<p>Just curious, why do you say San Luis Obispo is a match, not a safety? I am above the average for SAT and ACT, and my GPA compared to other kids from my school who were accepted is 5 points (out of 100) higher.</p>
<p>For one a safety is a school you can afford. You would be full pay for Cal Poly.</p>
<p>SLO gets a gazillion apps and their priority is Calif kids first. They have to turn down thousands of qualified kids each year. </p>
<p>Since there is only a chance that you’d be accepted, it’s not a safety. Also, you won’t get ANY aid from SLO, so unless your family will full pay, then that would be an additional reason that it’s not a safety.</p>
<p>There probably are NO Calif public safeties for you. </p>
<p>1) Calif kids have priority
2) These schools get a gazillion apps and have to reject many qualified kids
3) They charge high OOS rates and don’t give aid to OOS kids.</p>
<p>There are some Calif privates that probably will accept you, but if your parents won’t pay the $50k+ per year to go there, then those aren’t safeties either.</p>
<p>
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<p>If list price (about $30,000 per year out of state) is within affordability*, some CSUs which are not impacted for engineering may be potential safeties. They include Chico, Fresno, Los Angeles, Northridge, and Sacramento. East Bay, Humboldt, and Maritime each have one engineering major.</p>
<p>But most or all of these are not generally the type of “destination” schools that out of state students consider desirable (CSUs, particularly non-impacted or less-impacted ones, tend to serve a heavily commuter student population). CSUs also have more of a problem than UCs with respect to not being able to get needed classes, but some (such as Fresno and Pomona) have four year graduation pledges giving registration priority to students who follow their majors’ course plans and do not need remedial courses (four year graduation rates at CSUs are generally quite low, like usually under 20%, though that is somewhat due to part timers and the large number of students who need remedial work).</p>
<p>*OP: it would help others help you if you stated your price limit and ran some net price calculators at various colleges to see if the expected family contribution that they show is realistic for your family.</p>
<p>I think 35k is probably what I would want to pay for a safety and hopefully get a bit more from that for aid. What sort of privates in California or anywhere really would be considered safeties that might give me some money?</p>
<p>**OP: it would help others help you if you stated your price limit and ran some net price calculators at various colleges to see if the expected family contribution that they show is realistic for your family.*</p>
<p>Exactly. Since the OP has kind of given conflicting info about how much his parents will pay each year, it’s hard to know what he truly has for REAL funds to put towards college each year (which don’t involve the mistaken idea that the student can borrow large amounts…he can only borrow $5500 frosh year, 6500 soph year, 7500 jr year, and 7500 sr year). </p>
<p>At one point it seemed that he might have someone who would contribute more money If it was a top school, but maybe I’m reading too much between the lines.</p>
<p>In the above post, he is now stating that he’ll spend $35k per year on a safety. I hope that means that he knows for sure that his FAMILY will spend that much and he’s not relying on hope or big loans (which he can’t take out by himself). </p>
<p>Yes, if his family will pay $35k per year for a school like CSU’s that UCBalumnus has mentioned, then maybe those can be counted as safeties. HOWEVER, I wouldn’t recommend spending THAT MUCH on those schools when there are better schools for similar money AND those other schools would be more residential and less commuter/suitcase, which is not good for a student coming from far away OOS.</p>
<p>Ok, I apologize for not being clear enough in my original post and all the others I have made. I probably shouldn’t have said so many things to confuse everybody, because they’re confusing me too. I’ll make up for that here, because I really do appreciate any and all help in selecting the right schools for me. That said, I’d still rather not give exact numbers.</p>
<p>-I have a college fund that could pay for a state school (so it’s great to have an option like that!)
-I am willing to go into more debt for a top school in the field of computer science. For example, if I got into CMU, I would be more willing to go into debt because it is the top computer science school in the country.
