College Bound Mentor: Engineering Pathways
April 3, 2025
Hosts: Lisa Bleich, Abby Power, and Stefanie Forman
Overview of Episode Theme
This episode explores the diverse pathways to pursuing engineering degrees. Lisa, Abby, and Stefanie demystify different types of colleges offering engineering programs, discuss recent application trends, and share three detailed student case studies encompassing a spectrum of backgrounds and outcomes. Their central message: there’s no single “right” way to become an engineer—understanding your strengths and goals is key to finding the best path.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Types of Engineering Pathways
(00:30 – 10:55)
Large Public Universities
- Examples: University of Michigan, UIUC, Maryland, Rutgers, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Colorado, Washington, Wisconsin.
- Direct admit by major is common; you must show relevant experience (internships, research, coursework) to stand out.
- Start with general engineering, specialize later (as late as junior year in some).
“The trick to getting into these programs is showing you are pursuing your interest in that specific area of engineering through relevant experiences… you need to really have a compelling answer to the why engineering and why do you want to do engineering at our university question.”
—Abby, [02:17]
- UCs: Admit by major varies, but competition is fierce.
“This year we saw that at the large universities, large public universities, engineering was really, really competitive.”
—Lisa, [03:35]
Medium/Highly Selective Research Universities & Ivies
- Examples: Ivies, WashU, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, Duke, Rice, Johns Hopkins, USC.
- Some admit by school (not major); others, like Johns Hopkins in Biomedical Engineering, admit by specific program.
- Flexibility to explore outside engineering, switch majors.
“If you are a very competitive engineering student… and you have interests outside of engineering… you have a lot of flexibility to explore at these schools.”
—Lisa, [05:52]
Liberal Arts Colleges with Engineering
- Examples: Smith, Union, Lafayette, Trinity, Wake Forest, Swarthmore.
- Small, few have engineering; apply to the college, not directly to a major.
- Lots of flexibility to explore or change focus; general engineering majors, limited specializations.
“A lot of room for flexibility, interdisciplinary work. But conversely, you are more limited with your options with engineering.”
—Stefanie, [07:14]
STEM-Focused Colleges
- Examples: RPI, WPI, Rose-Hulman, Harvey Mudd, MIT, Caltech, Cooper Union, Olin.
- All-in for STEM; sometimes limited humanities offerings.
- Applicants must have a clear, compelling, and authentic “engineering story.”
“You really need to have a very clear story and really back up your story with experiences when you’re applying to these schools…”
—Abby, [09:12]
- Note: Some public systems split engineering and non-engineering by institution (e.g., NC State for engineering).
Three-Plus-Two Programs
- Liberal arts college (3 years) + engineering school (2 years) = two bachelor's degrees.
- Extra year means financial considerations.
- Examples: Bowdoin/Dartmouth, Brandeis/Columbia.
“It’s not necessarily that great [financially]… sometimes it’s better to do four years at a liberal arts college, then get a master’s in engineering for the same amount of time.”
—Lisa, [12:13]
2. Case Studies: Real Students' Journeys
(12:55 – 37:38)
Case Study 1: Callie – The Interdisciplinary Engineer
[12:58 – 22:10]
- Background: Top student at private girls school, multivariable calculus, Governor’s School in Engineering, 1590 SAT, strong APs.
- Activities: Service at food bank (teen board), tutor at Apprendalo, pitcher on softball team, camp tech counselor.
- Strategy: Apply to highly selective, medium-sized schools offering flexibility.
- Key Insight: Emphasized value-driven purpose “using engineering to impact the world” and highlighted interdisciplinary thinking.
- Admissions Outcomes: Deferred at Penn and Michigan, ultimately admitted to Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Cornell, Tufts, UVA, UMD, Rutgers; waitlisted or denied by a few others.
- Decision: Chose Johns Hopkins for its fit and flexibility, plus proximity to gym and small campus vibe.
“She realized that actually is the right fit for her… She could see it, but she couldn’t see it going into the process.”
—Lisa, [21:30]
- Memorable Quote:
“I didn’t realize it was going to be such a long process.”
—Callie’s reflection, cited by Lisa, [00:05], [19:54], [21:54]
Case Study 2: Devin – The Laser-Focused Math Fan
[22:39 – 29:02]
- Background: Large Midwestern high school; into linear algebra, advanced math at university; few transcript blips; 1410 SAT; math team and track captain.
