Question about College Choice for Engineering

[Atlanta_Mom]

My DS received a USAF ROTC Type 2 Scholarship and has passed his DodMerb so we are very happy. His major of choice is aerospace engineering. We are out of state for both of his school choices. He has been accepted at the University of Kansas, which gives ROTC in-state tuition and he also receives merit, which makes it almost a full-ride. He has also been accepted at Purdue, but they do not give in-state to ROTC....and we do not know if he will receive Merit yet. So out of pocket we would be out approximately $80K. Here is the question: Since he would hopefully be commissioned as a 2nd Lt., does the school you attend matter, or is it more how you did in your classes? And while there are a lot of other fine schools he could apply to and receive better offers, Kansas is legacy for several family members and Purdue just because of the reputation and location. Thanks.

 

[FMHS-79]

My DS received a USAF ROTC Type 2 Scholarship and has passed his DodMerb so we are very happy. His major of choice is aerospace engineering. We are out of state for both of his school choices. He has been accepted at the University of Kansas, which gives ROTC in-state tuition and he also receives merit, which makes it almost a full-ride. He has also been accepted at Purdue, but they do not give in-state to ROTC....and we do not know if he will receive Merit yet. So out of pocket we would be out approximately $80K. Here is the question: Since he would hopefully be commissioned as a 2nd Lt., does the school you attend matter, or is it more how you did in your classes? And while there are a lot of other fine schools he could apply to and receive better offers, Kansas is legacy for several family members and Purdue just because of the reputation and location. Thanks.

One of the important factors for my sons was their own subject feelings - which felt more comfortable for them? Which could they envision calling "home" for four years.

From my observations, a 2nd Lt's attitude and performance is more important than their alma mater, but since I was never AD; will count on more informed forum members to provide their feedback.

Congratulations to your son and thank him for his willingness to serve.

 

[Tex232]

My DS received a USAF ROTC Type 2 Scholarship and has passed his DodMerb so we are very happy. His major of choice is aerospace engineering. We are out of state for both of his school choices. He has been accepted at the University of Kansas, which gives ROTC in-state tuition and he also receives merit, which makes it almost a full-ride. He has also been accepted at Purdue, but they do not give in-state to ROTC....and we do not know if he will receive Merit yet. So out of pocket we would be out approximately $80K. Here is the question: Since he would hopefully be commissioned as a 2nd Lt., does the school you attend matter, or is it more how you did in your classes? And while there are a lot of other fine schools he could apply to and receive better offers, Kansas is legacy for several family members and Purdue just because of the reputation and location. Thanks.

When getting an undergrad degree in engineering, it doesn’t really matter too much where the person attends school. Studies have shown that most engineering curricula are equal across the board at the undergrad level, no matter the school. As long as the school has an ABET accredited engineering program, you shouldn’t really worry. It’s when students reach the graduate level that they should be more concerned about where they’re getting their education from.

 

[Tbpxece]

When getting an undergrad degree in engineering, it doesn’t really matter too much where the person attends school. Studies have shown that most engineering curricula are equal across the board at the undergrad level, no matter the school. As long as the school has an ABET accredited engineering program, you shouldn’t really worry. It’s when students reach the graduate level that they should be more concerned about where they’re getting their education from.

Yes, but...

I'd be wary of any ABET engineering school with low FE attempt/pass rates, and/or less than 80% of graduates working in engineering disciplines a year out from graduation. There are plenty of "engineering" schools out there (with ABET accreditation) that would fail those two metrics.

 

[MidCakePa]

Where he goes to school won’t really affect him on active duty. And by the time he leaves active duty, his alma mater won’t really matter either. His five years of work experience as a commissioned officer will matter more. And at that point, he likely would be a manager of engineers rather than a working engineer.

 

[ders_dad]

When getting an undergrad degree in engineering, it doesn’t really matter too much where the person attends school. Studies have shown that most engineering curricula are equal across the board at the undergrad level, no matter the school. As long as the school has an ABET accredited engineering program, you shouldn’t really worry. It’s when students reach the graduate level that they should be more concerned about where they’re getting their education from.

As a former engineering professor and current ABET evaluator, i have to disagree with this as a blanket statement. It depends on the type of engineering. For certain disciplines, if you don’t get your BS from a select list of schools you will be at a disadvantage.

 

[Tex232]

When getting an undergrad degree in engineering, it doesn’t really matter too much where the person attends school. Studies have shown that most engineering curricula are equal across the board at the undergrad level, no matter the school. As long as the school has an ABET accredited engineering program, you shouldn’t really worry. It’s when students reach the graduate level that they should be more concerned about where they’re getting their education from.

As a former engineering professor and current ABET evaluator, i have to disagree with this as a blanket statement. It depends on the type of engineering. For certain disciplines, if you don’t get your BS from a select list of schools you will be at a disadvantage.

For the more specialized engineering disciplines (i.e. aeronautical, marine, chemical, etc.) that may be true. However for the more general fields (civil, mechanical, etc.) I wouldn’t worry about it a whole lot, personally. It’s why ABET exists in the first place.

 

[Humey]

My son went to Purdue. Great school and even better AF detachment. My sons best friend (non rotc) also majored with aerospace engineering. Here is the thing about Purdue and engineering. It isnt that hard to get into the program, but it is a b*tch to stay in it. The initial classes are really tough and are there to weed out the "undeserving." This doesnt answer your question, but realize that the program at Purdue is tough. At the same time, he will have a blast at the school. How well you do your classes does make a difference after you graduate and commission. I dont know if your son wants to be a pilot or wants a rated position, but they do take into account GPA when choosing who gets what. Most people will tell you, pick the school that is best for the student and dont worry about Rotc. The better you do in school the better your time in Rotc will be

 

[ders_dad]

School s that really specialize in engineering tend to produce really good engineers. You rub shoulders with other engineers all day - cross-pollinate and compete. There are certain schools that cause resumes to always rise to the top for their engineering reputation (SAs rise more for the leadership): Purdue, Case Western, Colorado School of Mines, Rolla, RPI, Georgia Tech Virginia Tech, Michigan Tech, SDSMT etc. Some other schools are known for a few specific fields (Minnesota for Chem E, Illinois for Civil). For mechanical, electrical, and to a certain extent civil, the programs are very standard from place to place. But a civil from, say, SDSMT is going to have a different emphasis and skill set than a civil from, say, Michigan State. Five years after graduation, it won’t matter but the early trajectory of careers will be different and that will affect your whole career. I always tell new or soon to be engineering grads to really think of the BS as grammar school and focus on getting an MS. It makes a huge difference. In undergrad, your basically learning the “language” of engineering and learning how to problem-solve. Some schools are better at that than others.

Off the soap box.