High School Student Asking For Help WIth College/University List

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello, I’m a Senior from California in the middle of College Apps (specifically the CSU application period has begun recently), and I’ve compiled a list of 10 colleges/universities I want to apply to (I don’t think I want to apply to anymore because of fees). My GPA is ~3.25 weighted and I got a 2000 on my SAT I, with 3 incoming SAT II scores in Literature, Math II, and Physics (and I will be taking the ACT soon). I’m declaring my major as CS/CE/EE , and I got a 5 on my AP Comp Sci test. As for my specific questions, are my chances of getting into my “safe” schools high enough, and do my “reach/target” schools correspond well with my major/profile (before I waste my time applying to them)?

Safe:
Cal Poly Pomona
CSU San Jose

Target:
CSU Long Beach
Cal Poly SLO (I’m able to enroll for Summer 2016 but have to wait for February 2016 to apply, should I in order to graduate earlier?)
UC Irvine
UC Santa Barbara

Reach:
Carnegie Mellon U/U Toronto (Hmmm, should I go pseudo-Ivy League or international?)
USC
UT Austin
U Washington

2

Sorry, but Carnegie Mellon for CS will be out of reach for you. Same for UT-Austin from out of state. Can you afford to be full pay out of state at UWashington?

3

I don’t think you will get into any of your reaches, Cal Poly SLO, or any of your UC’s. GPA is way too low (especially weighted).

4

I agree with the previous posters, your GPA is too low for the competition of a CS major at the UCs and Cal Poly’s.

You may want to try the non-impacted CSU’s.

5

Does it help that I only took 2 weighted courses in from freshman-junior, and my unweighted GPA would be ~3.10? Of course I look lazy either way, but I’m hoping it will be satisfactory that I can support myself with extracurricular (namely club/competition/volunteer experience).