Unfortunately Stanford has a restrictive EA. So you can’t combine it with another EA school like Caltech.
But what you could do is something like this:
Early round 1: EA Caltech + EA MIT + ED1 Another School
…if deferred from ED then
Early round 2: ED2 CMU or Harvey Mudd
…then simultaneously with ED2 apply RD
RD: rest of your choices
With your accomplishments, I’d probably not ED1 anywhere unless it were your clear first choice because it will be binding. EA Caltech and MIT is not a bad strategy, or SCEA Stanford plus EA/rolling any publics on your list. The advantage of SCEA Stanford is that it is not binding if you get in. Also if you are deferred, it suggests a very strong application given Stanford’s historical high reject rate in the SCEA round.
Is it US or bust, or do you have good home country options that are relatively certain? If so, I might skip any US “safeties” and focus your efforts on fewer applications.
I would second that. Much more manageable.
Thanks, this is very helpful.
Thanks a lot! I am a third-culture kid. So there is no home country option. And my school limits the number of applications to 10. I will be picking safeties in the US.
Thanks! Really helpful to get all your perspectives.
Some other schools to consider:
University of Washington
UC Santa Barbara
Both have computer science programs that are much more competitive than admissions overall and both have a mission to favor in-state students , but you are such a strong candidate I think you could consider them targets.
For a true “safety,” take a look at Oregon State University. Because of its proximity to Washington and California, it is attracting many students from Washington and California who were unable to get into University of Washington or the UC computer science and engineering programs or did not want the pressure of grinding through weed-out courses in order to get accepted into their desired major. It is also on the list linked above of computer science schools for B students.
Out of curiosity, what do you mean by that?
Sorry, not familiar with that term.
Kids who spend their formative years in places that are not their parents’ homeland. I have never lived in my parents’ homeland although I hold a passport from there. We have moved around a bit and have lived in many diff countries.
Because OP is limited to 10 apps, it is critical they get categorization correct. U Washington’s international CS acceptance rate was 4% last year, so a reach, basically as reachy as Stanford. Freshmen by the numbers | Office of Admissions
OP…there have been some good suggestions for safeties, what schools are you considering for your safeties? Will the UC app count only as 1?
Oh, thank you, I did not see there was a 10-school cap.
I agree that University of Washington is more of a reach for computer science, but I do think the 4% admit rate at University of Washington is not the same as the 4% at Stanford.
At UW, he would have to be in the top 4% of international applicants aiming for computer science. I think he could be.
At Stanford, that 4% represents all admits. Only 12% of the 4% are international. If domestic and international students apply at the same rate, his chances at Stanford are more like .5% — more reachy than UW.
But I take your point about carefully cultivating the list.
UC would count as one application and so would UT. So I guess it would make sense to apply to any safety colleges on those two applications if one can even call them safety. But I want to make sure that my safety is also a college I would enjoy and feel challenged at. How do you feel about UT Dallas, Purdue, and Rose Hulman? Would they be a target or safety for me?
I agree. Their computer science program is also very good. I have worked with many Asian CS graduates from U.Mass and the best of them are truly excellent.
I have to wonder what @mothbee’s chances would be at the University of Toronto.
Others would have a better sense than I, but I suspect that UT Dallas and Rose Hulman would be likelies or safeties. Purdue’s engineering is super competitive, and I think that may also be true of its CS program. At most I think that Purdue would be a target.
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