Please help me pick some match and reach schools

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Recently I've been so caught up in applying to schools that I love the thought of going to that I have neglected applying for any schools that are not assured acceptances. In part, this is due to not being a very competitive person, but I am also just have no idea what schools I can realistically shoot for. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>Major: Mech or Aero Engineering</p>

<p>GPA:
3.881 UW
4.266 W</p>

<p>ACT:
Composite - 31
E - 30
M - 29
R - 31
S - 34
Essay - 11</p>

<p>For EC's I have three years of NHS, two years of robotics, one year of football, three years of track and field, one year of row team, one year of rugby, auto club treasurer for two years, three years of employment doing renovation work, and participation in a local trail work club.</p>

<p>State: CA</p>

<p>I am a dependent of a single mother in the lowest income bracket (<$20,000) with a brother in a community college. No, I am not a minority (unfortunate, I know). </p>

<p>Major: Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering</p>

<p>So far I have applied to NAU and Oregon State University, and as of today I have been accepted to both. Oregon State is very appealing because of their dominant FSAE program, research grants, and partnership with UMich for robotics research, but unless they offer me lots of merit aid I will not be able to afford attending. </p>

<p>In addition to the two mentioned above, I am applying to University of Alaska Fairbanks for Petroleum Engineering in case I have a change of heart after the filing period is over and decide I want to go back to Alaska. I will receive free tuition and hefty merit scholarships from them.</p>

<p>Where I know I am applying:
UC Davis
UCSB (Geology as my secondary choice)
UCSD
UC Irvine
Lehigh (regular decision.. I need to see my financial aid package)</p>

<p>I am also considering applying to Cornell, but I am not sure it is worth the money seeing as the chances of acceptance are so low, and I could be putting that money toward a application for a different school which would be more likely to accept me.</p>

<p>I would really love to leave California, but it is very hard to find schools that I might get accepted to that would pay for a significant amount of my expenses. Primarily I am looking to move north (New England or great lakes region) but the determining factor will really be the cost/quality.</p>

<p>Thanks for taking your time to help me out, it means a lot.</p>

2

<p>Do you have a mechanical or aerospace engineering safety that you can afford? If not, you may want to add UCR and a CSU that you can commute to as such, if you do not want to use starting at community college as a safety.</p>

<p>For big merit scholarships, look at the following threads:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-20.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-20.html&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-4.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-4.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

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<p>Note that there are automatic full rides for your stats at Howard and Prairie View A&M, both of which have mechanical engineering. You can be a member of a minority group at those two schools.</p>

4

<p>^ Love that response UCB.</p>

<p>

You do know that OSU offers its best scholarships to in-state students (since it is state funded)? [OSU</a> Scholarships | Financial Aid and Scholarships | Oregon State University](<a href=“http://oregonstate.edu/financialaid/osu-scholarships]OSU”>http://oregonstate.edu/financialaid/osu-scholarships)</p>

<p>NAU has only one scholarship for non-residents. [2013-2014</a> Criteria - Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid - Northern Arizona University](<a href=“Financial aid scholarships | Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid”>Financial aid scholarships | Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid) That maxes out at $7K/year compared to a $30K cost.</p>

<p>Go to the school’s web sites and run the Net Price Calculator. That’s why the schools are required to post that.</p>