The UC’s consider all 3 UC GPA’s: Unweighted, Capped Weighted and Fully Weighted.
What classes will he be taking Senior year?
How does his HS course rigor compare to other top students?
Are there restrictions on the number of AP classes a student can take or limited to only Junior/ Senior year?
The student is evaluated within the context of what is offered at their HS for the UC’s and CSU’s.
He will take AP Calculus and AP (GOV/ECON) in senior year. He is in the top 9% of the class (ELC). But not sure the about class rank. His school has no limit to number of AP class he can take. He took whatever classes he can handle. With the other activates such as color guard and Taekwondo, he already study until 1/2 AM daily.
Regarding his SAT score, he took two times already. He will take the last time in Aug (target 1400)
Regarding financial aid, I don’t think he will be qualified. Anyway, < 50K budget is best case scenario. We don’t want to overspend his education, we want to save some money for his sister down the road…
High school class rank is not used for ELC. Instead, his GPA compared to the high school’s benchmark top 9% GPA from a recent previous class is used. These GPAs are the UC-recalculated GPAs. Presumably, it is done this way to avoid giving incentive to do cutthroat acts against other members of the current class.
ELC will mean that a UC applicant who does not get into any UC applied to will be offered admission to a UC with space available. In recent history, this has been UC Merced (which does have mechanical engineering).
You can always check by going to the net price calculator page on each college’s web site.
UC’s and CSU’s do not care about class rank but emphasize HS course rigor. SAT scores are only considered for placement. The reason I ask is that his AP classes are more focused on social sciences/history vs STEM other than Math with AP Calculus. That is fine since my own son loved History in HS but did take some AP sciences courses also. I would expect to see at least one of these: AP Physics, AP Chem or AP Bio on his transcript.
No student is expected to have all AP classes but his AP HS course load appears to be light on the sciences for a prospective Engineering applicant.
Will he have the taken the 3 main sciences: Chem, Bio and Physics regardless of level by end of Senior year?
And Arizona will save you a ton. And UAH if willing to go farther - someone else mentioned. You’d be half budget. And likely get a similar outcome.
He shouldn’t be studying til 1/2 AM. It’s too much.
I’d ramp him down.
He doesn’t need to be a stud to get a solid school. He just won’t get as many advanced credits. But even engineers who do typically take 4 years to finish due the the course sequence.
I’d take a foot off the extreme rigor pedal And settle for good rigor. And a better amount of sleep.
My understanding is that if a student wants a particular major at UC Merced, they are much better off applying to it directly rather than relying on being offered admission based on ELC.
Yes, especially if they are applying to CS or engineering.
I believe most, ELC students were admitted to UCM as undeclared this year. To view where the ELC admits started reporting, go here. This year, UCR also admitted some ELC students, although I didn’t see anyone get into UCR for CS or engineering via ELC.
To be competitive for some of the schools on his list, he at very least needs AP physics C. Based on rigor and that he’s targeting a 1400 SAT, I think you need to rethink this list. The match and reaches you listed are very, very unlikely.
My son liked both of those schools a lot, too!
He should definitely keep it on the list if he liked it so much, then
Apply early, and write the essay for Honors. The honors engineering program is amazing.
I have no way of knowing what the chances are for OSU WUE. All I can say is apply and see. However, even without WUE there are ways to bring OOS costs down below 50K, such as dual enrollment with the local community college to fill in some of the basic lower division and breadth requirements. OSU charges tuition by the credit unit. Corvallis is also not a high cost of living area. The engineering school has a great co-op program too, which can help a lot with costs. Students and families have great things to say about it. https://www.mecopinc.org
My son felt that UMN-TC and UC Davis had a similar vibe to Cal Poly and OSU, based on his visits. Friendly, happy, down to earth students. He was mostly talking to Mech E students at these schools.
UMN is a great school, gives an early decision if you apply earlier, and with merit which they give, could work. I believe they charge an engineering premium if I remember but can still possibly make cost. The comparison to OSU and UCD is interesting from the immediate surrounds. They have aero there. And easy transport with a large airport
OSU seems to be $55k but with WUE or Provost and other possibilities you mentioned, seems a good shot.
Yes, for both UMN and Oregon State, you can apply very early in the season, and receive rolling decisions relatively quickly for both admission and merit.
