I knew you’d have it all - how does being from OOS impact UC admissions?
Sounds like - once they get their UC GPA, UCI will be a safety for them.
OOS status helps since the UC’s know they are full pay applicants, but the UC’s have also lowered/capped the % OOS admits to make room for more California students. For 2021, the OOS overall admit rate for UCI was 74% and for 2022 it was 36.6%. 2020 OOS admit rate was 63.6%.
I would put UCI as a Target but not a Safety unless OP’s budget is unlimited ($67K x 4 is pretty pricey) and it is affordable.
In message 3 noted no cost constraints but would love to save. That to me is why U of A would be a better fit - plus the college town area is better (imho).
Not sure how or why UC was chosen. I used to live in Irvine and Placentia. I would not consider Irvine a college town…of course that’s all an individual interpretation. So to me doesn’t fit the list.
But if money no were object and assuming their 3 GPAs perform as I assume, seems like a near safe bet based on your #s…well to me.
I agree regarding UCI and the college town criteria. OP has a competitive profile, so I am sure they will be accepted to comparable or better programs with much lower costs than the UC’s. Since 2022 major specific data is not yet posted, I would be curious to see if there is a significant decline in the Chemical Engineering admits for this year vs. last year.
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My senior with similar stats and interests has Lehigh and Boston University on his list. He is especially impressed by the lab resources and curriculum depth at BU. I like the generous merit scholarships. Lehigh has reputable engineering, but might be too small and/or not the college town vibe your senior wants.
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Some thoughts and recommendations…
I would consider your school size criteria (10-40k) to be medium to very large. Given, your size range I don’t know how CalTech, Northwestern or Stanford made the list. If you are considering schools the size of NU or Stanford, add CMU to your reach list; it is academically very strong and Pittsburgh is a great town.
If you can get past the red state requirement that opens quite a few options, like GA Tech. Most universities in the US lean left, even if they are in a red state, and most large urban areas lean left, even in red states.
You might want to add UIUC to the list. It is #8 in ChemE and #6 in Engineering overall. It checks the box for size (33K students), and it is in a blue state. Illinois is also strong in the sciences, should you want to change majors. Based on your stats, this should be a target for you as an OOS applicant.
While you are looking at the Big 10, UW-Madison is #10 in ChemE, has 33k students, and leans pretty hard left. Again, with your stats you would be a competitive OOS applicant. Minnesota-Twin Cities checks all the boxes too (#7 in ChemE, 36k students, blue state), and the Twin Cities are beautiful. You also may want to add Penn State as a safety.
Note that, while highly ranked, UofM has some drawbacks. First, the engineering buildings are on a separate campus, while the math and science departments are on the main campus, so engineering students have to catch a shuttle to make their classes. Second, we live in MI and know hiring managers - who are UofM alumni themselves - who will not hire engineers from MI because the program is too theoretical and they don’t get practical experience. Instead, they hire from Purdue.
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Yet another vote for U of MN, which has a highly ranked ChemE program. Campus is well kept, and while big in general, the Science and Engineering buildings are grouped together in a convenient part of campus, very near the student union, Art gallery, Mississippi River, University village, residences, and LRT.
I know for a fact that MN is giving significant merit aid to high stat, OOS students, though what constitutes high stats for ChemE applicants (it’s strongest program) I’m not sure.
Really the only downside is the cold winter, IMO. LRT also takes you to the airport, and there are direct flight to just about every major city, and some minor ones, on the continent.
S2 chose MN over Purdue and WI. Just didn’t mesh with the rah rah sports, and busy streets of WI. Really liked Purdue, but after really digging into it, felt that the support and teaching would be better at MN. Great ENG school, though. MN just ticked a lot of boxes, but he doesn’t mind the winter…it’s long!
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Agreed about Minnesota and ChemEng. And with 3M’s presence in the Twin Cities it’s a great location for an aspiring chemical engineer.
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My bust… I meant to say blue state. Illinois has consistently been blue over the past few election cycles. Wisconsin is also a blue state.
You’re right. I deleted my comment.
Wisconsin is a purple state. So it could go either way (or end up split) at the state level over the next few elections, if that is a concern for the OP.
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Let’s move off discussion of red, blue or purple please.
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Mind if I save your post about me being right to show to the wife periodically, as needed? 
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Thewib, I did not see if you are a man or woman in the various posts. If you are a woman, CMU has a gender parity policy for their STEM majors, which is very favorable to women. Because of this, you might get accepted by CMU (ranked #6 for undergrad engineering), but rejected by lower ranked schools.
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