Chance Me! For CS/Data Science [PA Resident, 3.965 UW, 1490 SAT]

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Hey, thanks in advance for reading through my thread! Any advice would be greatly appreciated to help me get through the stress of college applications and gather a better understanding :))

Demographics

  • US Domestic Student - Class of 2024
  • State/Location of residency: PA Resident
  • Type of high school: Public (~500 Graduating Class)
  • Gender/Race/Ethnicity: Male/Asian/Chinese

Intended Major(s)

  • Computer Science/Data Science
  • Other areas of interest: Environmental Science, Urban Planning, Statistics

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.965
  • Weighted HS GPA: 4.928
  • Class Rank: Our school does not report
  • SAT Score: Superscored 1490 - 800M, 690RW (Waiting for another score, hoping to improve RW score)

Coursework

  • AP Calculus AB (5)
  • AP Computer Science A (5)
  • AP English Language/Composition (4)
  • AP Environmental Science (5)
  • AP Human Geography (5)
  • AP US Government (5)
  • Mandarin Chinese Level III
  • Highest level school choir ensemble, audition-based

Planned Senior Courses:

  • AP Calculus BC
  • AP Physics C - Mechanics
  • AP Psychology
  • AP Statistics
  • DE English Composition II

Awards

Most of my awards are from science fairs, which I am extremely involved in.

Science Fair placements:

  • First Place in the Mathematics Category Science Fair
  • Second Place in the Mathematics Category
  • First place in the Mathematics Category of Research Competition
  • First Place Academy of SciencesRegional Level Science Fair (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • First Place in State Level Science Fair (2021, 2022, 2023)

Four Additional Special Awards

Heavy ECs

Essays/LORs/Other

  • The current plan for my personal essay is to write about my niche hobby of aviation photography, which can be connected to my overall student profile. Fairly strong writer.
  • LORs from very close teachers

Cost Constraints / Budget

  • So my parents have repeatedly said that cost is not a concern (upper-middle-class), but then again I do not want to burden them with the insane costs of college. I don’t have an exact number, but I want to maintain realistic. Definitely need to have more conversations with my parents about money.
  • Hoping to receive merit aid

Schools

  • Safety: Drexel, Penn State (EA), Pitt (EA)
  • Match: Lehigh, UMD (EA)
  • Reach: Boston University, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Emory, Georgia Tech, NEU (EA), UC Berkeley, UPenn (ED), USC, University of Washington
  • I also am considering Canadian colleges: UBC and UofT. Not a citizen or anything, just really like the campuses and programs.

I am open to other school suggestions as well! The list is very much not finalized…

One thing I am concerned about is my SAT score, and whether or not to submit it to certain schools. Although I scored 800 M and I am applying for STEM majors, I also scored a 690 in RW which is on the lower end for some of these schools. If my new scores do not improve, would submitting that SAT score hurt my chances?

Thanks again!

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Drexel, along with Cincinnati and Northeastern, are co-op focused schools. Do you consider that a plus or minus?

A co-op is typically a semester/quarter or semester/quarter+summer long paid job / internship at an employer. Co-ops are interspersed with school semesters/quarters. Example plan: Computer Science BSCS < 2023-2024 Catalog | Drexel University which shows 12 school quarters (the typical number on a quarter system) but over 5 instead of 4 years before graduation because there are three co-ops that take both a quarter and a summer.

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You may benefit from considering undergraduate-focused schools with available data science/analytics concentrations, such as Hamilton, Macalester and Denison. As other suggestions, Davidson offers a data science minor and Wesleyan University offers an interdisciplinary quantitative analysis center. With respect to standardized testing, your SAT total matches the median at Hamilton and places you above the median at the other schools mentioned. It seems you comfortably could submit your scores to any of the schools from this group. Regarding finances, you will note that some of these colleges offer need-based aid only while others also offer the potential for merit scholarship recognition.

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Your aviation photography hobby is awesome. My son had the same - he was a plane spotter and used his instagram as a supplement.

So here’s your list:

I think your classifications are spot on - with Lehigh and UMD leaning toward likely.

Penn State is likely no merit but in-state - so likely no merit but also a cost of attendance is about $32K.

Drexel is a safety but COA is near $80K - so think about how much merit you’d likely get. I’m not sure how much you’d get - but it’s likely not to get it to close to PSU levels - so you may be able to eliminate one.

