All of this CS shut out talk makes me NOT want to encourage S19 with his average gpa and so far mediocre test scores to even remotely consider it. I’ll have to get H on board as he’s pushing that way a bit.
UGH.
@eandesmom nope, not reconsidering it. I think he would’ve had second thoughts a month or 2 ago had the guy called back. Weirdest thing ever for son. The coach was such a nice guy and so welcoming. He really liked my son. My wife was mad when we hadn’t heard back, saying that me and my son were crazy and must have imagined it all, lol.
About CS and engineering: my son has a few friends that he plays lax with that aren’t the strongest students. They get OK grades, but have not taken many high level classes. One is going to study CS at a school like Hofstra, and the other one is studying ME at a U Mass Lowell maybe. So there is hope for those kids that want to get into a program but don’t have rockstar stats. You just have to find the right schools.
@CA1543 RE: What you need to get into CS.
Honestly… you don’t NEED to do any of those programs. Although they can be nice & helpful to help decide if you want to go into CS. And boost your confidence when you get there. Taking AP CS is nice but not required as it’s often poorly taught & the curiculum not the best. Having some experience coding can be helpful. But honestly you can start at many universities in a CS program, even top ones like Berkley without having a ounce of programing experience ahead of time.
What you should do is take a science & math heavy load in H.S. Get good grades in mathematics classes.
@RightCoaster Omg - that would be so frustrating. I can understand the coach missing one email or being so busy he couldn’t respond right away, but it sounds like your son made multiple attempts to contact him. On the bright side, it could be satisfying coming up with a good response to write back… like “I’m sorry, who are you?” 
@socalmom007 - oh yeah, believe it or not, I forgot that her being female in CS can’t hurt… My thinking was that the schools that have a 50/50 balance in engineering give a (big?) advantage to women - of course the two that I’m thinking of (Olin and Mudd) both rejected her…
I would not be shocked at all if some / all of those schools gave her some boost because of her gender. Though obviously I have no way to know.
gender makes a big difference in STEM admissions.
@thshadow when we were touring RPI the admissions rep said they were “actively” recruiting more females to the school across the board in an effort to lower the 7-3 male to female ratio, and they were hoping to get it closer to 6-4 in the next year or two. She said basically if you are a girl on todays visit WE LOVE YOU and need you here asap.
There were some parents with boys on the tour who were not thrilled with the 7-3 ratio, too much of a bro fest.
I did not seem to notice the ratios being that obvious when we toured RPI, WPI, Clarkson although they lean male, and my son didn’t seem to take notice either.
Oh, and I should mention that DD IMO would have had 0 chance at getting in to Cal Poly, and I think most of the UCs as well. They are much more objective-based admissions, and for Cal Poly and CS it’s ridiculously hard to get in to.
So she could have told her story, but no one would care…
I think that being a female applicant to engineering or CS makes a significant difference. And it made a difference to my son when he applied for engineering because the higher the ratio of males to females the less interest he had in the school.
I think being a Hispanic female studying mathematics helped my D at schools like UT, Purdue, etc… Here in CA. They don’t consider race or gender, Cal Poly doesn’t even have essays, so you just make the cut or don’t.
“gender makes a big difference in STEM admissions.”
*at some schools. Not at others.
The m/f ratio in aerospace engineering is particularly dramatic. I think in one of the two schools that D17 is still (!) debating, it’s maybe 14% female? So I’m sure that being female is an advantage.
@thshadow D17 has a really good GPA and ACT. However, she got direct admit, honors, and $$ at UMD as an OOS student without a ton of engineering-centric ECs. She did an evening camp over winter break during freshman year, has an engineering class this year, and will have only Physics I and Calc AB under her belt. That’s it – her jobs and ECs were heavy on marching band and aquatics.
TBH, if I’d read the last three or so pages of this thread I would have been wary of letting her apply in a STEM field.
@dfbdfb, I’m from your state, and want to reassure you that my D16 had zero difficulties with engineering admissions, including receiving a Stamps offer from Ga Tech, despite a complete absence of science/math based extracurriculars. , She will have gender and geographic diversity going for her. She needs academics, of course, and a history of following her interests, whatever those may be. My daughter was heavily involved in mountain running in the summer; definitely was not attending engineering camps, and she only had one AP science (biology, at that.)
