Narrowed my CompSci colleges? What do you think

College Search & Selection
1

<p>So I believe I have figured out my top ten schools for computer science based on possible FA, tuition, prestige, strength of program, strength of college as a whole, greek system, opportunities after graduation, and whether or not I have a chance of entry. Here they are
Cornell
UC Berkeley
UIUC
Carnegie Melon
UT Austin
Umich at Ann Harbor
University of Washington direct admit
Purdue
Umiami (legacy, my mom went there)
USC</p>

<p>What do you think about these choices? Are there stronger colleges that I may still have a chance of getting into? Are there any that aren't good for CompSci that I am misinformed about? I know some of these are reach but I am going to focus on my admission essays over the summer.</p>

2

<p>possible FA</p>

<p>???</p>

<p>How do you figure that the OOS publics are possible sources for FA? Have you had your parents run the NPCs on these schools’ websites?</p>

<p>There are schools on your list that you may get NO financial aid. </p>

<p>What is your likely EFC? Have your parents said how much they’ll pay each year? </p>

<p>What schools are your financial safeties? These are schools that you know for sure that you have all costs covered.</p>

<p>How would we know if there are better or other schools that would be right for you when you didn’t include your stats?</p>

3

<p>*
Originally Posted by IntBacc
I have a fair amount paid for but I would need student loans at most of these schools.
*</p>

<p>???</p>

<p>What’s the “fair amount” that you have covered? How much do you have for each year of college (for sure).</p>

<p>You can borrow the following amounts:</p>

<p>frosh 5500
soph 6500
jr 7500
sr 7500</p>

<p>to borrow more is NOT recommended and would also require willing and qualified cosigners, who must requalify each year. Taking out more loans is not recommended because you end up with too much debt. </p>

<p>The bottom line is that you have no need to borrow extra amounts. A CS degree is not so unique that you have to go to some special pricey school that requires a bunch of debt. If you were to do that, you’d quickly become disappoined after you graduate and find out that the other new hires who went to “lesser schools” and don’t have debt are getting paid the same amount as you.</p>

4

<p>I tried to include a wide range of schools and when I said financial aid that was mostly based on average freshman grants given (and the legacy scholarships at Umiami because my mom attended). My parents said they will pay for full room and board at any school and then $50,000ish for tuition. I know many of these schools tuition alone is greater than 40000 a year but I’m banking on possible scholarships. If not I’ll fall back to UW or Umiami with legacy. </p>

<p>Here are my stats</p>

<p>I’m currently a junior candidate for the IB full diploma
All gpa’s are unweighted because my school does not weight or rank
I am a white male</p>

<p>Freshman Year:
Physical Science
Honors English
Advanced Algebra
Competitive Marching Band
1 Semester health/1 semester foods and nutrition
Cisco Discovery 1/2
Freshman GPA 3.7ish</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
Honors English
Honors American History
IB math SL 1
Honors Chemistry
Cisco 3 - Received my Cisco CCENT for networking this year
Spanish 1
Sophomore GPA 3.7ish</p>

<p>Junior Year:
IB HL English
IB SL 2 Math
IB SL 1 Chemistry
Spanish 2
IB HL 1 History
Cisco 4
Junior GPA 3.8ish</p>

<p>Junior Summer:
Physics online</p>

<p>Projected Senior classes:
IB HL English
IB HL math
IB SL 2 Chemistry
IB spanish 3/4
IB HL 2 History
IB SL Art</p>

<p>Projected unweighted cumulative GPA 3.7-3.8ish
I will be testing in IB HL English, IB HL Math, IB HL History, IB SL Spanish, IB SL Art, and IB SL Chemistry</p>

<p>I am also a candidate to receive an IB full diploma so I am:
Taking the IB theory of knowledge course
Writing historical investigation
Writing extended essay
Writing theory of knowledge presentation and essay
Doing CAS hours and a collaborative project which is founding and running a club (freedom of knowledge)</p>

<p>I took the ACT and got a 31. I am studying over the summer and hoping for a 34
I will be taking SAT subject Math 2 and Chemistry studying with Barron’s books so hopefully I can get 750 or above</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Lacrosse 9th-10th
Church Nursery 9th-11th
Freelance computer technician 9th-12th
Freedom of knowledge club co-founder and president 11th-12th
Possible key club participant 11th-12th
Competitive marching in band 9th
House manager for ASTRA play company 9th-12th
Fencing 9th-10th
Church religious ed teacher 9th-10th
I received my Cisco CCENT certification in 10th grade
Upgrading school computer labs 9th-10th
Painting 11th-12th (for CAS)
FFA 9th grade did livestock project and my pig won class champion
Over 500 hours of community service between Astra and church involvement</p>

<p>Job:
I have been employed by a local ISP/computer repair shop since freshman year. During the school year I work an average of 20 hours a week and over the summer I work 30-40 hours a week. I worked both as an ISP and computer technician</p>

5

<p>when I said financial aid that was mostly based on average freshman grants given</p>

<p>That info is worthless for your circumstance, because you’re OOS and most aid is for instate students and not available to OOS students. Much of that aid is state or fed grants, and again, you’re not eligible because you’re not a resident and you wouldn’t qualify for fed grants.</p>

