Match Me for Computer Science Colleges [TX resident, 3.98/1500]

Demographics

  • US domestic * US Citizen
  • State/Location of residency: * Texas
  • Type of high school: * Public High School
  • Gender/Race/Ethnicity *: Asian Female
  • Other special factors (first generation to college, legacy, athlete, etc.): None

Intended Major(s)
Computer Science

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.98
  • Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): 4.4 (school uses 100 point scale in that 99)
  • Class Rank: Not given out yet, estimate (6%-10%)
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1500, I will keep retaking and will try the ACT

Coursework
(AP/IB/Dual Enrollment classes, AP/IB scores for high school; also include level of math and foreign language reached and any unusual academic electives; for transfers, describe your college courses and preparation for your intended major(s))
AP Physics (4), AP Human Geo (5), AP World Hist (5), APCSP
Current: AP English, APCSA, AP STATS, APBIO & dual credit research class

Awards
Regional Women In Computing Award
Presidential Service Award
Aiming for other app-building competitions this year
Extracurriculars
(Include leadership, summer activities, competitions, volunteering, and work experience)

  1. Founder of High School Coding Nonprofit (200 participants online, lots of activities)
  2. President of Girls Who Code
  3. Youth leader for my District addressing problems
  4. Historian Math Honor Society led school-wide fairs and presented at them
  5. Lead teach students coding and had a leadership position
  6. Leadership position in my cultural group organizing/volunteering at festivals
  7. Member of the Business Club
  8. Summer program teaching girls to code (not really selective but I created some apps and websites I’m passionate about)
  9. Orchestra 5 years (I quit playing after 9th so not really a strong activity)
  10. Volunteering at Food Bank
  11. AI-related passion project (very strong)

Essays/LORs/Other
(Optionally, guess how strong these are and include any other relevant information or circumstances.)
Teacher 1 - 10/10 She always complimented my work and knew about my strong passion for CS
Teacher 2 - 7/10 I asked questions and showed I was good in his class and engaged
Counselor -2/10 She didn’t like me the one time I emailed/talked to her about missing a deadline and was extremely rude, it’s a big school so I never saw her again.

Schools
(List of colleges by your initial chance estimate; designate if applying ED/EA/RD; if a scholarship is necessary for affordability, indicate that you are aiming for a scholarship and use the scholarship chance to estimate it into the appropriate group below)

This is just what I have now, please let me know my chances and what other colleges to add, also if there’s anything I can do increase my chances

  • Safety (certain admission and affordability)
    UH
    (I need help knowing about others)

  • Likely (would be possible, but very unlikely or surprising, for it not to admit or be affordable)
    UTD
    (I need help knowing about others)

  • Match
    Texas A&M
    Some of the easier UC schools?

  • Reach
    UT Austin (I will apply early)
    UC Berkely / UCLA / USC
    UW
    Dartmouth
    Northeastern
    Northwestern
    Boston University
    UPENN
    CMU
    Duke

You have a strong set of accomplishments. Congratulations!

Unfortunately, you left out a critical part of the template, without which we can’t make any meaningful suggestions. What is your budget? Do you qualify for need based aid?

Also, what kind of college environment are you looking for?

1 Like

I’m not sure if I can edit but I"ll add it here- I have no budget limits and do not qualify for any aid. I’m looking for colleges with places to hang out, and a welcoming environment but I’m very flexible and wouldn’t mind different environments. Ideally the vibe of UT or UCLA (though, again I’m flexible)!

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I agree that you have a strong application and if your budget is unlimited then $74K/year at UCLA and UCB should not be an issue.

The UC’s are test blind so your SAT score will only be used for course placement and not for admissions or scholarship consideration.

UCB’s CS admit rate for College of L&S was 2.9%. For EECS, it was 4% and the overall OOS admit rate was 7.8%.

UCLA’s CS admit rate was 3.8% with an overall OOS admit rate of 8.6%.

Definitely both schools are a Reach. Best of luck.

3 Likes

Congrats on what you’ve done.

What is your 1500 split? You might be fine. The UCs and UW will be test blind for you.

What is your budget? I see you answered.

What are you looking for in a college besides a name - when I see all UCs and a whos who of schools with a commonality in high “rank” but none other, that doesn’t tell me what you actually want - as you actually have to spend four years there day after day. And the budget matters because if you don’t qualify for aid, is your family willing to spend near $400K when you can spend $60K or $100K, etc.

So your parents would spend $380-400K at Northwestern vs. $90-100K at U of Arizona, as an example?

thx

PS - where is Rice on your list.

PPS - I’d really love to know what you want in a school - besides the vibe of UT or UCLA - not sure those are the same vibe. You have smaller schools listed too - so which do you prefer? Greek life? Weather? Sports, etc? Urban or suburban or rural - you have em all on your list.

What do you really want?

OP clarified that she has no budget limit and does not qualify for aid.

3 Likes

Yes, I had edited it - I thought b4 you wrote but maybe you opened it to respond - to say I see you answered.

But alas, having no need or budget - you still have to ask the family that question - so you’re willing to pay $380K when you can go to - for example UTD, for $35K b4 merit (or $150K-ish over four years).

Because some families will say - hmmm - yeah, you’re going to UTD (or sub).

OP’s profile - Texas public high school, Asian female, 99 GPA, 1500 SAT - seems almost identical to several students I know in class of 2023. One of them is attending UW and the others are in UT, all CS major.

1 Like

If you are in the top 10% of your class, then UT-Dallas would be a safety (source), and even if you weren’t in the top 10%, I’m pretty sure it would be a safety anyway due to your strong profile.

For all schools you’re considering, make sure you look and see how admission to computer science works. For instance, at Texas A&M you would first be accepted to the College of Engineering and then after the first year you would select your major. To guarantee your first choice of major you would need at least a 3.75 GPA. So although your class rank might guarantee you a spot at Texas A&M, it does not guarantee you a spot in CS. Ditto for UT-Austin.

If you have a preference for the vibe of big state schools, then some other options you may want to consider include:

  • Iowa State
  • Rutgers
  • U. of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  • U. of Maryland
  • U. of Wisconsin-Madison
  • U. of Michigan
  • U. of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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That’s a great get for OP (UW) but with a 3% OOS acceptance rate, it might be the biggest reach on her list.

True. I only know part of that student’s stats but I don’t really know her (EC, essay, etc.). She wasn’t in my class. I think her older sibling attended UW and that might have made a difference.

Came here to ask this! Seems to fit what you say you’re looking for, very well, and you’re already considering Houston as a location. COA is within 5K of the OOS cost of a UC.

In CA, how about Harvey Mudd? It’s one of the few schools with true gender parity in CS, and a great learning experience and general quality of life, if it’s a fit for you. (You’d have to like the broad core, which includes a lot of lab sciences in addition to math and CS.)

All that said, UT is hard to beat for CS, for the in-state price, particularly if you can land a Turing Scholars spot. With a 1500 SAT, how did the PSAT go - are you NMSF? The NMF deal at UTD Honors is pretty amazing, and that’s also a great place for CS.

3 Likes

University of Wyoming looks like a safety: Admission Requirements | Undergrad Admission | University of Wyoming

Oooh thanks I will look into harvey mudd

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