<p>or surpassing, but my GPA is absolute crap. What would you say about this situation? I got my second SAT to take on Saturday. I am pretty sure I will do great this time around.</p>
<p>CR: 570
Math: 680 (Capable of 700+, just mis wrote the student response, the answer was correct)
Writing: 600
Essay: 8</p>
<p>ACT: 28
English: 27
Math: 28
Reading: 30
Science: 27
Essay: 8</p>
<p>GPA: 3.111</p>
<p>Not sure what you want anyone reading your post to help you with since you didn’t really state a specific question?</p>
<p>Just asking for input regarding what an admissions officer would see it as. Would it be: “Woah, this kid is a lazy *******” or “This kid has some potential”.</p>
<p>Depends on how you got that GPA.</p>
<p>Straight B grades all along?</p>
<p>C grades in 9th and 10th grade, and B and A grades in 11th?</p>
<p>A grades in subjects X, Y, and Z, but C (or worse) in subjects T, U, and V?</p>
<p>Sit down with your guidance counselor, and ask what colleges and universities have admitted students from your high school who have academic records and exam scores like yours.</p>
<p>For most schools, the GPA (in the most rigorous courses) is the most important component in the selection process with test scores following close behind. Without knowing your specific stats and the schools you are considering applying to, it’s really hard to give you an opinion of what an admissions officer would think of you as an applicant.</p>
<p>I have attempted talking to my counselor about it, but the best answer she gave me was: read colleges that change lives… and look for schools I like. The problem is, most of them are liberal arts schools. I plan on double majoring in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and work my way up to double doctorates. Eventually become a professor while doing research in academia. None of the schools on the schools that change lives list is really fit for me…</p>
<p>My list of schools:
Cal Tech
Cal Poly SU San Luis
Cal State Poly U Pom
Carnegie Mellon U
Cooper Union
Florida Inst Tec
Harvey Mudd C
Illinois Inst Tec
MIT
Rensselaer Polytec I
Rochester I Tec
Rose-Hulman I Tec
Stevens Inst Tec
Worcester Polytec I
</p>
<p>try contacting the schools admissions offices and start figuring out which ones will put more consideration in test scores. david you misc?</p>
<p>Si senor, I am aware.</p>
<p>Your gpa and test scores are way too low for Caltech, MIT, Cooper Union, and Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p>Here’s how I, frankly, would look at it: “Hmmm. This kid has some talent, but it’s not coming onto the court”. I say apply to lesser-tier but quality (and less expensive) schools for undergrad, save your money, prove yourself, then hit your list for grad school. By the way, I’m old enough to have noticed that college is not high school. I’ve seen mediocre HS students excel in the more free-wheeling college atmosphere, and some great HS students go into the tank in college. It’s apples and oranges. Put yourself in a position to learn and excel, no matter what the brand name on the campus is.</p>
<p>I agree with GorillaGlue- Caltech, MIT, Harvey Mudd, Carnegie Mellon want to see very high test scores (~750 or 34). And for the other tech schools on your list, you need to have high math scores at least. Be sure to research safety schools where your scores actually fall into the mid-50th percentile of accepted students.</p>
<p>What about uc berk? It’s electrical engineering and computer science program is amazing. EECS!!!</p>
<p>A liberal arts education would not preclude you from obtaining however many doctorates you envision yourself having. Also, frankly, both your grades *and *your scores are way too low for most of the schools on your list, and render MIT, Harvey Mudd, Caltech, Cooper Union, and CMU virtually impossible.</p>
<p>1850 is not that good a score; it doesn’t look incongruous with your grades.</p>
<p>While your counselor’s advice sounds vague and unhelpful, it is essentially sound. You will not go to Caltech or MIT for undergrad. And the research universities you can go to would most likely provide you with a less rigorous education than some of the liberal arts colleges within your reach (many of them offer 3-2 programs in partnership with schools like Columbia and Caltech; you could also double major in physics and CS, and go on to get a master’s degree in engineering).</p>
<p>Going to a research university is, of course, something you can do; however, I think you need to adjust your expectations about the caliber of university you may get into.</p>
