Chance me for top engineering schools

Applying to College
1

<p>Well I never thought I would do this, but here I am making a chance thread. Mainly because I have one question that I will get to later, but I figure you need this information too. First off I want to be an electrical engineer. I am interested in schools like Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Berkeley... you know the list.</p>

<p>Here are some of my main classes I have taken (I am going into the 12th grade this coming school year)</p>

<p>7th:
-Algebra 1 A/B</p>

<p>8th:
-Geometry Honors A/A</p>

<p>9th
- Algebra 2 Honors A/A
- Honors general science A/A
- Honors English 1 A/A
- Honors American history A/A</p>

<p>10th
- Precalc Honors A/A
- AP Bio A/A
- AP psychology A/A
- Honors English 2 A/A
- Honors world history A/A</p>

<p>11th
- AP Calculus AB A/A
- AP U.S. Govt A/A
- AP Environmental Science A/A
- English Honors 3 A/A
- Drafting 1</p>

<p>12th (What I am taking next year)
- AP U.S. History
- AP Computer Programming online class
- D.E. English 1
- D.E. Chemistry
- Physics Honors
- D.E. Calculus 2 and D.E. Calculus 3 (or AP Calculus BC online class)
- Drafting 2</p>

<p>Now my school is not the best, I am basically the best they have to offer. It does not have many AP classes. I do not have AP physics or chemistry. I took all the AP sciences we have. Not much AP social studies either besides what you see above. I have run out of math to take at my school so it is either dual enrollment or online class (this depends on the time of day and scheduling).</p>

<p>SAT MATH 2 - 760
SAT Biology E - 760
ACT with writing - 32
GPA 3.93 unweighted, 4.46 weighted</p>

<p>Biracial- 50% white and black if that adds up to anything.</p>

<p>Now for ECs and this is where my question is.
-I am the only kid in my school who competes in the county science fair. I won some awards there and won some at the state competition.
- I won a 1st award at a solar competition
- I have competed on the math bowl until it was canceled because of funding
- I am on the science club
- A member of the national honor society
- Some other stuff I probably forget</p>

<p>But I admit that my passion is not in school clubs, playing sports, singing or other things. Half those things I can not even do.</p>

<p>No my passion is in building robots and electronics. I am a member (admin on one) at many sites where I help members solve electrical, mechanical and programming problems. I have helped college students and sold products I have designed. My website is here: Patrick</a> McCabe Makes</p>

<p>I spend probably all day working on robots if I have nothing to do. So some might say I am dedicated to a single hobby, but I like to think it is multiple hobbies. I program in many languages, I design circuits and printed circuit boards, I also design hardware and manage a website.</p>

<p>I have done things that I see people in college doing. I am wondering how much of an influence will my in depth hobby have? I have not won national top awards for them, but I like to think it is because I do this for fun. My projects are not always the best thing for a science project, because they simply are not. They are things I do for fun not for some prize.</p>

<p>Well that is about it. If you read that then you just did more reading then I have done this summer.</p>

2

<p>You’ve got a good shot at top engineering schools. Your work in robotics is particularly impressive (that website would blow and adcom away)-- something you should make sure ends up well described somewhere in your application.</p>

3

<p>MIT – Reach. While your test scores are by no means bad, they are just slightly below average at MIT. It may be beneficial to do a re-take in October (an easy one would be to get your Math 2 to 800).</p>

<p>Stanford – Same as above.</p>

<p>Caltech – Reach. Out of all the schools I have seen, IMO Caltech places the most emphasis on raw test scores, especially Math. You didn’t post the ACT breakdown, but unless you got a 35 or 36 in Math, it’s going to be tough.</p>

<p>Berkeley/UCLA – Match; Slight-Safety if you’re from CA.</p>

<p>Carnegie Mellon – Match.</p>

<p>Your work with Robotics does stand out, but I’m not sure if one aspect of EC will make a huge difference on a college app. Perhaps if you incorporate it into your essay?</p>

4

<p>Wow. If you can’t get into those schools, I’m not sure who could. You’ve amazed me–I’m thinking you could amaze some adcoms as well.</p>

5

<p>Right, the technical institutes will be tough because the test scores a little low. But you do have excellent EC’s, which very well may override tsome fo the numbers. Ok chacne at techs, good chance at everything else.</p>

<p>Chance me: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1168384-chances-couple-toptier-other-colleges.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1168384-chances-couple-toptier-other-colleges.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>woohoo another roboticist! I’m nowhere near as proficient as you (I’m the mechanical lead for my FRC team), but it’s great to see you loving robots. I think the only thing really hurting you is your scores. You can easily get an 800 in math 2 if you study hard this summer. Make sure you aim for that. Also, your essays will be key. Explain your situation and all your projects.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

7

<p>I am really impressed. I love the chess robot! I don’t know about chancing, but if you are not an engineer, then who is?</p>

8

<p>Thank you everyone for your comments.
My ACT breakdown is:
English - 29
Math - 35
Reading -32
Science - 31</p>

<p>I do feel like I can raise my SAT math level 2 and my ACT score. I have only taken the math level 2 test once and ACT twice. </p>

<p>Being that I have yet to actually take a chemistry class and Carnegie Mellon requires that you take the Chemistry SAT subject test, I do not think I will be able to apply there as much as I want to.</p>

<p>I am glad to hear that my hobby might stand out, but I do realize my scores are mediocre for these schools. </p>

<p>Some other schools I might try are UIUC, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Cornell, Rose-Hulman, Harvey-Mudd, and Cooper Union.</p>

9

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<p>You have a very good chance at MIT, although there are some slight reservations with your test scores. It is good that you have the 35 in math ACT.</p>

