OP here. I can't thank you all enough. His dad and I are liberal arts majors, so this is a whole new world to us. And yes, we recognize that engineering is really hard and that he may get Ds and Fs. I don't think he will, though; when he's passionate about something, he's happy to put in countless hours on it--he just currently has no classes that are in his area of interest. I love that some of these schools that are very hands on and practical; I think he would find that very appealing. (And I'm really looking forward to his getting to go some place where there is a peer group of people who are also deep into How Things Work and Why.)

Look at Clarkson University. It sounds perfect for him. Lots of project-based teams that design and compete in engineering competitions. Mini Baja. Snowmobile races. Solar cars. Robotics. The school is in the middle of nowhere so students spend weekends building stuff. It's a smaller school with an engaged faculty. It he wants to succeed, they will get him through the program. Tests are based on comprehension of the subject and not based on memorizarion.

Last time I checked Harvey Mudd College had a 43% acceptance rate or so. They are called a little MIT. Check them out.

Go west, OP.

Colorado School of Mines -- great engineering school, fairly small, would be a "reach" but is in the realm of doable. I know two engineering students who went there, both loved it and did well.
Embry-Riddle -- if he likes airplanes, definitely in range.
Oregon Institute of Technology -- would be a safety and actually sounds like a really good fit, emphasis on hands-on and applied learning, 98% of people get jobs right out of school.
New Mexico Institute of Technology -- again, maybe a reach, but another terrific school.

None of these except Embry-Riddle are huge, at all.

I'd recommend keeping his science and tech grades as high as you can, and making sure he gets extra help in math classes if he struggles in them.

But, again... go west. A lot of good options for someone like your son.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Did this happen recently? At which high school? Were his test scores astronomical?

This is half true and half false.

1. The OP's son has just started his sophomore year of HS. He could easily get his act together and end up with a 3.8 unweighted GPA and a 5 on the BC Calc AP exam.

2. There are LOTS of "average" engineers.

3. While basically all engineering programs try to weed out students who don't belong, mostly that means many snowflakes who are used to getting easy As get Cs and either learn it is ok to just get the job done OR QUIT.

4. Many kids in the second tier in HS have already figured out that Cs on their report card are not the end of the world.

5. The best engineers do not allow perfection to interfere with getting the job done.

6. Engineering school is not really pleasant for ANYONE but it is often harder and more exacting than actual engineering jobs.

"There are no 'average' engineers. The professors, even at a so called 'average' school will brutally weed him out of the program. Engineering is a very exact profession. You HAVE to test well. I honestly predict that this kid will get a report card full of D's and F's freshman year.
It will not be pleasant for him."

I would encourage him to get a business degree so he can eventually open his own auto mechanic shop, plumbing business, contracting business, etc. if he us good with his hands, has good money sense, and is reliable he will be successful in a trade.

Anonymous wrote:

Have him get a teaching degree. Or how about being a mechanic?

Engineering isn't really about taking things apart. It's about problem solving through endless calculations and strategies.
True, most engineers have good mechanical skills, but they also need very strong academic skills.

They also need to be very careful and precise - ' doesn't test well' is not impressive.

Way to be condescending and dismissive of someone's child!

My kid (who does test well) might try engineering because he's good at math and science and isn't sure what else he wants to do. OP's kid is probably more likely to be successful.

There are no 'average' engineers. The professors, even at a so called 'average' school will brutally weed him out of the program. Engineering is a very exact profession. You HAVE to test well. I honestly predict that this kid will get a report card full of D's and F's freshman year.
It will not be pleasant for him.

ODU

Anonymous wrote:Case Western - probably a reach but could be doable. (Average GPA 3.71, don't know if it's higher for engineering)

Much higher for engineering.

Have him get a teaching degree. Or how about being a mechanic?

Engineering isn't really about taking things apart. It's about problem solving through endless calculations and strategies.
True, most engineers have good mechanical skills, but they also need very strong academic skills.

They also need to be very careful and precise - ' doesn't test well' is not impressive.

Way to be condescending and dismissive of someone's child!

My kid (who does test well) might try engineering because he's good at math and science and isn't sure what else he wants to do. OP's kid is probably more likely to be successful.

Have him get a teaching degree. Or how about being a mechanic?

Engineering isn't really about taking things apart. It's about problem solving through endless calculations and strategies.
True, most engineers have good mechanical skills, but they also need very strong academic skills.

They also need to be very careful and precise - ' doesn't test well' is not impressive.

Tennessee Tech. Very highly regarded in middle TN.

Case Western - probably a reach but could be doable. (Average GPA 3.71, don't know if it's higher for engineering)

Anonymous wrote:I am loving the thread on schools for average kids. I have a kid who is not a great tester and is likely to have something like a 3.5 GPA (only a sophomore, so too soon to tell). But he is a born engineer (likely mechanical or civil). He's the kid who's been taking things apart and putting them back together since he was 2, spends his weekends working on old cars, buys/repairs/resells old computers. Ideally, I think he'll do better in a small school; I think he's gotten a little lost in a big high school.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Florida A&M

They share an engineering facility with Florida State, and it's much easier to get into FAMU.