For students who have spent countless hours coding apps, building robots, designing aeronautical models, or crafting engineering projects, the traditional college application doesn’t always do justice to their work. While essays and activities lists can provide context, there’s often no space to fully showcase hands-on projects. That’s where a STEM portfolio, also known as a maker portfolio, comes in.

I work with a lot of STEM-oriented students, many of whom are interested in engineering. When we start discussing their college list, it’s a parade of the usual suspects: MIT, Caltech, Georgia Tech, Cornell, University of Michigan, etc. But these schools aren’t right for everyone for various reasons — including size, location, and selectivity — and I enjoy telling families about other options that they have either never heard of or that might not be top of mind for them. Let’s look at four of these schools with strong engineering programs.

Do I have to participate in STEM Olympiads? Should I have a research internship? I need a wow factor independent project, right? How do I find my thing?

While we are not supposed to have favorite applicants in the admissions process, I will fill you in on my little secret; my favorite applicants to read at Johns Hopkins University were often the Biomedical Engineering (BME) applicants. I loved learning about their innovative solutions to the problems overwhelming healthcare. These students are always so creative, passionate, and excited about making their impact in the world through engineering.

Medical schools are composed of many different types of students. Some, like me, didn’t know they wanted to become physicians or surgeons until they were in college, or even quite a bit later in their lives. (See this awesome list of post-baccalaureate programs for more details.) Others knew from an early age that their future was in medicine, and like the goddess Athena, they sprung forth as a fully formed premed with a four-color highlighter grasped tightly in their tiny baby hands.

Mathematics is one of the most useful skills to gain in high school and college, as it helps open the door for many lucrative and fulfilling careers. As a math student and a professor, I’ve seen a lot of students go on to do great things with their math degrees. Math majors can get hired as actuaries, statisticians, financial planners, cryptographers, and accountants straight out of college. Of course, math and engineering majors of all kinds also have the option of continuing their education as far as the Ph.D. level, if desired.

“You know, there’s math in music” my piano teacher said as I lowered my hands from the keyboard. With one simple phrase, she sent my 12-year-old mind into a cyclone, questioning the sneaky places that math might also be hiding without warning.

In recent years, even as undergraduate enrollment numbers have plateaued, students enrolling in STEM majors have continued to grow rapidly. Admission rates into selective institutions are plummeting and the competition for STEM students at our nation’s top institutions is becoming increasingly competitive, so what exactly can make a great student stand out among the thousands of other good applicants to STEM programs?

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is a hot topic in higher education, with many colleges expanding their STEM programs to meet student demand. It’s tempting for STEM students to immediately explore institutions like MIT, Stanford, Purdue, and similar schools that are well-known for strong STEM programs, however there are other colleges with great STEM options that students may not immediately consider. Many of these colleges have unique programs with great ROI, making for an attractive college choice.

These days, with advancements in technology, there’s an app for just about anything and a need for people to build them. STEM-related fields are seeing a high demand for workers and many students are realizing the value of a STEM education.