<p>I'm in my Junior year of High School on the East Coast, and I can't wait for college. I've been wanting to go to college in California for pretty much my whole life. I have a lot of family there, and even though I've never lived there, I feel at home. </p>
<p>I've been looking at colleges there online and it's overwhelming and exciting at the same time.</p>
<p>I want to major in chemistry or chemical engineering and minor in music. I have a 3.9 unweighted and 4.8 weighted GPA and will have taken 9 AP classes by the time I graduate. My SAT's are: 770M, 720CR, and 740W. My ACT score is 34. </p>
<p>I'm not really sure whether I want a small or large school. I'm more concerned about a school's academics than whether they have good parties etc. </p>
<p>I know out of state tuition can be expensive, but this is really what I want! </p>
<p>Do you have any recommendations on colleges in California that would be a good match for me based off of the above information?</p>
<p>If you are not too worried about the costs, apply to any or all UCs, but understand that they are very expensive for non-residents. Berkeley and UCLA are tough, especially in your chosen field of Engineering, but you meet their criteria. I think that your chances are fairly good for UCSD and all other UCs. I can’t speak for the Engineering department at USC, but I think you are probably very competitive there, also. Cal Tech is a reach for everyone, as is Stanford. Harvey Mudd is more self-selecting, but also very difficult to get into. You have an outside chance at any of them, as long as your heart isn’t completely set on one in particular. Try Cal-Poly in San Luis Obispo. It is a little less expensive, and its profile has been rising recently. I think you could treat UC Santa Cruz as a safety. They are the only UC (I think) to offer a modest merit scholarship to qualified non-residents. You could probably major in Chemistry at Pomona (a reach, but not unreasonable, with your stats), and take some Engineering classes at Harvey Mudd. The Claremont Consortium offers a lot of academic variety. </p>
<p>Talk with your parents: do they have 55KX4 in a college fund for you? If not, your odds are quite low even if you get in, simply because that’s too much money to borrow. You’re only entitled to $5,500 in loans as a freshman…</p>
<p>I second Cal Poly SLO but I don’t think you can minor in music?
SJSU is good for CS and they have a Honors program, although they’re heavily commuter.</p>
<p>HarveyMudd sounds perfect for you (Engineering+Liberal Arts, in the same way Wharton is Business+Liberal Arts).
There’s a joint program for music within the Claremonts:
<a href=“http://www.jointmusicprogram.org/”>http://www.jointmusicprogram.org/</a>
<a href=“http://newwww.hmc.edu/admission/discover/student-life/the-arts/”>http://newwww.hmc.edu/admission/discover/student-life/the-arts/</a>
Obviously, USC, CalTech, and Stanford, would be on your radar, too.
All 4 are reaches due to admission rates, but you have the stats to have a shot. Your EC’s will make a difference (you should have national or regional -level recognition in at least one area of interest).
In addition, you’ll need to run the Net Price Calculator on EACH of these (as each calculates “need” and thus aid differently) to see whether they’re affordable: don’t assume, bring the results to your parents to discuss can they can/want to spend.
USanDiego would probably offer you some merit aid, but they’re not know for good financial aid so run the NPCs.</p>
<p>You can minor in music at Cal Poly. Since it is a small department with few music majors you may be able to get good performance opportunities (if that is your interest), but it is not well known for music.
<a href=“Minor - Music Department - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo”>http://music.calpoly.edu/minor/</a>
It can be difficult to work in any minors at Cal Poly due to the structure of their majors, as some have little room for electives. And no ChemE at Cal Poly SLO, only chemistry.</p>