The only time it “hurt” her, in my opinion, was when she was going head to head, in a sense, with another Alaskan at Harvey Mudd. That remarkable young woman had major math comp experience, and her father was a HM grad. She was chosen for the fly-in and was a finalist for the big scholarship there. My daughter was admitted ultimately though, and received a large scholarship (but not large enough, haha.)
Anyway, I would not worry about adding anything new for that purpose.
@WhereIsMyKindle My daughter is almost certainly going to take a gap year if she ends up at a school that allows same. We did independent schooling from 5th through 8th grade which included a lot of travel and self directed learning, only starting reg ps for high school. My daughter loved most of her teachers and was very participatory in all things, but seriously the last two years homework level was ridiculous (at least with her give everything you’ve got output). It was done with a finish line at the end frame of mind, and art, dance, so many things had to take a beyond backseat position, now she wants to remember …
@GoodGrief16, glad to hear all that. FWIW, I don’t think I’d push her to add anything new—she’s the sort who’ll land on her feet wherever and whatever her college admissions saga looks like, I think.
Women are being recruited more heavily for STEM than men at some colleges. I’ve mentioned this before but for those parents whose girls are considering STEM, don’t be surprised if some of their male peers and male professors are not so supportive. They will need to be prepared to work harder and ignore the naysayers. The mindset crops up at the most surprising campuses. My daughter is tenacious and doesn’t let it get to her, but this antiquated attitude that women are somehow inferior in the sciences infuriates me.
A student who began the physics program with Spygirl announced in class freshman year that women have no place in physics because they just don’t have the logic to understand the subject. Now in junior year, he couldn’t cut it so he changed majors a few weeks ago. My daughter is one of 8 left out of a class of 51. Four are women.
Well, it probably’ll help my daughter that she has a mother with an engineering doctorate and an aunt with one in math
(and another aunt with a masters in engineering)—no shortage of strong female STEM role models to show her it’s possible.
That’s awesome @dfbdfb!
@eandesmom - Vermont? Who saw that coming? Glad he’s found his place. It seems like it’s been an exhausting search for many of us. You can visit in the fall when it’s really beautiful in New England. Naturally, I’ll be visiting Spykid often, especially since I’ll have to fly into Santa Barbara to visit. Oh, the agony. LOL
@ChalkPastel D built her college list from schools that allowed gap years and scholarship deferrals.
She’s been homeschooled since fifth grade (older sibs were not) so I understand the difference between self-directed learning and not :lol:
Congrats to @Agentninetynine for CalPoly <:-P
@thshadow Glad to hear your daughter is making progress on the decision. My daughter said the same thing about all the "cute boys’’ in Paris. It makes me cringe! %-( How was Rose-Hulman. And as I read further, I think a lean toward Rose perhaps?!
@CA1543 I’m liking you’re top two choices! Keep the thoughts coming!
@soxmom I can imagine it’s tough when so many great decisions are in front of you. I was thinking about what you said about your son knowing kids from HS that will go to Middlebury. I mean it probably would give him a sense of comfort at first, but there will be so many people to meet, I really don’t think it will feel like HS all over again!
@gr8pl8 What a harrowing story about the lost paperwork! That’s a great lesson for our group to make sure we confirm everything! Since we haven’t had to do anything by mail, I’ve been saving screenshots in the portal when it shows confirmation of information received and emailing a request for confirmation for other items. That’s working so far. Just read your note about your daughter’s indecision. Those schools couldn’t be more different! What are her pros/cons? @robNNN facing the same choice…
@vandyeyes Congrats on the honors for your son. How was the UChicago visit!! Show me some swag!
@jmek15 Nothing wrong with torturing the TV guy lol. sorry there was some indecision but here’s hoping that once May 1st has come and gone, you won’t ever look back!
@mageecrew Thanks for the note on U Del. I will definitely pass that along as they are considering it. I do know a few local families/kids that went, all had a really great experience, seems like professors really care there. Sorry your daughter is so torn! How frustrating for her (and you). I’m sure it will all work out and this will soon be a distant memory!
@Ynotgo Sounds like you’re making progress on the decision as well!
**I feel like I should start a list of all that are down to the final two!! Taking bets! ** 
Oh and we have a winner! Congrats to @WhereIsMyKindle on Indiana! <:-P
Oh boy, I still have 5 pages to catch up! You guys are moving so fast this week.