Hi, I am curious as to what colleges could be possible for me. I know that asking people on the internet won’t help my chances, but I just want to know what others think. I made an earlier discussion here http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1806914-can-i-get-into-stanford-with-a-gpa-of-3-6-p1.html
but that had some outdated information. This time, I have narrowed down my selection of colleges I would want to attempt to attend, which is University of Chicago, Berkeley in California, and University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Basically, I really want to do Computer Science. I love to program. In fact, in school I got an A in the class, and got a 5 on the AP test. I also have programmed several apps for the iOS store, and have received some income back from them. I understand that for programming it doesn’t truly matter what college you attend, it’s more what skills you have for the job. I want to either be in the IT industry or game programming, but idk. It is understandable that being “well-rounded” at least in my case won’t really help me, I have done many things in school, but they are not impressive. As you will soon see, I have been involved in my school, but I have very few spikes besides programming. Here is a summary of my 4 years in high school:
Freshman Year: GPA 3.3 UW, 3.5 W (Gym is required in Illinois to take)
Freshman Classes: Spanish 2, Algebra 1, Honors Biology, Honors English, World Geography, Gym, Lunch, Orchestra
Sophomore Year: GPA 3.5 UW, 3.75 W
Sophomore Classes: Spanish 3, Algebra 2/trig, Geometry, Honors Chemistry, Honors English 2, Gym, Orchestra
Junior Year: GPA: GPA 4.0 UW, 4.42 W
Junior Classes: AP Computer Science, AP English 3, Honors Precalculus, Honors Physics, American History, Orchestra, Gym,
Senior: GPA To be determined
Senior Classes: AP Physics, AP Calc BC, AP English 4, AP Macro/AP Micro, Psychology/AP Psychology(2nd semester), Orchestra, Gym
ACT: 34 (I am still trying to see if I can get that 36, but I think I am fine with 34)
AP Tests: AP English 3 was a 5 and AP Comp Sci was a 5
Activities/Sports: I have done cross country all 4 years, and I did get a varsity letter. I am not fast tho, I’ve been injured with a stress fracture in my left calf, but the coaches have recognized my commitment and how I supported the sport despite being injured. I may include this in my essay, but idk. Also, I have done a fiddling group, and have been first chair all 4 years. Similarly, I have been first chair in my actual Orchestra class all 4 years as well. I have also done Half marathon training , and ran it 4 times in the 4 years of high school. I did intern at a chemical engineering plant called Ideon in New Jersey, and pursued my many interests that I had for polymers. I didn’t do that for the college application, I did it mainly because I wanted to learn, and I had a good experience there. I do community service in the summer ranging from all sorts of criteria, like volunteering and helping out the environment in a club called Interact. Also, I have done BPA, and made it to nationals for both Web Design and Java programming. I have been recognized for this accomplishment at my school, and it does fit with my intended major of Computer Science, which is nice.
My main focus is University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. I live in Illinois, so it’s close to home and the perfect school for my interest in Computer Science. My only issue is that I am not too sure I’ll make it into their college with comp sci as a major, mainly because of my freshman and sophomore GPA. I have no excuse for those poor grades, all I gotta say is that I had a rough transition from middle to high school. I learned a lot in that time, and am now using that experience to produce better grades. But, Idk if urbana will look at this and decline me. My ACT is good, but I’m too worried I won’t make it. Should I apply undecided? Would that help? Or should I just go apply with Comp Sci as my major?
University of Chicago and Berkeley are other options. I don’t care too much about these schools, urbana is my main focus, but if I were to make it to one of these 2 schools, I would definitely go there instead of urbana. I know that Uchicago’s comp sci isn’t too great, but it is still up there. Again, it doesn’t truly matter what college I go to, as long as I learn as much as I can for a job as a programmer. It’s more theory based at Uchicago, which is both good and bad, but it’s location is ideal. My siblings go to schools in chicago, so if I were to go to Uchicago, that would be amazing. My parents could see me while they visit my other 3 older siblings, so it’d be very ideal. However, they are pretty harsh in reviewing applications from what I hear, so I doubt I could make it there, but then again Idk. Berkeley… yea, that is an amazing school. It would be AMAZING to go there, this is my dream college, but not my ideal one. I know that my chances of getting in are low, but are they truly nonexistent? If I were to make Berkeley, I WOULD GO THERE. But, I don’t expect to, and I’m ok with that. Uchicago and Urbana Champaign are more ideal location wise, but if I were to make Berkeley… that would be GREAT!
So, what do you think? Could I make at the least one of those three colleges? My GPA got ruined from Sophomore and Freshman year, but Junior year I had a break through, and pulled it together. Albeit my GPA is still poor, I hope it could be enough to make at least one of those 3 mentioned schools.
If all hope fails, I will attend University of Illinois at Chicago. It is a safety school for me, and my siblings go there. But, I’d rather not go there, but if I have to I will. I’d rather go to one of those 3 schools, but then again I am not totally sure if I am qualified for any of those schools… Leave your honest thoughts!