Our son has primarily focused on applications to large public universities in California (UCs and Cal Poly). He has a few safety schools (Oregon and Arizona). Given the odd year we are in and new test blind policy at UC and Cal Poly we are concerned that he may not get accepted to those schools which are his top choices. We feel like he has the stats to get into a fe w better schools and wanted to look at privates, perhaps that would consider his test scores and academic rigor. He really wants a school that has tradition (division 1 sports are a big deal to him) and vibrant student life. He’s planning to major in Biochemistry.
In a nutshell
GPA: UW 3.7/ W 4.4
4 Honors and 9 AP (26 semesters)
SAT: 1430 (1460 Superscore)
EC: extensive volunteer hours with leadership experience 4 years Cross Country, 3 years Lacrosse, 1 year Track (leadership role on X-Country)
Work: (20 plus hours/week)Recreational Aid leading activities for kids of essential workers during pandemic
AP Scholar
CSF
Looking at Tulane, Boston College, Cornell (he’d be a legacy) Boston University, U Penn, Rice, Northwestern. I know these are all reaches but any thoughts on which might be a good fit and perhaps the best chance for admittance?
Applying ED as a legacy will boost his chances at Cornell, as long as he would 110% attend the school and more importantly, you can afford it (run the FA calculators if applicable.
I’d recommend deeply considering applying test-optional to T20s, as his score would be near the lower end of admitted test scores—STEM majors tend to have test scores on the higher end, especially Engineers.
What do you mean by 26 semesters? What is CSF? Does he have any STEM extracurriculars?
Thanks for the reply. He does not have any STEM related extracurriculars. CSF is the California Scholarship Federation. 26 total semesters of Honors and AP classes. UC/CSU cap GPA at 8 semesters of Honors/AP so he doesn’t get as much benefit from taking so many. Private colleges may put more weight on the rigor of classes for admissions. We are not necessarily trying to identify T20s rather schools that will consider his test scores and weighted GPA.
@Publisher He’s looking for private schools to add to his list that are out of state (CA), that are academically comparable or near comparable to UC. Ideally that would offer him some level of merit scholarship. We generally will not qualify for need based aid.
Your goal of finding a school comparable academically to UCs that will offer merit aid for one with a 3.7 GPA & 1430 SAT (1460 Superscore) may be difficult.
Are you & your son open to LACs even without major sports programs ?
P.S. The coronavirus has caused financial strain at almost all colleges & universities so merit funds may be impacted.
Merit is not a must. I’m not sure what an LAC is but he loves sports. I don’t know that it has to be “major”. His top choice school is Cal Poly and they are not any kind of sport powerhouse
@nucities His best chances for admission of the group of schools on your list is probably BU. BC and Tulane sound like a better fit for what he’s looking for and are a bit tougher for acceptance but seem like reasonable reaches as well.
I think chances are significantly lower at Cornell, U Penn, Rice, and Northwestern. I know of a number of 4.0 UW/1500+ SAT kids who attend competitive high schools who have been turned down by these schools in recent years. Also, for Penn and NU in particular, the acceptance rate for ED applicants is notably higher.
The bar for merit aid for the schools that offer it is very high.
He sounds like a great kid and I’m sure he will have many choices. You are lucky to have the California publics as high quality and affordable options.
BU’s acceptance rate for Class of 2024 was 18.5%, so definitely a reach, while BC had a 24% acceptance rate last year…so BC probably a high match. The rest of the school on the list are reaches, some high, especially in RD.
For Tulane get the app in for EA tomorrow IF he has been demonstrating interest.
I wouldn’t bother applying to Cornell and Penn RD. Cornell only considers legacy in ED round…deadline is tomorrow.
Rice, a great school and DI, doesn’t have as great as school spirit (wrt sports) as a number of the schools on his list.
Interested in knowing what UC’s did gumbymom say are matches/safeties for him in biochem?
If he is considering BU as a top school with div 1 sports (they have an elite hockey program but not many other sports), but you need merit, you could consider the following schools: Gonzaga (perennial basketball power), University of Dayton (would have had a shot at final four in basketball this year) or University of Denver (another strong hockey program like BU). None of these are academically at the BU or UC level but might have merit and should be able to teach him biochem and get ready for MCAT or other pre-medical progressions if that’s the goal.
@Mwfan1921 based on what gumbymom said and information I’ve gleaned from others (I work at University of California). I’d say UC Davis and Santa Cruz were matches pre COVID. UCLA, UCB and to a lessor extant UCSB we’re reaches. With new admissions criteria (test blind admissions) the quantity of qualified students will likely increase. It appears his test scores would have helped but are no longer part of the consideration. As others mentioned, it’s great to have good public options but I’m getting a sense that UC admissions will be more of a crap shoot this year. It’s conceivable that he will go 0-5 on those. His top choice has always been Cal Poly and that is a similar story…may not get in.
He’s already been admitted to Oregon and Arizona and both offered merit scholarships. He has good options but we just thought we might add a few that we had previously not considered.
@nucities , your son is really similar to my daughter. She had a 3.7 UW/4.2 W, 33 ACT, and similar ECs, 7 APs. CA resident, varsity lacrosse and other ECs. She was accepted to Cal Poly SLO (make sure you add honors math in 8th grade if he did this…it’s important to the MCA score!), UCSB and UCSD (WL), Michigan, Wisconsin, ASU, Oregon, CU Boulder. I would imagine that this year’s acceptance criteria should be similar to last.
I would add in Michigan if cost is no problem, and if it is, then look at Barrett Honors College at ASU (that’s where she chose). It’s far enough to be away, and a 1 hour flight home to CA. Another option is Wisconsin…love that school. And I also like U Dub (Washington).
@sbdad12 they do look like they have similar stats. We would be thrilled if he got in to the same schools. Cal Poly is his number one choice. Both his mom and I are alumni. It feels like this years admissions will be different than years past for a host of reasons, chief among them is test blind admissions. Cal Poly’s MCA calculation for example will be weighted towards GPA as compared to years past. Seems harder to predict. We were really looking for schools to add but I think he’s settled on University of Arizona as his backup. It’s always been one of his top choices. We will see what happens when the California schools release decisions in March. Hopefully he’ll get accepted at one or more of those. Perhaps he will get another other scholarship offer from Oregon?