Chance/Match Me - less competive GPA [3.55 or 92.5/100; 82 -> 97 -> 97.5], high SAT [1530], HS Junior from PA [< $20k/year]

Demographics:

  • Gender: male

  • Race: white/hispanic

  • Income: $60-65k

  • School: small town public school

  • State: Pennsylvania

  • Potential Majors: computer engineering, engineering physics, or physics

Stats:

GPA:

  • My school is on a 100 scale, so my cumulative GPA by the end of this year would be about 92.5UW/94.7W.

  • On a 4.0 scale it’s about 3.55UW/3.75W.

  • I have an upward trend : 82UW/83W freshman year; 97UW/98W sophomore year; 97.5UW/101W junior year (projected)

Advanced Coursework:

  • My school only offers 8 APs.

  • Freshman: Algebra II Honors

  • Sophomore: Geometry Honors

  • Junior: Inorganic Chem Honors, Organic Chem Honors, English 11 Honors, Precalculus Honors, AP Euro

  • Senior (signed up): AP Calc AB, AP Lit, AP Gov, AP Chem, AP Physics I

Class Rank: Projected to be somewhere in the T10 out a class of 165 students.

SAT: I have only taken once so far. I got a 1530 (770 R, 760 M).

ECs:

  • 2 years as class treasurer

  • 1 year as class co-president

  • 1 year of key club

Essays: I am willing to spend over 100 hours writing them if needed.

LORs: I have 3 teachers that I feel could strongly write favorably about me.

Cost Constraints: Less than $20k per year after aid preferred.

Colleges I am currently considering:

  • Syracuse

  • Penn State

  • Pitt

  • Lehigh

  • Lafayette

  • Boston University

  • Case Western

  • Carnegie

  • Cornell

  • Princeton

  • MIT

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You had a bad freshman year and have since then excelled. Some college will understand that and be forgiving of a weak start (there may even be an explanation for why your grades were low freshman year and then shot up - your counselor can address that in their recommendation for you, or you can address it in the “other info” section).

To me, the biggest weakness then is actually the ECs. These are fine ECs, but to me they don’t demonstrate any passion for your major. Do you have any ECs related to your intended major? Have you done anything outside of class - even if informal - that relates to what you want to study? If not, personally, that’s where I would focus over summer and into next year.

Some colleges won’t care about ECs and will look primarily at your stats, which really aren’t bad. Other colleges will want to see some passion for learning and trying things outside of class.

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My school/area doesn’t have much in terms of STEM ECs outside of science club. I guess I could join that or start my own club. Any suggestions?

Sure, you can start your own club, that’s one thing. You could also look for opportunities outside of school - even something like tutoring younger kids. A part time job of some sort might also be a possibility, even if unrelated to your major - holding down a job can demonstrate leadership and responsibility. I would take some time to think about what you enjoy doing and then find some way to do that - ideally related to your major (since I assume that is something you genuinely like doing), but OK if not.

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Your bottom half is very reachy. I have a family member similar gpa and a higher sat, he’s going to Pitt (his only acceptance, his list was full of reaches). As long as you will be happy with your matches, no harm in reaching (I don’t know much about FA which you will need).

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So I have concerns with your ECs but not because they’re not related to your major but just because they’re light. They needn’t be major relating- but it just looks like you served in student government. I’d love to see a part time job or sport or passion about a club. Hopefully you did a lot in Key Club and you can describe/quantify it.

Essays - how long you spend doesn’t matter. Making them impactful does.

So I’d say you need to redo your list.

With a 3.75 Weighted, the bottom four are no chance and frankly BU and below are unlikely.

I’d check all their NPCs to make sure they meet your budget.

Lehigh, Pitt, Penn State, and Syracuse are possible but I wouldn’t be surprised if you only got into 1-2. You also need to check the NPC - especially for Syracuse. Get in - but can you afford it?

Have you looked at Questbridge? www.questbridge.org

Also, look at high merit schools - UAH…or low cost schools such as Western Carolina. For instate, Shippensburg.

Good luck.

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ECs do not need to be related to your high school. You could start a club, or you could participate in a club that is not high school related.

Your strong uptrend should help you are a wide range of universities, including quite a few that are already on your list. Your somewhat weaker freshman year also happened during COVID, which was difficult for everyone.

Your budget constraint is relatively tough and meeting this is something that I have trouble predicting.

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Will you be a National Merit Semifinalist? This will open a lot of doors merit wise.

Probably not: only got a 1380 on the PSAT

What do you do with your spare time? It does not have to be related to your major. For example one of my sons was a news junkie and wrote about that, about how he read the BBC, NY Times, Al Jazeera, and other outlets every day, and WHY he was so fascinated (ok, he did tie it back to his possible major – finance – as he liked seeing how world events affected markets).

Emory throws out 9th grade grades and recalculates your gpa, fyi.

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Have you used each college’s net price calculator to see what the net price after financial aid is likely to be?

