As part of the Roanoke County Governor's STEM Academy at BCAT, the Center for Engineering offers a four-year advanced curriculum integrating math, science, and technology as a study of the profession of engineering. The Center’s curriculum focuses on the development of science and mathematics disciplinary content and the use of that knowledge in problem solving through a design-based approach that is the hallmark of the engineering discipline. Students develop technical and analytical skills along with written and oral communcation skills in a collaborative and hands-on learning environment. Students who are not enrolled in Geometry in the 8th grade MUST take Geometry in summer school before admission.

Goals and Objectives:

• To establish a foundation for the understanding of engineering as a profession;

• To introduce and cultivate the development of engineering analysis, problem solving, and design skills;

• To integrate mathematical and scientific concepts into practical engineering applications;

• To provide individual and group hands-on learning experiences for students;

• To offer real-world engineering experiences through mentoring/internships in a professional setting.

What criteria is used to consider a student’s acceptance to the Center for Engineering?

Students will need to complete an 8th grade OLSAT test as part of the application to the Center for Engineering.  The 8th grade OLSAT score, 7th grade math SOL score, and the student’s GPA for 6th and 7th grade science and math classes are all taken into consideration.  These data points are the main criteria for acceptance into the Center for Engineering. 

If students end up with the same score from these pieces of data, teacher recommendations from your science teacher and Algebra 1 teacher and your essay will be used to differentiate between those students with tied scores. 

How many students get into engineering each year?

We have 24 available spots each fall for rising freshmen.

When will I know if my child is accepted?

All applications must be completed and submitted by January 15th. Notification of acceptances will begin March 10th.

Will attending the Center for Engineering keep my child from taking electives or participating in sports or activities?

No. There are occasions where scheduling conflicts arise but we make every effort to accommodate all course requests. In addition, engineering students qualify for a free online class each year through RCPSOnline without having to meet the study hall requirement to qualify for a free class.

There are no after school obligations or requirements in engineering, with the exception of the senior year internship.

When will my child go to BCAT for the Center for Engineering?

In their 9th and 10th grade years, students attend engineering at BCAT every other day from 7:30am to 11:00am. Students may take a bus, leaving from their base school at approximately 7am or may provide their own transportation to BCAT. Students return to their base school via a BCAT bus or drive themselves. 

Juniors and seniors attend BCAT every morning for engineering.  Senior schedules vary to accommodate internships.

Are there any extra fees to be paid if one attends the Center for Engineering?

The only fee is a BCAT activity fee of $10.00

Am I required to provide my child with any special technology or equipment in order to attend?

No. Students have access to everything they need at BCAT. Any special software is either installed on the student laptop or made available through web applications.

 

The Center for Engineering offers a four-year advanced curriculum integrating math, science and technology as a study of the profession of engineering.  The Center’s curriculum focuses on the development of the theoretical understandings of the engineering discipline and on the practical skills and understandings necessary for any engineer. If you are interested in being a part of this unique and exciting initiative, please complete the steps below. Please read ALL the steps below before beginning the application process. Applications must be submitted by January 15, 2025 - no exceptions can be made

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• First, complete the Burton application and indicate Engineering as one of your top choices.
• Within a week or so of your Burton application, you will receive the Engineering application. Gather the following information prior to filling out your Engineering application:
  • Student ID Number
  • Best phone number to reach parent or guardian
  • Name of your current school counselor
  • Teacher Recommendation #1 from your Algebra 1 teacher (Collect only the EMAIL ADDRESS of a teacher from whom you would like a recommendation. We will contact the teacher for the recommendation).
  • Teacher Recommendation #2 from a science teacher (Collect only the EMAIL ADDRESS of a teacher from whom you would like a recommendation. We will contact the teacher for the recommendation).
  • Essay: Select one of the following writing prompts and answer it in 500 words or less using proper grammar and spelling.
    1. Describe a product or process that has not been invented that would make your life easier.
    2. If you were hired for an engineering position, describe what your dream project would be.
    3. What do you hope to gain from your 4 years in this engineering program?
    4. Describe a time when you used engineering concepts to solve a problem.
  • The selection committee will evaluate your response based on the following criteria:
    Ideas & Content (50%): Does the essay respond to the prompt? Is the essay creative in the response? Does the essay include relevant, detailed elaboration?
    Organization (25%): Does the essay have a strong introduction? Is the essay clearly organized, with well-transitioned paragraphs?
    Conventions (25%): Does the writer use proper writing conventions (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, etc.)?
• Meet with your school counselor to sign up for the OLSAT test and get a permission form to take the test.  See your counselor for the test date for your school.