CACHET Seminar (College Admissions Collaborative Highlighting Engineering & Technology Seminar): An Exploration

Lisa and Stefanie recently attended a CACHET (College Admissions Collaborative Highlighting Engineering & Technology) mentor and counselor seminar at Rutgers University to specifically learn more about STEM-focused programs throughout the country. As a result, they had informative, helpful, and personal conversations with admissions counselors from all 15 schools in this event.

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WHAT IS CACHET SEMINAR ABOUT?

Established in 2003, CACHET is a nationwide alliance of higher education institutions dedicated to advancing prospects for students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. In essence, CACHET serves as a platform for admissions professionals and guidance counselors to exchange tactics and effective approaches in fostering STEM career pathways.

CACHET’s initiatives encompass various events such as the yearly membership gathering and counselor reception during the NACAC National Conference. This is alongside STEM-focused panels, counselor gatherings, workshops, and collaborative outreach endeavors held at strategic venues nationwide.

During this event, there are STEM opportunities for students at every level. One can immerse on hands-on experiences, pre-professional foci, a blended interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving and everything in between.

In this article, we will provide a breakdown of the schools that fit into each of the categories.

CACHET SEMINAR’S HIGHLIGHT: MODERATELY SELECT REGIONAL SCHOOLS WITH HANDS-ON/PRE-PROFESSIONAL FOCI

The schools featured during CACHET (College Admissions Collaborative Highlighting Engineering & Technology) seminar offer great opportunities for students who thrive in project-based, hands-on environments and enjoy collaborative learning. They often offer co-op programs and/or guaranteed internships.

These are largely regionally focused but do have on-campus living arrangements and communities mixed with commuters. Many students come from a 200-mile radius.

Wentworth Institute of Technology
Lawrence Technological University
Illinois Tech

Liberal Arts Colleges with Engineering

Students who have multiple interests—The Classics, dance, and engineering for example—would benefit from these strong smaller liberal arts colleges that have a generalized approach to engineering.

Trinity College
Union College

Tiny, Most Competitive Engineering Schools with Consortium Benefits

Meanwhile, these schools are great for highly motivated, focused students who want to use engineering to solve problems and make change in the world. The students they house are among the most competitive—all of them have had calculus, physics, and chemistry at the highest level.

Olin School of Engineering (Part of the Wellesley College + Babson College Partnership)
Harvey Mudd College (Part of the Claremont Colleges Consortium: Pomona, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, + Pitzer)

Most Select Research Universities with Broad-based Offerings

On the other hand, these schools offer students a wide variety of subject matters outside of STEM but also boast a depth of STEM opportunities. These universities are approximately between 5,000-8,000 students. There are many interdisciplinary opportunities and research foci.

University of Chicago
Case Western University
Tufts University
Rice University

A Unique New York University Experience

Although NYU has almost 29,000 undergraduate students, the Tandon School of Engineering has an undergraduate size of about 2,900. Despite this intimate program (relatively speaking) being based across the river, in Brooklyn, students altogether still have access to all campus facilities and can live on the main campus in NYC after freshmen year.

NYU Tandon School of Engineering

New Jersey-Based Schools

CACHET was hosted in Jersey after all. Rutgers offers STEM options in six of their seven colleges. Their flagship university in New Jersey has huge research and other opportunities at every turn.

On top of that, College of New Jersey has many offerings, too, but in a smaller, affordable environment. Aside from that, it’s a public college as well.

Rutgers
The College of New Jersey

Selective STEM-focused Universities

In this category, RPI is a great school for students who want a hands-on experience in state-of-the-art facilities. It’s located in Troy, New York, which is close to Albany, the state capital. There are numerous co-ops and research opportunities for students.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE CACHET SEMINAR

In conclusion, the recent CACHET seminar shed light on various categories of institutions, each catering to distinct preferences and ambitions. The diverse array of STEM opportunities featured during the event that was available to students reflects the multifaceted nature of engineering and technology. The overall experience has been enlightening and allowed a clearer perspective for students who are having trouble deciding on where to enroll.

So whether you’re seeking hands-on experiences, interdisciplinary study, or cutting-edge research, there exists a perfect fit if you’re an aspiring engineer or technologist. When carefully navigated, this rich tapestry of educational options, allow students to embark on their journey of discovery and growth. Therefore, they become poised to make meaningful contributions in the future.

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