-There is a chance I will be able to get financial help from someone especially if it’s an expensive (top) school, as mom2collegekids pointed out.</p>
<p>I would like some suggestions for schools that I have a good shot of getting some money from, have a good computer science program, aren’t technical/engineering focused schools w/ 80% guys, and are away from anywhere near NYC, and if possible, not in NYC.</p>
<p>Thanks, and sorry for my confusion.</p>
<p>Thanks for explaining that you have a college fund to pay for instate. So, would that be for about $100k total?</p>
<p>If so, then with about a federal loan each year, you can spend about $30k per year on a safety. </p>
<p>for safeties, I do think it would be wise for you to consider some schools that will give a decent amount of merit for your stats. That way your “college fund” can pay for the rest and you’d have no debt at all.</p>
<p>-I am willing to go into more debt for a top school in the field of computer science. For example, if I got into CMU, I would be more willing to go into debt because it is the top computer science school in the country</p>
<p>Please understand TWO things.</p>
<p>1) You cannot borrow more than the below stated amounts without a QUALIFIED cosigner ( and the co-signer must agree and qualify EVERY year). </p>
<p>You can only borrow $5500 frosh year, 6500 soph year, 7500 jr year, and 7500 sr year). </p>
<p>2) This is a BIGGIE…it is NOT a good idea to go deeper into debt to go to a “top school”. Do you realize that employers do NOT pay you more because you graduated from such a school? Do you realize that your colleagues from state schools or lesser ranking privates will be paid the SAME as YOU??? That’s right. No bonus salaries for a CS degree from CMU or other top schools. </p>
<p>So, while you’d be struggling each month to make big loan payments, your colleagues who have NO DEBT or little debt who graduated from their state school or wherever will be earning the same and be able to move on with their lives using THEIR money for things like a new car, a home, travel, etc.</p>
<p>You know, the bargain in your back yard (Stony Brook, with a well respected CS major degree program and annual cost of about $21,000 for in-state students) really does make the most sense among your potential match or safety candidates. What is the reason you want to get “away from anywhere near NYC”, and is it really that big a criterion that you are willing to pay substantially more for a potentially not as good CS major degree program?</p>
<p>I understand #1</p>
<p>As per #2, I get your logic that employers will not pay more just because you have a more prestigious degree, and I don’t disagree with that. However, Carnegie Mellon has one of the top computer science programs in the country. I could care less about prestige like a lawyer might about going to Harvard or Yale, but a top program means it is a higher quality of education. I think it would be difficult to disagree that CMU will teach a student more about computer science, on a higher caliber, and offer more opportunities, whether it be for research, jobs, or anything else.</p>
<p>While a company might not pay me more for JOB A just because I have a degree with more prestige, that doesn’t mean they won’t hire me for higher paying JOB B because they know I went to CMU and got that level of education. In other words, I know the degree itself doesn’t change anything, but I think the level of education that comes with it does. Many of the top valley startups hire out of schools like CMU.</p>
<p>Now I may not get into CMU, and lots of other schools have great computer science programs, but I think a CMU education can be justified for a career in computer science. I’m not holding CMU up on a pedestal, and for all I know even if I get in I might not end up going there, I’m just saying why I might pay more to go there.</p>
<p>I definitely don’t want to stay on long island, but it would be stupid to shun all state schools. I think Binghamton is great and it’s on my list. </p>
<p>But I think going away for school is a personal choice, and I have chosen that I would like to go away. I would like to experience someplace new, put myself somewhere different, in a different environment. My uncle’s words have stuck in my head - “no risk, no reward”.</p>
<p>While a company might not pay me more for JOB A just because I have a degree with more prestige, that doesn’t mean they won’t hire me for higher paying JOB B because they know I went to CMU and got that level of education</p>
<p>Uh, no. Entry level engineering jobs at the same company are going to pay the same. If you’re hired for CS Job B, its salary will be the same as the one for CS Job A. I think you’re placing too much on prestige. Those coming from “lesser” schools may be considered to be as valuable or more valuable that those from top schools. Students from a variety of schools will have had different experiences, internships, co-ops, REU experiences, which can make them very appealing to employers.</p>
<p>I come from a family of hiring engineers (VPs, directors, senior mngt) for companies like Northrop Grumman, Canon, Boeing, Google, DirecTV. They pay their “new hires” the SAME no matter where they’re from. The grad from Cal State Long Beach starts at the same salary as the grad from Harvey Mudd. The grad from Purdue gets the same salary as the one from UA-Huntsville. I know that may seem surprising to a high school kid, but it’s true. This has been the trend for a very long time. </p>
<p>I can remember a new hire from Cornell (with debt) being quite annoyed that the Cal State Fullerton grad was being paid the same as he was (and the CSUF grad had gone to a CC first!).</p>
<p>Haha. You sure like proving me wrong! Ok, I’ll give you that one about the salaries, but I still don’t think you can dispute that you’ll learn more and have more opportunities at CMU or a similar school. You can do more research, and despite the salary deal, top companies will hire right out of top computer science schools, and they do have signing bonuses for a lot of them. </p>
<p>Granted a lot of this has a lot to do with your skill. I think if one could master a set of programming skills and was very intelligent, they could easily get hired without a degree at a top company. But if that person had gone to get a degree at CMU or Stanford, they would be able to learn and grow their skills and ways of thinking and approaching different problems. A lot of this has to do with connections as well. At CMU, Stanford, etc. there are a lot of like minded individuals, working on projects and starting their own companies, more so than at other schools.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s fair to say that a top CS education is the same as a lesser CS education. I’m not looking to spend a lot of money for prestige, and like I said, I very well may not end up at CMU, even if I get in, but I need to get this point across.</p>
<p>Stony Brook is the SUNY that actually has enough of a reputation in CS to attract non-local recruiters looking for CS interns or graduates. The others do not seem to have much attraction to non-local recruiters (maybe Buffalo).</p>
<p>I really appreciate your passion for Stony Brook, but it’s just not on my list. I’ve lived on Long Island my whole life and I’d like to experience something new. That’s just me.</p>
<p>"I don’t think it’s fair to say that a top CS education is the same as a lesser CS education. I’m not looking to spend a lot of money for prestige, and like I said, I very well may not end up at CMU, even if I get in, but I need to get this point across. "</p>
<p>well frznpixel,
some very wise and experienced parents have tried to knock some sense into you head, but you dont want to hear it.
