<p>I am a senior in a technical/vocational high school located in the Greater NYC Area. I am currently enrolled in Cisco Academy, in hs, where I have earned my CCENT(Cisco Certified Entry Level Network Technician) and working towards my CCNA(Cisco Certified Network Associate). I have a 3.87-3.9 gpa out of 4 unweighted. My extracurricular activities include SkillsUSA(4 years) where I was VP of Microsoft Registered Refurbisher Program. Also I got into the National Honor Society last year. My SAT scores are Math 670, Reading 560, Writing 460.(I will be taking the SAT 2 shortly) I would really like to know what good computer engineering schools I have a chance getting into. Right now the schools I'm aiming for are Columbia Engineering, UPENN Engineering, Cooper Union, John Hopkins, and Carnegie Mellon. Are these schools way to far out of reach for me? What schools would you recommend for comp engineering with my stats? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Check out Stevens Institute of Tech, if you’re looking to stay in that area. I know NJ sucks though lol but it’s a good school. If you open your possibilities out of the east a little more lol and gave me ACT scores I could probably help more</p>
<p>One of the stories your stats tell is that your high school suffers from grade inflation. I don’t know if that’s a true story or not, but the adcoms will know. Ask your teachers and guidance counselor if they think your high school suffers from grade inflation because you need to know that, too. It will help you choose schools for which you are prepared.</p>
<p>Regardless, your SATs are far from good enough to get you into any of these schools; I recommend you re-take the SATs and spend as much time preparing for them as you did for the CCENT. When you get these scores back and when you learn about your school grades, you’ll have a much better idea to what schools to apply.</p>
<p>As for the schools on your list, in addition to very high GPAs these schools expect their students to have succeeded in a rigorous set of courses, including APs, IBs, and college. They also expect to see leadership positions in school and community organizations. And they often want some kind of special talent like world record for solving the rubiks’ cube or state winner of a violin competition or a deadly four-pitch repertoire. I’m exaggerating, of course, but not by much. You haven’t told us of these courses, experiences, and skills, nor why you want to go to these schools in particular.</p>
<p>You did not mention what your cost constraints are. Run the net price calculators on the various colleges to see their financial aid and net price estimates.</p>
<p>Others to consider include SUNYs like Stony Brook and PINYU.</p>
<p>Your stats don’t necessarily say that your high school inflates grades; there are many other reasons why a student would have high grades and lower SAT scores.</p>
<p>Your SAT scores are average to above-average, but not high enough for the very competitive schools at which you are aiming. If you want to get into those programs, your SAT math score needs to be as close to an 800 as you can get it (but certainly a 700+ to be competitive) and try to get your verbal score at least into the high 600s and that writing score into the mid-600s.</p>
<p>I would consider CUNY City College, too - good STEM programs there.</p>
<p>The SAT I posted above was my second try, and I’m waiting for the results of my third. The ACT wasn’t much better I got a composite of 20 the first time and 22 the second. Would you recommend taking the SAT a fourth time if I’m not satisfied with my scores. And for class rigor: I took Cisco Academy Class last year and earned my CCENT. I also took AP US History and got an A in the class but a 2 on the ap test. This year I am taking AP Computer Science and Advanced Networking. Throughout Freshman-Junior Year I have maintained an A- to A average only getting a B in Bio and B- in Spanish 2. Also I am ranked 17 out of 150. I luckily don’t have any cost constraint unless it is extremely high above the 50k mark. And thank you again for all the responses, I really do appreciate them. Also I do not mind moving from my area.</p>
<p>Offhand I think all the schools you listed are really reaches. I suggest you do some research (school websites, college guide books, Naviance if your schools has it available) and see how your stats, in particular your standardized tests line up against the average for those schools and others. I’d at least look at some schools along the lines of Manhattan College, Drexel, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Stony Brook to name a few. Also Union College is really good for engineering and is test optional.</p>
<p>Your school suffers from grade inflation if you can get an A in an AP class but a 2 on the test.
The schools you mentioned are out of reach but there are excellent schools you can apply to.
Look into: PINYU, wpi, Stevens, NYIT, NJIT.
Union or Clarkson are reaches but you may have a shot.</p>
<p>So there is no chance of getting into any of the schools I mentioned with my stats? And what is grade inflation? On the AP test it was writing that brought my score really down, writing has always been my weakness as you see from the SAT. Do you think I should take the sat a fourth if I’m not happy with my score?</p>
<p>Grade inflation means that grades are high relative to the student’s proficiency in the subject. It is not really valid to use one student (e.g. yourself) as a measure of the school’s grade inflation, but observations may be more valid when considering a large number of students.</p>
<p>I think you have a shot at NYU-Poly.</p>
<p>True we can’t tell whether your school suffers from grade inflation and it could just be a low-performing school but an A should not result in a 2 on the AP; writing scores for the schools you’re considering should be in the 700 range for example. The students there would have similar accomplishments as yours (which are really good) but much better overall results.
So I don’t think it’s worth it for you to retake the SAT. Instead, focus on your essays and prepare for the SAT subjects (math2, I assume, plus one or two others?)
You should apply to one or two of the schools on your list if you wish, “just to see”, so that you have no regrets, but realistically your odds are very low.
You have a shot at PINYU, which after all is NYU, so it’s not too shabby 
and the other Tech schools we told you about -wpi, stevens, etc - are well-known and well-considered too. Their graduates get an excellent education and they get jobs, too.</p>
<p>WPI is test-optional though you do have to supply additional materials, see their website for the Flexpath option.
^^^I didn’t know Union was test-optional. </p>
<p>Use the college search tool here on CC to see where you are a likely admit for engineering with your GPA and test scores… be sure to increase the number of results it gives (at the top). </p>
<p>Clarkson, Hofstra, Loyola, UMass Lowell, Syracuse…</p>
<p>Okay so I got my score back from the November SAT and got a 1790. Only increasing my writing to 560. Do I still have no chances for the schools above. Thanks for all the replies!</p>
<p>yes, you have no chance of getting into the schools you mention in post #1. I’m sorry you’ve been misled.</p>
<p>what you need to do is to look at the average SAT/ACT scores at the colleges you are interested in. You will see that you are no where near them.</p>
<p>So other people have suggested that you look at other colleges that have lower average SAT scores that would fit in with your scores. THere is a college for you out there; but the ones you mention are not it.</p>
<p>Also since you have done a lot of practical work, you may want to look at schools that have that practical bent as well.</p>
<p>lol@penn/columbia engineering</p>
<p>Congratulations on that increase, especially the 560 writing since it’s your weakest subject.
Now, you have a real shot at these schools:
PINYU, wpi, Stevens, NYIT, NJIT, Union or Clarkson.
Good luck and come back to post where you decided to apply!</p>
<p>You may have a test-taking issue, not a grade inflation issue but since it’s too late to deal with that I suggest you look into test optional colleges and SUNY/CUNY schools. I might ask at your high school to be LD tested (or whatever it’s officially called) to see if that might be a reason for the disparity of numbers. If that is the case then it would help you once you are in college to get certain exemptions and, if it can be done quickly enough, you could even have that as part of your application.</p>
<p>Should I take the SAT a fourth time? I went from a 1440 to a 1700 to a 1790. Does taking the SAT 4 times look particularly bad for colleges such as UPENN and Cooper Union which require the full reports? I can still take the December SAT, sign up deadline on 11/25? I really would like to get into one of my reach schools. I have taken your suggestions and I am also applying to PINYU and Rutgers as backups. Thanks for your help.</p>