Good but not tippy-top student looking for CS matches/reasonable reaches

Chance Me / Match Me!
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Demographics

  • US domestic or international student: US citizen
  • State/Location of residency: Illinois
  • Type of high school: large public, top 10 in the state
  • Gender/Race/Ethnicity: white male
  • Other special factors: nothing like that

Intended Major(s)
CS

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.74, plus 4.00 in three CS concurrent enrollment college courses not on HS transcript
  • Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): 4.41 for HS courses
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 35 (36 M, 36 E, 35 S, 34 R)
    NOT National Merit SF

Coursework
AP and above:
10th: AP CS, AP Calc BC, AP Physics 1, Discrete Math (College)
11th: AP Physics C, APUSH, AP English, Calc 3 (DE), Linear Algebra (DE), Data Structures (College), Objects and Algorithms (College)
12th: AP English Lit, AP Gov, AP Macro and Micro, Probability Theory (College), Intro to AI (College), Computer Architecture (College)

Awards
three-time AIME qualifier (no USAMO)
USACO Gold level

Extracurriculars
some math/CS stuff, nothing exceptionally strong

Essays/LORs/Other
fine, nothing exceptional

Cost Constraints / Budget
my parents will pay around $40,000 a year, a couple thousand in wiggle room but not much, not looking to take much if any in loans, not eligible for need-based aid anywhere (they’ve run the calculators)

Current List of Schools (haven’t applied yet)

  • Safety: Iowa State, Illinois-Chicago, ASU, Utah (probably won’t apply to all)
  • Likely: Michigan State (need $$ but should get it), Stony Brook (same)
  • Match: Purdue, UMass (need $$), RPI (need $$), Maryland (need $$)
  • Reach: UIUC (top choice, but probably won’t get in), Northeastern (need a lot of $$)

Like any other ideas, esp. toward the match/reach end that I have a reasonable possibility of getting down to $40k. Or ideas on the overall balance of the list. Pretty indifferent to location, size, etc., although 2000 students (Rose-Hulman) is too small. Nerdy vibe much better than party vibe.

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Your academics are way better than you make them sound! It seems (from what you say) that you’ve got very, very little in the way of extracurriculars, and you don’t expect your essays to be great (wonder why that is). The lack of ECs could be a problem.

I’m not too familiar with the money component of this but some non-reach schools you can think about are WPI, Stevens, Rutgers, RiT.

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There might be some good Canadian and/or UK options within your budget, if that interests you. They’ll care about your stats (esp. your great test scores) and awards, and not so much about EC’s and essays. If you would like more focus on your major and fewer distribution requirements, these programs might particularly appeal.

You have a good list. For UIUC, are you planning to apply to CS in Engineering, or Math & CS in LAS? Seems like you’re particularly well-qualified for the latter and would have equally good opportunities; if your admissions chances would be better for Math & CS (maybe people more familiar with the school can comment on whether that is the case), it might be a good option.

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All good schools, but I don’t think they’ll come in at the budget the OP needs. I don’t think RPI will either.

I’m no good at “chance me” threads, but I also don’t think with a 3.74 Purdue will be a match for CS.

Safeties, by definition have to be sure admits and guaranteed to be affordable. I haven’t run the numbers on the safeties you chose. They’re all good schools, but none of them participate in a guaranteed tuition exchange program with Illinois.

Two that do, both solid schools are KU and KSU. At either Kansas school, your tuition is guaranteed to be no more than 150% of instate.

Good luck!

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I like your list and the fact that you’ve added some college classes.

Your Iowa State, Illinois Chicago, ASU and Utah are all - as you say safe. But all good schools - so no reason not to apply to all. You may find out of state tuition as good as in-state so it’s more where would you like to go. If you’re unsure, applying to them buys you time for a few bucks.

Your likely are also fine - but I question Stony Brook. Great school but commuter oriented.

Your matches are fine but I’d say Purdue is a reach for the major and UMD may be as well. But that’s fine - because your schools underneath are solid.

UIUC and Northeastern - you are correct - but why not run the NPC for Neastern - because if you get no need based aid, you’re not going to get to $40K.

So if you have ASU, why not U of A - better merit, great Honors College and dorm and just one campus. You may look at schools from Bama, UAH, Missouri Science & Tech, Florida State (you’ll get an OOS waiver - look to see if the school is on the main campus or shared with Florida A&M like engineering which is off), Missisippi State, New Mexico, etc.

Pitt will likely be over budget but you can try. Sit it on a virtual session and they’ll give you a free app waiver (or they did last year - H2P). UMN too - get on their email list (for any school) and many will send you free apps.

For smaller schools, you can try WPI. You might have more luck getting to your # with Florida Tech. Elon too - if you can get one of their scholarships. UAH is smaller and would fit your budget.

Colorado School of Mines will be close to 40K with merit aid. And S Dakota School of Mines will be cheaper and if you love the outdoors - Custer State Park is close by and awesome!! For that fact, you can try Montana State or West Virginia too although WVU is a bit bigger.

Before you pan the South, many of your comrades from Illinois - go South.

Growing brain drain: University of Alabama’s gain in drawing Illinois students is a loss for Illinois - Chicago Tribune

Good luck.

