Without reading anyone else’s postings…sorry guys, I am just too excited to wait to answer this question…
CAL POLY SLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best school, best price, best location.
The location and price alone put it in the top ranks, but the quality of education is amazing, assuming your kid is self motivated and stubborn. There is no hand holding there. ½ of my freshman class did not make it to graduation in the ME department. But the ones that did, all got jobs and still have them at least of the people I stay in contact with.
It is a state school price with an education far superior to any UC engineering programs (at least my last 2 employers have felt that way)!
Getting in can be a problem though.
edit: The Alum have a strong sense of nepotism. My two jobs post grad have been populated with a large percentage of Cal Poly Grads. And people who come to interview who are from Cal Poly rise to the top of the stack.
Edit X2: Did I mention that San Luis Obispo is the finest place to live in the entire country? If I could get a job there, I would move back in a second. The finest place.