southoftheriver
UW 4.0
W 4.2
W&C 4.2
blossom
Case back on. I never wanted to take it off. Everything I have read about it sounds great. My take is it is a gem that people donāt give a chance.
And yes- some of the safeties will have to go. Some are very easy to apply to, which ios why I hesitate a bit- its a cheap 50 option, but I guess this is the first decision one needs to make in this process. If it came to it- which of your safeties would you attend. That is the one you should really apply to, not the others. Why muddy the waters.
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You can look at it otherwise - if a safety is literally a common app spot (you get 20), no extra essay and self report ACT, and you might consider if cost is fantastic - itās not unrealistic to see what happens and if the offer is great then visitā¦assuming it meets your threshold for racial comfort.
tsbna44
UCās might not be a bargain, but are compared to Ivies, Hopkins etc. They would be top of our budget, but still cheaper.
Now they arenāt worth the $, then that is a different argument. In my brain, UCSD is in a completely different league than my best state option (Binghamton)- but correct me. Iād love to save the $$$.
I am warming to Pitt based on the various comments here. You seem to be uncovering some things I wasnāt aware of. I was also aware that CMU is very stingy. I am on the fence whether or not it falls into the category of āif you get in, you figure out a way to pay for itā. I am still adjusting to the 2021 landscape. In my day, CMU was really an unknown.
Re Bama and UoSC, Bama is a bit too deep south for this little Mexican girl. Maybe UoSC is too, but we have a friend who is having a good experience there.
I would remove the Cali public schools. Expensive and you see over enrollment issues or lack of housing issues on CC. Plus travel costs.
Why so many safeties? You really only need one or two?
Keep GT, Case and Tufts. She might end up liking South Carolina or Arizona.
GT is doable in 3 years if you carry AP or dual enrollment classes. S20 is ISyE. He took a few summer classes at our local CC. His advisor recommended it to get some prereqs out of the way.
You have a nice budget and some hooks. I would be looking at private or smaller engineering schools where you arenāt a number. Personal attention is nice.
Pitt, Olin, Cooper, WPI, Lehigh, Lafayette, Miami FL, Rochester.
Get your Pitt app in ASAP. Early birds get merit.
Miami gives merit. Beautiful campus. Warm weather and obvious Hispanic influence. Friendās daughter just graduated. Loved it. Work hard, play hard.
Most campuses are liberal. I went to South Carolina many years ago for grad school. Decent Hispanic population even back then.
OP- is your kid a ābloom where you are plantedā type, or a kid where things have to line up pretty well for her to be happy? (No judgement, I have some of eachā¦)
Bloom where you are planted- Pitt is such a great option for a kid interested in the sciences, fantastic academics, so much going on in Pittsburgh itself in medical research, robotics, the intersection of AI and life sciences (wearables-- a cap which can modulate brain waves to eliminate depression without medication?). She may love the campus, she may hate it, but if sheās the type to see the glass half full Iād leave it on.
I donāt think that UCSD is in a different league than Binghamton except for weather and outdoor recreational options. Iām not discounting those. But itās an expensive way to experience surfing once you add in travel costs. Her life will just be beginning when she graduates college, and if living near the Pacific and gorgeous weather is on her wish list, there are tons of job opportunities in San Diego. But academically- pretty much parity except for some exceptional programs in oceanography at UCSD (top notch). There are many departments at UCSD that are rated higher than Binghamton but note- these are for graduate programs. The life of a typical undergrad isnāt impacted by a research facility which doesnāt hire undergrads. So take those ratings with a grain of salt.
blossom
She is not rigid, but needs some bare minimums in order to thrive. So Pitt stays. Let her see it and then say its too cold or dark. She doesnāt make binary judgements, but we need to winnow it down based on some criteria. Based on what I now know, Pitt might meet many.
Interesting read UCSD vs. Bing. I didnāt see them as so comparable, but I know little. So the question then becomes, how much does environment contribute to success and happiness in college.
As a kid, there is some immaturity in the initial decision making process- whereby some kids (and mine) see college as a great way to escape whatever ails them about their hometown (country kids to city, NYers to Cal).
