<p>I'm looking to major in computer science, and I'd like to go to school in California, but I'm open to the east coast and anything besides the south. I go to a well known specialized high school in NYC with a 91.6 average- I believe a 3.6 unweighted? 2080 SAT, 670 MathII, 690 Physics, 30 ACT (just retook this past weekend). Member of Robotics Team for all 4 years of high school. Really into personal side projects (developing apps/websites). But I'm not looking for chances and I know how CC is and I'd appreciate it if I weren't told I should retake all my tests and that I'm not going to get into my reach schools. My guidance counselor keeps suggesting technical/engineering-focused schools, which I don't want- I'd like to go to a school where it's not 80% guys. I also want to go to a medium size school (5,000-15,000 and not much more than that). Money is a concern, but I'd just like as many recommendations as possible, so don't take it into consideration.</p>
<p>This is my list so far:</p>
<h2>Reach Schools</h2>
<p>Stanford
Yale (Possibly, they sent me a bunch of info and it seems very interesting)
Carnegie Mellon (or high match)</p>
<h2>Match Schools</h2>
<p>SUNY Binghamton</p>
<h2>Safety Schools</h2>
<p>SUNY Albany
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (Not sure,dont like how big it is but great compsci)
University of Pittsburgh
Northeastern (really like!)</p>
<p>As you can see I need some more match schools, and I'd like to find some more safety schools just incase I find some I may like better than the ones I already have listed. Unfortunately most of the great comp sci schools are reach schools.</p>
<p>Ilinois is certainly not a safety for you. While your scores and grades are good enough for admission to a liberal arts area of study, sucOh as poli sci; your grades and scores are actually slightly below the median for engineering and CS at UI.</p>
<p>There are tons of options available depending on what you are looking for in a college. CS is a common major, so any really good college should have a good or excellent CS program. Many of the best programs are at engineering schools and you said you don’t want that, so focus on universities and even LAC’s. What did you like about Northeastern? If you liked the location also consider B.U. or B.C… If you like the co-op program then consider Drexel. I think you need to throw some more factors into the mix in order to narrow it down. Also, take a look at the Rugg’s Recommendations - he provides list of colleges based on major. It’s a good starting point for your research.</p>
You’d be full pay at UIUC and Pitt. I never agree with someone who wants to ignore the cost side of the equation. At least you have an in-state safety on your list. What about Stony Brook?</p>
<p>I really don’t want to go to school on Long Island. Also, I meant not to worry about money for suggestions because I’d like to just get a bigger list and consider all options. I know personally my money situation.</p>
<p>I had no idea you apply for a major at Illinois, I just know that the average for kids from my school is an 89, so I considered it a safety.</p>
<p>UPitt might accept you, but you’d be full pay there. </p>
<p>Even if you luckily got accepted, it wouldn’t be affordable since it won’t give you need-based aid or merit scholarships. You’d be FULL pay at over $40k per year. </p>
<p>How much will your family pay each year? It isn’t wise just to clutter up your list of schools with schools that will NEVER work. Time is precious. Why waste in on schools (especially OOS publics) that absolutely won’t work out for you. </p>
<p>“anything besides the south”</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>Why won’t you consider anything in the south? Your stats, while good, are not high enough for your reach schools, and not high enough for merit at your other schools. At least as some very good southern schools you would be given large merit scholarships for your stats.</p>
<p>A couple of southern schools would be your financial safeties. </p>
<p>For a school to be a SAFETY, then you MUST know for SURE that you have all costs covered.
How can a school be a “safety” if it’s not affordable??? </p>
<p>Which schools on your list can you say that you are 100% certain that you have ALL COSTS covered with ASSURED grants/scholarships and/or family funds? </p>
<p>If you don’t have any such schools, then you have NO SAFETIES.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids I think I am entitled to geographic preference. It’s where I’ll be living for the next four years. I mean no offense to people who like living in the south, but it’s not where I see myself going to college. I enjoy the winter as well as the summer, among other reasons.</p>
<p>I realize I need more schools on my list, but I want schools I would enjoy going to, not schools to put on there just because they will give me money. If you do realize, I know my list is not complete, and the purpose of this thread is to get suggestions for schools to put on my list, not just criticism of the ones I already have on there. Criticism is fine and I appreciate it, but I would appreciate suggestions/solutions as well.</p>
<p>Also, I would say both SUNY schools on my list are financial safeties, all costs covered. Binghamton,though, is an academic match.</p>
<p>I’m also interested in San Luis Obispo. It would be an academic safety. It’s also cheaper and I would be likel to receive money from them. In that situation, I would say its more of a financial safety as well.</p>
<p>Northeastern is an academic safety, but not sure about financials.</p>
<p>My financial situation depends on many things that I can’t explain due to personal reasons. I might be able to cover 4 years full cost at Stanford, or I may have to go to Binghamton for the lower cost.</p>
<p>I’m also interested in San Luis Obispo. It would be an academic safety. It’s also cheaper and I would be likel to receive money from them. In that situation, I would say its more of a financial safety as well.</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>Unless you are LOW income and qualify for a bit of federal aid, you won’t get any money from SLO. That is a Calif public. Their aid is from the state of Calif and it’s only for Calif residents.</p>
<p>BTW…no one is suggesting that you “park yourself” somewhere for 4 years at some inadequate school just because it may give you money. There are schools ranked higher than SUNY-Bing that would give you good merit scholarships.</p>
<p>Cal-Poly in Santa Barbara would be a great choice for you .
You should add USC as well- but it would be a reach.
Realistically, with your GPA, and SAT’s you have no chance of acceptance at Stanford or Yale and should take them off your list, and spend more time finding other colleges where you dont have a 99.9% chance of rejection. But its your call, and if you want to waste an app, go ahead. Sorry to be harsh.</p>
<p>I don’t think I’m going to apply to Yale, but Stanford has always been my dream school, so I’m set on applying even if my chances are slim. </p>
<p>USC I’m interested in as well, but I think it might be more of a match, not a reach.</p>
<p>Some of the UC schools are really enticing, especially since many of them are great for computer science and are in california, but they dont help out of staters much at all and are pretty expensive. Thats why I like San Luis Obispo, b/c it’s a bit cheaper, but still a good school.</p>
<p>I would love to find some safety/match schools in California that give me more of an opportunity to get some aid.</p>
<p>Shouldn’t Stony Brook be on your list for in-state New York computer science?</p>
<p>What is your price limit? If $30,000 to $35,000 per year, several good OOS publics have low enough list prices to be worth considering (e.g. Minnesota, VT, NCSU, Cal Poly, Iowa State, NM Mines, SD Mines). If significantly less, then far fewer would be affordable (mainly those offering big merit for your stats).</p>
<p>I’d like to go away to school, so Stony Brook is not on my list. I am very interested in Cal Poly, but it seems there are next to no other good safety schools in California. Prove me wrong, please!</p>
<p>Cal Poly SLO is unlikely to be a safety for you. Other less selective CSUs with respectable CS would be Cal Poly Pomona and San Jose State, though even these may not be safeties (probably more like match level for admissions).</p>
<p>Stony Brook has the best reputation in CS out of the SUNYs.</p>