UMD and Lehigh - I agree are matches. Lehigh is $80K ish - and again, would you choose it over PSU - if it was $60K? Right now Maryland is $60K - and aid unlikely - so will you go over PSU - by 2x? If not, maybe eliminate them.

Brown, CMU, Penn have no merit aid. Your reaches are unlikely - and U Wash is impossible (3% OOS rate). The UCs are $70K+ and you won’t get money.- Are you willing to spend near $400K for an Ivy type?

To me, the real question is - will you choose any over PSU.

So you want merit aid - you have to change your list around.

At U of Arizona, you will get $30K off $40K tuition - so $25-ish all in.

Alabama, you get $30.5K off $33K tuition - so $20K all in.

Schools like U of South Carolina, Miami Ohio, Florida State, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State , UAH and more will be inexpensive.

Schools like Delaware, Florida, and Purdue (great value), Minnesota plus SUNYs like Buffalo will be really inexpensive. UMASS is another to consider.

To me, the questions are - do you want to spend $90K at Ivy (your parents said it’s ok) or $32K at Penn State?

Do you like urban (BU, CMU, Ga Tech, Pitt) or rural-ish - Penn State…

You have many ways to spin this cat but I guess I’d wonder if it’s worth applying to some of these - if you’d choose Penn State over them…

Best of luck.

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Congratulations on building a strong profile while in high school! Your essay topic sounds interesting and your varied interests are compelling. I also agree with how you’ve categorized your schools. Pitt seems like a great school in so many ways for you…it’s great that you can get it as an in-state safety!

Do have financial conversations with your family, and also have them run the Net Price Calculators (NPCs) at UPenn and Brown. If the Net Price Calculators don’t provide an affordable price, then I would eliminate both schools. Additionally, UC Berkeley offers very little in the way of merit aid (perhaps about $3k/year). As the UCs cost around $72k/year for out-of-state students, you should expect your family to be full pay or very nearly.

If you really like the co-ops of Drexel and Northeastern, then I would take a good look at U. of Cincinnati, which also has a strong co-op based model, as well as Rochester Institute of Technology, and perhaps Rensselaer Polytechnic as well (RPI is just outside of Albany, but the other two schools are in cities, which appear to be your preference). All of these schools provide merit aid, and U. of Cincinnati’s tuition will be frozen for four years at the price in which you enter, saving you 4-5% each year as prices everywhere else increase.

Based on your interests, some other schools you may want to look at include:

  • Case Western (OH): About 6k undergrads…make sure to show lots of demonstrated interest if you want an acceptance
  • George Washington (D.C.): About 12k undergrads
  • Southern Methodist (TX): About 7100 undergrads
  • U. of Minnesota - Twin Cities: About 39k undergrads
  • U. of Rochester (NY): About 6800 undergrads

All of those schools would probably be a “match” type school for you (depending, of course, on how you define match) and give merit aid.

Paging @DadTwoGirls who may be better able to chance you for the Canadian schools, in particular.

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I would send the scores. 1490/800M is excellent and if you improve thr RW score all the better but if not don’t worry.

Seconding switching out Drexel for UCINCINNATI if you like the co-op model - stronger academics through COE&Honors + you stand a chance at a Cincinnatus scholarship (full tuition).
That alone would compete with Pitt and Penn State if these 2 were your sole acceptances - Drexel wouldn’t. Obviously apply to Schreyer and Frederick.

Submit a music supplement - colleges need good male singers.

Thinking out of the box, considering your strength in music and math, look at St Olaf in MN. Show lots of interest and include a music supplement by the EA deadline.

Denison, Hamilton, U Rochester, and Case Western are excellent suggestions for your profile. Different environments so one may appeal more than the other. Visit if you can.

Match: Lehigh, UMD (EA)
=> I would look into Lafayette, Denison and/or Hamilton, too.

Reach: Boston University, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Emory, Georgia Tech, NEU (EA), UC Berkeley, UPenn (ED), USC, University of Washington

UWash is impossible from OOS.
UCs do not have any sort of FA/sxholarships for OOs students.
I would cross out those.
UPenn: are you applying to NETS (sounds like it’d be of interest)
Try to discern which culture appeals to you more: high intensity, tech oriented (GA Tech, CMU) or Brown/Emory, more balanced with a variety of majors ?

