Quote:
Originally Posted by MrTechCenter
I applied to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Sacramento State University, San Jose State University, and UC Merced. All for Computer Engineering. I know for sure that I'm going to apply to Embry-Riddle as well.
I'm strongly considering applying to WPI, I'm just not sure yet. Any insight from anybody that knows a lot about it and/or has been able to visit the campus?
|
I took plane from Boston (2 degrees) to San Diego (60 degrees) today and had a lot of time to think about this question.
Disclosure: Graduated from WPI with an MS in Mechanical Engineering and WPI Robotics Advisory Board Member. I am humbled to be on this board with member from Rethink Robotics, iRobot, Deka and other industrial members in the New England area.
WPI is the first school to offer an undergraduate degree. I spend time with college students from their Masters program. They also have a new PhD program. Here the robots and research projects have a DARPA or NASA influence, competitions and awards. There are also humanoid robots – some of my favorites.
WPI’s K-12 robotics outreach has grown to be recognized throughout the country on different platforms, FRC, FLL and VEX.
As other members have stated, the fact that you are a member of a FIRST team is not what college admissions or employers want to hear. We want to hear, what you did and how did FIRST make a difference to you and those around you. Can you work independently and in a team – give me examples? Describe a major problem you had in FIRST and how did you solve it?
Coming from California, winter in Worcester is cold. But you get used to it. It’s a dry cold. Sometimes it’s a wet cold. You need boots and a good winter jacket, hat and gloves.
I have been to 80% of the schools or worked with students, professors and researchers at schools mentioned above. They all have great outreach, at Purdue, it’s EPICS program is known throughout the country. At MIT, look up the Edgerton Center.
I have never been to an engineering school that wasn’t great. Northeastern has one of the best co-op departments in the world. San Diego State University Baja team works harder than any team I know to prepare for competition with a small team. A few years ago, Texas A&M students challenged themselves to go to Formula Hybrid – even though they were doing great in Formula SAE.
At Rutgers, where I got my undergraduate in mechanical engineering, I found activates that interested me outside the classroom, designing in 3D CAD that introduced solid geometry, a new field at the time, and communicating to a small robot through the microprocessor on an Apple IIe. It was revolutionary!
It’s all what you make of your school and the opportunities at that school. If all things are equal to you, then I look to the finances. Everyone on CD knows math. Interest rates on loans, not matter how low, are tough to pay back – even on an engineer’s starting salary.
If you are going for a college interview, know the school’s outreach just as much as you review their engineering departments. Outreach is our life responsibility as engineers.
Many engineering colleges mentor robot teams. Last month, I was at UNLV engineering department only to run into a VEX robot team on the way to visit an SAE team.
If you are fortunate to visit a campus once, even twice – may three times if it is close. Stand in an engineering building close your eyes and picture yourself there 8 months from now. How do you feel? Marie