SAT optional Universities/Colleges - for Engineering?

The reason I ask is because I just don't want to do SATs and am doing the IB which many SAT optional universities accept instead.

I was wondering if SAT optional Universities/Colleges for engineering exist? I've looked around and I'm always finding liberal arts colleges that don't offer Chem Engineering - do liberal art colleges, in general, just don't do engineering?

Anyone know of any SAT optional universities that do Chemical Engineering?

Reply 1

mleoni1

But I'm also unsure as to whether universities accept the IB as an alternative. You would have to look on the school's website or contact their admissions office directly.

Just don't look at liberal arts colleges; even if they do have a chemE program, it's probably not worth it. Check out:

MIT
Caltech
Rochester Institute of Technology
Johns Hopkins
Rennessalear (sp?) Institute of Technology

and others good luck
and pm me if you have any more questions
I'm from America and I'm in the process of applying to both American and British Universities.

Reply 2

jhomie

I'm applying to UK mainly, but I thought I'd double my change with the US as well.

The top 20 or so unis in the USA would of course ask for SATs, but I was really looking to see if SAT optional colleges for engineering existed. As you said, if any did, they probably won't be any good.

What about Worcester Polytechnic Institute? I was looking at that, and if you do IB they don't require you to do SATs. It's the same principle with many SAT optional schools, except they don't offer my preferred degree :frown:

Reply 3

jhomie

Also, just looked at Rochester Institute of Technology. They seem to have a Chem Eng major, but do you know if this is a good university/if it is SAT optional?

Reply 4

mleoni1

Like Worcester in Massachusetts?

That's a small but still fairly good institution. If you like the small community feel, then that'd probably be a good option. And it looks like they have that Flex Path thing that doesn't require SAT/ACT scores. Wow. That's really rare, I've never seen something like that before. But yes, that's definitely a good option.

The thing is, except for WPI, schools are not SAT optional. Besides GPA, it the the biggest factor they consider in admissions. The good thing for you is, you're going to be an international applicant, and sometimes the universities don't require people from overseas to provide SAT scores because they know they're not available over there. Make a list of schools you are interested in, peruse the website and check and see if IB is an acceptable alternative and if it doesn't have any info call/email the admissions office and they'll tell you.

If you were applying from the US, you would be screwed. No doubt. Colleges put a lot of stock on SAT scores. But since you're from the UK, universities are more forgiving and will generally take your IB scores instead.

Reply 5

mleoni1

Rochester is also pretty good school, but I'm assuming not SAT optional. Though I would look and see if your IB qualification would be ok.

oh and check out
www.collegeboard.com

it's basically the end all be all source for college admissions stuff. they have a college search engine and you can look up admission factors and the like on there for almost every college in the US. pretty handy.

Reply 6

jhomie

Thanks a lot.

Although I am an international applicant, the country I live in does actually offer SATs so it isn't really a reason why I'm not doing them. I just don't feel like doing, and am 90% I'll be going to UK anyway, so that's why I'm looking into SAT optional schools.

So far really only got one - WPI, and i think i've heard of another in Texas, i think in Houston; i'll have to check

Thanks again for your advice

Reply 7

devil09

mleoni1

The thing is, except for WPI, schools are not SAT optional.

The list of test optional schools is actually pretty long. Unfortunately for jhomie, most of them are liberal arts colleges or specialist schools.

jhomie

do liberal art colleges, in general, just don't do engineering?

A fair number have very good engineering programs (e.g. Bucknell, Harvey Mudd, Lafayette, Union, etc.). ChemE is a relatively rare engineering program, however, even among some universities.

Reply 8

r0x0r

mleoni1

Well liberal arts colleges generally don't offer scientific majors because they specialize in well, liberal arts. If you do find some that offer engineering, the program is probably not very good. You need to be looking at a technical institute, or a university that offers a more broad curriculum.That's not true at all.... The 'liberal arts' here refers to arts and sciences - history, sociology, anthropology, political science, yes, but also math, chemistry, physics, biology, and, at some colleges (even liberal arts ones) engineering. Wellesley and Reed, for example, both liberal arts colleges, have very good physics programs; Harvey Mudd (an LAC) is renowned for its engineering. Plus, there are many proper universities that don't even have engineering programs. More technical universities (MIT, Caltech, Georgia Tech) will be good at the sciences, of course, but the 'best' is by no means limited to those.

As for SAT optional schools with engineering... good luck. Very few colleges/universities are SAT/ACT optional.