|
Re: FIRST Class of 2014, Where are we going?
Applied:
Kettering University (accepted)
Michigan Tech (accepted w/ scholarship offer)
University of Michigan
Going out of state was definitely out of my price range, but there's tons of great engineering schools that are local. Michigan and Michigan Tech are definitely preferred to Kettering (unless I get a massive scholarship) because they're public and subsequently much more affordable. U of M is my top choice because I love the honors colleges and programs, plus my twin sister wants to go into Kinesiology and we want to stay together. There's not many schools that have great programs for both, but U of M is one of them.
To make a point about FIRST on applications: FIRST is THE reason I'm going to get accepted and excel in the university of my choice. I've been fortunate enough to work on a great team and learn tons of things about engineering, leadership, and what I want to do with my life. My networking through FIRST landed me a college level engineering internship before graduating high school, which is a definite bonus. However, the way you portray your FIRST experience dictates how colleges will view it. Play it up; what we do is inspirational and important, but we're not just a group of nerds playing with robots: we're the future. In addition, it's not just about the concrete skills you gain. The moments that have influenced me the most haven't come behind the glass or at a presentation: they've been working, teaching, and inspiring fellow students, younger kids, and being inspired by my mentors. I really tried to express that in my essays.
To be fair, grades and test scores are still important. I think people (especially us, as we're in the application process) think FIRST is getting watered down on college apps, but you have to consider the schools that high-caliber FIRST kids are applying to. When I saw this list, I was blown away! I considered applying to Purdue, Notre Dame, Olin, and a few other colleges, but nothing compared to the long lists of prestigious universities most of you guys applied to. Keep in mind that MIT is still MIT, Stanford is still Stanford, and that your acceptance status doesn't dictate who you are as a person.
__________________
2013
Waterford District Champions, Innovation in Control
Grand Blanc District Champions, Quality Award
Bedford District Champions, Industrial Design Award
Michigan State Semifinalists
Archimedes Division Champions
Einstein Field- World Finalists, Quality Award
|