<p>I'm a prospective Electrical Engineering major.</p>
<p>97 WGPA (school doesn't calculate unweighted)
Ranked 2nd Decile
2330 SAT (800 M, 760 CR, 770 W 12 essay)
SAT IIs (projected): 800 Physics 750+ Math I</p>
<p>Junior Schedule:</p>
<p>AP Lang (almost definitely a 5)
Honors Algebra II</p>
<p>Senior Schedule:
AP Chem
AP Bio
AP Micro/Macro Economics
Honors Precalc</p>
<p>Location: NJ
Race: Asian
Gender: Male
Hooks: First generation
No awards besides national merit commended (218)
Unconventional, probably insignificant ECs. No clubs/leadership/volunteering whatsoever</p>
<p>Colleges I'm applying to:</p>
<p>Cooper Union (ED)
Carnegie Mellon
University of Rochester
Rensselaer
WPI
Rutgers (In State)
Drexel</p>
<p>I'd really appreciate any responses or advice.</p>
<p>You have basically perfect math scores on the SAT and SAT II and you’re only taking precalc senior year? And you didn’t even take AP Physics but got an 800 on the subject test? That’s interesting to say the least…</p>
<p>You should be fine for Drexel, Rutgers, WPI, and RPI based on your scores alone but having no ECs/awards or any math/physics APs will hurt you a lot for Carnegie Mellon and Cooper Union. Just out of curiosity…why not participate in any math/engineering related competitions or anything? You seem strong enough in math to do it. Also how did you manage those scores in such a low level math and no AP Physics? Self-studying?</p>
<p>Haha yeah I don’t really know…I got held back a year for math because my seventh grade teacher thought I was too lazy and unorganized for him to recommend me to take Algebra I in eighth grade. I don’t think I’m that great at math or anything but it does come pretty easily to me, as does physics, hence the high scores.</p>
<p>I find it really hard to take math contests seriously. There’s a school required contest that everybody enrolled in an honors math has to participate in, but I usually spend more time playing with the problems toward the end of packet, which I think are oriented to the kids in calc. I never get any right haha</p>
<p>I’m hoping colleges notice the incongruity between my class schedule and test scores the way you did and see a little potential in me.</p>
<p>I suggest you skip precalc and go straight to calculus. You can prepare over the summer. Also swap out apbio for apphyscs. Much more important in engineering unless you are doing bioengineering. Your decile and stats seem inconsistent. A college may just think you are a good standardized test taker. You definitely need a few strong math or science related ECs and either a volunteer or paying job. What do you do all summer? You will also need strong teacher recommendations. </p>
<p>I suggest you look at your overall stats and compare them to the profiles of the schools you listed. You will get the answer to the question you posed by doing that. Most of the the schools you listed are very competitive. They have their pick of students who are strong in every category.</p>
<p>Yeah you’re right about that but I’m already taking a non-AP physics class right now and I think taking AP next year would kind of be an easy path to a good grade. I definitely do not want to take bio considering the workload but I think it’s too late to switch out since next week is our last week of school before finals.</p>
<p>I’m working on filming, editing, and being featured in a full-length skateboarding video over the summer, but that’s about it. Do you really think getting a job this summer will substantially help my application?</p>
<p>Yes. You should maximize all your time and energy if you are applying to a top school otherwise you are wasting an application. Get started now.</p>
<p>Even if the job is just doing menial work in a pharmaseutical lab? That’s probably the best I could do since it’s so late to start applying for summer jobs… I guess I could volunteer at a hospital on the side.</p>
<p>Does anybody else have any opinions? Specifically regarding URochester or Cooper Union. Carnegie Mellon is kind of a pipe dream at this point so I’m not really too concerned about whether or not I get in. I really want to go to UR but I’m EDing at Cooper because I know demonstrated interest is really important to them. Is that stupid of me to do since I would rather go to Rochester?</p>
<p>CU ED is binding so assuming you are admitted, you must attend. The free tuition is deceiving. NYC is a very expensive place to live. Their dorms are one of the most expensive in the country. According to their web site and a review by a student on cap pex dot com, they have no dining room per se. The curriculum is very difficult. I’m not sure if your academic background is a realistic match. </p>
<p>IMO I think you should calculate your GPA, get a summer job, volunteer and show your teachers you are a smart, responsible, mature student worthy of an excellent recommendation. Create a college application list that is realistic by matching your statistics with the college profile of the most recent incoming class. Detailed info on each school can be found on their web site or by googling common data set dot com and the college name. Only apply to colleges you can afford. Don’t forget that costs will go up every year. Use your free time to apply to every scholarship you can find. This is a huge job. In general, you will have more luck with local scholarships. Look on your school’s web site, ask your guidance counselor, contact someone in your town or local government. </p>
<p>You have a lot to do. If you put your mind to this, you will be successful. Success is ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration.</p>
<p>Generally, if you apply for financial aid, but CU doesn’t offer enough to over their high expenses, you can decline the ED offer and apply RD elsewhere. You could ask CU to make sure.</p>
<p>@FlMathMom</p>
<p>Of course NYC is expensive but I don’t think that just paying living costs would exceed tuition, room and board, and other expenses at Rochester. In the Cooper Union forum, a current student just broke down the costs and said it should cost about 20k a year, which is almost definitely more than what I’d have to pay at Rochester. I don’t think cost is really too big a problem at CU. I am a little scared of the workload, but that’s why I’m loading up on a lot of the harder, work intensive APs next year.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for the advice. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.</p>
<p>@vonlost</p>
<p>Thanks. I’ll email them soon</p>
<p>any more thoughts on my chances at these schools</p>