Chance Me for Duke, Georgia Tech, UMich, UVA, Purdue. [TN resident, 3.98UW, 34ACT, <$15k from parents, computer science/engineering]

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Bama has $7K in indirect costs factored into the # that are not realistic. - including $3140 for transport, $3700 for miscellaneous (is the student going greek). So the price stated is likely.inflated for this student.

Tuition, room and board - likely the best to use at any school so you are looking apples to apples - is $48,040 but once a student moves off campus, it will go lower.

Also, Bama the student would get $30.5K off because in addition to the $28K, there’s a $2500 CS/Engineering scholarship for the ACT score. So the student would be about at budget - and certainly within after the first year.

MS State - which is considered superior to Ole Miss in tech - has a COA for tuition, room and board of $38.9K. The student would get at least $23K but likely $25K (if a 4.1 weighted GPA). So it would be in budget.

The issue with FSU and engineering is the school is shared with Florida A&M and is off site - so you have to leave the main campus to a shared campus. If you get the OOS waiver, the cost is great - but you have to be ok with leaving campus for the secondary campus. That’s engineering - I’m not sure if CS is located on the main campus or not.

Scholarships – College of Engineering | The University of Alabama (ua.edu)

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Thank you so much for the detailed reply. This is my first post on CC an 80 replies within a day is definitely not what I was expecting!! Super helpful. Yeah that does really make sense what you say about students getting hired through online platforms, and that makes me feel better as I felt the only way to get top jobs was through top institutions. Yeah no debt would be really nice especially with the uncertainty of CS unlike other years. I also do like UTK’s CS/CE major option as it likely will be easier to avoid being replaced by AI. Affordability hasn’t been given much though that’s why I had so many OOS schools on my list, I will definitely be changing it to better financial aid/private schools, still keeping some good reaches like UVA/UNC.

My parents make 70k with 4 kids, so that’s why the NPC’s are pretty good. Also thank you for the added assurance that I can still do great at UTK, I do need to give it more credit and see if I can figure out full ride there as it will move higher up on my list.

Thank you so much for your reply!

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CC senior experts, is Rose-Hulman good option for OP?

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That does give an arbitrage opportunity if you want a major in the shared engineering division. Apply to both and then you can choose whichever one costs less if you get into both.

It looks like computer engineering is in the shared engineering division, but computer science is not (so it would be on the FSU or FAMU campus).

Note that Florida public universities do have a summer session requirement, but you would be exempt of you enter with at least 60 semester credits. If you are subject to the requirement, consider the extra cost and not being able to use a summer for work / internship (students subject to the requirement would preferably do it in the pre-frosh or frosh-soph summer, since summer sessions are biased to lower level courses and later summer work / internship tend to be more valuable).

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Ok, thank you! That’s good to know, I don’t know where I saw it but I had seen a list price of around 30k for bama that’s why I assumed it was full. Thanks for the info

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If he thinks RIT lacks campus life, I am not sure RHIT will appeal either. More in the “nerdy” vein like RIT but much smaller and more isolated. Plus, they do not meet need. Given their major gender imbalance, if he were a female applicant with the same qualifications, I’d be more optimistic about merit, for for a guy, not sure it would get there. Very good school but doesn’t fit the pattern of what OP seems to like, IMHO, and affordability is questionable.

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Thanks! I was not sure. It looked promising but I was not familiar enough with it.

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For a small school, it does have a good selection of upper level CS courses, according to 2023-24 Course Catalog | Rose-Hulman . Some appear to be offered in alternate years, so a student does have to be careful with scheduling.

Of course the OP should check the net price calculator to get an idea of whether it is likely to be affordable.

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I really love FSU, but was wondering how hard it would be to get the OOS fee waiver, I’m pretty sure I meet the requirements with my 4.77UW and 34ACT, but didn’t know how many they give out or it is common at all. Thanks

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Here’s a few things - there’s two scholarships at Bama and they are automatic - you apply and you get. I listed below. The first is for the school - $28.5K and $2500 for engineering.

But again, UAH if you want smaller and Ms State would also give you auto merit.

All that said, I believe FSU awards the OOS waivers based on test score - so you’d do well.

And then yes, there’s other schools that might get you to cost and again, run the NPCs on some meets needs schools - and Rice at $70K is full ride. But you have to apply to schools that might be easier admits - so a Miami, Rochester type and you can also run schools that don’t guarantee to meet - someone said RHIT.

In the end, when you have a budget, you have to have at least one school that is assured to make cost - and you have that with UTK, UAH, UA, Ms State and I’m sure I’m missing some.

Then schools that might make budget - FSU - and I don’t want to say U of SC, Miami of Ohio would make budget.

And then you can go for your reaches - but best only to apply to those that either the NPC shows it’ll be affordable - or that they have scholarships to meet your need. SMU has the Presidential for example. W&L the Johnson (no CE), I think Ga Tech has Statmps, for example.

While I was full pay, I imposed a $50K budget - and so while my kids applied to schools that cost more than $50K, they only applied to schools that could get below. So then you can add in addition to Rice, a Vandy, Emory, WUSTL types as they have big merit opportunities - I think more than Duke but again, if the Duke NPC comes in right, then go for it.

I listed every school that meets need - you might check the NPCs of the less competitive schools to see where they come in. I say less competitive in that your odds of acceptance are better - but you also need to ensure they have programs you’d like. Schools like Miami, Rochester, Richmond, LACs if interest (may just be CS) like Franklin & Marshall, Union College (which does have CE, etc.).

Hope that helps - but yes, budget first and foremost - what you don’t want is to be strangled for 10 years plus - and taking away your ability to have discretionary income to do fun things.