I also am considering Canadian colleges: UBC and UofT
UofT has serious grade déflation, which could be a problem for a US student seeking to return to the US.
What about Waterloo? McGill?
I think you stand a strong chance at UBC and McGill. Co-op at Waterloo is tough but you’re competitive.

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I think that you chances at the Canadian universities are very good. Admissions in Canada is largely stats based, and your stats are excellent. The cost of attendance for international students has gone up quite a bit over the years particularly at the most famous schools, including Toronto, UBC, Waterloo, and McGill. The cost of attendance I think might be less at Alberta or Simon Fraser, both of which are also very good for computer science. Alberta would require a very good winter coat (winters are cold in Edmonton).

And I still think that I would submit a 1490 SAT anywhere, particularly with an 800 math score for a math heavy major.

I also think that you have a good mix of schools on your list.

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Just to repeat the last thread - the three schools that would cause me concern with submitting the SAT would be USC, CMU, and Penn. I think you specifically asked about them.

I make that statement because at SC 82% of RW are 700+ but only 50% submit. Certainly submitting here is reasonable.

Penn is 93% rw at 700+ with 71% submitting.

Cmu is 92% rw at 700+ with 70% submitting.

So I’m not saying not to submit and I understand the 800 - but there is justification for not. The odds are even more against if you do - statistically speaking although I don’t know the math scores for those who did get in submitting a sub 700.

In the end, you take your best shot. Getting in is difficult and that’s why you apply multiple places.

No one knows why kids get in or don’t but you’ll certainly have wonderful opportunities at multiple schools.

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I concur with the suggestions of the University of Rochester and Case Western Reserve University.

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From what I know, I consider co-op an advantage. I’ve visited Drexel and Northeastern before, and they both heavily emphasized their co-op programs. I like the idea of getting real-world experience in the field you’re studying.

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Which you could get through a summer internship without having to tag on an extra year, take summer classes, or overload some semesters to complete your degree in 4 years. Co-Ops were originally designed for majors where the apprenticeship model helps a lot. But for CS, internships are just fine.

If you have read the pros and cons of doing a co-op and you like the idea, then go ahead. I just want to make sure you’re well informed.

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That’s very cool! Out of curiosity, how did he tie that information into his application?

Penn State is definitely up there on my list - a solid in-state school with appealing programs and costs. It likely will be one of, if not the most affordable option. The campus life/style is not exactly my type, however, so I’m still applying to other schools to weigh my options later on.

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Apply to Schreyer. If you get in, apply for Globe Housing. (Pro tip).
It’s pretty much the opposite of East Halls, ie, calm and luxurious.

If you mean you want a city, Pitt/Frederick would be right up your alley.

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How would I go about submitting music supplements, and what are some examples of what that could look like? I don’t intend on majoring in anything music-related, but possibly as an activity/pastime.

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Most schools have co op programs on CS and Engineering - just google the school + CS + co op.

Historically Drexel and NEU were co op schools but today most every school has that option.

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What is your type?. There’s lots of great schools with different lifestyles that can come at a good price.

If it’s big publics you don’t like, then why consider UMD or Washington?

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My ideal school would be an urban, mid to large-sized university. I have UMD and Washington on my list, mainly because of the strong CS programs they have there. I’m not completely opposed to large publics, but I think I would prefer others.

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Even if just for an activity, colleges will have recommendations- a song in a foreign language , 3mn from a classical piece, sth a cappella and sth not (can be excerpted from sth or recorded just for them…)
Most universities have a commonapp question about a supplement, check yes and follow the instructions. The major you’ve checked would indicate you’re submitting for a scholarship or bc it completes your app, not bc you want to major in music.
Examples
https://admissions.yale.edu/supplementary

https://wp.stolaf.edu/musicadm/audition-repertoire-requirements/voice-audition-requirements/

https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/optional-arts-supplement

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Wonderful you live in PA. You just described Pitt.

It doesn’t have the name cache but at a school like College of Charleston you’d potentially be a Charleston Fellow. It’s also mid size and urban so you’d get great merit.

CWRU would be great. Maybe U of Denver. But Pitt is perfect.

You have to be somewhere four years, day after day after day. Be at a school you’d like. It’s not just reputation. Lots of schools place big time. My nephew has a Poli sci degree from Arizona and works for a large company in CS. You need to pass their tests, not even necessarily have the degree.

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