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Look at the Common Data Set for each of your schools: under Section C7, it will tell you how much emphasis the school gives to both academic and non-academic criteria; so perhaps try to find whether any of the schools on your list give more weight to test scores over GPA, and if so then focus on them.

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yes, I actually created that consideration list based on the colleges I found to be the most affordable for me

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I suggest you apply for National Recognition Scholar status if you haven’t done so already. Looks like you might qualify in both the Hispanic and the Rural categories. A few schools give huge scholarships for these.

https://nrpfacts.com/the-ultimate-hispanic-scholarship-list/

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As long as you would be happy AND can afford to attend Pitt or Penn State, I think your list is just fine. Are you certain that they are affordable? Pitt and Penn State are expensive for state schools and give very little merit, so you need to assume you won’t get any merit and be sure that the NPC works for both.

For Pitt, make sure you apply in August and you should have an acceptance early. If possible, visit or at least attend some online sessions to demonstrate interest. Although you should expect no merit aid from Pitt, my daughter has a close friend from high school who is also white/Hispanic and she has a full ride merit scholarship (she would be full pay otherwise) through…I think…a Pitt alumni group. I can’t find it when I search, but you should reach out to your area’s admissions officer and ask (that will also demonstrate interest) if you can’t find it, too. Her class work is similar, her GPA in years 10-12 is similar, her SAT/ACT is a bit higher (1560/35), and her ECs are somewhat more robust but nothing earth moving. Although there is no money attached, you should have a decent shot at admissions to the honors college. The honors program seems to be growing. The application only requires a couple of essays so it would be worth your time to try. You do NOT have to wait to complete those essays before applying to Pitt generally, though. You must apply to Pitt in August, but your honors college essays can be submitted any time before December 1. Admissions to the university is rolling, but the honors college only starts reviewing their applications after December 1.

For Penn State, you will want to apply for the Early Admissions deadline of November 1. You should hear back sometime between early November and Christmas. The Shreyer Honors College has one of the most thorough, competitive application processes in the country. There IS $5,000 attached if admitted, but it is rather involved, with many essays and potentially interviews. I wouldn’t just do this one to do it, but it is a very well respected program.

Apply EA to Case, too, and make sure you demonstrate interest. Visit, if possible, and definitely sign up for an online or in person interview. They care deeply about demonstrated interest!

I would consider your high reaches to be mostly out of reach (which is fine as long as you have an affordable admission — take your shot, but have a solid option besides) except for Carnegie Mellon. In the past, CMU did NOT consider freshman year grades. I can’t find confirmation on the website, but even if it did change they are far more focused on recent performance than 9th grade. Your essays will matter here, of course, as will your ability to communicate your “why CMU, why major?” It looks like you would be choosing between ECE (Electrical & Computer Engineering) or Physics. Do a lot of research on their essay prompts, the programs, your interests, and think hard about your most compelling argument

I am not knowledgeable enough about Lehigh, Lafayette, or the others to give specific advice. Have you considered some other Pennsylvania LACs? Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, and Allegheny come to mind. I’m not suggesting that you should expand your list, but look at all of these and make sure you have the best affordable fits with the possibility of some merit upside based on specific programs they may have for your profile.

Good luck! Get Pitt under your belt first and then prioritize the others by deadline and interest. You may find that you are overwhelmed with supplemental essays to those that require them, so knowing which schools are more important to you is helpful if you need to pare down the list later.

(If you failed French in 8th, what did you do for a foreign language in 9th?)

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This recent change may make Lafayette particularly desirable among the more attainable schools on your list Lafayette College triples no-loan threshold for incoming students starting in 2022 - lehighvalleylive.com

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If the NPC works your list seems ok. BU is the odd one from your list. It’s an urban campus. Most people love or hate it. No in-between.

Maybe add Bucknell since Lehigh and Lafayette are on the list. WVU might work. Look at their scholarship page. Maybe a satellite campus for Pitt or PSU as a plan B? Good luck.

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Have you looked into whether you’re eligible for Questbridge?
https://www.questbridge.org/high-school-students/national-college-match/who-should-apply

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Bucknell and WVU are too expensive for me based on the NPC. Penn State Behrend is a nearby branch campus, but I feel like the chances of me being rejected by every school on my list is pretty low.

You’ll get into 1-3 is my guess but an acceptance and an affordable acceptance are two different things.

It’s why you need a Shippensburg as an instate safety. Or another that offers your major not named PSU or Pitt.

Your GPA, if accurate, and I’m not 100% sure it is - but a 3.55 is low and a test doesn’t make up for it.

I’m worried about affordability. If you’re looking OOS go South - Alabama, Ole Miss, Miss State, UAH for smaller. Bama may offer you its Hispanic scholarship - which puts you very low. All tuition and one year housing paid. Even without you’ll get $30500 off $32kish tuition.

I suspect you don’t want to go to a PSU branch…

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