What are some good CS safety schools?

College Search & Selection
1

Hi,
I’m nearing the end of my application process and just want to make sure I have all bases covered. What are some good computer science safety schools/match schools I should apply to?

Asian male in Georgia
GPA: 3.83/4.42, Including senior classes: 3.89/4.53
ACT: 36C/36E/35M/35R/36S (one test)
SAT Subject: Math 2 800, Physics 750
AP Scores: 5 Computer Science A, 5 Physics 1, 5 Statistics, 5 English Language, 4 Calculus BC(:/)
Courses 4 years (6 classes per semester): 10 APs, 7 Honors, 6 Dual Enrollment

3 years in HS Wind Ensemble (highest level band), freshman year in 2nd band
4 years marching band
1 year (new) Trombone Choir
Co-Founded Website Design/Development business (working with a few businesses)
Volunteer to redesign the band website
2 years Varsity Math Team, 1 year JV Math Team
2 years competed with and volunteered at Table Tennis Club
Worked at Pizza Hut for a few months

National Merit Semifinalist
1st State Programming Competition
2nd State FBLA

My current list:

  • MIT
  • CMU
  • UPenn
  • Cornell
  • UC Berkeley
  • Georgia Tech

Thanks in advance.

2

Cost constraints?

Would other Georgia public universities be safeties for admission (to the CS major if admission by major) and cost?

Really, you should have thought of safeties earlier. Some have early deadlines for scholarships (like tomorrow 12/15 for the Presidential Elite scholarship at University of Alabama: https://scholarships.ua.edu/freshman/out-of-state/ ).

3

Cost is not an issue. I have a few safeties, but I just wanted a general consensus. Preferably, I would like to apply to schools with stronger CS departments.

4

For schools consistent with your current list, look into RPI, Lehigh and Northeastern.

5

There is no universal consensus, since many students’ safeties are based on state of residency (in-state public which can be favorable for both admission and price) and affordable price (at list price, assured-for-stats scholarships, or pessimal net price calculator results).

If you and your parents are willing to pay (not borrow) $70,000 per year or so, then you are one of the lucky few who needs to look only for assured admission to find safeties.

6

Virginia Tech, Purdue, UCSD.

7

UCSD and Purdue CS majors are substantially more competitive than the school overall (and UCSD would not be a safety for the OP anyway).

Schools with published automatic admission criteria that the OP meets like the Arizona public universities could be safeties.

8

@akz714 Safety with good CS program: ASU - Tempe
Stony Brook University is likely to be safety given your stats but no guarantees.
Rutgers New Brunswick - safety with a very good CS department. Rutgers is hungry for OOS students.

What safeties do you currently have? Georgia Tech is likely for you since you’re in state, but always good to have real safeties.

9

What about Clemson? CS admit rate still mirrors overall acceptance rate, which is around 50%…maybe not a safety, but a highly likely for you.

10

Looks like Purdue and UCSD deadlines have passed, anyway. Definitely late in the game.

11

With your stats you should have no trouble getting in to RPI, Temple, Penn State and Virginia Tech which all have good comp sci programs. That is assuming you are fine heading into the much colder north part of the country!

12

For all the UCs, the deadline has already passed. Purdue’s deadline for regular decision is January 15 but they said that applications after the priority date (11/1) would be processed only if there’s space available. As of now the Engineering College program is not closed yet but you have to hurry up.

13

Answers to a similar question I asked recently might give some ideas.

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/2166080-match-safety-suggestions-to-top-tier-cs-schools.html#latest