2-grade skipped, trying for CS in T20 schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Demographics
US Citizen, NYS, magnet HS senior, white/Asian, 2-grade skipped, graduating HS at 16 yo

Intended Major(s)
CS, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 4.0 (93.2%)
  • Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): not available
  • College GPA (for transfers): not available
  • Class Rank: not available
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1590 (math 800) at 15 yo, Math II 800 (at 12 yo)

Coursework
APCS, Calc BC, Multivariable, Complex Analysis, Linear Algebra, AP Chem, 4 years of foreign language (AP senior year), AP World, APUSH, AP Stats, AP Human Geo, Cancer Research, Genetics,

Awards
AP Honors with Distinction, AP Scholar at 10 yo, NMSF

Extracurriculars
Some leadership in school clubs, all-year round research with prof of EECS, 2 informal internships in CS, mentor to autistic child, tutoring SAT, Cisco extern

Essays/LORs/Other
CS LOR strong, humanities LOR medium+, supplemental LORs from EECS prof, work internship and mentoring olunteer program

Cost Constraints / Budget
EFC in budget; general budget up to $35k a year

Schools

  • Safety - SUNYs - EA, UTD (for NMSF package)
  • Likely - NYU, BU (EA), WPI (EA),
  • Match
  • Reach - MIT (EA), CMU, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, UChicago
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First, congratulations. The kid has done really well

Second, NYU is not a “likely” for anybody, and, if your budget is only $35,000 a year, you won’t be able to afford it - they’re not very good about financial aid.

Third, if you’re looking for the “best” CS schools for your reaches, drop Harvard, and replace it with Cornell.

Your safeties all look to be financial safeties as well, so, if your kid would be happy attending any of them, you’re set for safeties.

Your kid is at a magnet school - what do the counselors at the school say about how your colleges are ranked? The ECs seem solid, but not the level that many of the colleges on your “reach” list like seeing. However, you may also be downplaying what your kid is doing, which is not a good thing to do, especially on the application. You don’t want to exaggerate, but downplaying can be just as bad.

Now, regarding the big issue that I see - your kid’s age. First, you need to check whether colleges that you select have age restrictions. Some will not enroll 16 year olds. Furthermore, you are looking at residential colleges, and, aside from the fact that many will not place a 16 year old in a college dorm which is full of kids between the ages of 18 and 20, it’s a bad idea overall.

In general, even very very bright kids are often not really mature enough for college at 16. As you likely know, PG kids at that age can be often be less emotionally advanced than other kids of their age.

My recommendation is that they take a gap year and spend that year doing something really interesting. Maybe engaging in their research more deeply, engaging in exploring other interests and passions, engaging in social activism for something that they really care about, or something else.

Engaging in two or more of these is an even better idea, since the kid will not be dealing with classes.

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Cornell may be objectively better for CS than Harvard, but Harvard CS students have a slightly different (and IMO better) set of opportunities compared to Cornell CS students. Harvard CS students can also take CS classes at MIT.

But I do agree with the rest of your post, particularly the part of being light on ECs.

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My experience with very young applicants is limited and a bit out of date because this has become less common. With that said, the exceptional kid can have good admissions and academic success, and the tippy top schools might not ding him for age if they believe he may do truly exceptional work. A family friend did this at Harvard, continuing with 2 doctorates and chairing a department in a grad school there. But this was not simply a very smart kid but one who had arguably distinguished themselves as exceptionally gifted in high school. Perhaps this is OP as well, in which case highlighting academic prowess makes sense. But it might require that he live off campus with a guardian of sorts – the issues around a 16 year old in a residential college are tricky on both sides.

Another friend’s kid, not quite as exceptional but well ahead of the pack, ended up at NYU. This is always a reach but may be less of one for you, partly if some of his advanced work is familiar to them. And presumably, he could live at home if residency is an issue.

The good thing here is that this is a kid who will be able to thrive academically wherever he is and likely want to pursue an advanced degree, quite possibly at the institution of his choosing. I would discuss with your GC what their experience has been with younger applicants with this profile. You are in an environment where this is less rare. I don’t necessarily think a gap year is a great alternative for this type of kid, but to continue to pursue academics, you may have to compromise based on who will best accommodate a 16 year old.