- Passion: Engineering physics (application of physics/math), deeply engaged in nanoscience research at Fortune 500 internship.
- School List: Reaches: Michigan, Georgia Tech; Targets: Wisconsin, Purdue, UIUC; Safeties: Minnesota, others.
- Outcome: Deferred at top choices, accepted at Wisconsin, Purdue, later UIUC (off waitlist). Picked Wisconsin for joint research opportunities.
“He is doing exactly what he intended to do… He talked about nothing else. There was no other interest.”
—Abby, [26:27]
- Special Note: Engineering Physics is not widely available.
“That specific major was not at every school… but this is really an example of a kid who knew exactly what he wanted to do and he is continuing to do it.”
—Abby, [27:58]
Case Study 3: Maya – The Robotics Trailblazer
[30:05 – 36:39]
- Background: Competitive NJ public high school; mostly Bs and Cs, especially as underclassman; test optional; focused on robotics from day one.
- Activities: Captain of large robotics team, authored team manual, international robotics competitions, committed to hands-on, experiential learning.
- Key Application Story: Grit and resilience featured in essays; recommendations highlighted growth and positivity.
- School List: Applied primarily to engineering/STEM schools focused on experiential learning: Colorado School of Mines, Drexel, NJIT, Penn State Altoona, Rutgers, Stevens, WPI, RIT, RPI.
- Outcome: Applied Early Decision to RIT after proactive outreach to robotics communities there—accepted and thriving in Mechatronics Engineering.
“She is living her best life with a very strong community and being hands-on and doing what she loved from day one.”
—Stefanie, [36:32]
- Memorable Detail: Success is possible even with non-traditional grades and test-optional status if passion and fit align.
“Success can definitely happen, being a B and C [student], and strong success.”
—Stefanie, [30:46]
3. General Application Strategies
(37:38 – 39:13)
- For highly selective schools or state universities, high math/science grades and strong tests are almost essential, but other pathways abound.
- Transfer is possible if you decide on engineering later—prepare with foundational courses.
“You need to look at the requirements that the engineering students have to take… you would be able to transfer in your sophomore year.”
—Abby, [38:35]
- Community college + transfer as a cost-effective, viable entry to top programs.
“He started off at a community college… and then he transferred and he got into every engineering school he applied to… ended up going to Georgia Tech and doing really well there.”
—Lisa, [39:01]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“Understanding yourself is the key to finding the right college.”
—Episode Purpose -
“The process has become so much longer lately… sometimes it’s not until March, the end of March, that they really know their options.”
—Abby, [18:37] -
“I didn’t realize it was going to be such a long process.”
—Callie, as quoted by Lisa, [00:05], [19:54], [21:54] -
“For those students who really haven't dived into engineering in high school but just aren’t sure—they can try to transfer into engineering later. It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely doable.”
—Abby, [38:06] -
“Engineering can be obtained in many different ways. So that’s really the way to think about it. You don’t have to only go one pathway… there are lots of different ways that you can get there.”
—Lisa, [36:45]
Takeaways & Advice
- Multiple paths lead to an engineering degree: direct admit, interdisciplinary, transfer, 3+2, or even community college routes.
- Top engineering programs are extremely competitive—showcase clear interest, relevant experience, and compelling “why.”
- Don’t let imperfect grades/tests or non-linear stories deter you; passion, demonstrated initiative, and fit can open unexpected doors.
- Explore the engineering culture (collaboration, research, flexibility) of each school—this matters as much as prestige.
- Flexibility and openness to change (in major, or school choice) is crucial—the right fit sometimes reveals itself only after the fact.
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:30 – Overview of large university engineering pathways
- 05:15 – Medium/selective university & Ivy engineering programs
- 06:32 – Liberal arts colleges with engineering
- 08:08 – STEM-focused colleges
- 11:58 – 3+2 programs
- 12:58 – Case study: Callie
- 22:39 – Case study: Devin
- 30:05 – Case study: Maya
- 37:38 – Transfer and community college pathways
In summary: This episode demystifies engineering admissions with real-world stories, clear options, and encouraging words for every kind of applicant. There are abundant pathways—finding your own “why” and leaning into your strengths is the best way to navigate them.