Hey guys,
I’m new to this site so please bear with me, but I heard about this chance me thing and I wanted to try it out. I’m a senior and I just wanna get some additional input on my apps.
I am an Indian male from an upper-class family and I go to a decently competitive school in the Bay Area if that makes a difference.
WGPA: 4.17 (unweighted: 3.65) Weighted GPA for 10-12 is 4.26
ACT: 35 PSAT: 1470
SAT IIs: Math 2(800), Chem(730 but could retake and get 800),
APs: CS(5), Chem(5), APUSH(5), Calc BC(5), Euro(4), Bio(4)
APs taking right now in senior year: Lit, Physics 1+2, Env Sci, Gov/Econ, Stats
ECs: Did the AP Capstone thing with the 5k word paper but Im not sure what I got on it. Did AMC contest math in the beginning of high school and I think I got a 100 on the AMC 10 but never got to AIME. Had a lab internship at Stanford. I am submitting a poster based on my experimental data I did at the lab. Did JV tennis but that probably doesn’t matter lol. Creating a stocks club at my school.
Due to my lack of ECs and unextraordinary GPA at a highly competitive school I know I’m not getting into Stanford/Ivy leagues. However, my counselor has told me that I have a good chance at other CS schools like UIUC, UCSD, UCSB, UWisconsin, UMass Amherst, and UMichigan. Just wondering what my outlook should be when applying to these schools and what private schools I should add.
UW GPA is quite low. Do you have any CS ECs?
What is your UC GPA capped weighted and fully weighted? https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
CS is highly competitive at the UC’s and although you have a great ACT score, UC’s tend to be very GPA focused. You really need one or two safety schools on your list.
Have an admin/moderator remove the name of your school. You need to keep your information confidential, so to speak.
The 3.67 UW is fine-your weighted is fine-my kid graduated from one of the schools in the area (one of Gunn, Paly, Monta Vista, Lynbrook, or Saratoga) with the same UW and is in a Top-20 school.
I can guess who your teachers are from talking to my son or his friends who went to the high school you mentioned and a lot of them are going to be pretty tough on your grades, but your AP scores indicate that you were taught well and are ready for college courses. The current APUSH teacher is not the nicest person from what I heard, but you are prepared for the test.
Have you taken your fine arts/foreign language classes yet?
Michigan is definitely a reach though with that UW, especially for EECS. I might suggest WPI, RIT, or RPI as schools to consider.
I already did.
UIUC is competitive as well-3.67 UW might be slightly low for EECS. UIUC is one of the top schools for the subject.
UC Davis might be a high match/target school for you to add to your list as well.
Since you have UW-Madison on your list, Minnesota-Twin Cities could be a good school for you to consider. Maryland has a good CS program as well, but the acceptance rate for Engineering might be much lower than the school in general. You should target it as well.
UMass-Amherst is a highly underrated school and a good one to have on your list. Surprised that more kids from the Silicon Valley pressure cookers don’t know more about it. Your counselor did well to suggest it.
^ Agreed that UIUC and Michigan would be considered reaches for direct admits to CS. It is a is a very competitive major, accepting less than 20% of applicants to those departments. Wisconsin isn’t a sure bet either.
I second Hamurtle’s suggestions of RIT, WPI, and RPI. You may want to check out Rose Hulman and MSOE too.
For UCs, you may want to look at http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-general/2127392-faq-uc-historical-frosh-admit-rates-by-hs-gpa-2018.html .
From my knowledge of OP’s high school (name was redacted), it’s a major feeder to the UCs and that GPA might be enough for UCSD/UCSB Engineering. He would be accepted to UC Davis/Irvine for sure for CS.