Help with Safety Schools

College Search & Selection
1

Unweighted GPA: 3.98
Weighted GPA: 4.61

APs:
Euro(4), Physics 1(4), CSA(5), Gov(Unknown)
IBs:
Math SL(7), English(Unknown), Spanish (Unknown), Math HL(Unknown)
SAT: 740CR/800M

Awards and Honors:
Math Olympiad Program Invitee (x2)
USA(J)MO (x3)
AIME(x3)
USACO Gold Division (x2)
Math Prize Olympiad Medalist(x1)
Ronald Reagan Library Student Leader and Ambassador
Young Scholar Ambassador

Extracurriculars:
Math Research through MIT’s Math Department
Competition Math
Competition Coding
Math Circle
Founder of local STEM volunteer program
Mock Trial (2 years)
Journalism (1 year)
ACSL (2 years)
Total volunteer hours through math circle, STEM, tutoring, leadership, over four years: 750

So far, I’m applying to various reach/match schools for computer science and math. I’m also applying to a couple UCs and University of Illinois schools. I’m wondering which private, safety colleges I can apply to that have good cs and math programs.

2

SAT/ACT score? What are UI’s?

3

Home state? Look at your in-state public schools for a safety.

4

I’m from California, and I’m mainly trying to look for private safeties on the east coast, since I’ve heard that it’s hard to get the desired classes at most of the UCs here.

Forgot to mention, not sure if this is a hook: female in STEM

5

Are Private schools on the East coast affordable without taking out loans? #1 rule for a safety is affordability. If you have an unlimited budget, then fine look at some East Coast privates. If you need FA/Merit aid, then one of the UC’s such as UCSC/UCR or a top Cal State such as SDSU/SJSU would be a good safety.

6

I’m not eligible for financial aid at any school, and affordability isn’t a factor.

7

If you’re looking for safeties on the East Coast, some public options would be University of Maryland, University of Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech. Some private options would be Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Syracuse, and Boston University. I’m less familiar with private options so these admission rates aren’t super high like over 60%, but you seem like a really strong student so I figure it would be fine.

8

RPI, Pitt and UMD are good options. You can also look into the U of Rochester… but you need to research the majors. Although I hesitate to call this school a true safety, I do think you will get in. What about Stevens Institute of Technology?

9

Have you considered some of the women’s colleges?
Many excel in the STEM subjects.
Have a look at Wellesley, Bryn Mawr and Barnard to start.

10

Whoops, I hit post before finishing my thought…

While the none of suggested schools could be considered true safe schools, with your statistics and EC’s,
you’ll likely be a very attractive candidate.