<p>I'm a High School Junior, and the schools in question are:
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona)
Case Western Reserve University
University of Southern California
Rochester Institute of Technology
Georgia Tech
University of Michigan
Purdue</p>
<p>I know that's a lot of questions, but any feedback is appreciated! As for my credentials:
GPA: 3.75 UW, 5.02 W
AP's: Will have taken 10 by the end of senior year
SAT: 1900 <a href="Have%20only%20taken%20it%20once.%20Just%20took%20it%20for%20my%20second%20time%20but%20I%20actually%20studied%20this%20time">670 M, 620 CR, 610 W</a>
ACT: 28 composite (same as SAT situation, except I haven't taken it yet for the 2nd time)
Sports: Absolutely none
Extracurriculars:
National Honor Society
Math Honor Society (Tutor)
I play the cello in school and city-wide symphonies. I've been invited to play alongside pros and a statewide symphony for which you must audition to get in
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Male</p>
<p>Any feedback is appreciated! If anyone needs any other information to better examine my chances, feel free to ask</p>
<p>Where is your home state? Your URM status may help a little bit, but your GPA and test scores (particularly the Math score) are both too low for most of the engineering schools on the list. For your reference, the average admission GPA for UMich CoE was 3.9 and mid 50 ACT was 31-34. USC and GA Tech are both reach too. Case Western would be low reach. Purdue should be a high match.</p>
<p>Yes, I probably should have specified. My home state is Florida. I will (hopefully) be first generation college bound, and my parents are first-generation immigrants.
Also, my intended majors are either Aerospace/Aeronautical engineering, or computer science.
Thank you for the reply! Are there any schools you suggest for me based on the credentials?</p>
<p>You should probably look at your in state flagship.</p>
<p>ERAU - Reach
Case Western - Reach
USC - Reach
RIT - High match
GT - Reach
UMich - Reach
Purdue - Low match</p>
<p>ERAU is more difficult to get into than RIT? How did you come to that conclusion? According to the Collegeboard, ERAU’s average scores are significantly lower than RIT’s.
Also, thanks for the reply!</p>
<p>I can comment on Embry-Riddle since I graduated from there relatively recently (Prescott campus). It is not a reach school in your case (more like a low match/safety), however, the quality of the engineering program offered is top notch in spite of that. ERAU is a special school in that, because of their highly specialized offerings, their applicant pool is much smaller than that of other “broad-spectrum” public or private schools. This pushes their selectivity number higher and test scores lower. In other words, it’s a school that is moderately easy to get in to, but the rigor tends to wash out a good number of students (as evidenced by the graduation rates). </p>
<p>Therefore, even though ERAU is a low match/safety, the actual quality of the school is reflective of a much more selective school. They have a very strong aerospace engineering program, and it continues to grow every year. I encourage you to check them out!</p>
<p>Purdue engineering cannot be a low match although it is not as difficult to get in like UMich CoE. It is ranked #10 bu USNWR. </p>
<p>Thanks for the replies!
@fractalmstr Yes, I also know a grad student at the Daytona campus whose opinion reflects yours accurately. Do you think the educational quality of the Prescott campus is the same as the Daytona campus?</p>
<p>@andizam
The Daytona campus has historically received more funding for new equipment/labs/buildings, however, this has changed over the past 10 or so years. A significant amount of money was invested into the Prescott campus from 2002-2008 - brand new library, new labs, upgraded labs, upgraded observatory for astronomy students, new cafeteria, student union, outdoor amphitheatre, the list goes on… Needless to say, the Prescott campus looks amazing now! </p>
<p>As for educational quality, I don’t know for sure, but if I had to guess I would say both campuses are very, very similar. Prescott technically has an edge in terms of more competitive students (higher GPA and SAT scores). It’s certainly not as competitive as say, Caltech or MIT, but Embry-Riddle makes up for this competitiveness by offering a robust curriculum and maintaining high rigor. I suppose it’s similar to Purdue in that regard - moderately easy to get in, but very much a sink or swim environment.</p>
<p>In summary, I think Prescott is the all-around nicer campus. There is nothing particularly wrong with Daytona Beach, but I find the location, campus layout, and aesthetics of the Prescott campus far more interesting. It’s a great school.</p>