Picking Between Colleges

College Search & Selection
1

I’ve decided to major in Aerospace Engineering, and I’m pretty sure that I’ll be leaning towards the “Astronautical” side of it. Now I have a list of colleges I am thinking about applying to and need help on deciding whether or not to keep them all or cut some. #8 is deciding between UC Davis and UC Irvine, not sure which one would be better for my major. As for what type of college I’m looking for, I would like it to be in a nice city with plenty to do. I don’t want cramped dorms (if possible), food is a very important aspect too. I’d rather not be limited to places like, “Taco Bell, Panda Express, Subway”. It’d be nice to have those places, but I want much more than that. Class sizes for most (or all) my classes for my chosen major should be anywhere from 20 - 50 students (more or less). I don’t mind if my general eds are giant lecture halls(100 students, or something). Also, if it makes a difference, I am a California resident near the LA area.

  1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  2. Stanford University (decided to do early action for this one)
  3. California Institute of Technology
  4. Princeton University
  5. Cornell University
  6. USC
  7. UC Los Angeles
  8. UC Davis or Irvine
  9. University of Washington at Seattle
  10. California Polytechnic State University Pomona
  11. California State University, Long Beach (SAFETY SCHOOL)
2

Can you afford out of state UW tuition? Also, without stats, I don’t think you will get good advice on what to keep and what to cut.

3

You want to consider Rice University. While Rice doesn’t offer a degree in Aerospace Engineering (that material is covered in the ME program), it does have strong connections to NASA in Houston, as well as the very cool Rice Space Institute. It also meets your requirements for class size and general quality of life.

4

Based on your school environment preference, I would think UCI over UCD. Since you are a California resident, I would seriously consider keeping both UCD/UCI on the list, add possibly add one or two more UC’s since all will give you an excellent education with lower in-state costs.

Looking up an old post from last year, you stated you had a 3.3 GPA by end of Sophomore year. Even if you received a 4.0 Junior year, your GPA is no where competitive for the majority of the schools on your list. What are your test scores, since you did state you were doing SAT prep courses?

CSULB/CPP are probably within Reach. UCI/UCD/UCLA/USC mostly likely are Reaches and for the rest, Super High Reaches. If my information is incorrect, please come back with your correct information so posters can give you a more informed evaluation.

5

Be sure to check out the Aero programs at Arizona State, Purdue and New Mexico State U, where you’d likely qualify for the WUE tuition exchange.
Santa Clara has a minor in Aero

6

Embry Riddle?
Please provide stats.

7

I am aware of the fact that those are very high reaches. Due to my struggle with a “video game addiction”, I did do poorly 9th and 10th grade. However, during my Junior year, I took 6 classes at my high school for my first semester and one at a university for statistics (that I did get an A in). My first semester I received 2 B’s, 1 in chemistry and pre calculus. The second semester I took 7 classes (1 being a TA job), only 1 B in chemistry. Also, as far as my AP test score goes, I received a 3 (passing) on AP US History. Furthermore, I plan to write to the essay question that asks," Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story". The reason for this is because I come from one of the worst sides of my city (gun shots, helicopters, drugs, gangs, etc. being the norm), and managed to stay on track to get to where I am now (applying to colleges from a very selective high school). My high school (will not state the name, please do not try to guess which one) has been recognized by US News as one of the top high schools in California https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/search?state-urlname=california (my school is on that list).

As far as stats go, here is what it says on my official transcript.
Total GPA Course: 3.38
ACA GPA Course: 3.34
University GPA (Univ GPA Honors A=5) : 3.75

8

Also, I removed Cornell University from my list.

9

NASA hires tons of people from Texas A&M because of its proximity to Houston – the students get internships and connections while they are still in college, and then jobs afterward. You should add that university to your list.

10

Realistically speaking, OP, you are unlikely to be competitive for most of the schools on your list with a 3.38 GPA. Yes, colleges do want to hear from students with a compelling story - especially students who are traditionally underserved - but those students usually have a high GPA and a high level of achievement outside the classroom to go with it. For example, at Stanford, only 4% of the admitted class had a GPA below 3.7 (and the admit rate for people who applied with less than a 3.7 GPA was 1%). At UCLA, the 25th percentile GPA was a 3.85 for CA residents - meaning that 75% of admitted applicants had higher than a 3.85 unweighted GPA. UW is similar - the 25th percentile is a 3.68.

On a list with 10 schools for a student with your profile, you really should only have about 2-4 of these very high reach schools. Realistically speaking, you have at least 8 (7 if you don’t count Cornell). Even UC-Irvine and Cal Poly Pomona come into high-match territory for you.

I’d advise that you add some more realistic schools to your list, and potentially cut down on the high reaches (unless you have lots of money and time for applications.) Add some more mid-tier UCs and Cal States, for example, as well as some WUE schools? Purdue is not in the WUE. But places that are are University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (major in mechE, minor in aeropsaceE), University of Hawaii at Manoa (major in mechE and they have a space flight laboratory), and others.

11

Thank you for this. Yes, I understand those people have high GPA’s and achievements. My only “excuse” was that addiction, but really there are no excuses. I just wish I didn’t mess up those years. Anyways, I can maybe take off Cal Tech but the rest I honestly want to try. As for the cost, I’ll be speaking with my counselor to get a supporting letter due to financial hardship at the moment. I’ve already looked up costs for tuition and I should be mostly covered. Looking at close to nothing.