Out-of-State Freshman Scholarships – Afford (ua.edu)

Scholarships – College of Engineering | The University of Alabama (ua.edu)

UAH - Admission & Aid - Freshman Out-of-State Academic Scholarships

2023 -2024 Scholarship Sheet for Freshman Out-of-State Residents (msstate.edu)

Here’s Every College That Offers 100% Financial Aid (prepscholar.com)

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-------UPDATE-------

Here’s what I’m now thinking for my college list based on all of the helpful advice you guys have given me. Of course, it will change, but after doing research all day and taking advice here’s my updates…

Safties:
UTK - more interested in now that everyone says its a good choice
U of bama - good merit

Targets:
U of Miami 18k/y
LeHigh - really good aid 9k/y
CWRU
FSU - hoping for OOS fee waiver, love this school
U of Rochester - good aid 18k/y

Reach:
DUKE - ED
UVA,
UNC,
Vanderbilt - TN resident
Rice - great aid/full ride
Boston University - 10k estimated cost!!!
Northeastern
WashUStL
GTech

I think this is a much better balance of target schools rather than reaches. I have changed my reaches to only include schools that will give great aid. Need to still work through GTech/Purdue/and UIUC as I love these schools, but probably gonna be too expensive so pointless to apply to. Please let me know if other targets/ reaches should be added or removed. I think just UTK and UA are enough safties as I’m more than happy going to UTK for cheap. Thanks for all of the amazing helpful replies, I would have been screwed without you guys!

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Yeah, ok I’ll look more into bama as I’ll most likely be applying to it as my second safety. Yeah I like Rochester the more I look into it and really like Miami campus/location/student life but from what I can see engineering/cs isn’t that strong, similar to UTK from what I saw (let me know if this is wrong though) U of Miami did have 16k estimated cost, so definitely in range. I will try to keep cost without loans under 20k as that will definitely set me up best for the future, and it looks like I can do it with the new Targets I added. Having under 200k in debt would narrow my career options down significantly, so I think my new school list I just posted will make affordability much better than my original. Thanks for all the information!

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I think GaTech is pointless financially. Sorry, Stamps will go to absolutely best of the best. You have very tiny chance…I have another DD there and we are paying full freight OOS. She had and amazing stats and was legacy, and initially was on waiting list… Pretty much all OOS applicants at GaTech are very good. It is tough to get admitted. Scholarships are not even consideration.
I know one person who was Stamps scholar personally (my age). This guy is off chart smart and had admissions to very top schools. So GaTech was for him low safety (with Stamps :rofl: )

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The smaller colleges like RHIT, Rose-Hulman really don’t thrill me as I do love cs/engineering and will geek out but also love a fun social group/athletics. It would to have athletics at college, not a deal breaker though. I would probably just end up choosing UTK over RHIT or others if I applied, as its a pretty good option.

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Ok :frowning: that makes a lot of sense. I just loved the school as its the only one I’ve visited so far, and close to home, but getting 200k in debt just probably isn’t worth it even with the schools status.

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For your info. BU does not like to be a safety for top students. My DD was denied (accepted to UMICH, CMU and CWRU). My friend’s daughter the year after was accepted to JHU, Yale, Brown and also denied at BU. BU likes ED students. If you do ED at DUKE (great! but do FA preread!), do not bother with BU…

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Yeah Duke does do FA preread, which is one reason why I wanted to apply ED, also it is within a days drive from my parents. Don’t know how I would feel about my ED being in MA, but I will look into it. Thank you for the information!

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I think Duke will be better for you than BU.

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I like your new list and I’m glad you dropped Pitt and Penn State, two great schools, but not financially viable. Ga Tech isn’t - but it’s ok - as you have two definites (UTK and UA).

I think for Ga Tech you have to hit the home run scholarship - which is the Stamps. it won’t happen but if you’re willing to put in the work, then great. If not, then I personally wouldn’t bother or I’d move it to the bottom of the priority so you focus on the other apps first.

Good list - but don’t forget, not only do you need safeties you can afford, but you have to excited for them - so get jazzed. But honestly, once you have these - then the rest of the list should fit your financial needs - but no matter who you add it’s fine - because you have those two fallbacks.

As for your comment on Miami - everyone has an opinion - but you need to look at the curriculum, talk with student advisors. Stop saying - I heard. I heard means nothing. Literally. People develop perceptions and then they become rule.

So Miami - in their career service - it looks like it’s a small program but you might verify that.

They show 100% success (of those who report) with 77% employed full time, with grads employed by:

Apple
ARM
Citizens
Deloitte
ERM Protect
GM
Google
Macedon Technologies
Samsung
Space X

Now why Miami? Do you want a small program (more attention, closer cohort but potentially less electives - but look at curriculum…I don’t know). Would you rather a big program - likely at your state schools. If you like a Miami/Rochester size, look at TN Tech and UAH.

Kids are getting jobs - Miami, UTK - wherever - so find the right school for you - and stop with - this school has a great rep or this doesn’t.

One other to look at and I don’t know if you can get close but run the NPC - RPI.

Good luck.

Home | Stamps President’s Scholars Program (gatech.edu)

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You could also run the NPC for Duke’s basketball rival, Syracuse. It would seem to pass the vibe test, and if UMiami is looking good cost-wise, I think Syracuse would be similar. But I’d also put it in a similar bucket academically with Miami - which is to say, good school but not necessarily better than UTK for CS/CE. In the lake-effect frostbite category (my friend who taught at SU literally used to keep a tally of student frostbite incidents!) I feel like what you’re looking for is URoch academics with SU school spirit/vibe/athletics.

Great that BU looks so affordable; that’s a school that does span those qualities to some extent, IMO.

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