Son is a sophomore at magnet science/math program in Maryland. Want to start exploring college visits this summer and would like him to visit a few safety options to start. He will likely end this year with a cumulative GPA around 4.3 or 4.4 (total of 3 APs so far and rest all honors classes besides things like PE and foreign language). But he’ll take 5 APs next year and 3 in Sr year for total of 11 so I feel like it’s too early to “bank” on GPA as anything can change. The school also has a magnet-specific class each of 4 years which is weighted as an AP class and includes an internship senior year.
He will take SAT in June but had 1360 in PSAT this fall.
ECs are ok - Lots of band focus including All county orchestra and band, jazz band, symphonic band, golf team, summer job, volunteering job in summer, etc - nothing national.
I want him to find a few safety options he will fit in and enjoy being at - he is an introvert, his current magnet only has 55 students per grade (test into it), and loves band/percussion and coding and math. He likes being challenged but is not super competitive- he just genuinely enjoys learning. He will most definitely be math/science focus, most likely CS since he’s been teaching himself programming languages since 10 but who knows. He’s not socially outgoing but I think a school that has people like him and if he’s able to do percussion in a marching or other band that would be good for him. He’s not focused too much on big or small as long as he can find people he connects with and is intellectually challenged in math/science/cs/engineering.
Geographically, no west coast - he prefers to be not too far (but I want him to not be commuter). “Not too far” means 4-5 hours driving or up to 2-3 hours flight if airport is within 30 min.
Also budget is not an issue. Willing/able to pay full price if it’s the right fit.
For safety in public U Del. The ultimate safeties are Alabama, UAH, Ms State. All cheap too. UTK is solid.
If you want varied sizes you can look at Elon or small LACs such as Ursinus, Allegheny, Wooster…pick an area to travel and look at colleges of all shapes and sizes. Plus rural. Urban etc.
Thank you!
For UDel and George Mason, are those still safeties for OOS as well?
Can you recommend anything in or near Boston? We’ll be driving there this summer. I know there’s tons of schools there but I want to focus on safeties with decent CS programs first since finding/narrowing down targets and reaches will be easier to do when we have a better picture of stats and after SATs.
The publics that have an open major are safeties – Rutgers. Madison, but that is far. UPitt into the engg school, rolling admission may be a safety if you apply very early. Penn State engg did not feel hard for my son this year.
Yes, I think UDel and George mason will be highly likely for your OOS son. (Again pending continued good academics). What is his current unweighted GPA, core courses only?
Boston highly likelies: Wentworth, U Mass Lowell, Clark, Suffolk, Wheaton. You might also visit WPI, which may end up a match/target.
Great idea to start touring colleges and to begin with the places that would be the likeliest for admission!
This is a list of safeties and likelies that seem to fit the parameters you set forth: NJ Institute of Technology, SUNY Buffalo, U. Mass, Duquesne (PA ), Clark (MA), Clarkson (NY), Merrimack (MA), Wheaton (MA), Endicott (MA), Temple (PA ), Wentworth Institute of Technology (MA), George Mason (VA), Ohio Northern, UMBC, and Westminster ( PA). There are several in Massachusetts as you prepare for your upcoming trip.