<p>I am impressed with your robotics work, and I think your URM status would make you automatic everywhere except Caltech (whereas, without it, I’d say you had a good chance.) The profile of a Caltech admit is someone who looks like they would be an outstanding physicist even if they are choosing another field, so you don’t fit that profile as much. So Caltech is a high reach, especially with a non-800 math SATII.</p>

10

<p>BTW, I think the OP would make a great addition to the MIT campus.</p>

11

<p>Caltech would not be my first pick anyway. I am glad to hear your opinion of my chances at MIT. I am going to try my best to raise that SAT math 2 score. I put 800 with in my realm of possibility. </p>

<p>I am a bit confused by what “OP” stands for in your last comments. Thanks again.</p>

12

<p>Regarding course choices for senior year in high school:</p>

<p>Dual enrollment Calculus 2 and 3 will let you learn more than AP Calculus BC, which will repeat much of what you learned in AP Calculus AB.</p>

<p>Dual enrollment Chemistry and Physics (the “for scientists and engineers” versions) may be better accepted than AP at same state public universities (Which state do you reside in? If California, see [Welcome</a> to ASSIST](<a href=“http://www.assist.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.assist.org) to match community college courses with major requirements at UC/CSU, including Berkeley).</p>

<p>Dual enrollment English composition may be accepted for English writing requirements without needing to take an AP or other test.</p>

<p>However, if some of the schools you are considering accept AP better than community college credits, you may want to take the dual enrollment courses but also take the AP tests in those subjects if you decide to attend such a school.</p>

<p>Regarding major choice, some schools have a standalone Electrical Engineering major, while others combine it with Computer Science / Engineering, calling it Electrical Engineering and Computer Science or Electrical and Computer Engineering. In the latter case, if you are interested in both subareas, you may be able to decide your emphasis around junior year without having to change major, as you would have to do if Electrical Engineering were a separate major from Computer Science.</p>

<p>Also, the EE/EECS/ECE major at some schools have a large list of required junior and senior level courses, while others (e.g. Berkeley) give you a great deal of choice in selecting junior and senior level courses for whichever subarea you decide to emphasize.</p>

<p>You can compare your stats to Berkeley and other UCs here:
[University</a> of California - Freshman admission profiles](<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/profiles/index.html]University”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/profiles/index.html)
[University</a> of California: StatFinder](<a href=“http://statfinder.ucop.edu%5DUniversity”>http://statfinder.ucop.edu)</p>

<p>Is cost (net of non-loan financial aid) a concern?</p>

13

<p>Thank you for the information on the different major choices. I am interested in both Computer Science and Electrical engineering. </p>

<p>I live in Florida. I do not have the option of AP Chemistry or AP Physics. The best I can take is D.E. chemistry and physics honors at my high school. It is not really my choice either whether or not I take Calculus 2 and 3 or AP Calculus BC. Calculus 2 and 3 is taught at the local college right in the middle of school, if one of my other classes like AP U.S. history or Physics is during that time then I can simply not take it. In that case the best math option left is taking AP calculus BC online. I will try hard to get the Calculus 2 and 3 classes, but it is really up to how flexible my schedule is and how much my school administrators will work with me.</p>

14

<p>Hmmm, looked at your web site – the award implies you are a Florida resident? Presumably, University of Florida would be your safety?</p>

<p>You may also want to consider the following schools which offer good engineering, but some of which may be safer admissions-wise than the most highly selective schools already named:</p>

<p>Cal Poly (SLO)
Georgia Tech
Maryland (College Park)
Michigan (Ann Arbor)
Purdue
Texas (Austin)
UCLA
UCSD
USC
Wisconsin (Madison)
Virginia Tech</p>

15

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<p>Note that if you are likely to be more interested in Computer Science, Berkeley offers an interesting major arbitrage opportunity – there is a Computer Science major in its College of Letters and Science (L&S CS), as well as an Electrical Engineering and Computer Science major in its College of Engineering (EECS). EECS is generally regarded as being more difficult to get into. For L&S CS, you would apply to L&S and enter as undeclared, then declare around sophomore or junior year. A few majors are oversubscribed and require applying to declare (based on GPA in major courses), but L&S CS is not one of them. However, note that transferring into EECS from L&S does require applying to do so.</p>

<p>L&S CS does require about six or seven junior and senior level CS courses, although additional elective courses in EE are allowed. EECS gives you free choice among EE and CS courses for your junior and senior level major courses. So EECS would still be the preferred choice if you may want to emphasize EE and not take that many junior and senior level CS courses.</p>

<p>[Degree</a> Programs | EECS at UC Berkeley](<a href=“http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/education/degrees.shtml]Degree”>http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/education/degrees.shtml)</p>

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<p>Yes I do live in Florida and have UF as my safety. I will look into the schools you have listed, some of which I have already researched. Thanks again.</p>

17

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</p>

<p>OP = original post or original poster (you)</p>

18

<p>How does the chess robot handle en passant captures and pawn promotion?</p>

19

<p>I am glad you are interested in my projects. Currently neither of those things are incorporated in the programming. I move from project to project adding features and changing things. Those will be my next additions to the robot along with a holder for my netbook that runs the chess engine code. Oh, and I have to re-implement my code that allows the robot to be controlled over the internet. I removed this when updating the chess engine. With the internet control will come more features than were previously accessible over the internet.</p>

<p>Currently I am working on a new 4 wheel rover, developing a LCD backpack micro-controller board, and revising my newest project (my custom transmitter) in order to make it a kit. So I have about 3 things I need to be writing operational code and example code for.</p>

20

<p>Pawn promotion may be tricky, since it may involve needing pieces not normally present. The most common case is one extra queen, but theoretically up to eight extra pieces (any combination of queens, rooks, bishops, and knights) of one side could be needed. Perhaps a promoted pawn can just be designated as “invisible” if the needed piece is not present. :)</p>