Chances for Public Colleges

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Here is a quick look at my transcript:

Freshman Year (GPA 3.481, Rank 387/893 or top 43%):

Chinese 1/2: C
Drafting 1: B
English 1: A
Geometry: A-
Geophysical Science: A
Health 1: A+
ROTC 1: A
World History: A

Sophomore Year (GPA 3.71, Rank 280/866 or top 32%):

Algebra 2/Trig (Honors): B+
Biology (Honors): A
Chemistry (Honors): B+
Drafting / Cad 2: C
Drivers Ed.: B+
English 2 (Honors): B
Financial Lit: A-
French 1: A-
ROTC 2: A

Junior Year (GPA 3.372, Rank 333/843 or top 40%)

AP Calculus A/B: B
AP English Lang/Comp: D+
Drafting / Cad 3: C
French 2: A-
Health 3: B+
Physics 1 (Honors): A-
ROTC 3: A
U.S. History 1 (Honors): B

I am planning on taking both the ACT and SAT, and most likely will get 1300+ on the SAT. My ECs are varsity swim for three years and JV Track for two years, as well as life guarding and library volunteer work. What’re my chances at:

University of Virginia,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
Purdue University,
University of Michigan - Ann Harbor,
New York University,
Temple University,
University of Massachusetts - Amherst,
University of Washington,
William and Mary,
University of Wisconsin,
University of Texas - Austin and
Rutgers University?

2

(My senior year hasn’t started yet)

3

Where do you live? Are any of these in-state?

What major? That can have a significant impact. Engineering/CS at most of those schools will be challenging. Other majors maybe not so much.

What courses Senior year?

Honestly, the downward trend Junior year, with C’s and a D on your transcript will probably make most of these a stretch.

4

UVA and W&M are not realistic.

5

The flagships you listed are going to be big reaches.

NYU is private.

6

The list looks sort of like you’re throwing darts at a road map. Here’s a simple answer. Going out of state is triple the tuition and it’s not worth it. In fact, the vast majority of parents either can’t or won’t pay for it. Go for the one that’s in your home state. If none of them are in your home state, then don’t go to any of them…and apply to the one in your home state.

7

@RichInPitt I live in New Jersey, Rutgers is in-state. I am looking on taking two AP and two Honors my senior year, and as for college I will most likely be going in for CS.

8

@momofsenior1 What about the colleges that aren’t state colleges? Purdue and Temple University for example? What about Rutgers (I live in NJ)?

9

Purdue, Rutgers, and Temple are all public, state supported schools. All three have different tuition and acceptance rates for instate vs out of state students.

Purdue CS is one of the most competitive programs for admission. It would be a big reach. For my D’s admission year for engineering the average was 3.9 GPA/33 ACT/1470 SAT. The CS stats were even higher.

10

UW-Madison, very low.

11

I think Temple is a match. My son was accepted OOS last year with lower stats than the OP has

12

CS is a very competitive major. In addition to Rutgers I would look at Rowan and NJIT as instate public options.

13

Many colleges will not count nonacademic classes toward your GPA. So ROTC, drafting, Driver’s Ed. may be removed and your GPA then recalculated. That will bring your GPA down a bit.

Of your list, you have a reasonable chance at Temple and possibly Rutgers. The rest are unlikely. Given that you are trying for CS, I would look at other NJ schools - Rutgers Newark or Camden, Rowan, NJIT, Montclair State, Ramapo, Stockton, etc. Have your parents told you how much they are willing/able to pay for college? Are out of state options affordable?

Many schools are test optional this year. However, a strong standardized test score might help, assuming you are able to find an open testing center to take one. My advice is to prep hard for it as you may only get one chance. Can you retake AP Lang for a higher grade? A D in a core subject will be noticed.

Best of luck to you.

14

CS direct admit at University of Washington is extremely competitive. I do not believe your stats can make the cut. I’ve known of students with very high GPAs and much higher SAT scores who have been waitlisted or denied. Coming from out of state at UW also puts you at a big disadvantage.

15

Stay with instate schools. I also don’t like your list. Just take out all the big ten. You need to start looking at the student profiles on the sites. The Big Ten schools you mentioned are some of the hardest for engineering to get into. Wisconsin has not been kind to OOS kids in recent years like last 5 or so.
Also recalculate with no plus or minus. As an example Michigan doesn’t weight so only unweighted GPA. That would be 3.93 unweighted with 34 Act.

As stated Rotc, drafting, drivers Ed won’t count but the C in Cad will be seen.

If looking out of state (which I wouldn’t) look at Michigan State. You have to pass requirements through sophomore year to be accepted but it’s a nice program. Iowa State and or University of Iowa. Usually a easier get but both really good programs but tough to stay in but that’s true of any CS program.

Get all As your senior year even if you need to get extra help. This will show schools your getting ready for college.