Separating and balancing the whims of a child and the real impact of environment is not an easy task.
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Hugs. Not easy.
And for the record, I think there are clearly things that fall into the āwhimā category and things that do not. If dreary, endless winters depress your D, then focusing on a couple of glorious and sunny schools is a great quality of life decision. I was just not willing to pay a premium for a better football team (who cares), nicer sorority or frat houses, āperceivedā better social life (which is invariably not accurate and usually based on the reputation of the local town for ignoring the legal drinking age). YMMV. Weāve each got our own āHeck noā list of things weāre just not willing to pay for. My kids found me pretty receptive to a discussion around academic rigor, intellectual opportunities etc. But better social life? stony silence. Thatās what being in your 20ās with a paycheck is all about!!!
OK- great feedback, I think I transition now to the āchance meā stageā¦
The other risk with the UCs and CSUs (beyond whatās already been stated wrt to housing) is graduating in 4 years. There are students who canāt get the right classes in the right sequence necessary in order to graduate on timeā¦so an extra semester or two would cut into any āsavingsā experienced due to their relatively costs.
For Stevens, how does she feel about the 70:30 M:F split?
FWIW I would keep Pitt on the list. I donāt know if you will be able to do visits, but strongly suggest you visit CMU, which is a āfitā school meaning it appeals to a more narrow set of students. I second the recommendation of Lehigh and Lafayette, but merit is generally low, however they do give merit to students they really wantā¦and a Latina engineer may fit nicely with their institutional priorities.
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At least U of SC is in the city - and youād be a candidate for their Honorsā¦which is a different level than Bama.
UF would be cheaper than UCs.
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This risk is probably no greater at UCs and CSUs than at other public universities, despite the example of the SDSU EE department.
Score one of SUNYā¦I have never heard any complaints about getting classes needed to graduate on time. I think this might be a flagship university phenomenon.
If I am wrong, sucking up another year at SUNY (27K) is far more palatable.
I donāt disagree, but because the UCs and CSUs represent a high proportion of OPās OOS public list, itās a relevant thought. Makes sense for OP to try and get more information directly from each schoolās engineering dept if they stay on the list. With that said itās hard to suss out the reasons for low grad rates because as we know they are impacted by other factors such as finances.
Itās also important for OP to remember when comparing grad rates that GT operates on a coop model, which results in relatively lower grad rates (especially 4 year).
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I know a lot of kids at Binghamton. Needing an extra semester to graduate is usually a function of a shift in major junior year (so no time to course correct) or taking a semester overseas at a non-approved program and then coming home with only one course being accepted for credit (lesson learned- donāt attend a non-approved program in a foreign country!)
Iāve not heard of a situation where a kid and the advisor couldnāt map out the right ā8 semesters and outā program!
I think the GPA is low for Berkeley.
UCs have issues, but this school (as your wife knows) is absolutely top-notch. My D22 is looking at urban schools and really likes Berkeley but was not impressed with UCSD. Students seemed glum, the architecture was strange - just did not have the right vibe. Would very much recommend a visit if this is a contender. SDSU is so Southern California, very spirited and fun.
Only your family can determine if a school is ā worth it.ā If you can afford x and they get into a UC and itās a great fit, why not?
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In general there are three reasons for this. Students dodge professors, dodge times, or are in curricula that are longer. The Cal Poly ME curriculum for example is 200 hours, where as itās 180 at UCLA. Itās not actually hard to get classes at any of the CSUs or UCs anymore.
A 3.98 unweighted is ālowā? By the time a student runs through the UC/CSU a-g capped and weighted calculator, it will be indistinguishable from a 4.0.
No, the capped weighted is low = rigor
UW 4.0
W 4.2
W&C 4.2
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I wonder how many pre-meds at UCB drop the pre-med idea after finding out the traditional times for general biology (MWF 8:00-8:59am) and organic chemistry (TuTh 8:00-9:29am). Or after sleeping through enough lectures that result in grades earned that put and end to any chance of medical school admission.
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