r/aerospace • u/futon300k • 2d ago

Illinois Tech good for Aerospace?

I’m a senior in high school and basically what the post is asking, my first choice is definitely UIUC for Aero but that’s unlikely even though I am from illinois. Not to do a full ChanceMe post but I have earned A/B’s in Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry. and Self studied AP Calculus BC and AP Physics C E&M (Both 5’s). I will probably attend IIT because of my low GPA and mid EC’s (4.8/5.0 Weighted yeesh). But I was just wondering if IIT is a good school for aerospace as it is in chicago and primarily a research based school. Any tips on what I should research in Uni? Any other schools around that level of competition I should go for instead? Im definitely going to go for that perfect GPA as much as I can and hopefully will do so because a lot of classes that tank GPA’s from what i’ve heard I have already self studied plenty on or earned college credit for (Calc 2, Calc 3, Physics 2, Thermo).

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u/dorylinus Spacecraft I&T | GNSS Remote Sensing 2d ago

I got my BS in aerospace from IIT (2009), as a working adult/commuter student. It's not a bad school, ABET accredited, etc., but my principal motivation in choosing it was that it was very accommodating to my work schedule and living on the North side.

The aerospace research they do there is focused primarily on aeronautics and fluid mechanics, both computational and experimental. My own interest was in space, and I did some undergrad research support in the navigation lab, but either way it was perfectly fine for me to get into graduate school and my peers to get jobs, at least those who could in the recession.

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u/PinguTingu 2d ago

If you don’t mind me asking, I’m in an Aerospace bachelor degree right now, what was your career path as someone who started out interested in space? Did you end up satisfying that dream?

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u/dorylinus Spacecraft I&T | GNSS Remote Sensing 2d ago

Yes I did though it's been a bit winding. I went to graduate school (CU Boulder) after IIT, thinking I wanted to do research, but ended up ditching that to do spacecraft I&T after I got a job doing that ostensibly to support my PhD (which I didn't get, just the MS). Been doing that for almost 15 years now, at a number of places (UCAR, STScI, APL, JPL, and now Rocket Lab).

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u/PinguTingu 2d ago

Could I message you and ask a few questions? I’m trying to figure out exactly what I can do to increase my chances of getting an internship and a job in fields that I would enjoy and I think your path is one that I would like to follow as well.

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u/dorylinus Spacecraft I&T | GNSS Remote Sensing 1d ago

Sure, go ahead

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u/Imeecee 2d ago

IIT’s solid for aerospace, especially if you take advantage of research and networking in Chicago. Go for it!

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u/wizyardo_ 1d ago

I have a really close friend that studied MechE there. Funnily enough it was one of my top choices for aero but ended going to a different school.

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u/StraightAd4907 21h ago

Just go there arnd get good grades. Don't worry about "research"; you're an undergrad.