Thanks so much for your reply! Robotics is her big passion–and CMU and Berkeley both shine there…not so sure about UT Austin ECE program…
CMU is clearly #1 in Robotics. It is no accident that UBER’s autonomous vehicle program is located in Pittsburgh. Take the following link with a grain of salt, but it also ranks UT-Austin highly in Robotics:
http://www.gradschoolhub.com/best/robotics-engineering-schools/
You might get more replies if you post in the College Search & Selection forum, and in the UT-Austin and Berkeley forums.
Thanks for the suggestion–I’m new to cc 
And thanks for the link!
@obsessivemom - Try this group also
@HailuMu, Is there a date in which all schools need to inform you of their financial awards / FAFSA? Thanks!
As someone who spent 12 years in college and who has hired engineers, I would not hesitate to hire an engineer from UT Austin and would consider it equivalent to Berkeley. Free is almost always better, but free compared to 150k with equivalent schools is a no-brainer.
For what it’s worth. The top feeder schools for Google, Apple or Facebook:
http://tech.co/top-feeder-schools-attend-want-job-google-apple-facebook-2015-01
@Old_parent Thanks so much for the input–much appreciated! And the feeder school list is great, @TiggerDad! Thanks!
That I’m not sure of but since a lot of schools have not yet released acceptances I’m sure that date is not yet if that’s the case. We are primarily waiting on two FA packages. We have one that is more than sufficient in DD top three. She has declined at the other schools she is no longer considering already. @tpcrd66
S long wait on acceptances is now at an end. Now he only needs to decide and travels East next week to work on that. He is at 11-3-3 (Accept/Reject/Waitlist)
Accepts: Lehigh, WPI, Brandeis, Lafayette, School of Mines, Purdue, Santa Clara, UCI, UCSC, UCM, UNC,
Denies: CMU, UCD, UCSB
Waitlist: CWR, RPI, UCSD
some of the decisions seem oddly arbitrary on the deny/waitlist in particular, but always a little bit of “roll of the dice”
S is pretty happy with results and I feel like he targeted well. If he got no rejects I think he would have felt like he didn’t reach enough.
So glad he/we are in the final stages of selection and of course am a super proud parent!
With one day remaining until the final schools report my daughter has just now come out the funk caused by getting rejected by three reach schools. She’s been accepted at some very good private schools with merit money, but it’s not yet generous enough to justify leaving our excellent state schools. After tomorrow we should have the choices down to 2 or 3 schools. After walking on eggshells the last few weeks, I’m just happy to put this “adventure” behind us.
@Old_parent As one old parent to another…I hear your pain. I feel like we have been living in “College App Jail” with our S for the last 9 months.
BEWARE OF HOUSING FOR NON-GREEKS…you can end up in very bad housing 2nd year
I am so glad this process is over for my D. It seems like this year was ultra competitive. I am extremely impressed by all the stats I’ve seen from everyone.
Here’s where we netted out:
Accepted: Temple (loans only); Delaware: (grant and loans)
Rejected: Penn State main campus; Syracuse
Alternative admission: Pitt (didn’t get into Main but got into Bradford with a huge scholarship and loans).
D has around a 3.4-3.5 with 1170 SAT, AP and honors classes and youth group/volunteer/community service plus she works a PT job.
D is going to Temple as a biology major because it’s a great school, it’s relatively affordable compared to other options, and it’s close (we live in suburban Philly). She also happens to be a 3rd generation legacy (me, my husband and my parents are all alums). She’s very excited about her choice and so are we.
Only 4 more years until I have to do this all over again for my son…
The long frustrating wait continues
Good news : 4-0 acceptances at public safeties/reaches.
Bad news: 0-8 acceptances and 4 wait list at private reaches.
Hoping to get off one of wait lists that are 5/6 on my son’s priority list.
Very good stats, scores in top 25% of all reaches, Strong ECs and Weighted GPA > 4.5. Scratching my head as to what went wrong. Essays seemed to be strong.
@superbowlwinner nothing “went wrong”. I hope your son goes to school who is happy to have him. Four acceptances is a great accomplishment. You and your son should be very proud.
My son, whom I am SO HAPPY for, and who has overcome so much adversity has so far gotten into:
UT Austin, U of Washington, Boston College, Duke University, Columbia University, Dartmouth, Brown, U Penn, Cornell, UC Berkeley, Princeton, and Harvard! 4-yr, full-tuition ROTC scholarship that can be used at all of the above schools.
If you knew his story and how much he has overcome, you’d be choked up like I am now. Very proud dad!!
@SoleCustodyDad Wow. Congratulations. That’s extremely impressive. I’m so happy for your family! I wish you two the best!
@SoleCustodyDad --Welcome and CONGRATS!! What a lifechanger for your family, eh?? Some day you should give us the story!
So PROUD of your son! Brought TEARSssss to my eyes! For me and my son, HARVARD BOUND, 2021!!!