Trying to find good target and safety schools - CS

College Search & Selection
1

I am a high school junior, AZ resident, planning on majoring in computer science. I’m trying to compile a list of possible target and safety schools to apply to next year. Here are my stats:

GPA: 4.6 W/4.0 UW
SAT: 1520
ACT: 35
Rank: 1/~500
I volunteer a lot for NHS, my church and a local cultural center.
I also have a few leadership roles in some clubs.

Financial aid is a must as my parents make less than 60k with 7 dependents.
I am considering UW-Seattle, though financial aid may be an issue. I will also likely apply to the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, where I should be able to easily get aid.
If you can, please suggest some possible schools and why you would suggest them.
Thank you in advanced.

2

Matches: Brandeis, Case Western, Lehigh, BC
Safeties: Chapman, Clarkson, RIT, Santa Clara, WPI

3

Brandeis and BC aren’t very well known for their CS - I think there are better match options for CS programs.

I would second WPI, Santa Clara, and RIT as good academic safeties.

Consider U of Alabama for their scholarship as a financial safety.

Some matches to check out that have good CS programs: RPI, Northeastern, URochester

Those matches aren’t super known for their FA but it’s possible since they are private and won’t care that you are OOS. Worth the shot given your family situation. Look into application vouchers wherever you can. You’re going to need to get a good ticket in the FA lottery that is college admissions, so as many applications as you can get may be useful come decision time.

With your stats, a few reaches could pay off, so don’t be afraid to throw your hat in for a select few. MIT, CMU, Harvey Mudd, the like.

4

For all schools where you are looking for need-based financial aid, check the net price calculator on the school’s web site.

ASU and UA are obvious choices to look at.

Here are some large merit scholarship ideas:

http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
http://competitivefulltuition.yolasite.com/
http://nmfscholarships.yolasite.com/ (if National Merit)

Washington is probably out of financial reach as an out-of-state public, since its merit scholarships do not look large enough to bring the price down to what you and your parents can afford without parent or cosigned loans. (Getting direct admission to CS there is also a reach.)

Of course, the best financial aid schools like Stanford, MIT, etc. are likely to be affordable on need-based financial aid, but these are reach for everyone schools.

5

These cannot be safeties unless they offer an automatic-for-stats merit scholarship that is large enough to make the school affordable to the OP.

Also, most competitive merit scholarships should be treated as reaches.

6

Thank you for these suggestions. I’ll be sure to take a look at those colleges and resources.

7

Given your income level and stats, also target Ivy schools. They are larger than meet-need LACs so have more CS resources as well as good financial aid. Princeton, Yale, Harvard, especially. Your safeties are already there in the AZ publics.