<p>I'm a junior, female, California resident. Intended major: ME
4.00 UW GPA | 4.11 UC/CSU GPA
680 M CR | 650 M | 720 W 1330/2050 (one sitting)
Junior year adv. classes: H Pre-Calc and AP Chem
Senior year AP classes I'm signed up for: ap art studio, ap physics b, ap government, ap calc bc
Other: 2 semesters CAD/Drafting (and I'm continuing next year) Don't know if this will help me because of my intended major.
Extra curriculars (for UC's. I know, they're weak): 11 hours volunteer work at local ranch, tennis lessons with my city for 1 year (and counting), 5 semesters CSF, National Art Honors society, 1st place in local art competition (won 1 hundred dollars and I moved on to finals), Girls State nominee, National Spanish Honors Society, and this summer I am going to Camp Pendleton for 10 days for the Devil Pups camp which is pretty much a test of physical ability while teaching you leadership and discipline.</p>
<p>My list so far:
(What I consider) Mega Reaches: UCLA, Cal
Reaches: UCSB, Cal Poly Slo, UC Davis
Matches: Cal Poly Pomona, CSULB, SDSU
Safety: CSUN</p>
<p>Any opinions on what to cut or add? As far as OOS's, please no suggestions more expensive than 35k COA. I have visited most of these campuses, don't worry about them being "fits" for me. Thanks!</p>
<p>Trying to plan early. </p>
<p>You can make UCR a safety if you sign up for its GAP during June 16-July 31, 2014.
<a href=“http://admissions.ucr.edu/whyucr/ourguarantee”>http://admissions.ucr.edu/whyucr/ourguarantee</a>
If you like UCR enough to include it, then you can cut from your list any school you like less than UCR.</p>
<p>For reasonably priced OOS schools, you can look at Minnesota, Iowa State, Stony Brook, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina State. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is very low cost and small, and should be a safety for you.</p>
<p>UCLA isn’t a mega reach. Ave. SAT is 1940.
Cal Poly Pomona is safety. I didn’t look them all up. But you can.
Go to college data dot com for details on all your target colleges.</p>
<p>Wow thats a really cool program!! I’m definitely going to look into that along with those ohter schools. Thank you so much for your help; I appreciate it! @ucbalumnus </p>
<p>@TomsRiverParent I’m just concerned about the level of competition and my ec’s. 
Hm if you consider CPP a safety, I might be able to bump csun off. Thanks :)</p>
<p>I agree with @ucbalumnus that you should apply to UCR GAP program and use that as your UC Safety. I would remove CSUN from the list. 9-10 schools on your list look about right. I think UCD/UCSB would be Match to High Match for you. </p>
<p>Be careful about assessing reach/match/safety (unless there is a guaranteed admission program or other published auto-admit criterion for a safety), since many of the schools admit by division or major; engineering divisions or majors are often more competitive for admission than the school average.</p>
<p>@gumbymom It is definitely an attractive program, and I am definitely considering it. That’s great to hear, thank you for your opinion!!</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus Thanks fort he reminder 
I’m definitely worrying about the competition for ME. </p>
<p>If you need cheaper, there are a number of schools in the big merit scholarship lists that offer mechanical engineering. Look in the sticky threads at the top of the financial aid and scholarships forum.</p>
<p>South Dakota School of Mines & Technology could be a safety for you, but give it due consideration because it has a great reputation and is very rigorous. ME is the most popular major at Mines. The school also attracts many Californians, and a friend of the family from CA is a current student. COA is a bargain. Also the school is busy trying to attract additional women applicants.</p>
<p>Add Texas A&M University to your list.
The OOS cost of attendance may be slightly over 35k per year, but if you join the Corp of Cadets you’re guaranteed to get in-state tuition rates.</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus thank you! I have the thread bookmarked, but I have yet to look through it thoroughly. </p>
<p>@lakewashington wow that really is a good deal!!! And I believe I can get automatic admission even. “obtain a high school GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have taken four years of mathematics AND have an ACT math subscore of 20 or SAT math subscore of 480 AND have an ACT composite of 20 or SAT composite of 940.” <a href=“Admissions Requirements”>http://www.sdsmt.edu/Admissions/Apply/Admissions-Requirements/</a></p>
<p>Yep, it’s likely you will be an auto-admit at Mines. The school really is a bargain but by no means is the engineering program less than STRENUOUS!!! But not a ‘weed out’ school either. The place is full of bright, friendly, motivated kids.</p>