<p>Can you guys critique my college list and make any edits or suggestions? If it is too top-heavy or something, please let me know. </p>
<p>Brief Stats:
3.6 UW 4.2 W (My school is pretty competitive, so I believe colleges will forgive slightly?)
2340 SAT; Very Good EC's, 7 5's on AP's and 1 Score of 4
I'm also an African-American, so I think that's a slight hook.</p>
<p>My intended major is Computer Science, with a Double major in Economics at the schools where that is possible. </p>
<p>The list is:</p>
<p>Reaches:
Princeton University
Cornell University
University of Chicago </p>
<p>Matches:
New York University
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
University of Maryland, College Park
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute</p>
<p>Safeties:
Rutgers University
Pennsylvania State University, University Park
Rochester Institute of Technology </p>
<p>You are a very qualified candidate. One concern with this list is finances. I see that you have listed several state colleges, but out of state publics are costly, and most don’t meet full need. It is important that you are aware of what your family can contribute to your education so that you can plan accordingly. If you need any financial aid, it’s important to consider schools that meet full need, your in state schools, and schools where you are likely to get merit aid. The reach schools tend to meet full need, but for families that don’t qualify for financial aid, the cost can be significant. </p>
<p>FYI- I live in New Jersey. My parents said that they could pay for tuition and that we wouldn’t qualify for aid, but I would still like to keep costs down if possible.</p>
<p>OK, that is important to know. Rutgers is both a financial and academic safety for you. You might also want to consider some colleges where you might qualify for merit aid. When applying to the state schools, pay attention to the earlier deadlines as those dates are often the deadlines for consideration for merit aid, and there may be some additional colleges with merit awards that you might look into- perhaps some posters can suggest some. </p>
<p>I’d say that, as an underrepresented minority looking at STEM programs, with those test scores, you should shoot high as long as you retain Rutgers as an academic and financial safety. I would add MIT and Columbia School of Engineering to my list of reaches.</p>
<p>@woogzmama - My gpa is pretty low, so I wasn’t sure if I should add more reach schools. However, I will definitely consider it if you think that it’s reasonable.</p>
<p>Have you considered going away to California? If so, UC-Berkeley might be a good choice. They have a very, very strong computer science program, and given your stellar SAT scores, it would probably only be a low reach for you. Also, check out Harvey Mudd if you haven’t yet. </p>
<p>Why NYU? From what I know, it is not a particularly strong program for computer science and it is an expensive school. For the value, I would substitute one of the other suggestions here for NYU. </p>
<p>Be sure you work with them to run the net price calculators for the colleges on your list so they understand the costs. Now is a good time to do that. We hear from too many students this time of year whose parents said something like this, but then were shocked by the actual cost of the schools on their kid’s list. </p>
<p>Another vote for adding Harvey Mudd to your list if cost isn’t really an issue. They do give some merit scholarships, some smaller ones that you just hear about when you get your admission decision and at least one larger one you can apply for.</p>
<p>You have four state schools on your list and in the suggestions for which you are OOS. That’s probably about 2-3 too many because none of them are particularly good about giving OOS students grant aid. However, you would be a candidate for major merit aid at UMD if you have some ECs to approach your scores. I cannot speak to the merit aid at the other schools. PSU and UC are notoriously stingy and expensive and very expensive, respectively, state schools. I too like you as a reach at Harvey Mudd academically; I don’t know about the rest of the fit because you haven’t told us anything about yourself. NYU doesn’t belong on your list. You might add UPitt to your list of matches because they have major merit aid and you’d certainly be a candidate for full tuition or more. It’s good to be the King! Get out there and conquer.</p>
<p>UMIch and Berkeley are excellent for engineering but would cost 50-55k: before you start thinking about them, check with your parents …
You’d qualify for Presidential Scholars at UAlabama’s college of engineering (you could do CS AND quantitative economics), with full tuition, $2,500 stipend, honors program, and honors dorm.
I too would add Columbia SEAS and HarveyMudd to your reaches. UMD and PSU are roughly at the same selectivity level, although UMD would have some merit whereas the situation’s iffy at PSu (it almost seems as if merit aid there is random, there’s an actual theory it is - the only guarantee is 4k if you get into Shreyer, which doesn’t make a dent into the 45k cost of attendance, and only 10% applicants get into Shreyer…)
NYU Poly would likely be a safety, too.
I’d add a couple schools like Dickinson, Centre, Skidmore,Lafayette, Connecticut, Grinnell… Those offer some merit aid and good need-based financial aid.
Before you do anything else, run the net price calculators on a bunch of colleges, public and private, then bring the results to your parents. Once you have financial parameters, refine your list to be roughly within budget, and fill out the “request information” forms at all the private colleges in order to start “showing interest”.</p>
<p>You may want to add some reach schools. Your stats would make you a reasonable candidate for admission anywhere, and URM status gives you a boost. But admissions are very unpredictable at the most selective schools, so buying a few more lottery tickets might be worthwhile. Maybe CMU, Columbia, WashU, Johns Hopkins. </p>
<p>For match and safety schools, you should pay a bit more attention to where you would be likely to get good merit aid. OOS publics generally don’t give good aid. Search for some schools that give good merit aid, and meet your other criteria. Perhaps Northeastern, Case Western. USC, if you are willing to travel that far. Will you be a National Merit SF? </p>
<p>I suggested Columbia SEAS (School of Engineering and Applied Sciences), because they have an excellent computer science program - my nephew graduated from there. I am a Barnard alumna, married to a Columbia College grad, so I am an enthusiast for the entire university, although I wouldn’t stand a chance of getting in now. SEAS students are required to take Columbia’s core curriculum classes, and I think you can probably squeeze in some Econ. as electives, although a double-major might be tricky. Your GPA might be a little low, but your test scores are terrific and it’s certainly worth a shot. </p>
<p>Agree with others you’re more competitive than you realize. I’d also drop NYU and add three big players missing from your list: CMU, Stanford and Harvard. You might even be eligible for FA at H.</p>
<p>and Georgia Tech may deserve consideration. Top 10 CS program and tuition ~ $10k less than most of your other options. Not a small issue if you ultimately are not FA eligible.</p>
- the only guarantee is 4k if you get into Shreyer, which doesn’t make a dent into the 45k cost of attendance, and only 10% applicants get into Shreyer…)