<p>Hi everyone! I'm really struggling, and hopefully I can get some direction</p>
<p>College list: Cornell, UIUC, UNC, UMASS-Amherst, Rutgers-New Bruns., RPI,UMD-College Park, Penn State
Major: Computer Science
GPA: 4.3 (weighted). I have no idea what it is unweighted. I've only gotten 2 B's throughout high school and they were in english ( I'm not strong in english )
SATs: 720 CR 660 M 660 W (E 11)
SATII's: 760 Math II, 770 Chemistry
AP Tests: 4 Chem 4 Comp Sci and 2 English Lang(LOL)
ECs: Marching Band- Pit Percussion Captain, Winter Percussion- Percussion Captain, Animal Shelter Volunteer(40 hrs).
Field Work(or internships/job stuff.. idk how to describe it): Seton Hall Law - Summer Web Assistant(Frosh Summer), Database Manager for Graduate Medical Research(Soph Summer), Web Development Assistant(Junior Summer)
College Experience: NYU Precollege 4 credits in CS
I'm a white male from New Jersey (i know.. it sucks) but my parent's were from portugal and italy and didn't go to school. My sister went to Middlesex County College.. and got an Associates Degree.. so idk if I'm considered first generation college...</p>
<p>Well - I know Cornell is not much of an option, but I'm retaking my SATs in October. Hopefully i'll be able to get at LEAST a 700 in math because I am a really strong math student, it's just idk SAT math i seem to really screw up. Do I honestly have much of a chance? If I don't then I totally get it haha feel free to be blunt
I also am really confused. All college tours i've been on I haven't really gotten a vibe from the school. Cornell has a beautiful campus but it's just a bunch of architecture for me. I can't really see myself somewhere unless I'm actually there. So idk! Am I supposed to really feel something from the school? Is it normal for me to just be like meh.. it is what it is?
Also finances are an issue for me, my parent's are in the higher income bracket but they're not willing to pay full tuition. I'm probably going to have to take out loans, so i'm looking at state schools with good comp sci programs because they'll stay on the relatively cheaper side. If I have to take out loans then **** it, i'll take out the loans, but if you can recommend good schools that I should swap that would be cool.
Lastly, I'm trying to have a really fun time in college. Like I'm not saying I want to party everyday, but I need a social life. I'm living there for four years, and I want to say that college has been the best four years of my life, so I'm pretty sure that those schools are good for that, but if there are any to add that would be great :)</p>
<p>Cornell: Reach
UIUC: Low Reach
UNC: Low Reach
Rutgers SAS: Safety
UMass Amherst: Safety
RPI: Low match
UMD: Low match
Penn State: Safety</p>
<p>A 4.3 and only two B’s either your school weights weird or you don’t take rigorous classes.
Anyways GPA is good I agree getting SAT math up would definitely help for a comp sci major. Anyways good luck. And you should find more matches it looks like you have all reaches and safeties</p>
<p>My school gives .5 for honors and 1 pt for AP. here are all my grades and my classes so y’all don’t think I’m a slacker lol
Frosh:
Honors English I A-
World History A
Honors Geometry A
Honors Bio A
CP Spanish I A
Percussion Ensemble A
Soph:
Honors English II B+
Honors US I A-
Honors Alg II A-
Honors Chemistry A
Intro Comp Sci A+
CP Spanish II A
Junior:
AP Language B
Honors US II A
Honors Math Analysis A
AP Comp Sci A+
AP Chemistry A+
CP Spanish III A</p>
<p>yeah. BU and American are cool schools- but I’m not sure about how they’re ranked in Comp Sci… :-\ also BU/American are both expensive since they’re private and I want to get a good cs education… I still need more match schools tho so I can get rid of 1 or 2 of my safeties.
Thank you to whoever has been posting for your help :)</p>
<p>As an alum of UIUC I know that CS is strong there, but the problem may be with getting much FA or even merit aid. (I don’t recall UIUC as being a school known for generous FA or merit aid). Have you run the net price calculators of each school? It sounds like you may not be eligible for much aid, and Ivies do not give merit aid, so that might influence you. Does Rutgers have a good CS program, as you would be in state?</p>
<p>You might want to find out what job prospects are like at each school- it would be a shame to go to a school and pay OOS tuition and then have little to show for it after 4 years.</p>
<p>PsychoDad10- See I’m really not sure about Cornell if I’d even be able to afford to go when I get there, same with UIUC. But their programs are just so reputable, that I feel that if I didn’t apply, It would be kinda silly. Also the job prospects coming out of those schools is going to be strong, and if I can get a job right out of college because I went to the right schools- then that would be great, and in turn that would help me get rid of my debt.
With the other schools they all have good programs- well based on NRC rankings and US News Rankings for Graduate programs(I figure if the school has a strong graduate CS ranking, their Undergrad CS ranking although not posted cannot fluctuate that that that much, they still have to be good schools!) are all easily within the top 50. And I feel like my skills match these schools and if I have to pay OOS tuition it wouldn’t be the worst. Rutgers has a good program, and/but it’s 20 minutes away from my house. So i’d be so close to home, and I’m afraid I may lose the college experience for that reason. Also my schools in state aren’t very reputable for CS except for Rutgers.</p>
<p>UIUC would be cheaper than Cornell by a longshot, unless you got FA at Cornell. Campus life at UIUC is pretty solid. As an alum of UIUC I haven’t been too keen on their humanities (I didn’t even encourage my son to apply there), but there sciences and engineering are pretty top notch. If you don’t think it would break the bank for your parents and if you’re looking for something better than living 20 minutes from home, then I would highly recommend UIUC. I don’t know how UNC is for CS, but is a great place to go to school, and it is even cheaper than UIUC as an OOS student, but much more difficult to get into (15% OOS acceptance rate).</p>