<p>@Dunboyne @intparent Thank you guys for sticking it out through my multitude of questions. I have just one more. How do I go about looking for safety schools. I feel like I should know how to do this but upon trying I was confused. I understand the criteria as outlined in a previous reply but actually finding schools that meet that. the best schools that meet it…I’m lost</p>
<p>Do you have any other in-state options that might be interesting besides UIUC? Ohio Wesleyan might be a safety, they are supposed to be pretty good in computer science, run their calculator and see what it looks like. Or try DePaul. Dickinson meets 96% of need, and your ACT is near the 75% mark there. Although showing interest matters there, so get on their mailing list and email questions with an admissions officer, attend an event if they have one in your area, etc. One of my kids went there, it is a nice LAC, and I know D’s friends with CS degrees are all working. :)</p>
<p>@LeeMonet definitely check out Harvey Mudd- it’s CS dept is much higher than average at 40% female and has a higher acceptance rate for women than men (doesn’t mean it’s easier to get in, it’s just a mathematical observation).</p>
<p>Statistically speaking it is a high reach since your Math scores are not in the 25%-75% range but as you are a female URM you should have a better chance.</p>
<p>You have to be careful when identifying Safeties. I’d argue that Dickinson is more of a Likely or Low Match, as you’re sitting just below the 75th percentile for SAT, and further below that for ACT. With an admission rate at 45%, though, if you improved your ACT to a 31-32, then you’d be more or less “safe”. </p>
<p>Safeties have to be 100% affordable too, so run the calculators on every potential school. That’s the problem for you, in that schools lower down in the rankings won’t meet full need. Dickinson is at 96% need met, and it’s one of the wealthier schools that would be in the ballpark for a Safety. </p>
<p>You should also consider schools where you have a better shot at merit aid, where you’re sitting much higher with your SAT/ACT. At Iowa State, for example, you’re starting to get over the 95th percentile with your SAT and very likely in line for at least some merit aid. They are at 82% need met, however, so the merit aid would have to make up that difference, plus the higher OOS tuition. Run the calc to see if the cost is acceptable, before merit aid. </p>
<p>So it’s a balancing act, as you can see. The higher ranked privates offer better need-based aid, but you likely won’t earn much merit aid to cover 100%. And if you opt for a Safety lower in the rankings, public or private, will the potential merit aid be enough to cover the worse need-based aid?</p>
<p>It takes research, but I’m sure you’ll find a few good options. Look at the collegedata website for a quick boo at a school’s stats (admission / fin aid), then go to a school’s Common Data Set for more up-to-date and comprehensive stats when you want to take a closer look.</p>
<p>Try really hard to boost your ACT (or SAT). A lot of the better Safety schools for you likely have an ACT 75th percentile at 29-30, so if you can sneak your way up to a 31-32, you’ll have better quality (wealthier) safety options that meet more financial need. Like Dickinson. </p>
<p>In-state: Illinois Institute of Tech (private) and U of Illinois – Chicago. Check those out to see where you fit. You’re likely 85th percentile or higher, so probably Safeties. Look at Admission rates too. Research the academic offerings, campus life, etc. You have to want to attend your Safety, don’t forget, if the need arises.</p>
<p>Out-of-state: check out Iowa State for a public. For privates, I’d have to get back to you, to find schools with excellent need-based aid, where you are well above the 75th percentile, fairly high admission rate, and that offer good compsci/math. </p>
<p>If you will be ok with application costs, I’d recommend that you include a Likely, too. 1 Safety and 1 Likely. That way, with significant fin aid needs, you’ll have more of a safety net in place.</p>
<p>@ormdad I love harvey mudd. Im applying to their fly in program. I love that is a STEM focused small LAC in the claremont consortium in Cali. However, The diversity stats are uhhh…lacking to say the least. Im definitely expecting that in my chosen field and I’ve had experience in a less than diverse school so its not a deal breaker but its not being ignored either.</p>
<p>Look at Allegheny College and College of Wooster, for Safeties. Allegheny meets 88% need, and you’d be around the 90th percentile, so you’d have a shot at merit aid. Wooster meets 95% need and you’re roughly at the 80th percentile for merit.</p>
<p>Dickinson College looks very good for a “Likely”: 96% need met and you’re around the 70th percentile. </p>
<p>Whether you can find a full ride (or close to it) is the question. The sweet spot for you is going to be the wealthier, more selective schools that really really want you. Plenty of schools are interested in URM STEM students, but which ones are willing to bank on you? Your list should try to target those schools. Some of the most promising might end up being rural/suburban and smaller (i.e. LACs), so keep an open mind!</p>
<p>@Dunboyne Unless I apply to every school in existence how do I know who really wants me? Who is willing to bank on me?</p>
<p>Try to gauge a school’s diversity. “Less diverse” schools play into your favour. Midwestern LACs such as Carleton, Grinnell, Oberlin, and Macalester might be preferable in that regard. </p>
<p>STEM females might be greatly under-represented in particular depts. Email Math/CS depts for their numbers. </p>
<p>Research merit aid. Avoid schools that are typically less generous, and vice-versa.</p>
<p>Research the pros and cons of EA/ED/Rolling Admissions as a way to highlight your interest in a school.</p>
<p>Take a good look at your interests and ECs to see if you can market yourself to a particular school in a way that stands out. Does the school have a club, research program, set of defining characteristics, etc. that really appeals to you? The more you want a school, and can show it, the chances are that the school will want you too.</p>
<p>You might not want your Reach schools to be super reachy in terms of Math SAT/ACT. Your 31 ACT is about a 700 SAT – very good, but still on the low end for a lot of reaches. Harvey Mudd, for example, has about a 740 25th percentile – probably not a great fit. Carnegie Mellon, probably not. Maybe reach schools that aren’t typical “go-to” picks for Math/CS might offer you an advantage (Brown, Johns Hopkins>>>perhaps, Georgetown>>>don’t laugh!, several LACs). </p>
<p>Give Women’s Colleges a fair look. Some people seem to be concerned that WCs are not known for strong science depts. Maybe you’d find an advantage there if you can demonstrate your Math/CS interests. And look at the admit rates versus the quality of education at WCs: it’s out of whack. Wellesley, for example, has a relatively high 30% admission rate. Why? Mainly because 50% of the applicant pool is not eligible. Wellesley is an outstanding school, and I dare say that if men were admitted next year, the admit rate would be down to 15% in very short order. So in exchange for men, you’re getting a 15% boost in your chances at a top school. What young female scholar in her right mind wouldn’t think that was the bargain of the century!</p>
<p>All of these things might point to schools that want you more. A lot of this is speculative, though, I’ll admit, but it beats throwing a dart at a list.</p>
<p>@Dunboyne You may be able to convince me out of any diversity fixation but the Women’s College will be a tough one. I’m not a huge fan of most females. That might be unfair but I think both genders keep a nice balance. I’d love to hear any good experiences though.</p>
<p>I don’t know if I should be proud or jealous that another thread just popped up with the same title. </p>
<p>ACT update
32 English
31 Math
35 reading
27 Science</p>
<p>Composite 31</p>