With your stats and GPA, there is a very great chance that you are not going to get into the colleges you want to go to. No college cares where you have lived all your life or what you want- that is irrelevant to them when there are thousands of more qualified applicants vying for the same openings.
Time to wake up and realize you may have to make due with a good, albeit less “prestigious” college.
It really wont matter once you have your engineering degree. Graduating at the top of your class at whatever college you go to will take you where you want to go.</p>
<p>but I still don’t think you can dispute that you’ll learn more and have more opportunities at CMU or a similar school</p>
<p>Yes, I can dispute that. There are students attending “lesser” schools that are learning just as much (or more) and have just as awesome opportunities (or more) than those at “better” schools.</p>
<p>I live near little ole UA-Huntsville. It’s not ranked highly, but its strong in STEM. Its campus is situated in Cummings Research Park…the second largest research park in the nation. Those eng’g and CS students get awesome opporunities for co-ops and internships at top techie companies that are a stone throw from their campus. They have jobs before they graduate. </p>
<p>Again, I realize that this all sounds odd to a high school kid. The common thinking around the school lunch tables is that if you go to Prestigious Univ then you’re bound to be successful and make more money that those going to Good Univ. </p>
<p>There are VERY few careers that have an income and success difference attached to where you went to undergrad. When this subject has come up before, the only type of careers that success is often tied to certain elite schools are the Wall Street type jobs.</p>
<p>@mom2college Maybe he doesn’t prefer the south? Also, I understand you’re trying to give him advice and be helpful but he asked for more colleges on his list… not advice on whether he should be wasting his time looking at colleges he can’t afford.</p>
<p>frznpixel you can just type exactly want into the college search. When I did it for you (you should still do it though) the #1 choice was Gonzaga. They are in Washington and have a mean GPA of 3.75 (little higher) and a ACT of 26 (little lower) so it won’t be a safety school but definately a match school (65% of getting in). Now the school has close to 8000 students. Unfortuantly the tution is $32,000 but they have both types of aid. Now the most important part…55% of the school is women.</p>
<p>Some others on the list:</p>
<p>Santa Clara
Chapman
USF
Loyola Marymount
Azusa Pacific
SMU (but in the south)
Seattle
La Verne
Pacific
Denver
TCU (also in the south)
UC Santa Cruz
Montana State
Regis
New Jersey
UC San Diego
Carnegie Mellon
Colorado (at Colorado Springs)
Point Lama Nazarene</p>
<p>These are just some schools that showed up and you can research on your own.</p>
<p>*@mom2college Maybe he doesn’t prefer the south? Also, I understand you’re trying to give him advice and be helpful but he asked for more colleges on his list… not advice on whether he should be wasting his time looking at colleges he can’t afford.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Did you read this thread???</p>
<p>I asked him early in the thread why he was excluding the south and he said why. I left it at that. </p>
<p>Since then the focus has been on what he can afford since his earlier posts were quite misleading. That had to be clarified first. </p>
<p>Then he thought that attending a prestigious school would be worth taking on debt, so that needed to be addressed, so he wouldn’t find himself 5 years from now, with lots of debt, while his co-workers (without debt) are being paid the same. </p>
<p>the myths needed to be cleared before any suggested schools would be acceptable. </p>
<p>Suggested schools…matches and safeties</p>
<p>Ohio State
Mich State
Iowa State
SLO
Cal Poly Pomona
UDel</p>
<p>The above are assuming that the college fund has about $25k-30k per year and the student can take about a $5500 student loan for frosh year, and maybe the family can contribute a bit more out of current income.</p>