What are some good high match/match/safeties for me?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Interested in Computer Science/Engineering, Economics/Finance. Undecided as to what I will major in, but at this point likely CS, maybe with an econ minor. But I'm pretty sure on CS. Looking for some fairly decent/prestigious schools that will be a high match/match/safety for me. Also looking for critique on my current list of colleges, and input on where to ED/EA is also welcome.</p>

<p>Asian Male. SF Bay Area
Semi Competitive public school in CA, ranked approx 100 in state, 560s nationally.
UW GPA: 3.33, W: 3.90
Rank: 117/473, top 20%
Very rigorous schedule, suffered mild recurring depression in soph/junior year stemming from death of greatgrandfather, a civil engineer in San Francisco and inspired me to pursue a STEM major.</p>

<p>SAT: 1940, 1980 (will not submit)'
ACT: 1st try: Eng 31 Math 28 Reading 35 Science 29
2nd try: 32 27 34 36
ACT Superscored: 33</p>

<p>SAT II: (Will retake)
Math II: 630
Bio M: Pending
Chem: 640 (prob gonna submit bio for science sat ii requirement)
Lit: 710, second attempt pending</p>

<p>APs/Honors:
AP European Hist: A/A 5
Honors Pre-Calc B/C
Honors Chemistry B/A
AP Computer Science B/B 4
AP English (Lang) A/A 4
AP Calc AB B/B 2 (should i just not submit it? is that even possible?)
AP Environmental Science (Self study) 5
AP English (Lit) Pending
AP Statistics Pending
AP Biology Pending
AP Government/Economics Pending (These classes are combined at my school, likely taking both tests)</p>

<p>Expected Senior year GPA: 4.4 -4.8</p>

<p>ECS:
Varsity Swimming, 4 years (League Champions for past three years in both swimming and water polo, competed at state - i'm unlikely to be recruited)
Varsity Water Polo, 2 years
Red Cross Certified Lifeguard, AED/CPR/First Aid
Science Club Vice President, 2 years
Active in local politics, campaigned heavily for a local city measure to benefit schools and athletics
Volunteer at local food bank
Approx 100+ community service hours
Registered Android developer, started a small mobile app outfit
Web developer, founded a small company
President of a small local investing club, we pool our money and decide on stocks and vote on what to buy/sell - relatively profitable
^ Hope to have websites up for the above three as some sort of physical "proof" and so admissions committees can look through them
National Science Bowl team member
Competed at several regional computer science/programming competitions, such as Stanford ProCo
National Merit Commended Scholar
AP Scholar with Honor
Principal's Honor Roll
Attendance Award (lol)</p>

<p>Essays: Always been a good writer, loved reading, assume decent essays.</p>

<p>Current College List:
UC Berkeley (Reach)
UC Davis (Match)
UC Santa Cruz (Safety)
USC (High Match/Low Reach)
Cal Poly San Luis Obisbo (Match)
Carnegie-Mellon University (Reach [SCS])
Cornell University (Reach) [ED?]
UC Irvine (Match)<br>
UCLA (Mid Reach)<br>
UC Merced (Safety)<br>
Stanford University (High Reach)
UC Riverside (Safety)
UCSD (Mid Reach)
Drexel University (Safety)
Santa Clara University (Match)
UC Santa Barbara (Low Match)
San Jose State (Safety)
San Diego State (Safety)
Harvey Mudd College (Reach)
University of Washington Seattle (Safety)
University of Oregon (Safety)</p>

2

<p>You may be overestimating your chances at many of these schools with a 3.33 GPA (and what is your non-superscore ACT?).</p>

<p>For example, Washington is definitely not a safety when applying to CS (although if you do not get directly admitted to the CS major, you may be admitted undeclared, but then have to apply later in a highly competitive admission process to declare the CS major). San Jose State is probably a low match, not a safety, if you apply for CS (see [SJSU</a> Admission](<a href=“http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/admission/rec-1045.html]SJSU”>http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/admission/rec-1045.html) for fall 2012 admission thresholds). For the UCs, see [University</a> of California - Freshman admission profiles](<a href=“http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/profiles/index.html]University”>http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/profiles/index.html) for freshman class profiles.</p>

<p>Colleges using a holistic reading process might also wonder about your lowest grades and test scores being in math when you are applying with intention to major in math-heavy subjects.</p>

<p>But also very important is to make sure that colleges are affordable. Use the net price calculator or financial aid estimator found on the web sites.</p>

3

<p>My family is pretty well off, we can afford college. Non superscored my best single sitting ACT is a 32. What do you recommend then? Do you think that my decent ECs and depression caused by a death in the family plus decent ACT can balance my lowish GPA? Would a 700+ SAT Math II help strenghten my percieved weakness in math? 750+?</p>

4

<p>I would think that any school that requires you to get accepted into their Eng’g/CS college will not accept you because of GPA and Math ACT score. </p>

<p>You might try some of the privates that have good STEM majors that will overlook those two concerns…maybe LMU, UDayton, and some other Jesuit schools. You have Santa Clara on your list. Your GPA may be an issue there. </p>

<p>Since your family will full pay, maybe consider some schools that are “need aware”.</p>

<p>What is your UC GPA? It sounds like your GPA will be an issue at most UCs, and your math ACT will be an issue for UCs that require you to get accepted as a CS major.</p>

5

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<p>LSU, UAH, and UAB would be safeties, given their automatic large merit scholarships for the stats in question.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>There might also be a chance at the UAT full tuition scholarship, since the FAQ says something about using weighted GPA if it appears on the transcript.
[Scholarships</a> - Undergraduate Students - The College of Engineering - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://eng.ua.edu/undergraduate/scholarships/]Scholarships”>Scholarships – College of Engineering | The University of Alabama)
[FAQ</a> - Undergraduate Scholarships - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://scholarships.ua.edu/faq/]FAQ”>http://scholarships.ua.edu/faq/)</p>