<p>I disagree with @DrGoogle just a tad. It is OK to overreach, as long as it is understood it is a long shot. You might make it to a reach school. Just make sure all other bases are covered. The ole saying that goes something like this applies here - shoot for the stars and if you happen to miss and land on the moon instead that is just fine too.</p>
<p>^that’s the problem, not all bases are covered. </p>
<p>^^ Got it. There is more info here from all of us to begin to effectively cover them now, I would think. </p>
<p>The problem for me is a kid flying from the East Coast to California to visit Stanford, Berkeley, Caltech and Harvey Mudd, when his college search time would be more usefully spent visiting schools that he is more likely to have a chance of attending. Let’s say he falls in love with Caltech and doesn’t like Stanford. That’s nice, but where is he going to go to college next year? Neither of those schools. He’d be better off checking out schools people have suggested in this thread, like Case and the Great Lakes flagships.</p>
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<p>The OP implied that the parents appear to be in wishful thinking mode about cost, financial aid, and scholarships. This means that there is no assurance that they are able to comfortably pay list price at any college.</p>
<p>@Cardinal Fang Your instincts are correct in my view. Never spend big bucks visiting reaches; spend that money learning about and showing major interest in matches and supposed safety schools. That is where the money pays off in an acceptance.The reaches even only half-care if you donate a building, so visits to them mean squat. </p>
<p>I don’t fully know the financial situation, but very few of us can just write thirty thousand dollar checks every year for four years without a care. Most of us are better off at least considering the finances.</p>
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<p>I hope you are not telling them that that is how much the most expensive colleges cost. Actual list price is more than double that at the most expensive colleges.</p>
<p>I’m certainly not telling them that college costs $30K per year! No way. Stanford’s COA is $62K next year or something like that.</p>
<p>Actually many of the most selective schools only expect 4 to 8 total for the entire high school career, so having 4 wouldn’t be a major stumbling block (still a little, because in a high performing school 4 is going to be considered low but 5-6 would be perfectly fine, so, with 4, he’s not that far off).
An issue is going to be whether the counselor checks the “most rigorous” box on his recommendation - he should go and ask. If not, he can forget any school in the top 20 (unless something exceptional sets him apart otherwise, or the school is known for ridiculous/contrary counselors who check “very rigorous” rather than “the most rigorous” for a kid wih 8-10 APs.)
The major problem is going to be regular EC’s, nothing spectacular. The kids admitted to the likes of Stanford all have something spectacular. Unless his parents are being modest and he’s accomplished something great with his programming/coding that Cardinal Fang doesn’t know about, that lack of exceptional achievement is what will be the biggest problem.
During the trip, suggest they visit Cal Poly SLO along the way?</p>
<p>I don’t know how hard it is to get into U. of Illinois as an out-of-state candidate, but it has a really great track record at putting out software entrepeneurs, probably only second to Stanford in that regard. He should definitely apply there.
He should apply to Carnegie Mellon too, although I don’t know how tough it will be to get in with no math/sci activities. He might also try Rice, which again might be a bit of a longshot but does place more priority on academics than other top schools.</p>
<p>I don’t know any eastern state schools that are really that great at computer science. Probably Penn State is decent.<br>
I would say Big 10 schools and Pac 10 schools (e.g., UCLA, Berkeley, U. of Washington, etc.) are probably better in comp sci. </p>
<p>By the way, I suggest this kid do something productive with his summer. It might help his case at places like CMU if it was something related to computer science, although I have no idea what. </p>
<p>While Cal Poly SLO should be visited and is obviously easier to get into than the top schools, without knowing this student’s GPA it may be a difficult admit even with the high ACT score. They weight grades more than test scores, and CS is one of their more difficult majors for admissions (along with MechE and BioMedE). It appears their CS admit rate is <20%.
They also give admission points to first generation and for work & EC activities in the field.
It is easier from OOS however, and a relative bargain compared to UC OOS costs.</p>
<p>Perhaps sharing some admission stats from this yr might help? For example, GA Tech’s admission stats for this yr
That SAT converts to to a 33 ACT. Once you start getting to these level of test scores! the distinction amg students is found in their accomplishments as seen via coursework and other achievements. In GT’s case, note that the avg applicant had 9 college level courses. 4 APs and a 35 is definitely not going to scream “more successful” than a 33 and 9 college level classes. </p>
<p>From the outsider reading stats and activities, it is hard to figure out who is accepted and who is rejected, but assuming a 35 is enough for acceptance is overly confident and giving test scores more weight than they deserve. If you read through this thread for Case where kids with higher scores are deferred and lower scores accepted, you’ll start to see that scores aren’t the shoo in.
<a href=“Case Western Class of 2018 EA Results - Case Western Reserve University - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/case-western-reserve-university/1590334-case-western-class-of-2018-ea-results-p1.html</a></p>
<p>Re getting to Cal Poly SLO, San Luis Obispo has an airport and there are several direct flights every day from San Francisco. </p>
<p>Rigor is extremely important. Hard to say based only on your ‘4 out of 19 APs’ comment if it will be a problem for your nephew. It depends on what the other strong students at his high school have taken.</p>
<p>Comp Sci is extremely popular right now. UIUC admit rate for CS in the College of Engineering is approaching single digits for males. It was closer to 50% not that long ago. Apps are growing at very high rates, which can be said for pretty much every school with a reputable CS program.</p>
<p>As others have said, be mindful of schools that don’t admit directly into the CS major as competition may be fierce to get into the major once he is at the school.</p>
<p>Merit money is hard to predict. A school may be known for merit for high test scorers, but if they have so many apps for a certain major, merit may be harder to come by for those students. UIUC is not known for great merit aid but they do offer some awards. I will say though that it is almost impossible for a male Comp Sci applicants to get one of these awards. The entire class (non URM males) is 34+ already on the ACT.</p>
<p>Good news is that there are many great programs out there, many mentioned on this thread.</p>
<p>PS Going from 35 to 36 on the ACT is not as simple as taking a week off video games. If it were, there would be many more 36s. On the other hand, there is really no risk and little expense in trying. As others have said, super selective schools insist there is no difference. It doesn’t seem that these are the schools we are talking about here though.</p>
<p>UT-Dallas is easily accessible by air. He will get in. He will get $$. (Total cost of attendance would likely be less than 10K/yr.) They are known for CS. (Rank is comparable to Case). Put it on safety list.
UTD is a very diverse/international school. They have an honors program and new dorms with private bedrooms for all. Economy is good in TX–lots of research, internship, and employment opportunities.</p>
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that’s the wording for laymen meaning AP/IB/AICE/DE 
ie., the various “college level” classes offered in the US. It doesn’t strictly mean Dual Enrollment or post-AP classes.</p>
<p>I suggested Virginia Tech as a good match for the young man, although I’m not sure about merit there. Safer at least than GTech.</p>
<p>@myos1634
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<p>Yes. I agree that it is referencing AP/IB/DE. My pt is that the young man in question will only have 4 which is low for someone who has the opportunity to take far more and has chosen not to.</p>
<p>We agree 
Cardinal Fang presented things well. Hopefully what we have here can help him/her help this young man with his “matches” and “safeties” and net prices at those.</p>