Demographics: Male Asian, lived in Cali moved to Texas after sophomore year. Currently in junior year.
Major: CS
GPA: 3.78 UW, 4.2 W (Could change after first semester of senior year )
ACT: 33 Composite, 34 Math, 31 Science, 32 English, 33 Reading (Taking it again maybe once or twice more)
Yet to take SAT subject tests, but I plan on taking Math II and Physics.
ECs
-Volunteered at a local food bank for 2 years as a team leader
-Volunteered Sophomore summer as a TA for a math camp for kids (around 100 hrs)
-Currently working as a math instructor at my local Mathnasium institute.
Major Specific ECs
-In the summer of my freshman year, I went to a iOS app development camp and published a functioning app on the app store (the app wasn’t very special and didn’t have much success at all)
-Attended a few hackathons but never won anything
-Currently playing with code on my own, working on small projects (not sure if this counts as an EC)
The only award I have received is the presidential volunteer service award.
That’s pretty much it, I would like to know my matches,targets etc. for the UC’s and UT Austin. Thanks!
You are going to be OOS for the UCs and that GPA is likely not going to be in the Top 7.5 or 8 percent for UT.
Would you consider Texas A&M for EECS?
Your parents will pay OOS rates for the UCs? Some less competitive UCs might be an option if you are indeed full pay. CS really alters the whole landscape though so understand the overall school is less relevant than the program.
UT is very unlikely for CS, but you probably know that. Does your school rank you? Your GC can let you know about this year went for your school.
You could try TAMU, UTD for the Texas schools. Get your applications in early if TAMU is on your radar. Again though, are you ranked?
My school does rank me, but the way it transferred my grades back in California was weird because there was no A+ or A- in California. Furthermore, I do feel that the classes at my current school are easier and more AP/Honors courses are offered. With this said, I feel like I am put at a disadvantage when it comes to class rank. My rank isn’t that great at all, it is around top 25%.
As for the UC’s I would like to know which schools would be in my league, disregarding the costs. I have considered Texas A&M and other schools, and I am just wondering about the UC’s.
Consider Santa Cruz, Riverside, and Merced.
With rank around top 25%, UT Austin is a high reach, higher for CS.
With a GPA around 3.78 (probably around 4.0-4.1 with UC weighted capped), UCR and UCM are the most realistic UCs for CS.
UC’s use Unweighted UC GPA, Capped Weighted UC GPA and Fully Weighted UC GPA for 10-11th grades only in the UC a-g course requirements. OOS applicants only get the extra Honors point in the GPA calculation for AP/IB courses taken 10-11th grades. Senior year grades are not considered in UC admissions.
Here is the Calculator: https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
Below is some UC admission data. CS would be one of the most competitive majors, so overall Stats will definitely need to be higher for the best chances at the majority of the UC’s. UC Riverside and Santa Cruz are still good options if you want to pay full fees.
2018 Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.80-4.19 capped weighted and not major specific:
UCB: 10%
UCLA: 9%
UCSD: 34%
UCSB: 38%
UCD: 41%
UCI: 38%
UCSC: 70%
UCR: 84%
UCM: 95%
2018 UC capped weighted GPA averages:
UCB: 4.23
UCLA: 4.23
UCSD: 4.16
UCSB: 4.13
UCI: 4.13
UCD: 4.11
UCSC: 3.96
UCR: 3.81
UCM: 3.71
25th - 75th percentiles for ACT:
UCB: 30-35
UCLA: 31-35
UCSD: 28-34
UCSB: 28-34
UCD: 26-33
UCI: 26-33
UCSC: 26-32
UCR: 22-30
UCM: 19-26
Paying OOS fees for the UC’s at $65K/Year is pretty pricey when you have better and more affordable options in Texas.
You would be nuts to full pay OOS for a match UC if TAMU was a lock in, however if you are >25%, that won’t be a lock either. Make sure you look at UTD and TT.
Would TAMU automatic admission include admission to the engineering division, or could an automatic admit student not get into the engineering division?
Eng is always holistic at TAMU. that being said if he is top 25% he has plenty good enough stats if he applies early and makes sure his application is adequate. The rub comes when the kids think they are too good to bother and apply late or do a poor job. These kids can get non college station offers even with apparent high stats but not high enough rank and apply late, looking like an afterthought. Maybe after ED rejections?
Texas AM no longer does rolling admissions for engineering. It’s now holistic and done by the engineering department.
"Early Action
All materials were due by Oct. 15, 2019. Decisions will be made by mid-December."
Almost as good as rolling in other desirable eng schools.