PS: Does my high school hold no weight on my college application? We have Stanford, MIT, Cornell, Harvard, etc. visit our school a lot.

12

I second @mommyrocks in suggesting Texas A&M–another school with strong alumni connections to NASA in Houston and one that offers exactly the major you want (“Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering”). You would have a decent chance of admission there, even with your problematic GPA.

13

^ TAMU is not financially possible for a lower income student from OOS.
UHouston would be more possible except I don’t think OP can get a full ride.

Your school means something, but Stanford, Harvard, etc, will choose students ranking in the top 10%.

Did you list your test scores?

Your story is compelling enough it’d help you get into a college where most students have a 3.5-3.6, not where 3.75 is low. (UCs will use your college GPA, but selective universities will use your unweighted gpa, IE., 3.34).
Rather than focusing on the colleges on your list, first focus on colleges where you have a legitimate shot. Then add the high reaches as cherry on the cake - starting with UCLA of course. It doesn’t hurt to try IF AND ONLY IF you have done a good job with two safeties and five matches. Right now you only have one safety and one match (CPP). So, you need to find one more safety and four more matches. A match would be a school where average GPA is no higher than 3.5-3.6.
Consider also that admission to Engineering is more difficult than general admission - it’ll be hard getting into any engineering program in California unless you have stellar grades in stem subjects as well as stellatr test scores, but you have a shot at UCSC and CPP. Because of the extra selectivity of engineering, consider Cal Poly SLO a reach, as well as any UC above UCSC. Note that they’ll only consider your 10-11 results so recalculate your GPA for UC’s/CSU’s if need be. UCs will take your story into account but CSUs are strictly numbers based, your recalculated GPA *test scores.

My suggestions for you would be to run the NPC, on each of Whitman, Lewis and Clark, St Mary’s of California, Occidental, perhaps URedlands, ULaverne, Chapman, LMU, Whittier. They don’t have Engineering but you could double major in math and physics, or CS and physics, then get a Master’s in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.
If you’re willing to venture away from the West Coast, Rhodes, St Lawrence, Lawrence, St Olaf, Denison may be willing to take a chance on you based on how strong your high school is (hence, a sense that your GPA is “deflated” compared to a typical school) and how compelling your story is. All are very good in math and science.

Also, run the NPC on every single college - I doubt you’ve done that for every college, since the net cost of CSU LB would be different from the cost of a UC, and you wouldn’t qualify for any aid at UWashington (= 50k a year). You want Universities that will offer you the lowest possible net prices.

14

With a 3.38 unweighted GPA, the first five schools on your list are a waste of an application fee. Most of the rest are high reaches. You need to look at CSUs in your area, and the “very good but lower ranked” UCs (noting that all of the UCs are very good). You also need to run the NPC on schools and figure out whether the schools on your list, particularly out of state schools, and economically possible.

15

I did run the cost of every single one of the list (by the way, I removed Caltech from my list last night). The calculators estimate some as low as $5k a year, and some as high as $9k-$10k a year (yes I did input the correct numbers from the tax return). From my school, every person that has applied to CSULB has been accepted. Cal Poly Pomona constantly tries to recruit students from our school, regardless of GPA (they understand how difficult the curriculum can be at our school). Also, I understand that MIT, Stanford, Princeton, etc. are high reaches and I will most likely get denied. I just need to see those rejection letters, I would rather apply and get rejected because at least I won’t be wondering “what if” for the rest of my life in college.

As far as my SAT score goes, it’s above 1200 (rather not say the exact number). Also, I’ll be taking my SAT Subject Tests soon (already registered).

gosh, my numbers are such a mess.

16

Also, is it possible to enter CSULB as an Aerospace Engineering major then transfer after my 2 years into a better school (like the ones on my list that are high reaches atm)?

17

Great wrt NPC’s.

OK, so you have two safeties and zero matches. I agree you should try for high reaches, but a good list is built from the ground up, safeties-targets/matches - reaches. You have safeties and reaches, you need to find about 5 universities with an average GPA around 3.5 and an average SAT around 1200-1300.
To give you an idea, UCSC, LMU would be high matches; SDSU, UoP, UCR, URedlands would be targets, ULaVerne would be a low match. Add 3-4 of these and 2-3 from OOS such as Lewis and Clark or UPuget Sound or UPortland or WWU (WUE) or Colorado State (WUE)…

(Note that to be competitive at your reaches, 1400 is considered low, and because you’re at such a good school the won’t cut you any slck on that).

18

“Also, is it possible to enter CSULB as an Aerospace Engineering major then transfer after my 2 years into a better school (like the ones on my list that are high reaches atm)?”

Possible? Yes. Likely? Not unless your grades in university are significantly higher than your grades in high school. Don’t expect any university on your list to be as easy as high school, even a competitive high school.

I don’t agree with @MYOS1634 that you have two safeties and no matches. I think that you have two very good matches and no safeties. If prepscholar is correct, then CSULB has a 34% acceptance rate and an average incoming GPA of 3.54 and Cal Poly Pomona has an acceptance rate of 39% and average incoming GPA of 3.49. I understand that GPA is computed differently at different high schools and different high schools vary in terms of rigor. It is possible that I am missing something. However, just based on the numbers and with OP having a strong Junior year of high school these look like good matches.

To be fair to OP, if you are confident that you are going to get into CSULB and Cal Poly Pomona, then you do have two good matches on your list and a list which is not too long. Thus there would seem to be relatively little harm in applying to a few schools that you are not going to get into as long as you do get into these two.