<p>I agree that your list is too ambitious. My nephew was waitlisted at Rochester Institute of Technology with scores and grades considerably higher than yours (though he did eventually get in) and that’s one of the least selective of the schools on your list. Nationally renowned schools like CMU, MIT, etc. want to see very high SAT scores–in the 2300 range–plus stellar grades and impressive math/science-y ECs (prizes in math and science competitions, things like that). But don’t despair; you can get an excellent undergraduate education at a school that is somewhat less selective, and if you excel there, you can go to a prestigious graduate program. How about the California State schools? They would also likely be more affordable to a CA resident.</p>
<p>While I do understand, but there are no other schools that really fit my needs. I don’t want it to end up like high school again, so I am avoiding public California schools. I am looking for a school under 5000 kids. I want to be able to research during undergrad years and preferably travel abroad and do some research in Japan, Korea or Singapore. I want to be able to have a personal relationship with my professors; I don’t just want to be a name on the roster. From my experience, I get a better education when I actually know my teachers. What I want to get out of college is study all day everyday; learn as much as I can in the 4 years before grad school. In fact, my life goal is to not only understand the language of God, but to speak it. Sounds very poetic, but in other words: I want to understand the whole essence of life and replicate it. </p>
<p>I retook the SAT yesterday and I know I got above 2000. Regarding my EC: I only have football and robotics team. I am the lead programmer; I have been programming since I was 11. Not everyone can say that. I started teaching myself Assembly earlier this year. </p>
<p>What kind of schools other than listed above actually fit my requirements? I honestly am sick of High school…</p>
<p>I would eliminate the following schools because you are not competitive for them.
Cal Tech, Carnegie Mellon U, Cooper Union, Harvey Mudd, MIT</p>
<p>The rest of the schools, you have a shot at, though RPI is a definite longshot. </p>
<p>The other schools are not generally known as the source of a lot of PhDs, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t get one. Rose-Hulman and WPI seem like you get a lot of attention. </p>
<p>I might add New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. On the last NSF survey of baccalaureate origins of Science and Engineering PhDs, they were ranked 15th with 8.7% of their graduates going on for a PhD. Case Western is another good school for an ultimate PhD, and it’s also a long shot, but not an impossibility. </p>
<p>I might also consider Illinois Institute of Technology. It’s been a while, but I’ve known some pretty well respected professors from there and have met a few pretty impressive graduates.</p>
<p>*Cal Tech
Cal Poly SU San Luis
Cal State Poly U Pom
Carnegie Mellon U
Cooper Union
Florida Inst Tec
Harvey Mudd C
Illinois Inst Tec
MIT
Rensselaer Polytec I
Rochester I Tec
Rose-Hulman I Tec
Stevens Inst Tec
Worcester Polytec I
*</p>
<p>As others have said, your GPA is not high enough for many of these schools. And, even a 2000 SAT isn’t going to be high enough for some.</p>
<p>The Calif state schools are largely GPA driven, so that will hurt you at the better Cal States, the Cal Polys, and probably all the UCs…(maybe not Merced).</p>
<p>Will you be a CS major or an Computer Engineering major? </p>
<p>What is your budget? With your stats, schools that do preferential financial aid packagings will not likely be generous.</p>
<p>However, if your parents will pay for wherever you want to go, then great.</p>
<p>What is your UC GPA?</p>
<p>Keep in mind that the UCs (and I think the Cal States) only use grades 10-11 for GPA, so any grades from next year won’t help GPA.</p>
<p>What is your weighted GPA including all classes?</p>
<p>Computer Science and Electrical Engineering double major. </p>
<p>UC GPA is 3.214
Overall would idealistically be around 3.33 by end of first semester senior year. By end of Junior year, it would be around 3.15ish. </p>
<p>It would be hard for my family to pay for any school without financial aid, the family income us around 40k. So I even quality for fee waivers.</p>
<p>Actually, I think I might apply to New Mexico Tech. I first avoided it at first because I thought it was only for petroleum and coal and stuff like that. It seems like I get to skip 3 math classes because of my SAT score… And probably the English too.</p>
<p>How about Santa Clara University? Stat-wise, it looks like a match for you. It has an engineering school, but it’s more like a LAC than a big research university. It’s an expensive private (as are many of the schools on your list) but is reportedly generous with need-based and merit aid. It’s right in Silicon Valley.</p>