I hope you will keep us posted. And good luck!

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A minor point but a 93.2 percent average is likely not a 4.0. If any individual grade is below a 93 then it’s impossible to have a 4.0 on a generic scale. You were being very transparent so just wanted to clarify and tell you to average the individual grades for an accurate GPA. Good luck!

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How about Simon’s Rock? Where Independent Minds Get Their Start (simons-rock.edu)

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OP, by “T20 schools” I assume you mean the schools ranked in the top 20 in USNWR’s “best national universities”. But those are not necessarily the top 20 CS schools (that list is mentioned in this post).

So, for example Georgia Tech is far higher ranked for CS than Yale or Harvard, although you’ll find GTech far lower in the national list.

Unfortunately though, if your kid is a current senior then it’s too late at many of these top public CS schools because they require an EA application.

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UTD is a great choice for a safety, have you already applied? If not make sure to get that app in by Dec 1.

Have you run the Net price calculators at the schools on your list? Please do that to see if the cost estimates get to your budget amount of $35K.

Will you be 16 when college starts? If so, take CMU off the list, as 16 year olds can’t live on-campus. See here: https://www.cmu.edu/admission/sites/default/files/pzh-nqzvffvba/2021-09/cmu-application-instructions.pdf

As mentioned above, you should contact each school regarding on campus living as a 16 year old.

Are you considering taking a gap year?

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For a 16 year old, a greater consideration should be given to the size of the college. An underaged student isn’t likely to get the special attention s/he may need (outside of academics) in a large school.

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Clarkson also has an early college program.

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@MWolf

Have you run the Net price calculator for NYU? The school now meets full need as they calculate it to be.

I think you have a chance there. You are a NMF, right? And you have done quite well.

I personally think you have a very balanced list.

@compmom this student has posted a bunch of very tradition colleges. Simons Rock is not what I would view as a “traditional” college. It is very very unique and any student considering it absolutely needs to visit before applying.

Paging @soozievt who likely can comment on the “applying as a 16 year old”

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Just mentioned Simon’s Rock as an interim, since it is geared to this kind of situation. We don’t know this young man or how ready he is in ways other than academic, for college. It is hard to prioritize emotional and social development when a person’s intellect demands more, but balance is important. I had one who wanted college early, but we waited. We also resisted skipping grades, but that really doesn’t work for some who really need the acceleration.

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This student could also do a PG year at a prep school.

Yes, Simons Rock has an early college program. But IMHO it is not your traditional college experience at all.

I agree that a year extra might benefit this student. What is the rush??

Another question…are any of these colleges within commuting distance if the student’s home.

And this student presumably has already applied so…I think this is a wait and see. Agree with poster up thread who said the magnet school counselor should have advised whether these colleges will accept a very young student AND allow them to live in the dorms.

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@Mwfan1921 looks like they did??

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That may not be true. It depends on what their HS classifies as A. If their HS transcript says A is 90 and above, then that’s what it is.

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@1NJParent’s suggestion of a smaller school is a good one. What about Olin? Can’t get smaller than that, their focus is on engineering, and they wouldn’t be too far from home. Their unique application process would probably help both the student and the family (and the school, of course) know if there’d be a good fit.

I believe their average SAT is 1580? [Update: I checked their Common Data Set and their 25th–75th percentile from fall 2021 was actually 1500–1550, with math being 760–800.]

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Seems like enough opportunities to formulate a productive gap year. I graduated HS two years early and it was very helpful in terms of growing up to work for a year before college.

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I know this isn’t the question this poster asked…

But do any of these colleges allow a year deferral after accepted?

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I wonder about legal requirements for the schools for an under-18 student. I know when my kids did summer programs, for instance, at 16, they could not leave campus without an adult. Clearly that is not true for boarding schools. But I do wonder what liability is for schools.

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My son was under age 18 when he started college, although he turned 18 shortly thereafter. There were no problems. I would imagine it’s fairly common to be 17 when starting, although 16 would be a lot rarer.

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