Kettering University
Flint, Michigan
Kettering University is a unique place. Considered the “West Point of the automotive industry” it was originally founded in Flint, Michigan in 1919 as the General Motors Institute. GMI remained the name of the place and its connection to General Motors lasted until 1982 at which time a name change was required. In 1998, the school was renamed after “Boss Ket” Charles Kettering, the man who invented the self-starter. There is, like many things from the midwest, only a little irony in this, because at Kettering, you pretty much need to be a self starter in order to be successful.
What makes Kettering work is that it’s not just an engineering school (though it is and it’s a good one). Basically they take this as their formula: Academics + Co-op (work and experience) = Job Skills/Success. Students at Kettering can do up to five Co-ops (and get paid for them as well as getting credit for them). The thing is they know this formula works. They actually do have bragging rights to this. The Economist ranked them 4th in the country for alumni who hold patents, The Wall Street Journal ranked them first nationally for career preparation, and even the Department of Education ranks their grads in the top 20 nationally for pay after graduating. The main reason for all of this? Top notch academics combined with the Co-op system. Because you simply can’t beat the combination of classroom learning and workplace learning combined.
Kettering has three schools you can apply to. They have a college of engineering, a college of arts and sciences, and a school of management. The College of Engineering is home to the departments of computer and electrical engineering and industrial and manufacturing engineering. It’s here you will study everything from robotics to alternative energy, bioengineering to automotive design (because yes, you can still do this here), systems processing, artificial intelligence, etc. If you want to be on the cutting edge if self-driving cars for example, Kettering is the place for you.
The thing is these are not your everyday engineers. It’s not just theoretical here. Let’s say you want to go into mechanical engineering. Classes are small here, not lecture style. And they are hands on, too. In your first year you will take two terms in which you will explore the academic side of mechanics and engineering, things like chemistry, design and manufacturing, calculus, and Newtonian mechanics. But then you will do a Co-op, maybe at Bosch, designing a product for them, but using what you learned in that year so that when you come back to second year, you have new skills to apply to your applied electrical circuits, mechanics of materials, statics, and economic principles classes.
In the College of Arts and Sciences you will find the chemical engineering program, comp sci, biochemistry, mathematics, physics, communications, liberal studies, and biology. This is where you can study applied mathematics, medical physics, computer gaming, applied statistics, or actuarial math. Material sciences, optics, and cybersecurity are also options in the College of Arts and Sciences. You will follow the same system here as in the College of Engineering where every two quarters you will have a Co-op where the work you have done in class is applied in the real world.
The School of Management provides programming related to business. This is where the innovation and entrepreneurship part of your education plays in. It’s easy to minor here in these fields and compliment your learning with skills you will need later on in your career. However you can get an undergraduate degree in business management. Co-ops for students in the School of Management include working for GM and Beaumont Hospitals as well as competing in the Automation in Hyundai Cradle Competition.
The average earnings for each year of engaging in a Co-op is $10,000 -$14,000 per year. Not only is this pretty solid income for a student but it’s also a great way to offset the cost of college. Moreover upon graduation, most students will have made between $40,000-$65,000. And you also will have accumulated 2.5 years of work experience. So what do the Co-ops look like? How about working for NASA to develop cameras that can take pictures in space? Or helping to program an autonomous car? Or starting your own service group to help communities create affordable housing? Or working on the Flint water crisis? Or designing a video game? All of these are options. And many more as well. This is why Kettering grads are in demand. They are well educated and also highly trained and skilled all at the same time.
Kettering also has an Honors Program. Applicants are invited to join upon invitation from the Provost with acceptance to the university. The program comes with a $3,000 scholarship for starters. It also has paid, faculty sponsored undergraduate research for your first year, multidisciplinary classes, dedicated honors faculty advisors, opportunities for publication, and a senior thesis that is research or project based. This program is for the most elite at Kettering but is also an opportunity for the most brilliant to create their own unique path.
Outside the classroom there is plenty going on as well. Kettering has a healthy Greek Life community for those who are interested in leadership or community service, which at Kettering are important aspects of the Greek system. You can live in Greek housing, but there are other options as well. Thompson Hall is the big residence hall on campus but there is also some theme housing (wellness, etc.).
All sports at Kettering are either club or intramural. They are not part of the NCAA, but you can do almost all the sports you can think of including ice hockey, crew, water polo, and skin diving of all things. The football is non-tackle (these are engineers, they have to protect the head the brains are in), but there is still riflery and bowling (it’s the midwest, this is a thing), and table tennis.
