Ivies and other top CS Schools

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello, this my second time posting a chance me because the first time I feel as though I came across the wrong way, probably a little too informal and arrogant, so I’m gonna try again and hope for some more positive/constructive responses.
I’m a white male junior in MA.

Stats:
UW GPA: 4.14 (My school has a weird scale where A+'s count as more than A and it goes above 4.0 but it would translate to 4.0 if the scale wasn’t weird)
W GPA: 4.75
Rank: 3/323
SAT: 1530 (800 Math, 730 EBRW)
Will be taking ACT with writing as well as SAT Chem and Math 2 over the summer

Courses/Grades:

Freshman
-Geometry: A+
-Comp Sci I: A+
-Spanish II: A+
-English I: A+
-World History II: A+
-Biology: A+

Sophomore
-AP Stats: A (5)
-English II: A
-Comp Sci II: A+
-Spanish III: A+
-US History I: A+
-Chemistry: A+
-Algebra II: A+

Junior (probable grades)
-AP Chemistry: A (4/5)
-AP US History: A (4/5)
-AP English Lang: A/A- (5)
-AP Comp Sci A+ (5)
-Pre Calculus: A+
-Spanish IV: A+

Senior (only guessing AP Scores)
-AP Spanish Lang (5)
-AP Physics I (4/5)
-AP Physics II (4/5)
-AP English Lit (4/5)
-AP Calculus BC (5)
-AP Comp Sci Principles (5)
-Art Foundations

ECs
-Varsity Tennis, started junior year, may be captain next year
-Math Team, started freshman year, stopped before junior year, might go back as a senior, nothing important to note
-Chess Club, started freshman year, nothing important to note
-Programming Team, started sophomore year, captain junior and senior, no wins yet but I’m hopeful
-Programming Club, starting senior year, founder and probably president/lead role (In this club I’m teaching students C++ and organizing a program/game/app development project for the club)
-National Honor Society, started junior year, not an officer
-Tutoring for 1-2 hours/week, started freshman year
-Hoping to get an internship or job related to CS over the summer
-Developing a game/app, hoping to release something by October

Extra Info
-Extreme passion for programming, have learned 9 languages and counting, most likely going to have my essay revolve around it somehow if that’s a good idea.
-Good relationship with Comp Sci teacher and English Teacher, probably gonna get some terrific recs from them.
-Lowish income (<$75,000).
-I would be a legacy student for Harvard; my great grandfather graduated from Harvard College (and Harvard Law?), grandmother attended Harvard Business but didn’t finish, and mother attended Harvard College but also dropped out.
-Had a rocky 1st quarter of junior year, expecting to have a bit of GPA increase as the year ends so I may be val which is nice.
-I took CS50 at Harvard Extension School and got an A- for a grade.

My College List (so far):
Harvard (tied for 1st choice)
MiT (tied for 1st choice)
CMU (tied for 1st choice)
Brown
Dartmouth
Tufts
WPI (safety)

I know it’s kinda weird that I have 3 “1st choices” but I love all 3 of them equally so I can’t really pick out a first choice. I would love to go to any of the other schools on my list as well.

Sorry for all the reading but I feel like I should put a lot to get a good chancing. Please chance me and give me some feedback/give me some other schools to consider if I’m far too ambitious.

2

As I was reading through your stats, it became clear to me that you’d be an excellent MIT candidate. Not only do you have a passion for programming but you’ve followed through with action such as developing a gaming app. There are so many candidates with high GPAs and amazing scores…yet they’re often too well-rounded to the point that they lack a distinct passion. My advice to you would be to showcase your programming achievements, and ideally have that app on the market. In my opinon, chess club and tennis, etc are secondary.

As for the legacy bit, I hate to disappoint but I don’t believe Harvard will consider you a legacy. Harvard counts parents only as legacies and since your mother didn’t graduate, I’m not sure she would count. Your grandparents could give you a slight bump but it’s unlikely. If you feel it’s advantageous to bring these connections to the attention of the admissions committe, you’ll need to somehow tie it in with your essay. Given that your parent and grandparent didn’t graduate, I recommend you think carefully about the message you want to convey by brining them up and only do so if it will enhance you as a candidate.

You have very strong statistics and a demonstrated passion for programming. You’re going to do great and I wish you all the best!

3

You have the academics and scores.
But right now, are light on the Stem ECs. So far, since you dropped math team, that boils down to the programming team. The internship isn’t set.

If you think H and MIT are top choices - and had been researching them- you’d know H legacy is children of H and Radcliffe alums, not geat grandparents or grandparents. And more of what’s vital to understanding your match at top colleges- or not- and how to fine tune. You’d have seen how MIT is holistic, how both value depth and breadth. You’ve got to be able to make your best presentation. See how these colleges describe their wants, what they look for.

So you have some quick work to do. And though technically Mom is an alum, no telling how her dropping out will be seen. You’ll compete on your own merits and understanding.

