If you want to work in motorsports, as an engineer, go to a school that has programs associated with motorsports. I got a degree in mechanical engineering, thinking that the degree, combined with my loads of racing experience, would get me the job I want. It didn't, the lack of specialized work in college killed me.
I went to my state school because it was cheaper. The school had no Formula SAE program, and no faculty involved in high performance automotive work. I tried to start a Formula SAE program but met with faculty push back.
When I graduated and tried to get a job in motorsports, I found out that I had not punched the right tickets and I was dead in the water.
So before you go to school, find out before hand what you need to do, make some connections in the industry, stay in contact with these people and make sure that the winds don't shift while you are in school.

On the plus side, my degree did get me a job that pays enough that I can race sprint cars.

Rhody's last sentence says it all. If you want a profession that could generate enough money to race on, engineering would be one of them. Big time Race teams do not hire snot nosed kids fresh out of any engineering program for their operations. They want ones that have had several years in the automotive industry with a proven ability and expertise. The 50k job in professional racing for an engineer just out of school is not there. The jobs that are there for the new guy are the long hours and low pay ones. They want you to pay your dues and that does not include a 50K pay check. If you want a job with these guys find an ARCA team or Indy Lights team and sign on as a no pay goffer. Then if you are good you might start to progress up the ladder. But it sure won't be instant and maybe not at all. It is still a crap shoot.

Now>> Engineering. It ain't like in the movies, an engineer is a guy that sits around and crunches numbers all day long. They very seldom get a chance to get out in the real world. The engineering tec is the go between for the engineer and the guys in the field. A pretty good job for many of us. This guy takes all the glittering bull produced by the engineers and translates it into language that the guys actually doing the job can understand.

A good mechanical engineer should love math and be very organized and enjoy mechanics. The first two years in any Engineering school or for that matter a Medical School are all pretty much alike. Lots of math, physics, chemistry and oh yeh humanities. This is the hardest part of your college experience. My advice here is don't get in too big of a hurry to get out of school. Work on about 12 credit hours the first couple of semesters and learn the ropes. Them old college prof's are not your high school teachers. That three credit hour class may only meet two and a half hours a week but that prof expects another 6 hours work from you back at the dorm per week to pass his course.

You are about 2 years late for getting into Rose Hulman, however since you live in state you can still get into Purdue and the other state schools. We did all that looking around several years ago.

The school we chose was "J.B. Speed School of Engineering" here in Louisville. They have an excellent reputation in the engineering world. They have a 4 year all year long program that ends with a Masters Degree in Engineering. They have a co op program that puts the student out in the real world for several trimesters during their schooling. This gives them a hands on experience to allow them to decide if they have chosen the right discipline, allowing them to change directions if needed and also adds some real time pay checks to help pay for their schooling. I think by living in Indiana you are also granted in state tuition there. The first two years are really hard, they use their math programs to slim down their classes.

Good luck, get all the education you can. You will keep your education for all your life. Enjoy racing but don't get snake bit and drink all that "KOOL-AID" that's out there.

Honest Dad himself

I'm not sure how old the questioner is, but I don't see any reason why he couldn't get into rose if he has the required grades. Ive seen people up towards their 30s at rose. I would strongly recommend giving rose a call to talk about your situation. My originally application to rose was denied because I didn't take physics in high school, but they let me take it online and then they accepted me (currently a junior ME).

Now if you are serious about a job in racing then try to get into rose and joking Formula SAE. Work hard, make decent grades, and be active with Formula SAE and you will probably have a great shot in Motorsports. I know a kid that was on SAE my freshman year is now the lead engineer on Denny Hamlin's team. See him on tv all the time. This is all after he worked as an intern for Andretti's Indy car team. So your dream isn't too far off if your willing to work hard for it. Give rose a call, or message me on here if ya have any questions.

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Rose Hulman is a super school for mechanical engineers. I guess times have changed in the last several years. Back when My son was getting ready to start college, I think Ryan Newman was going to Rose Holman at the time, we made the trip down there and were told that there was about a two year wait to get in.

If your parents can afford the tuition, if you are really driven and if they would let you in Rose Hulman would be my choice. They do have a Formula SAE team at the time Purdue did not have one.

Keep up the good work Hotshoe it's all downhill from here.

Honest Dad himself

Once again thanks everyone! I am still in high school and trying to prepare for college appliations within the next semester or so.

DAD, FYI Newman is a Purdue grad

Best I can remember I think he started his education at Rose Hulman then switched to Purdue. I took that welcome tour at Purdue but had to give up 5 miles into the darned thing and had to wait for them to come back and get me, BOY that place is big!!!

Honest Dad himself

I am a Mechanical Engineering Technologist, which is a three year program at my local crackhead community college.

There is a lot of good info in this thread, but I am more impressed that a kid in high school is asking adults for advice. I was an adult in my late twenties before I actually cared about anything besides partying.

I work as a machine designer, which means I sit in front of a computer and basically draw shapes around car parts for 8 hours a day.
I currently have been working on fixing a Chinese designed welding cell in China for an American company (I live in Canada) who is selling parts to an Italian car manufacturer since the first week of December. Nothing as exciting as racing may be! I make a good living and really enjoy what I do. I usually work on the same project for 3-4 months at a time. Some projects take a year or longer.

I would go to a University for Mechanical Engineering and definitely look at one that specializes in motorsports. I have been fortunate to get my racing fix through photography, but would love to work in the industry for my 9-5'er.

Now is the time to do your research on schools, the sooner the better. Write off get info and arrange for tours. In the end you are the person that has to decide what you want to do. But don't put it off till the last second, like I said we went to Rose Hulman in the fall of our senior year and were already too late. I guess demand has gone down in recent years.

Take every math and physics class your school offers!!!!

Honest Dad himself

Can an MET become a PE?