Chance me/Match me, Asian male for CS

Chance Me / Match Me!
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1

I am unsure about applying ED or EA .

Demographics:

I am an Asian male, US citizen, Midwest.
public school

Intended Majors: Computer science

Unweighted HS GPA: 3.89
Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): 4.52
Class Rank: no class rank but in top 5 percentile of a class of 432 students
ACT Scores: 35

Coursework:
Took AP human geography, AP European history, AP physics 1, AP English, AP calculus BC, AP computer science A (Java).
Currently taking AP computer science principles, AP statistics, AP physics 2 and AP English literature.

Accelerated math program
I will have four years of Spanish

Awards:
AMC math contest
national merit semifinalist
recognized for academic achievement in highschool freshman, sophomore and junior years

member of math national honors society
member of national honors society
member of science national honors society
member of English national honors society
awarded first in regional science Olympiad event

Extracurriculars
(Include leadership, summer activities, competitions, volunteering, and work experience)

Not extensive enough based on my research.

marching band
science Olympiad club
KAY club - local volunteering
AMC math competition
worked in fast food

Essays/LORs/Other:
(Optionally, guess how strong these are and include any other relevant information or circumstances.)

still working on the essays and LORs

Cost Constraints / Budget

Not applying for financial aid, interested merit scholarship

Schools

  • Safety *
    Purdue
    University of Illinois Urbana Champagne
    University of Washington Seattle
    University of Wisconsin Madison

  • Likely *
    UT Austin
    Georgia tech
    Wash U - St. Louis
    UCLA
    University of Michigan

  • Reach
    UC Berkely
    Cornell
    Harvey Mudd
    Carnegie Mellon
    Rice
    Brown
    Duke
    Vanderbilt
    Dartmouth
    Olin college of engineering

2

UCLA should be in the Reach category with around a 5% acceptance rate for CS. The UC’s offer little merit around $2000-2500/year for the top 1-2% of applicants.

You look like a competitive applicant so best of luck.

3

If you are really interested in merit scholarships then you need to apply at schools known to provide merit scholarships!

Start reading at Class of 2022 National Merit Discussion - Scores Release - Financial Aid & Scholarships / National Merit Scholarships - College Confidential Forums

Also I think that your safety schools should be recategorized as likely schools and your likely schools as matches.

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4

University of Washington for computer science is not a safety for anyone, even in-state.

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5

Not sure what state you are from as you didn’t say. I would suggest that you apply to your state flagship as a safety/likely as you don’t have any true safeties on your list. Because you are going for CS, admit rates will be much lower than the overall admissions rate for each school. Most of your “likely” schools are not likely at all - they are reaches for all students. That being said, I think you have a good chance at Purdue and Wisconsin. If you are looking for CS admits that aren’t as tough, but offer great programs, you might want to consider RPI, WPI and RIT. The former would be matches and RIT a good safety. You look like a really strong student and have the stats for all the schools you’ve listed, however, CS is a tough admit so you should add more matches/safeties so you don’t get shut out.

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UIUC is a reach for CS with a 4% acceptance rate (2020) for the major in Grainger. UWashington is also a reach
it’s CS/CE acceptance rate for OOS students this year was 3%: Freshmen by the numbers | Office of Admissions

Purdue and Wisconsin are probably matches, but you have to apply EA. Are you in-state for either? If not, what is your home state?

All of your likelies are reaches. So
you need to pare down your reaches, by my count you have 17
you won’t be able to do a good job on all of those applications. You also need one at least one affordable safety school.

Also, many of the schools on your list don’t provide merit aid
is that a necessity? What is your budget?

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Most of your safeties and likelies are reaches for CS.

Olin does not have CS as a major.

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According to official website, the U of Washington CS acceptance rate for OOS in year of 2020 is 2.35%. 68 offered out of 2893 applied. It’s definitely not a likely school for everyone.

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Five of the likely schools should be your reach schools, plus UIUC and U of Washington CS.

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What state are you in? Your in state flagship is best.

None of the honor societies don’t matter. If you did stuff in them
ie activities
that could matter.

Wisconsin is a match. The rest are reaches.

This is CS, not history.

You have schools like Ga Tech and Michigan as a match.

You could apply to your entire list and get into one or even none. I suspect you will Wisconsin.

Your test score and first year grades won’t count at the UCs.

You definitely need to add some ‘likelies’ and safeties such as Arizona, UTK, Pitt, etc.

You have strong credentials. But not for CS.

Good luck.

Ps. You say you are a male but your title says Girl. I ask bcuz a female in CS will have better odds at some schools.

11

Completely agree with everyone here. My son went through this last year. We underestimated many colleges and put them as safeties. Computer Science is highly impacted. A lot of colleges that we thought safeties were not safeties at all. Even with your GPA and ACT, all schools you listed may be reaches.

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