Chances at Engineering Schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>As a first note, if you have any additional schools that you think I'd like, don't hesitate to mention them : )</p>

<p>SATs: </p>

<p>CR: 740
Math: 710
Writing: 720</p>

<p>Will take SAT subject tests soon. From practice tests, I think I'll get in the upper 700s, but not an 800 for Chemistry, Physics, and Math Level 2. </p>

<p>GPA: </p>

<p>3.4 unweighted
4.1 weighted</p>

<p>*Notably, I had a 3.0 GPA my freshman year, and I've been doing a lot better my sophomore and junior years, so hopefully colleges will see the upward trend</p>

<p>Most classes are honors / AP. This year (my senior year), I'm taking AP Calc, AP Physics, and AP Chemistry, and I'm acing all of them. I don't know if that will matter much... </p>

<p>4.0 GPA at community college, 3 classes taken</p>

<p>Extracurriculars are pretty solid. I've had leadership roles in a couple of clubs, and I'm fairly involved. Nothing like curing AIDS though... </p>

<p>Reach: </p>

<p>Johns Hopkins (Biomedical Engineering)
Carnegie Mellon (Computer Engineering)</p>

<p>Target: </p>

<p>Rose Hulman
Worcester Polytechnic
University of Maryland (College Park)</p>

<p>Safety: </p>

<p>Rochester Institute of Technology</p>

2

<p>You're right in calling Hopkins and CMU reaches; your scores don't quite measure up, at least for their top students.</p>

<p>WPI is great - good choice for a target.</p>

<p>I can't speak for any of the others, but I wish you the best of luck. (And I sympathize with the 3.0 freshman year followed by improvement. More power to you, man.)</p>

<p>I don't know about your financial situation, but if you're serious about engineering, take a look at Stevens Institute of Technology (in Hoboken, NJ.) It's gorgeous, and has a solid engineering program. </p>

<p>Also, race/geographic location might play a role. Just keep it in mind.</p>

3

<p>How much are Hopkins and CMU reaches? Are they like large reaches, or just sort of regular reaches?</p>

4

<p>Your scores are just fine -- a 2170 is above average for the schools you're aiming for. It's the GPA that's hurting you the most. Is your school especially competitive? Or are you including freshman year in that calculation (many schools do not)? In either case, an upward trend is definitely good. How did you do junior year? That's the most important.</p>

<p>If you can distinguish yourself on the app, you'll have a much better chance at JHU and CMU. You do this in your honors/awards, ECs, and especially essays. This would probably work more for CMU than JHU, since you'd be applying to JHU's BME program, which is extremely competitive. You might get into JHU, though, if you have some sort of hook. We'd need to see your ECs/honors/awards, though. As it stands:</p>

<p>JHU - ~10-20%
CMU - ~30%</p>

5

<p>Are the JHU percentages for the BME program or the school overall? </p>

<p>As for my grades: </p>

<p>the 3.4 figure includes freshman year. Here are the year by year figures: </p>

<p>Middle School (I took one class that counted as HS credit): </p>

<p>4.0 unweighted
4.5 weighted</p>

<p>Freshman: </p>

<p>2.9 unweighted
3.2 weighted</p>

<p>Sophomore: </p>

<p>3.9 unweighted
4.3 weighted</p>

<p>Junior: </p>

<p>3.8 unweighted
4.1 weighted</p>

<p>Senior (based on quarterly report cards, classes are mostly 1 semester long): </p>

<p>4.0 unweighted
4.8 weighted</p>

<p>My class does a weight system such that regular classes are A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, honors classes are A = 4.5, B = 3.5, C = 2.5, AP classes are A = 5, B = 4, C = 3. </p>

<p>My school is a fairly successful public school. A few people from the school have gone to Harvard and other Ivies, so we're not that bad, but we're certainly not an elite school or anything. </p>

<p>Also, if its worth noting, my GPA based on core classes (Math, Science, English), is much higher than my overall GPA. Many of my B grades are from classes like Gym and Health 1. </p>

<p>I'd say that I don't have a real hook. I have decent extracurriculars, but nothing amazing or mind-blowing. </p>

<p>Thanks everyone for the advice and opinions.</p>

6

<p>Suggest trying out USACO or ACSL...
just a competition that might help you out!!!
if u are a CSEE major type of guy...
I'm actually teaching AP Computer Science to my school... cuz our school doesn't offer the class so I started a club that teaches this class (im prez for the last two years)
no credits but knowledge is more powerful!
my freshman GPA was 4.2 weighted..
then everything suxed from there (3.67 weighted) until Junior year were I had a 4.12 (which still sux but nevertheless)
and then a 5.0 weighted this year..
SAT I 2000
800 Math
700 Writing
500 Reading <ouch>... taking again in dec..
and then
SAT II
Physics-760
Math L2 - 800
AP scores
CS AB 5
Calc AB & BC 5s
Physics C: Elec/Mech 5s
do you think I have a chance?
lot of people say that AP scores are not looked upon for admission just GPA/SAT(I/II)/EC
but I think they say that cuz they can't get good AP scores... further discouraging people
just write an essay to die for... like a really godly essay that brings out your inner character!
lol
well i can proofread ur essay when ur done...
i hope u will read mine too :)</ouch></p>

7

<p>I'd chance you if I knew where you were applying... </p>

<p>Probably in at Hopkins, CMU, unlikely at Harvard, Princeton, MIT.</p>

8

<p>so I do have a chance in CMU... great!
how about Rice?
I got my application fee waived from them because of my AP scores</p>

9

<p>"Are the JHU percentages for the BME program or the school overall? "</p>

<p>I was talking strictly the BME program.</p>

10

<p>I mean ECE.. Electrical/Computer Engineering
are they very different in admission stats?
ill check it up</p>

11

<p>The Computer related departments at CMU are harder to get into. </p>

<p>How do you get exempted based on AP scores? What tests? </p>

<p>As for Johns Hopkins, I'd be elated to get into any engineering/math/computer science program, although BME is my first choice.</p>

12

<p>This is what Rice stated in their admission flyer that was sent to me,
"As an additional reward for your hard work and success in AP courses, Rice will waive the $60 application fee normally required of all applicants to Rice."
Well also when you asked what tests. I already told you (scroll up)
anyways thanks for chancing me
yea CMU gets only a few for their Computer Science program and most of those kids are the creme de la creme... like totally
best SAT scores/GPA/u name it!
but I got USACO under my belt.
Hopefully I go to nationals this year
I didn't do it last year because of several personal reasons <i switched="" schools="">
but anyways thanks again!</i></p><i switched="" schools="">
</i>