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U should apply to more private schools with majors you are interested in. Schools like the LACs will pay for almost all of your school if u get in and have need. (Three years ago parents making $125,000 or less.) Afterschool jobs, having to take care of siblings, or a passion for reading are all examples of non traditional extracurriculars. Have your English teacher or the best writer at your school review your essay. Lots of other private schools Kenyon, Trinity, Depauw, Drake, BU, BC, pomona, occidental, puget sound, gonzaga, etc will give large merit aid or need awards making the cost similar to your local state schools. With your scores many schools will want you! Cast a wide net and wait for the aid offers to come in and don’t be shy about asking for more $ if your dream school’s financial offer isn’t as generous as others you applied to.

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OP has stated he won’t qualify for need-based aid. Some of these schools do not give merit aid at all (Pomona, for example, and BC except for a very limited number of full-tuition awards), and others max out at half-tuition merit which is not enough to get down to OP’s target price.

Also, OP is quite advanced in math and may need a school where grad-level coursework is available to undergrads. I think his strategy of applying to public flagships that are strong in math and CS and give OOS merit is the right way to go for the most part. There might be a few LAC’s where strength in CS and generous merit overlap - Grinnell comes to mind as a possibility. But for the most part I think he’s right that he’d be better served by a larger university.

In the SUNY system, maybe consider Buffalo as well as SB.

@eyemgh - Illinois has pulled out of MSEP as of just a few months ago, unfortunately : Illinois ends participation in Midwest Student Exchange Program, which saved students millions in college tuition – Chicago Tribune

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I don’t think the MSEP has the “name brand” schools anyway…

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From my D22’s list, Wisconsin and GA Tech would be in the same (need $$) range as Maryland, which is also on her list. GT would be a reach, Wisconsin close to a match.

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Perhaps Grinnell?

I wonder if NC State would come in budget for you? You could try the NPC and look at scholarships offered.

https://studentservices.ncsu.edu/your-money/financial-aid/types/scholarships/

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I think that your list is good for your stats assuming no budget constraints. However, since you do have budget constraints, do you expect merit at UMass, RPI or Maryland?

You could potentially get the President’s scholarship at Maryland, but the COA would still be closer to 45K than 40K/year.

At the private schools, half tuition merit is probably possible too, but you would also still end up closer to 45K than 40K/year.

If 45K/year is above budget, you might want to trim down your current list and add schools known for merit.

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Maybe add Ohio State as a likely/match? Their National Buckeye scholarship stacks with their Maximus, Trustee or Provost award. These are competitive, not guaranteed but they do award a lot of them.

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I also think applying to multiple safeties is a good idea. You are likely to attract some good offers from them. In addition to scholarships sometimes there are special cohorts you can join with opportunities that will enhance your undergraduate experience.

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That’s a bummer. I knew Iowa was out. As a result they aren’t in the pull down for the institution finder. Illinois is the first option still, the one that auto-populates. As one who lives in a state that participated in what I believe is the best tuition exchange in the US, WICHE, they are powerful programs.

As for the math, the OP doesn’t have to go any further than any other CS student unless they want to. It will be a big advantage still in giving flexibility in the curriculum path.

The problem is that the OP’s GPA isn’t consistent with the level of merit they’ll need at the schools listed. The maximum award at Rensselaer for example is $120K. That still puts RPI out of range, and I highly doubt they give that kind of money to a 3.74.

So that brings the OP to your great suggestion, lower their sights.

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UBC, U of T, McGill, and Waterloo(all very good for CS) would cost between 42,000- 63,000 CAN in tuition alone. Living expenses would take him over budget.

I agree that Wisconsin needs to be on the list, though I’m not sure of expense. Minnesota, also, who would be far more likely to give merit than WI, and bring the cost down under 40,000.

Otherwise, I like the list. That test score will raise eyebrows, and you have a challenging course load.

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Agreed. I am going to suggest looking at that list of schools known for good merit:

Colleges with strong Polytechnic and $50K or less COA? - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums

With a 3.74 GPA and ACT 35, all the schools on that list will probably offer something, although they may not all offer enough to get below 40K/year. The sad thing is that for some the GPA threshold between great and just so-so merit is at 3.75 GPA.

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Indeed. At Utah State for example, a school that uses a matrix for automatic scholarships, an ACT of 35 and a 3.85+ gets full tuition and fees for 4 years. That’s worth over $30K per year. Drop to a 3.8 and the award drops to $7K.

I’m in no way suggesting a 3.74 is a bad GPA. The OP has amassed a nice record. It’s just not a GPA that schools are throwing tons of money at, even way off the radar ones like USU.

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But the weighted gpa is over 4.0 and there are schools that award merit based on the weighted gpa.

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Just a reminder, if his application to the University of Maryland, College Park meets the early action deadline of November 1, then he would be automatically considered for merit scholarships, including the Banneker-Key, ranging from covering the out-of-state tuition to a full ride.

Your son has very strong stats and would stand out. I would not be concerned about his ECs being “some math/CS stuff, nothing exceptionally strong”, for a laundry list of ECs cannot beat his articulating what he has learned from these experiences (even from just one or two), in helping him to shape and build his characters, as well as broadening his outlook on life.

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What about Colorado School of Mines? Although primarily thought of as an engineering school, they also have a very good CS major. Mines is in the Denver metro area.

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