Can I go to good CS schools with a GPA of 3.6?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1 
   Hi, I have just finished my sophomore year at high school. I've been reading up on this website numerous times for research mainly on different colleges, but there are a few questions I have trouble answering. Do you guys think it would be possible for a person like me with a GPA of 3.5 currently to go to good Computer Science schools such as Stanford, Berkeley, or University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign? Right now, I'm aiming more towards schools in Illinois, since I live there, but it would be great to attempt to get into great schools like Stanford. I know that it does seem ambitious, and that asking strangers online won't increase my chances at all, but I'm curious. I want to know and understand how much I can possibly achieve, and if there's even a slight chance of me getting into Stanford or any other great CS school. Here is information about myself:

Freshman Year: GPA 3.57 UW, 3.85 W (Gym is required in Illinois to take)

Classes: Spanish 2, Algebra 1, Honors Biology, Honors English, World Geography, Gym, Lunch, Orchestra

Sophomore Year: GPA 3.7 UW, 4.0 W

Classes: Spanish 3, Algebra 2/trig, Geometry, Honors Chemistry, Honors English 2, Gym, Orchestra

Junior Year: GPA: To be determined

Classes: AP Computer Science, AP English 3, Honors PreCalculus, Honors Physics, American History, Orchestra, Gym,

Senior: GPA To be determined

Classes: AP Physics, AP Calc BC, AP English 4, AP Macro/AP Micro, Psychology/AP Psychology(2nd semester), Orchestra, Gym

Practice ACT Score: 36 (Yea idk how I got a good score of that, lol, but I wanna get that on the real one)

As for ECs, I have run in cross country from middle school to now and will continue to do so through senior year and maybe even in college. However, I am slow as I am still recovering from a 2 year leg injury, but it is really fun to run. Also, I make programs. It’s my favorite thing to do, and I love to do it. That’s why I wanna do a Computer Science major, in hopes of being a programmer. I don’t know if I wanna program for gaming purposes (although I’d really enjoy that!) or for the IT industry. Either way, I really wanna learn more about Computer Science. I really do have a passion in it. I also have interned at an independent Chemical Engineer plant in New Jersey called Ideon LLC, and have learned a lot about mostly polymers and such. I also have played the violin, and despite not being in the best orchestra my school offers, I have been first chair every year at least once. I have volunteered for library summer reading programs and helped out ever since 6th grade as well.

Now, that aside, I don’t really think my chances are that high for Stanford. However, I do plan on writing a good essay, describing my passion for Computer Science and programming in general, and how it’s helped me realize what I love to do. I’m still researching, but I don’t know all there is to submitting a good application for an ivy league school like Stanford. For the time being, I will occasionally surf on this website and see other people ask the same question that I am asking about their chances. Again, I know that asking this question on this website won’t increase my chances automatically, but it will help me understand better what it takes to get into a top education school like Stanford. That is my dream college, but everyone tells me it’s a joke and that I have 0% chance to get in. Well, I at least wanna try and see if it’s possible. If I don’t get in, then I do have other options like Berkeley or Urbana Champaign.

2

P.S. Idk why I included classes like Lunch and Gym in my schedule. I don’t get graded on lunch, so I left it out. I have to take Gym because of the Illinois requirement for physical education.

3

Also, the colleges I am currently looking at are Uchicago (close to home and good at CS), University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Stanford University, University of Berkeley in California, University of Illinois at Chicago (Safety School) and Northwestern University.

4

At the moment your UW GPA is low for UChicago, Stanford, Berkeley, and Northwestern (don’t know enough to say about the other two). Also, without an actual test score, no one can really give you a legitimate chance, as these schools often use a certain threshold of scores just as the first step before your application is considered. That said, you can increase your chances. You have a rigorous projected schedule, so be sure to do well to boost your GPA. A great test score will help too. If you can get an actual 36 on the ACT, you’ll have a much better chance. Stay motivated and work hard. Also, having any hooks such as URM or First Gen could help too.

5

Uchicago is not the school for CS. Although they have it, it is not their specialty. With your gpa, carnegie mellon seems like a perfect fit since cmu is known for taking in kids with pretty low gpa with high scores. And they are number 1 cs school in the nation tied with MIT, stanford and berkeley. I would say even though berkeley seems like one of easier* schools to get in than stanford, Uchicago or NW, But berkeley looks at your gpa more which makes your chances of admission harder than those privates.

6

Ah ok thanks for the reply. Yeah, I am taking the ACT soon this summer, hopefully I can get a perfect on it. Yea my GPA is incredibly low, I screwed up in freshman year big time. I was injured at the time heavily in my legs, specifically my calves, but I’m not using that as an excuse at all. I just know that freshman year was a struggle and a hard transition, and sophomore year I was starting to ease in. Colleges will look at that and may not accept that, but oh well. I’m getting very serious about junior year and I want to try and get all A’s if possible. That’s mainly my goal, however there are a few things I am confused about.

Ok, I doubt this is a minority as of now, but I am Indian. Yeah, I doubt that even is a minority in the schools that I’m looking at, and I’m confused about First Gen. I’ve looked it up, but I’m confused about it. What does First Gen actually mean? I may be that, but idk what it actually means.

7

Yea, I do understand that Uchicago is not a cs school. I do understand it’s prestige, and if I were to get accepted I would definitely attend, that is if I were rejected from all the other good CS schools. It’s close to home which is nice, but yea I do know that it does not specialize in CS. Neither does UIC. If rejected from enough schools, I may just go to UIC, COD, or Uchicago, if I get accepted to these 3. Urbana is also a likely choice for me, but we’ll see. I’ve still gotta improve in junior year and try to get all A’s. Freshman year really did kill me though, I was definitely not ready. Ah well, I’m happy that I’ve learned what I did wrong and that I’m improving.

8

First gen = First generation of your family to attend college in the US

9

Alright, I now know what First Gen is thanks. A lot of the other websites were explaining it and it left me very confused. I am actually First generation, which is good for college applications from what I understand, correct?

Also, do I have to take the SAT as well? Would it look better? Or should I just stick with preparing for the ACT? I heard that the more information you send to colleges the better.

10

This thread is old and with incorrect data.

This is the new and accurate one: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1806914-can-i-get-into-stanford-with-a-gpa-of-3-6.html#latest