Starting a college team is something that is not only tough, but may take longer than expected.
This is my second year at URI (mechanical engineering). Our freshman year, a few other alumni of 121 and myself mentored our high school team (my GPA did not suffer, but it was definitely a challenge keeping it up
). When three more 121 alumni decided to attend to URI after graduating last year and another came back from Germany (he was there on an internship) for his senior year, we wanted to do something more. So we decided to start a university recognized club.
Our club is a little different in that we officially do not have a FIRST team, but our goals and mission are all FIRST related. Since our inception, we have done several things. We mentored teams 121 and 1350 this year and are currently focused on designing and building a drivetrain built using FIRST parameters. A local high school came to visit URI's engineering department and we showed them 121's robot from two years ago and helped them with a LEGO Mindstorms kit. This week we have a booth at the university's annual block party, and we will have this years robot plus a few segway demonstrations.
The main problems are the obivous: money and resources. We would love to start a team with a local high school. Trouble is we are still a small group and are still educating ourselves on the materials we have acquired on starting a team (the FIRST website is really helpful). Our goal is hopefully within the next few years is to have the foundation set for our own team.
With all that I have been through just to start my club, I can imagine how much work it would be to start a team. My suggestion is to not try your freshman year. I am a sophomore now and I am just starting to learn how my university works. I don't know about other schools, but Student Senate can be your friend. Support from students with connections can be wonderous (especially those on the Finance committee). My school isn't private so it;s very hard to get university funds. I suggest to take your first year and go out of your way to meet people. Talk to professors in the engineering department. See if they will support you (most I have met have already heard about FIRST). I think that by building relations with the university and your peers, and perhaps beginning a FIRST related club with interested people, is a strong place to start.
I congratulate anyone who has started their own teams and I wish good luck to those who start ones in the future.
-Tom