<p>Female
Black/African-American
GPA: 4.18W/ 3.6UW (calculated myself with grades 9-11)</p>
<p>SAT:2030
CR-800
M-640
W-590 (Standardized tests hate my essays...but I took English 3AP this year and got a 5 on the practice test and generally do consistently well on essays in any class so I really don't know what's going on with that)</p>
<p>ACT:29
Reading: 33
English: 31
Math: 31
Science: 22 (I'm retaking in a week. This should improve significantly to match the rest of my scores.)</p>
<p>Extra stuffs:
Questbridge College Prep Scholar
high scorer for the PSAT at my school
7 AP classes by graduation
4 years on Swimming and Water Polo.
2 years on Math Team
Mu Alpha Theta(math honors society)
University of Pennsylvania's Summer Academy of Applied Sciences and Technology (SAAST) this summer.
have a job at a restaurant, single parent home, first generation, adopted, low income, etc etc</p>
<p>Top Priorities are academics and finances. So I need solid financial aid and a solid program. I will be picky about geography and campus feel after that. </p>
<p>Even just directing me to a helpful guide for finding safety schools would be just as appreciated as actual names. Thank you kindly :D</p>
<p>well, one place to begin is to look at the column on your left for super match. click on it. this tool will allow you to plug in your data, including important information you haven’t given us yet such as your state of residence. another tool you will want to use is the net price calculator for each school on your list. This will estimate what your family will be expected to pay each year.</p>
<p>I mention these two because a safety is a school you would 1) absolutely go to, 2) absolutely can afford, 3) absolutely can get into, and 4), in some cases, have demonstrated a lot of interest in. So about the safeties you’ll have to qualify yourself for one and two, and we’ll help you with three.</p>
<p>So run the super match and tell us what regions of the country and what kinds of schools and whatever are out of the question. We need more info about you and your desires. If you don’t give us this information, thousands of schools are safeties for you. Where would we begin to help?</p>
<p>A typical safety is a public university within your state’s tier of universities which is at the highest selectivity rung that you are sure to be selected. Without knowing your state of residence I can’t venture a guess which this university would be. It’s unlikely to be the honors college at your state’s flagship nor your local community college. Your high school’s counselor can quickly tell you.</p>
<p>What kind of price limit are you looking at, and do the net price calculators of your in-state public universities indicate that they will fall into your price limit?</p>
<p>Your desired major and your SAT math score are going to raise concerns for the safety schools and therefore for you in choosing a safety. If we look at UIUC as fog city suggested, we find a terrific school for your major interests, and your SAT CR score is excellent and makes you a safety in CR, but the M score does not put you in the academic safety category. The middle 50% at UIUC in math is 680-790. Ordinarily, a safety school would be one in which your score would put you above this level; instead, yours puts you below it. This and your GPA make UIUC an academic match for you, in my opinion. What is supermatch suggesting?</p>
<p>Given the rising popularity of CS, it may be more difficult to get admitted as a CS major at many schools than it is to get admitted generally at the same school. So be careful about the SAT, ACT, and GPA ranges.</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus I’m actually more interested in the mathematics major with a concentration in computer science than pure cs.
@jkeil911 I understand your 4pt list completely but in the search process. 1 and 4 seem like extra things/eliminators after I’ve established a pool of 2 & 3.</p>
<p>My family income…Every calculator I’ve ran has put our contribution at like $2500. The source being my little saved money and side job. So if my scores or their FA will pay for me to go there I don’t care where it is. Out of those schools I want the top Math/CS school. Im thinking those criteria shoud chop the choices down significantly. </p>
<p>Yes to QB, but yes, you do need financial safeties.</p>
<p>what is going on with your SAT math? that doesnt bode well for engg or a math major.</p>
<p>What was your PSAT…will you be a NAsf?</p>
<p>Put your savings in your MOM’s name shortly before you file FAFSA so it wont hurt your efc…(or some other trusted adult’s name)…then take it back and use for uncovered college costs, etc.</p>
<p>OP, a followup: you’re getting really good advice from two of the most experienced posters on CC. Both indicate a concern about your SAT math score that you should take to heart, esp. with your greater interest in mathematics. Re-taking the SAT is one option, and prepping hard for it this summer might be the best opportunity you have to get the school you want. Second observation: you’re responding to our comments as if you understand what we’re getting at. Students don’t always do that, so it’s a help to us when they do (I agree that 1 & 4 follow 2 & 3). When you’ve digested supermatch, get back to us, please.</p>
<p>@LeeMonet it seems like everyone is focusing on that SAT I Math score. But your ACT Math score is not bad!</p>
<p>For example, the ACT Math range at University of Rochester (a very good private uni with a decent CS dept) is 27-33 putting you above the average if it’s evenly distributed (which it’s likely not). </p>
<p>Even your SAT I Math score is in UofR’s 25%-75% range (630-730), so while it may not be a true safety, I think you have a good shot. And it meets full demonstrated need.</p>
<p>If you want my non-professional advice, do not re-take SAT I but focus on the SAT Subject Math 2 test. Spend this summer practicing for the Math 2s. If you do well enough (750?) the SAT math score will not factor in.</p>
<p>Where’s the Illinois Institute of Technology prof on CC? Might he/she comment on your situation, and on IIT as a “safety”? Do you like Chicago? </p>
<p>@LeeMonet well I hate to say it but you are probably going to have to hope that you get into a match or reach school that meets full need. Many “saftey” schools are not actually financial safeties for those that have full need.</p>
<p>But I think that you are a pretty good candidate for schools at the U of Rochester level and I suspect you’ll actually do well at a higher level of selectivity.</p>
<p>Questbridge should help a lot with the process of finding match schools. I think an African American female interested in Math/CS will be pretty compelling for a number of very good schools. Good luck!</p>
<p>@dyiu13 I love Chicago. Go there often enough as I live close. I had a vision of going OOS just for the experience then settling down back home. If that explains my far reaching interest.</p>
<p>I’m def not ignoring the longer replies. Its amazing you guys are taking the time to help me. Im in the process of moving and this is not easy with broken bones so I will dedicate the time to do and respond to what y’all are saying when I can get on computer. (Mobile currently so shorter off the top of my head is more do able)</p>