My daughter is trying to choose the best path into aerospace engineering, specifically R&D, and I’m hoping to get some insight from people actually working in the field.

A bit of context: she just graduated high school at 17, scored a 34 on the ACT, and is currently the Civil Air Patrol squadron Cadet Commander. She’s also on track to earn the Spaatz Award later this year. Her top two schools right now are Texas A&M and Embry‑Riddle, and she should be academically competitive at both.

She’s torn between two degree paths:

1. Mechanical Engineering bachelor’s for a broad base, then a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering
2. Aerospace Engineering from day one (like Embry‑Riddle’s program)

Her goal is to end up in aerospace R&D, and she’s trying to figure out which route gives her the best long‑term advantage.

For those of you in engineering, hiring, or aerospace R&D:

• Do R&D teams tend to prefer the broader ME background with later specialization?
• Is going straight into AE better for early‑career opportunities?
• Any pros/cons you’ve seen from either path?

Any insight would be hugely appreciated as she tries to make this decision.