Things to consider while building your list

• Size

  Do I want to attend a large, medium, or small school

• Cost

  Is the school in my budget? Will I need to take out loans?

• Location

  Do I want to go to a school in an urban, rural, or suburban area?

• Climate

  Is it humid, dry, cold, rainy, etc...?

• Clubs

  What types of clubs do they have? Is there one I know I can join?

• Accreditation

  Is the major I want ABET accredited (see why below)

• Housing

  Is housing guaranteed after freshman year? How expensive is off-campus housing?

• Food Options

  How many dining halls are there? Are there allergen options?

• Internship Opportunities/ Co-ops

  Are co-ops required? How much support does the school offer to find internships?

• Research Opportunities

  Are there research opportunities for undergraduate students?

• School Type

  Is the school a public or private university?

• # of Students Per Class

  What is the student-teacher ratio?

• Return on Investment

  What is the ROI?

• Acceptance Rate

  What percent of students get accepted?

• Graduation Rate

  What is the graduation rate?

What is ABET Accreditation

"Accreditation is a review process to determine if educational programs meet defined standards of quality. Once achieved, accreditation is not permanent—it is renewed periodically to ensure that the quality of the educational program is maintained.

In the United States, academic accreditation is voluntary, decentralized, and carried out by many non-governmental, non-profit organizations."

Why is ABET Accreditation Important

"Supports your entry to a technical profession through licensure, registration, and certification—all of which often require graduation from an ABET-accredited program as a minimum qualification."

Schools To Have On Your List

Likely:

• Very likely you'll get into them

• Your GPA> the average student's GPA at this college

  Level:

• Your GPA and/or test scores match the college's average

  Reach

• Your GPA and/ or test scores fall into the bottom 25% of their typical incoming class

  It is a good idea to have a mix of different types of schools on your application list.

Check the schools on your list to see whether they are likely, level or reach

*The testing site, GradGPT, is based upon the whole school; engineering typically looks for higher GPA, SAT, and ACT scores. The site compares your information to the school's Common Data Set. Once you have your list ready, go directly to the school engineering department website for more detailed information.

What is the Common Data Set?

"The Common Data Set (CDS) initiative is a collaborative effort among data providers in the higher education community and publishers as represented by the College Board, Peterson’s, and U.S. News & World Report. The combined goal of this collaboration is to improve the quality and accuracy of information provided to all involved in a student’s transition into higher education, as well as to reduce the reporting burden on data providers."