Schools like the ones I'm looking at but with good aid

College Search & Selection
1

I would like to major in Computer Science, Computer Programming, Computational biology, computational psychology, or cognitive science. I want a good CS program wherever I go. I feel like, because I can’t really travel, I’m missing out on a lot of schools that aren’t known for what I like, but are still really great for it.

Here is the list I have so far:
Reaches: U Chicago, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, lehigh, UC Berkeley

Safeties: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, SUNY (stonybrook, bing), CUNY mcaulay (ccny, hunter, queens)

Targets: Northeastern, UIUC, U Maryland college park, UCLA, University of Michicagn

I have a 2180 SAT (670 CR 720 M 790 W, 11 essay), and a 3.6 uw GPA with an impressive courseload (at the best school in my city, which most northeast schools give lenience to since it is so known for excellence). I participate in 7 EC’s that I’m passionate about, and have spent my summers working 8 hours a day, 4-5 days a week.

I am looking for schools similar to the ones on my list so far, but that I am highly competitive for, making them more likely to give me merit aid, because I need it hahah.

2

RPI is not a safety.

3

So, in general based on my stats, it wouldn’t be.

But my school has a database with the stats of every student who (given that they give the school right to use their info) gets into whatever college you pick from a menu, and you can see who got accepted/waitlisted/rejected. It’s not an average like Naviance, it shows every applicant’s individual position.

For my school, my stats are almost guaranteed to get me in. Of course nothing is guaranteed with college admissions, but based on the data from my school I have a 90+% chance.

P.S I don’t mean to be arrogant. I get that nothing is 100%, and I’m speaking solely from the numbers.

4

@vook99 - does the program tell you the students’ sex, race, and any other hooks? If not, then their stats are only marginally useful at a school like RPI, particularly if you are a White or Asian male. Lots of schools have great computer sci programs, but I’m trying to get a sense of what kind of vibe you prefer - you’ve got a wide range in the schools you’ve listed.

5

@halfemptypockets
From the data i saw, i could eyeball that about 90% of students from my school with an average above 88 have been accepted in the past four years. I’m a white female going into computer science, and I have a familial/economic hook that is unique.

There isn’t one vibe specifically that I’m looking for, but different things about different schools attract me. Like, I love uChicago because the design of their curriculum (1/3 major 1/3 core 1/3 electives/double major) is really appealing to me. Their dorming system also seems unique, and the general vibe is very friendly (like their essay questions). But yeah, I like the diversity of their curriculum. I really like Northeastern because their co-op program seems really useful, as I’d rather start working sooner if I could (experience > further degree on resumes from what I’ve read), and it seems like a fantastic way to network while still studying. I could go through things like this for every school, but it’d take really long.

So with “schools like these,” I am referring to schools that have respectable, noteworthy CS programs but are not on the same level as Stanford, MIT, et cetera, because I am a realistic student.

6

A “hook” for college apps purposes is usually reserved for- URM, legacy, recruited athlete, developmental case (famous celebrity or son/daughter of one, parent/grandparent has a building named after them or is huge financial contributor to the school). Applying ED with a hook is usually a big boost. Recently, also first generation has been getting a lot of attention from schools too.

Your gender gives a boost because of your STEM interest. CS at CMU is very very tough to get into. MIT level tough. But being female gives a boost.

I think people are just saying that you shouldn’t count your chickens before they hatch. Can you apply ED?

7

If you need aid why are you applying to so many public Us that don’t offer any?

8

You need merit aid because your family won’t qualify for need-based aid? Or you might qualify for both?

9

What is your budget? Why do you need merit aid? What is your home state? (Which of those listed schools are in-state?) institutional grants/need-based aid vs. merit aid can require different application approaches.

10

@Mom2aphysicsgeek
I am from NY, so the in-state schools on my list are SUNY Stony Brook and Bing, the CUNY Mcaulay Honors College, and RPI.

@OHMomof2
I should be getting some need-based aid. My sibling is a senior this year, and his EFC is 35k, but mine should be lower because my family will be paying his tuition next year. We have a kinda high EFC, but that’s because my two parents work 4-5 jobs altogether to have a decent income and be proud of what they have/do. I need merit aid on top of that; I can’t afford to pay 35k a year.

@goingnutsmom I cannot apply ED. I need to be able to debate between financial aid packages. And haha yes my reaches are quite a reach, but, that’s what they’re there for. If I didn’t apply to CMU I’d regret not seeing whether I could. I’m not expecting acceptance at all, but I have to give it a shot.
Also, neither of my parents graduated college, so I think that counts as first generation? They both did some college, but dropped out after a year or two.

11

So what can your family afford? You need a real ballpark number. Just based on not being able to afford $35,000, CA schools are unrealistic bc they are expensive for OOS students.

12

@Mom2aphysicsgeek The issue is I don’t really have a number until I know how much my brother ends up paying. If he goes to some SUNY itll leave me more room to spend more. But if he gets into his dream school (Tufts) and ends up paying a lot, I won’t be able to have as large a tuition.

And I’ve heard CA is expensive. I feel I’d really like Berkeley or UCLA. I probably should take them off my list. My parents probably wouldn’t even let me go that far anyway, especially for a lot of money. I’m a junior, so this list is not final.

13

Being a female STEM applicant to RPI has its advantages, but RPI is no safety. Also, it is unlikely that you will get significant aid from the Universities of Michigan, Illinois, Maryland or California-Los Angeles.

You may want to consider state universities that have a record of good financial assistance, such as U of Alabama-Tuscaloosa and U of South Carolina; or lower-cost public universities like South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.

Other private schools might provide a financial incentive for you to enroll;
Lewis & Clark College
Beloit College
Ohio Wesleyan University
U of Portland
U of Tulsa

14

@LakeWashington Thanks, I will look into those schools. That is very helpful :slight_smile:

15

At my high school, RPI is a safety…
Out of curiosity, what school do you go to?

16

@amphigory
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/23/schools-highest-sat-scores_n_4654077.html

4 on the map, Stuyvesant H.S in nyc

17

I also go to Stuy!

18

Unclear to me… are you hooked? Specifically, are you a URM? If not, I think CMU, Michigan (hard to get into from OOS), Berkeley, and Chicago are pretty high reaches. And Berkeley and UCLA will be unaffordable.

Note that your “EFC” is pretty irrelevant, if you mean the FAFSA EFC. That is not what you end up paying at a given college. Each college has their own net price calculator on their website that you have to run.

19

So if I’ve got this straight, your sibling is a senior and the EFC for him is 35K. You are a junior and don’t know what your EFC will be until your sibling figures out where he will enroll and how much it will cost. You are a NY state resident. It looks like you are targeting universities, not liberal art colleges. And you’re focusing on the eastern seaboard and midwest because your parents don’t want you to go too far away.

Aside from possible majors, do you have preferences regarding size of school, urban/suburban/rural, emphasis on sports or Greek life or lack thereof? If you can refine your parameters some more, you will get better advice.

Stuyvesant is an awesome school, congrats! Do they provide a weighted GPA? If so, that might be helpful as well.

20

@mamaedefamilia That’s all exactly right!!! I don’t have any strong preferences for size of school, area type, or athletics. I don’t care about Greek life so, as long as that isn’t the entirety of the social scene of a campus, it doesn’t matter to me.

And thank you for your congratulations!! They do not provide weighted GPA’s.