<p>Hi! I'm applying to colleges this fall but I think that my list is too reach-heavy. I want to major in engineering. Here are my stats:</p>
<p>SATs: 1900 (only took it once)
ACTs: 26 (lol took it without knowing what the ACT is and retaking on Saturday)
GPA: 3.75
ECs:
Varsity Softball Captain
NHS Member
Debate Team
Founder and Guitarist for glee club
Member of school choir
School Play
Math Tutor
Volunteer at a rescue mission during the holidays
Waitress, Busser, Dessert Prep, Dishwasher at a restaurant since I was 14
Self-taught guitarist
Scholarship to Private School
Tour Guide for my school</p>
<p>Is your GPA 3.75 out of 4.0 (unweighted) or 3.75 out of something else (weighted)? Makes a big difference! Class rank? AP classes? AP test results?
Are you taking the SATs again? What was the math component?
Any subject SAT tests? Many engineering programs require them, though some of those schools will waive them if you took the ACT (since it has a science component, unlike the SAT).
What are your target schools? How many Reach schools are on your list?
What other requirements do you have? Location, size, particular branch of engineering etc?</p>
<p>I need financial aid. I have siblings in (community) college so money is tight. I think my mother’s ideal budget is $5k-$7k. I know it’s really small, but its what I have to work with.</p>
<p>@BeanTownGirl My GPA is unweighted. My school doesn’t rank. I have only taken 1 AP (Language and Composition) because my school doesn’t have APs for the lower grades. I got a 5. I’m taking AP Physics, AP Calc AB, AP Macroeconomics, and AP Lit. I’m pretty sure I’m not taking the SATs again, and focusing more on the ACT. I’ve only seen my counselor once and she picked Lafayette, Trinity, and Villanova. My reaches are Smith, Union, and Lehigh. And my absolute far reaches, and I mean FAR are Brown and UPenn.</p>
<p>Prairie View A&M: need 26 ACT or 1760 SAT CR+M+W (looks like you have that)
Louisiana Tech: need 32 ACT or 1400 SAT CR+M
Howard: need 32 ACT or 1400 SAT CR+M
University of Alabama Huntsville: need 34 ACT or 1490 SAT CR+M</p>
<p>Check out Drexel. My niece was accepted to Rose-Hulman (check them out too) and ended up going to Drexel because they gave her so much FA. She loved her time there, had a great co-op experience, and has been gainfully employed ever since. I’m not sure of her scores, but I suspect they were similar to yours, and she didn’t have anywhere near the same number of ECs. Good luck!</p>
<p>PS-She was a computer science major, not engineering, but I think the bottom line was that she was a woman applying for a STEM program. She was recruited after graduation and relocated to Seattle to work for that company that begins with an “A” and ends with an “n”. ;-)</p>
<p>I need financial aid. I have siblings in (community) college so money is tight. I think my mother’s ideal budget is $5k-$7k. I know it’s really small, but its what I have to work with.</p>
<p>I don’t think any of the OOS publics will work. They won’t give you the aid you need, and unless your scores rise, you won’t get enough merit.</p>
<p>When you say that you “think” your mom’s budget is $5-7k, does that mean that you’ve ASKED her and that’s what she’s told you? If not, PLEASE ask her. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, your budget will severely limit your options since the schools that will accept you won’t likely meet need. Since your FA packages will already have full loans in them, you won’t be able to use Stafford loans towards any gaps.</p>
<p>You could try…DePauw, Loyola Maryland and maybe Mt Holyoke. They give great aid and might accept you.</p>
<p>You mention your mom’s contribution for college…Do you have a non-custodial parent?</p>
<p>Make sure you apply to each and every school in the New Hampshire state system that has your intended major. One of them may end up being the most affordable option for you. Remember to factor in transportation costs when looking at out of state schools.</p>
<p>Are you a US citizen? If so, the fact that you are female AND a URM AND are applying to engineering schools all work in your favor. If you are considered an international student that complicates things a little.
Consider WPI, RPI, RIT, Clarkson - where the male/female ratio works in your favor the most.
Also consider Northeastern, Syracuse?
Someone suggested women’s colleges and these might be good places to get good financial aid but most don’t have engineering. Smith does, but look at the program as it may not suit your needs. The other ones may have 3+2 programs but that would take 5 years to get an engineering degree and I don’t know how you could predict the cost/FA of the last 2 years at another school?</p>
<p>Prairie View A&M is an OOS public that will have a near-full ride for the OP’s stats. It has chemical, civil, computer, electrical, and mechancial engineering.</p>
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<p>Filipino is not necessarily URM.</p>
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<p>Agree that 3+2 programs add another level of financial aid and scholarship uncertainty.</p>
<p>However, one common route for students from lower income families is to start at community college, then transfer to a state university as juniors to complete the desired bachelor’s degree. This may be less expensive than doing all four years at a four year school (but it depends on how good the financial aid and scholarship offers are at the four year schools at freshman admissions). But it also requires a competitive admissions hurdle for transfer admission (however, high school records and test scores are usually disregarded or given low importance for junior-level transfers with college records).</p>
<p>Prairie View A&M is an OOS public that will have a near-full ride for the OP’s stats. It has chemical, civil, computer, electrical, and mechancial engineering.</p>
<p>I wasn’t considering OOS publics that are commuter schools since those aren’t often desirable for OOS resident students.</p>
<p>Prairie View A&M
Texas
Type of School
Historically Black College
Commuter college </p>
<p>Maybe the OP can tell us more about what is wanted in a campus.</p>
<p>However, a heavily-commuter school which offers a near-full ride and the desired majors should not necessarily be out of the question given the very limiting financial constraint that makes most other suggested schools non-safeties (the OP was looking for safeties).</p>
<p>The OP should check the net price calculator and the admission selectivity at University of New Hampshire (in-state public with engineering) to see if can be used as a safety.</p>