely amazing program and value. Here's a link with more details: https://www.davidson.edu/academic-departments/engineering/plan-study