Less selective Computer Science programs that still have some respect following the name?

@PurpleTitan Now you are repeating part of what I said. I think we are not wanting to agree even though we mostly do. But schools vary in their requirements, my sons and a I went to pretty competitive rigorous schools, which may not be the problem for the OP. What I stated about the Math department is absolutely historically accurate, though at many unis the math curriculum has been overtaken by other coursework. We do agree some of the required coursework teach skills that are rarely used, but necessary to get the degree. Frankly I think the AP courses are easier than at most competitive colleges. It helps you get in and gets an course off your plate where you simply don’t need the rigor for your chosen career. Same for AP Physics. My sons and I all got AP credit and avoiding having to take required Physics course that often results in test scores of single digits out of 100 during the semester if taken with the wrong prof. But not everybody has the option of BC calc and Physics C, just saying if it’s an option, good to take so one can focus on programming related courses. My son at Cornell only took Physics 1 so he had to take a 2nd course there, and the amount of work was more than all other courses combined. What a waste of time for a CS major. Personally I found Physics interesting but would not want to spend so much time on a required class not of my choice.

Considering your 3.2uw with upward trend, curriculum rigor, and budget, I’d recommend UCincinnati Information Science with co-ops but also Ohio University, UMN Morris CS, WWU CS in Washington state, plus Oregon tech and SUNY New Paltz. UMillersville would be a safety with an ok ABET accredited cs program.
Also look at Transylvania, UDayton, Goucher, Ithaca, UNC Asheville ( if you can increase your test scores a bit - check out their mechatronics major), UNCC, Saint Louis University, Mizzou, UMass Lowell, St Michael’s (data science).

Now is there any way you can take level 3 of that foreign language?
That class you audited, in discrete math, can you take it through dual enrollment?
Any dual enrollment class you could take for free or a modest fee, over the summer? Anything to show rigor and ability to handle college level work. Is dual enrollment allowed during the school year?
Course rigor is going to make the universities you listed tough.

@MYOS1634 Thanks to a recent change in how Community College in Kentucky works I can take any dual credit class for free over the summer as long as it’s offered by my local Kentucky Community & Technical College (BCTC where I live)

I think they offer Calculus 1 and statistics, other than that I’m not too sure they don’t offer a much of relevant course work in the math/science area to high schoolers sadly

That’s excellent news. It doesn’t need to be just math though.
Does BCTC have two summer sessions?
Do you work in the summer?
If you work, you could take one class each session
If you don’t you could take two classes each session.
I would recommend you take College French 1+2 and College algebra/precalculus + discrete math if offered.
(College French 2= high school French 3, you could jump into French 4 at your HS if they offer it, and college algebra/precalculus should allow you to take Calculus during the year).
If you can only take one class each, I’d take college French 2 to get into French 4 and Discrete Math, and make sure I get straight As in precalculus honors during senior year).
Can you take dual enrollment classes during the year too, or only during the summer?

@MYOS1634 OP is lower than a 3.2. On track for a 3.07. Would summer courses factor into GPA?

^good point.

My DS has just gone through the application cycle for some of the schools mentioned for CS. He has 2 years of foreign language, and higher stats than OP. He was accepted to Purdue, RPI, RIT, NEU, Alabama, TN Tech, UTC, UNCC, Ohio U, Miami Ohio and U Rochester. Some are public and some private, none questioned his 2 years of foreign language. I hadnt even heard of a school requiring 3 years. So while there may be some, DS applied to many highly ranked schools without it. Also, a couple clarifications - CS is in the school of Science at Purdue, not Engineering; DS took physics in the summer dual enrollment and the grade did average in at his HS.

@MYOS1634 I’ve already exhausted that path, I offered my school several ways I could get into Calc next year if at all possible and they’re just really against anyways who wasn’t fast-tracked from 8th grade doing calc (which in my opinion is stupid but what can you do)

I’ll look into that discrete math option though I may enjoy that.

@gearmom I also tried this and asked the school if I could make up a few of my C’s from Freshman year but they have a rule that if you passed a class you can’t retake it, sadly. Adding summer credits according to my stats would have little to no effect on my gpa, they only offer half credit summer courses and I’ve already passed about 80% of those classes (the ones offered through my HS)

Would your dual enrollment credits count in your GPA? There’d be a double effect: by adding class credits, it’d dilute your freshman C’s; and by adding good grades, it’d push your GPA up. :slight_smile:

Ask your CC if they’ll offer Discrete Math this summer.
Ask your GC if you’d be allowed to dual enroll for one or two classes senior year.
Any chance you could take a programming class at the CC? That could exrternally validate CS skills:)
You could try and learn Python (do you know HourofCode?)

Do look into UMN-Morris. They have a great reputation for CS but are easier to get into than most because they’re in Minnesota near a small town. (You can transfer to UMN Twin cities for junior year if you have the grades.) It’s a smaller public school that feels like a private college, lots of attention to students, no huge lectures. That would be a benefit for you. However it is a reach academically (average GPA is 3.55, average sat 1350; your 3.07 gpa would place you in the bottom 20% so you’d have to reach 1400sat/30act to have a decent shot. Course rigor is considered very important so your Jr and Sr schedule will be scrutinized. However they’ll be ok if you end with precalculus honors.)

@MYOS1634 Oh, I already am taking a programming class through the community college; it’s intro to programming in Java; I can ask about Discrete Maths though for sure

If you’re majoring in CS, going out of state is not recommended. CS degrees are very employable, and you don’t want an albatross of debt hanging over your head. That will sabotage your career. With your ACT, your stats could still get you into UK or Louisville. There’s also Western, Eastern, Northern, and KY-State.