So my son applied and has a great ACT (35C; 35S and 36M), lots of APs, a 4.8 gpa for junior year, but a whole bunch of Bs fresh and soph year so his class rank is a depressing 37%. …he wants comp sci but I know it’s getting so competitive and wonder if his bad class rank will push him out months and months before he gets a decision from UMN. There are so many strong applicants for comp sci–at all the schools on his list, which are mostly very highly ranked in engin/comp sci per his insistence–that I’m concerned. I know everybody says holistic review but can’t help but wonder if rank puts him in the wrong stack from the getgo…
Oh, and uw gpa is 3.63 and w is 4.02. Taking 7 ap classes this year, took 4 last year, did CS50 online, summer programs in comp sci. Wouldn’t be worried except for low gpa/rank.
@s16s18s21s25 is your son applying to CSE? If he’s set on UMN he can also apply to CLA as a backup with the thought of transferring later on. He’ll certainly get into CLA at a minimum based on his ACT and GPA stats. My D1 had a similar story last year (even worse grades going into Junior year) and got into CLA with a 3.4 (uw) and a 33 ACT.
Keep in mind, too, that course load matters and he’s obviously doing his best there.
Finally, your son has an opportunity to explain his remarkable turnaround on his application via the personal statement. He he didn’t do so yet, he can contact Admissions about amending his application to include one. He can also ask a teacher to submit a rec. letter if he thinks that would help.
Good luck to him!
That’s good to hear about your D. I see all these stats like 90% of the freshman class was in the top 10 percent of their class and it concerns me. His essay addresses playing football and baseball, and how after concussions and his grades dropping he quit sports to focus on academics. At least we have the test score–his first one was a 30 so at this point I think he has done the best he can in light of his grades.
@s16s18s21s25 he sounds like a great kid with a good head on his shoulders. It takes maturity to make the decisions that he did. Also sounds like he has a medical reason for the grades slipping, similar to my D (not a concussion but something that was medically treated nonetheless). That has to be taken into consideration.