<p>Okay so I just finished sophomore year and im going to be a junior this year. My GPA right now is 4.1 weighted but i plan to bring it up. I always get As in my classes and 1 or 2 Bs every marking period which is annoying, but i can't change that now. My question is, i want to do computer science. Is it possible for me to get into a school like Princeton or MIT or Berkley college? I plan on taking the SATs this year and my goal is to get a perfect score. I really want to get into one of those schools with a full ride, but i'm not sure if it's possible. I'm in a lot of clubs, i volunteer, and i plan on doing sports this year. Is there any hope? What do you guys recommend? Please and thank you.</p>
<p>How rigorous is your school? How many APs are you taking? What are your projected SAT/ACT scores (everybody’s goal is to get a perfect score…)? What are your ECs? Do you have legacy at any of those schools?</p>
<p>Just knowing that you have a 4.1 at the end of Soph year and that you want a perfect SAT score is not nearly enough information.</p>
<p>Yeah i guess youre right. Okay well the school i go to is a vocational high school and learn Computer Science there. Freshman and Sophomore year I took 3-4 honors classes, and Junior year I’m going to take 3 Honors classes and Pre Ap class because Juniors arent allowed to take AP except senior year for the school. My goal is to ofcourse have atleast above 2300. My ECs, which im assuming are extra curricular activities? I’ve done E.R.A.S.E (Eliminate Racism and Sexism Everywhere) , Class Rep, I made a website for a business teacher in my school which counted as “Computer Technical Consulting” , A HOSA video project, Leadership Academy Program, and Gifted and Talented program where you had to be picked, you couldn’t just join. Next year I also plan on joining sports such as track, volleyball, and tennis, and join the FBLA club. And no I dont have any legacies at those schools, not that I can think of. How can i know if i have any legacies? and thanks for responding.</p>
<p>All the schools you mentioned are very selective and expensive, plus Berkeley offers very little financial aid to non-California residents. You’re on the right path, but you will need to broaden your search to include many other schools. You also need to consider your family’s finances and budget situation.</p>
<p>Your parents would be able to tell you your legacies, if you have any. Did you take the PSAT? And if so, what was your score, because that can be a good indicator of SAT scores. MIT and Princeton are difficult to get into just because of statistics of admission. Your ECs are certainly not terrible, but there is nothing there that makes you stand out to admissions people. Do you live in CA, because if so, Berkley is super difficult to get into, although its not that much easier for OOS applicants. You should talk to the counselors at your school and find out if there are any good match schools for you based on your scores, which you will probably be doing a lot of during junior year.</p>
<p>I know they are expensive, my parents can’t afford at all which is why Im trying to get a scholarship, and if not, atleast i can get into a good school and get loans, at the end, itll pay off on the long run. but thanks for the reply, any other thoughts?</p>
<p>EDIT: Yes i did take the PSATs, I got around 1440 without studying, but i plan to study my butt off. and No i dont live in CA.</p>
<p>EDIT2: What can I do that’ll help me stand out? I can’t really think of anything.</p>
<p>It has nothing to do with expensive. When the school only has a 10% admission rate, there is so much competition that you cant count on admission to MIT or Princeton. It would help to know what state you live in to see what opportunities are available in your public school. Also, schools that you are overqualified for will often offer generous scholarship packages, so keep that in mind as you build your list.</p>
<p>Giant student loans for expensive schools will not “pay off in the long run” - they’re more likely to bankrupt you and follow you around for life. Not to mention that you will not even be allowed to borrow more than about $25,000 without getting a parent to co-sign the loans.</p>
<p>You need to take Berkeley off your list - as an out-of-state resident, you will likely get zero financial aid beyond the basic federal Pell grant and Stafford loans. Even with max Pell, that would leave you about $40,000 short each year.</p>
<p>You need to look at your in-state public schools first. Where do you live?</p>
<p>My state is NJ. I dont know, it hurts knowing I probably won’t get into a school like that if i’m at that point. I really need anything that can help me get in, any more suggestions would be appreciated.</p>
<p>144 on PSAT sophomore year generally leads to about a 30-40 point improvement on the junior year retake, which would leave you around 180-190, and SATs are generally within 100 pts either way of the PSAT, which gives a projected range from 1700 to 2000, which is respectable, but not MIT/Princeton material, and if you were accepted, they would not likely offer you any merit-based aid.</p>
<p>MIT and Princeton do not have merit aid - if you are admitted, they meet full financial need through scholarships, grants and sometimes small federal student loans. However, of course, you can’t count on getting admitted there. There is no way we can sit here and tell you exactly how to get into such schools. They are so selective as to be entirely inscrutable in admissions. But at this point, hooking all your hopes and dreams to those two schools is foolhardy.</p>
<p>You have a solid in-state public university, Rutgers. Think in terms of affordability. You need to apply there, if nothing else as a financial fallback.</p>
<p>There are hundreds of great schools not named MIT, Princeton or Berkeley. I bet you’ll find a home at one of them. :)</p>
<p>Oh, yeah, thats right, they are no-loan grants for need-based aid. Rutgers is an excellent choice, as well as NJIT if you are interested in computer science.</p>