<p>My parents said they will pay for full room and board at any school and then $50,000ish for tuition</p>

<p>I don’t think any school charges more than $50k for tuition. So, if your parents will pay $50k per year for tuition PLUS will pay for room and board, then why would you need any aid at all???</p>

6

<p>Not per year, $50000 total. I have a couple extra sources and possible scholarships but I’m hoping I can get total tuition for a college for $100000 or less. I know it’s a stretch at most of these but I figured I definitely won’t have a chance if I don’t apply. I’ll figure out the financial situation when I see what colleges I get accepted to and what I am offered. </p>

<p>I am looking for advice on compsci schools, not the financial packages at them. (I know I am probably dreaming but I really want to go to a better school the UW or Umiami)</p>

7

<p>Also, and I have no statistics or proof to back this up, but I have heard some people say that a few of these schools can be very generous when it comes to FA loans/grants/scholarships even for out-of-staters.</p>

8

<p>So, are you saying that your parents have said that they’ll pay about $15k for room and board, and they’ll pay about $12k towards tuition each year? So, then can pay about $27k per year towards college.</p>

<p>*I’ll figure out the financial situation when I see what colleges I get accepted to and what I am offered. *</p>

<p>That is too late. You could end up with NO affordable options. That gets people into trouble. Then they end up at a CC, taking a gap year, or taking out ridiculous loans.</p>

<p>I don’t know who these “people” are that are telling you that these OOS publics are generous with aid to OOS students. They aren’t. And your current test scores aren’t high enough for much/any merit at some of the schools that give merit. And, frankly, it sounds like your parents wouldn’t qualify for much aid anyway. </p>

<p>Please have your parents run the NPC calculators on UIUC, Purdue, Cal, UTexas, etc websites.</p>

9

<p>My backup schools if I don’t get offered any aid are UW as an In state student and possibly Umiami with legacy scholarships. I will have my parents run NPC calculators. And yes, I would estimate 27k-30k a year is about what I can afford. with no loans</p>

10

<p>And since I am obviously terrible at searching for colleges, what colleges would you recommend that have good computer science programs but won’t break the bank. I am willing to take out some loans but I would prefer to keep them to a minimum.</p>

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<p>Since I live near both of them, I know that UIUC and U Michigan Ann Arbor are both excellent schools. UIUC is a definite match, and U Michigan is as well.</p>

12

<p>University of Washington is a good computer science college.</p>

<p>Regardless of cost, your current stat is below average for many of the colleges you listed so that put them in the unlikely catagory. You should have a couple more match and likely colleges for your stat and budget.</p>

13

<p>If I could raise my ACT to a 33-35 and get over 750 on the SAT math II and Chem then I should have a better shot at many of those colleges, shouldn’t I? I know my GPA is .1 or .2 below the average unweighted gpa for a lot of the schools I am applying to, but I am hoping that full IB along with my work experience and higher test scores help. Also, on some of the colleges websites (like cornell) they say that a stellar essay can make up for lower stats. I believe I can write an above average essay, hopefully making my application that much better</p>

14

<p>Of course it doesn’t hurt to try, go for it :)</p>

<p>All I am saying is your list is top heavy both for your stat and budget. Just make sure you have a couple more match and likely colleges for your stat and budget. You don’t want to end up with very few choices or no choice because of rejection or high cost.</p>

<p>I am an alumni of one of the college on your list. My husband is an alumni of another one your list. I have 2 kids in college now. I am familiar with many of the colleges on your list. They are good computer science colleges (I am a CS major also) but they won’t do you any good if you can’t get in or can’t afford them.</p>

15

<p>Correct me if I’m wrong but I assumed I was a match or in that range for:
UIUC
UT Austin
maybe UMichigan
UW seattle
Purdue
UMiami especially as a legacy</p>

<p>and then the rest are anywhere from low to high reach. My problem is there aren’t really any good compsci programs besides at UW in Washington. I may have to just apply for something like WSU as a backup even though I have absolutely no desire to go there. (That is unless I can find an OOS that is cheap as a safety)</p>

<p>p.s. Thanks for the encouragement. I’ve found this forum to be pretty discouraging to people below Ivy league status like me. Although it has been a wealth of information and made me step up my game</p>

16

<p>What makes you think Washington State isn’t a good school for CS? Sure when you compare it to U Washington, it may not be as good at the graduate level, but at the undergrad level what quality differences have you heard about?</p>

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<p>I didn’t like the vibe of UW very much. Another problem is the acceptance rates. The other colleges I listed have acceptance rates of 17%-63%. While UW seattle has an acceptance rate of 59%, the CompSci department is so underfunded that its acceptance rates for direct admit is between 10% and 20% and then it is nearly impossible to declare CS as a major your junior year.</p>

18

<p>Understand that your less hard working peers will get weeded out by the various prereqs so the people left in the CS department will be much higher achieving than the average student at WSU and UW. </p>

<p>Also what about Western Washington University?</p>

19

<p>I haven’t looked seriously into WWU. I’ll take a look</p>

20

<p>

</p>

<p>If you get a direct admission to UW CS and the big scholarship there you mentioned in another thread, then it seems foolish to turn down such an opportunity, especially since you mentioned that many of your other options would require large amounts of debt.</p>