As for clubs, there are plenty to choose from. Get involved with the Society of Women Engineers, Habitat for Humanity, or Green Engineering. Go on the air with the student run radio station WKUF, or become a member for the Student Government. Get out there and hunt people with paintballs, be a part of Model United Nations, or get into blacksmithing. From cornhole to dance, from clean snowmobiles to mud-boggers, from the Gay Straight Alliance to the Students Association for Global Engineering, there is no lack of things to be involved in at Kettering.
In addition to student organizations, there are a few other cool things to know about Kettering. The Humanities Arts Center has a variety of world class exhibitions throughout the year and as a student you can take advantage of these on a regular basis. The center’s permanent collection is over 500 pieces (which is actually pretty amazing for a small place). Past exhibits have been “The Art of Poetry,” Identity and Image: Art of the African Diaspora from the Mott-Warsh Collection,” and “Genesis: The Origins of an Idea by Michael Dunbar.”
Finally, one more thing to know is that Kettering offers a variety of scholarships for students to apply for. Not only is there a $3,000 Honors program scholarship, but they have a variety of merit scholarships which range from $3,500-$17,500. These are based on academic merit and GPA, ACT/SAT. This information must be submitted by 8 March. There is a scholarship for students who achieve excellence outside of the classroom as well worth $6,000 a year and due by 1 March, and another for students involved in FIRST Robotics for $5,000, also due 1 March. Students with Arab heritage may be eligible for a $5,000 scholarship (again, due in March). Finally there is a great scholarship from the Society for Women Engineers worth between $1,000-$15,000 which is renewable. There are a few others but they are base on income, family connections, and a few other things.
Is Kettering for you? It’s a really different kind of engineering school. This is the place you go to do the things you want to learn while you learn them. The Co-op is not an internship really. It’s more than that. It’s paid work in your field. And it’s part of your education. It’s more authentic and valuable than just trying to figure out “do I like this?” It’s crucial to your education. So with that in mind, Kettering isn’t for folks who are wandering. It’s for people who want to be engineers. At the same time, it’s not as hard to get in here as say, Tech is, so that means it’s more approachable, and its small size and generous scholarship options make it more affordable to boot.
Pros:
Cons:
Flint, Michigan
Kettering University is a unique place. Considered the “West Point of the automotive industry” it was originally founded in Flint, Michigan in 1919 as the General Motors Institute. GMI remained the name of the place and its connection to General Motors lasted until 1982 at which time a name change was required. In 1998, the school was renamed after “Boss Ket” Charles Kettering, the man who invented the self-starter. There is, like many things from the midwest, only a little irony in this, because at Kettering, you pretty much need to be a self starter in order to be successful.
What makes Kettering work is that it’s not just an engineering school (though it is and it’s a good one). Basically they take this as their formula: Academics + Co-op (work and experience) = Job Skills/Success. Students at Kettering can do up to five Co-ops (and get paid for them as well as getting credit for them). The thing is they know this formula works. They actually do have bragging rights to this. The Economist ranked them 4th in the country for alumni who hold patents, The Wall Street Journal ranked them first nationally for career preparation, and even the Department of Education ranks their grads in the top 20 nationally for pay after graduating. The main reason for all of this? Top notch academics combined with the Co-op system. Because you simply can’t beat the combination of classroom learning and workplace learning combined.
Kettering has three schools you can apply to. They have a college of engineering, a college of arts and sciences, and a school of management. The College of Engineering is home to the departments of computer and electrical engineering and industrial and manufacturing engineering. It’s here you will study everything from robotics to alternative energy, bioengineering to automotive design (because yes, you can still do this here), systems processing, artificial intelligence, etc. If you want to be on the cutting edge if self-driving cars for example, Kettering is the place for you.
The thing is these are not your everyday engineers. It’s not just theoretical here. Let’s say you want to go into mechanical engineering. Classes are small here, not lecture style. And they are hands on, too. In your first year you will take two terms in which you will explore the academic side of mechanics and engineering, things like chemistry, design and manufacturing, calculus, and Newtonian mechanics. But then you will do a Co-op, maybe at Bosch, designing a product for them, but using what you learned in that year so that when you come back to second year, you have new skills to apply to your applied electrical circuits, mechanics of materials, statics, and economic principles classes.
In the College of Arts and Sciences you will find the chemical engineering program, comp sci, biochemistry, mathematics, physics, communications, liberal studies, and biology. This is where you can study applied mathematics, medical physics, computer gaming, applied statistics, or actuarial math. Material sciences, optics, and cybersecurity are also options in the College of Arts and Sciences. You will follow the same system here as in the College of Engineering where every two quarters you will have a Co-op where the work you have done in class is applied in the real world.
