<p>I was wondering if someone could help me with my college search.
I'm a Hispanic junior in high school and after a lot of in depth research I realized that my strong suit is math and technology. so I decided that I want to major in computer science. Only problem is, I was lazy and unmotivated my freshman year and half of my sophomore year. I ended sophomore year with a 2.95 (4.0 scale) GPA. I'm planning to end my Junior year with a 3.2. I'm taking the ACT in February and I'm expecting a 26+ on it so I'm wondering if anyone could give me good options. I don't mind if it's in state or out of state. my dream is Virginia Tech or UIUC so could someone tell me some colleges with respectable CS programs? I'm also doubling up on math senior year (taking Pre Cal and AP stats). I live in Tennessee, don't know if that helps or not.</p>
<p>One problem is, can you afford to pay full OOS costs for UIUC or VTech?</p>
<p>Yes, I can afford it.</p>
<p>anyone?</p>
<p>I don’t have first hand experience with CS programs in the south (other than Georgia Tech and the RTP area in North Carolina), but here is a ranking at the Phd level. </p>
<p>I am from Massachusetts, which is a strong state for CS. UMass Amherst is very strong in CS, but not sure if you could get into the CS program directly. UMass Lowell has a good program and is easier to get into. It also has a better location for access to industry internships.</p>
<p>Stonybrook in NY and University of Maryland College Park have very good programs, but I do not know how hard they are to get into.</p>
<p>Good Luck! </p>
<p>UMD, Stony Brook, and UIUC would be a reach for you at 26. VT a low match.</p>
<p>Oops!</p>
<p>I forgot the link!</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.cs.gsu.edu/?q=node/388”>https://www.cs.gsu.edu/?q=node/388</a></p>
<p>thank you!</p>
<p>One thing that will help in admissions is your essays and ECs that discuss all the interesting things you’ve been doing in CS already. The languages you’ve learned, the websites and other programming you’ve done, etc. HS kids are doing this all over, and you should be too. </p>
<p>I realize your original post was brief, maybe you’re already doing this, but that is the concern I have when I read your post. Its easy to plan wonderful things for the future that involve no work or comittment today. Look at all the budding pre-meds you see on this forum, for example, that haven’t done any volunteer work yet or anything else related to theri proposed future. My point is that “a lot of in depth research” needs to be followed up by reality-testing your conclusion, as discussed at length in the book “Decisive” by Chip and Dan Heath.</p>
<p>alright, so what would you recommend I do? I’m learning python on code academy now what else would you have me do?</p>
<p>It’s not “what else would you have me do”. I’m not the one who wants a CS degree. Its up to you to find things of interest or potential to you, something I think you can easily locate. A lot of kids on this forum are applying for CS and they mention in their “chance me” posts what they have done. Or looking on the web you can find plenty such as
</a> Since this is an advice forum, I’d add that your conclusion “I decided that I want to major in computer science” is a bit premature. Far better, IMHO, to say you have an interest in the area and plan to immediately explore it instead of basing your college plans on it. As a junior you have plenty of time to get practice in the field, which it sounds like you’ve already started. That’s good. If by the end of this summer you still find yourself interested after spending a fair amount of time on it then you’ll know its a good choice. A worse approach would be to decide to major in CS but only skim thru a few tutorials online and not spend any real time actually doing it. </p>
<p>The good news is that CS programs are good many places. Not just the top doctoral awarding schools, but at non-doctoral state schools too. But be aware at many places the drop out rate of engineering and CS is brutal. I don’t think you are making sense to aim for UIUC one of the top engineering schools, your grades and scores are going to be a challenge. You have a nice story and upward trend but the ACT is just okay. I think if money is not an issue you might do better to be at a college that is more supportive and less weeder. Also some colleges have CS in Arts and Sciences instead of Engineering and that often goes with a less rigid schedule. </p>
<p>Where I am in CA people want to get into the top tier research unis like the UCs but students from the Cal State system, considered regional schools not national do very well in job placement in CS and engineering. I just met an engineer from Boeing yesterday who went to one. Maybe being in a hiring center helps. </p>
<p>So apply VA Tech but look around a bit more carefully that UIUC where the stats for that dept likely have to be much higher. There are also schools that are easier to get into, like Purdue that would still be very good for the major. It might be harder to get a direct entry to the major some places, but you can transfer in more easily. And some are near impossible. Also visit your instate colleges, since they are at hand and find out a bit more. Can you visit Rhodes? It might be helpful to be at an LAC like that to bring your scholarship up and they have a math and cs offerings, you could see what a college of that size and learning environment is like then look around for ones that do well with CS. Yes, really. It would be a little reachy about the gpa but they are holistic and will listen to your story about your change of scholarship.</p>
<p>Anyway I probably didn’t make great school suggestions for you but just points to ponder since you have time to look around.</p>
<p>that was an extremely helpful answer, thank you so much.</p>
<p>I’ve looked into Rhodes but I don’t like Memphis at all. Purdue sound like a good choice but is it true what they say about it being ridiculously hard to graduate from there?</p>