4

You are a competitive applicant. Your stats are ECs are good. Write great essays and you could get accepted to any of these schools

5

Lots and lots of CS wannabe kids are programming apps and many make some money from them. It’s neither unusual nor a tip. OP doesn’t need the solo programming angle. Rather the collaborative math-sci activities. Some of that is in the programming team. I don’t think it’s topped off by founding a club.

Important to dig into what the colleges actually say and show. Neither is looking for unilateral. Of course tennis and chess go in his app.

@zbrown01 forgive the “not for profit” error which I can’t edit now. It’s my odd phone. It should read. “And more of what’s vital to understanding your match at top colleges- or not- …”

6

Is WPI affordable based on its net price calculator?

7

All of these schools have an acceptance rate of 6% or less. Be sure you put in a strong scholarship school. In the computer world, the school really won’t make any difference. Employers are going to care more about your skills and qualifications. Most of your education will happen on the job. If you feel it’s a great fit and you can afford it without going into large amounts of debt, then go for it. Graduating debt free is even better, though! :slight_smile:

8

@UrbanMum Thanks for the reply, I was thinking beforehand that the legacy stuff is kinda iffy but I put it in anyway.

9

@lookingforward I very much appreciate your feedback! Again I know the legacy stuff is iffy. I hadn’t really known if my ECs were special for intended comp sci majors, but I guess they aren’t. Obviously I should probably return to math team and get an internship if I can, but I really don’t know of much of anything else I can do since there’s no other math/sci teams or clubs at my school and I’m starting one of my own anyway.

10

@coolguy40 Thanks for the feedback. I’m fairly certain only two of the schools have <6% acceptance, but I do realize that they’re all pretty low with the exception of WPI which has a ~50% acceptance rate. Do you have other suggestions for decent comp sci schools in New England that could be a match/safety for me?

11

@zbrown01 I’m not too familiar with the schools in that area, but I hear VERY good things about WPI for their CS program. Your stats give you an 84% chance of admissions. I would still put down another safety school just in case. Crazier things have happened.

12

You may need more safety schools on your list. Many smaller private schools like WPI reject students with very high stats to protect their yield. Always add your flagship state university - UMass Amherst - which actually has a very good CS program, by the way.

13

If you live in MA look into U Mass and U Lowell as backups in that order. If in CT look at U Conn. U Maine (Orono Campus) and I’ve heard URI have special New England wide programs. Don’t apply to schools you do not respect, but do some homework on the CS placement of graduates before jumping to conclusions. Among the privates take a good look at Clarkson University in upstate NY (almost New England). If I were ranking them I would put U Mass and U Conn at the top of this set.

14

I am sorry, but I see a lot of resume padding or potential future activities. I honestly advise you to beef up your match and safety. You can’t be great at CS if you are not advanced on math, some people will say. I don’t see MIT or CMU in your future and even if you go, you probably will struggle there. That’s coming from a parent whose D was admitted to MIT, and won state app award, and participated math contests from middle school and still published on NYT.

How can you join tennis on junior year and become captain senior year?? Also very light volunteering and leadership.

Best of luck!

15

@momprof9904 @retiredfarmer Thanks for the feedback! Yeah you guys are right I should definitely add UMass Amherst to my list.

16

@zbrown01 I was hoping you would see how rejoinging math team can help. You seem to be rethinking and that, in itself, is a good trait. You do have time to fine tune. But first take a hard look at the MIT admissions blogs, what they look for, what H says, and other targets. Understad how Brown’s open curriculum works and what they expect to see in applicants. Each of these is a good way to learn that it’s not titles or “founder” or winning awards, but how you make the journey itself. It’s not “all stem, all the time,” but how you do reach for other experiences, as well.

Don’t swing the pendulum to the the extreme yet, try to get more info, first.

I don’t see your ECs as padding (a word I don’t like; experiences are good, however you come to them.) The trick is not in winning contests (or anyone’s anecdotes about a random kid here or there,) it’s in the whole you offer. I do agree about vol work- an easy step is to quickly find some comm service you can do now, where you roll up your sleeves and dig in, directly with needs. Even a few hours regularly can expand your own perspective and show.

Clarkson is a good suggestion.

Adding: I don’t see how anyone implies you’re week in math or predicts you would struggle at a top college. It’s true you’ll end at BC, but going further in hs is not a prerequisite.

17

Also look into Rochester Institute of Tech as a safety. You may be able to get merit there. You mentioned lowish income, so financial issues should also be a consideration. The schools with good aid are also very reachy. Also, keep in mind that white males from the northeast with high stats interested in CS is a very competitive applicant pool.

18

@lookingforward Thanks a ton for your advice! I’ll be sure to do some research and see how I can get more volunteer experience.

19

From what I have seen (mostly in terms of a few coworkers), I would be very reluctant to attend Harvard for computer science. MIT and CMU are of course very good for CS, if hard to get into. Stanford would be both a high reach and a long way away from Massachusetts, but is also very good for CS and you do at least have the grades for it.

I agree with others to definitely add U.Mass Amherst, which has an excellent CS program. While U.Mass Lowell would be a very good additional safety, given your stats plus Massachusetts residency I would think that U.Mass Amherst would be a solid safety that I at least would go to ahead of U.Mass Lowell.