The School of Management provides programming related to business. This is where the innovation and entrepreneurship part of your education plays in. It’s easy to minor here in these fields and compliment your learning with skills you will need later on in your career. However you can get an undergraduate degree in business management. Co-ops for students in the School of Management include working for GM and Beaumont Hospitals as well as competing in the Automation in Hyundai Cradle Competition.
The average earnings for each year of engaging in a Co-op is $10,000 -$14,000 per year. Not only is this pretty solid income for a student but it’s also a great way to offset the cost of college. Moreover upon graduation, most students will have made between $40,000-$65,000. And you also will have accumulated 2.5 years of work experience. So what do the Co-ops look like? How about working for NASA to develop cameras that can take pictures in space? Or helping to program an autonomous car? Or starting your own service group to help communities create affordable housing? Or working on the Flint water crisis? Or designing a video game? All of these are options. And many more as well. This is why Kettering grads are in demand. They are well educated and also highly trained and skilled all at the same time.
Kettering also has an Honors Program. Applicants are invited to join upon invitation from the Provost with acceptance to the university. The program comes with a $3,000 scholarship for starters. It also has paid, faculty sponsored undergraduate research for your first year, multidisciplinary classes, dedicated honors faculty advisors, opportunities for publication, and a senior thesis that is research or project based. This program is for the most elite at Kettering but is also an opportunity for the most brilliant to create their own unique path.
Outside the classroom there is plenty going on as well. Kettering has a healthy Greek Life community for those who are interested in leadership or community service, which at Kettering are important aspects of the Greek system. You can live in Greek housing, but there are other options as well. Thompson Hall is the big residence hall on campus but there is also some theme housing (wellness, etc.).
All sports at Kettering are either club or intramural. They are not part of the NCAA, but you can do almost all the sports you can think of including ice hockey, crew, water polo, and skin diving of all things. The football is non-tackle (these are engineers, they have to protect the head the brains are in), but there is still riflery and bowling (it’s the midwest, this is a thing), and table tennis.
As for clubs, there are plenty to choose from. Get involved with the Society of Women Engineers, Habitat for Humanity, or Green Engineering. Go on the air with the student run radio station WKUF, or become a member for the Student Government. Get out there and hunt people with paintballs, be a part of Model United Nations, or get into blacksmithing. From cornhole to dance, from clean snowmobiles to mud-boggers, from the Gay Straight Alliance to the Students Association for Global Engineering, there is no lack of things to be involved in at Kettering.
In addition to student organizations, there are a few other cool things to know about Kettering. The Humanities Arts Center has a variety of world class exhibitions throughout the year and as a student you can take advantage of these on a regular basis. The center’s permanent collection is over 500 pieces (which is actually pretty amazing for a small place). Past exhibits have been “The Art of Poetry,” Identity and Image: Art of the African Diaspora from the Mott-Warsh Collection,” and “Genesis: The Origins of an Idea by Michael Dunbar.”
Finally, one more thing to know is that Kettering offers a variety of scholarships for students to apply for. Not only is there a $3,000 Honors program scholarship, but they have a variety of merit scholarships which range from $3,500-$17,500. These are based on academic merit and GPA, ACT/SAT. This information must be submitted by 8 March. There is a scholarship for students who achieve excellence outside of the classroom as well worth $6,000 a year and due by 1 March, and another for students involved in FIRST Robotics for $5,000, also due 1 March. Students with Arab heritage may be eligible for a $5,000 scholarship (again, due in March). Finally there is a great scholarship from the Society for Women Engineers worth between $1,000-$15,000 which is renewable. There are a few others but they are base on income, family connections, and a few other things.
Is Kettering for you? It’s a really different kind of engineering school. This is the place you go to do the things you want to learn while you learn them. The Co-op is not an internship really. It’s more than that. It’s paid work in your field. And it’s part of your education. It’s more authentic and valuable than just trying to figure out “do I like this?” It’s crucial to your education. So with that in mind, Kettering isn’t for folks who are wandering. It’s for people who want to be engineers. At the same time, it’s not as hard to get in here as say, Tech is, so that means it’s more approachable, and its small size and generous scholarship options make it more affordable to boot.
Pros:
- Co-op system is awesome
- Students graduate with jobs in hand
- Generous Scholarship options
- Great academic programming
Cons:
- Limited academic options beyond engineering
- Flint, Michigan so far and cold
- No NCAA sports
- Private, so still costs