<p>I'm a senior in high school, I live on the east coast, and I'm looking to go to college in California (specifically Southern Cal). I want to major in Computer or Electrical Engineering. Since I'm out of state I'm trying to rule out the UC's because their out of state tuition is insane and I probably wouldn't qualify for merit aid. </p>
<p>My Stats:
Weighted GPA (school doesn't report UW): 3.72*
ACT (single sitting): C 30, E 34, M 33, R 27, S 27, havent gotten writing score yet.
ACT (highest sections): C 31, E 34, M 33, R 27, S 29, E/W 30 Essay 9.</p>
<p>*Strong upward trend. Sophomore GPA was about a 3.5 and Junior about 4.1
APs:
Physics C (Newtonian and E/M)
Macroeconomics
English Lang
Stats
Computer Science</p>
<p>ECs (grade):
Peer Tutoring (9) - tutored middle school kids in pre algebra through alg 2
Science Olympiad (11,12)
Math League (11,12)
Had two part time jobs, one for about a year, the other I started over the summer.</p>
<p>My family makes about 70-80k and neither of my parents have any sort of degree, if that has any impact.</p>
<p>My application isn't too impressive, so what schools could I get into and maybe receive a bit of aid?</p>
<p>What is your price limit? Check net price calculators on each school’s web site.</p>
<p>CSUs will be about $30,000 to $35,000 per year out of state (no financial aid for out-of-state students unless you get federal aid). These include the Cal Polys, San Jose State, etc…</p>
<p>The better known private schools in California like Stanford, USC, Caltech, Harvey Mudd are probably too much of a reach with your stats (what is your unweighted GPA?). Some others include Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, University of San Diego (note that these three are Catholic).</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus I don’t have a set limit because I’m taking out loans for most of it and my parents are going to help with the payments in a few years. I’m trying to keep it under 40k/year. Catholic schools are fine as I was raised Catholic anyway. Also my school doesn’t report unweighted gpa so i dont know.</p>
<p>You can calculate your unweighted GPA with A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0 and averaging all of them.</p>
<p>You will only be able to borrow the federal direct loan amount of $5,500 the first year without a co-signer. Additional loans will require a co-signer (co-signed student loans are generally not a good idea for either the student or the co-signer).</p>
<p>If you are looking for an engineering school that will also award you as much merit aid as possible, and you are ruling out the UCs because their out-of-state tuition is too high – my suggestion would be that you not limit yourself to southern California…</p>
<p>@Momof2back2back i’m not ruling out northern or central california, i just would prefer the southern end. If you have any schools that come to mind please let me know!</p>
<p>"""
I’m taking out loans for most of it
“”"</p>
<p>That is a bad idea. NO one should borrow a lot for undergrad. No one should borrow more than $40k TOTAL for undergrad…and most majors shouldn’t even borrow that much.</p>
<p>It sounds like you are thinking of borrowing $30k-40k per year. THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. Do you understand how that will ruin your young adult life? Do you know what the monthly loan payments would be for that much debt? </p>
<p>And will your parents co-sign all those loans? Will they qualify to co-sign all those loans when their income is $60k-70k? If they already have debt (mortgage, car payments, other debt), they may not qualify to cosign those loans.</p>
<p>How much are your parents going to contribute each year for college…while you are IN college? </p>
<p>There are other schools that will give you a good amount of merit for your stats. It is SILLY to go to Calif for a major/degree that can be gotten elsewhere for a fraction of the cost.</p>
<p>do you realize that employers are NOT going to pay you more money just because you went to a Calif school? Do you realize how frustrated you will be as a newish engineer, drowning in debt, while your colleagues aren’t? Your colleagues will be buying cars, buying homes, traveling, etc…while YOU will be drowning in debt. How long do you think you’d like that situation? 1 year? more? less? I’m betting on LESS.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids my state flagship will be 30k/yr at least. If i can find something around there in CA it would be better so I don’t have to relocate after college. My parents are going to pay for a good portion of it after I graduate because they will have more money (dad retiring). Either way I will be taking out at least 30k in loans from my states leading public school that offers engineering.</p>
<p>If you are looking for schools in California under $30K/year as an OOS, you will have to look to privates since publics will give you little to no financial aid. You need to focus on private schools where your Stats make you eligible for large amount of merit aid along with any need based aid. Run the NPC’s each school. Just remember, you personally can only take loans totaling $27K for the next 4 years. Your parents will need to take out the Parent Plus loans to make up the difference.</p>
<p>USC/USD/Santa Clara/University of Pacific/Claremont Consortium/Occidental to name a few. I personally do not know what type of merit aid is available at these schools so you need to do some research.</p>
<p>Banquo: the reality is that tons of kids want to come to Southern Cal but don’t understand that the costs are really high. REALLY high. It is Southern Cal and people seem to believe the “made up” TV version of Palm trees and beaches.</p>
<p>You say you want to stay in Southern Cal because you are assuming you’ll just go out and find a job with your degree after graduation, but since college grads seem to head to California in droves, it will take time AND it’s not that easy. </p>
<p>Plus your loans will come due really fast and you will pay a ridiculous amount of money in rent while waiting to find a job.</p>
<p>The way to get around the tuition costs are to have high stats. Your stats are good but they are not competitive for Southern Cal. </p>
<p>The other posters are giving you good information about going to other universities that will give you funding for your stats. California can pick and choose who they want to fund. OOS students typically get some funding at private universities, but everything is a crapshoot, so you may not get any help. At this point, assume $30k - $50k per year.</p>
<p>Santa Clara offers plenty of merit-based aid (my sister got almost a full scholarship there entirely based on merit, although she chose to attend UCSD instead; and she didn’t have a 4.0 GPA or anything). They’re pretty good for engineering as well. How’s your community service?</p>
<p>To be honest, if you’re going into engineering, why Southern California?</p>
<p>Thank you all for your info & suggestions! And topaz1116 to answer your question, I’m not looking to work at Google or Apple or anything specifically, I just want a dry, warm climate with beaches. Emphasis on “dry.” I’m going to stay in the northeast for college and hopefully relocate at some point after graduation. Thanks again!</p>
<p>?? Most parents have less money once they retire because income usually drops. </p>
<p>Anyway…if you want a warm climate, then apply to Alabama as a financial safety. With your stats and as an engineering major, you would get free tuition plus 2500 per year. Your remaining costs would be about $12k per year, which it sounds like you and your parents could cover some way. The app is easy…takes like 5 minutes.</p>
<p>Otherwise, it sounds like you and your parents would be borrowing over $120k for undergrad if you stay instate or go to Calif. That is not good for a newish grad or newly retired parents. </p>
<p>Borrowing $30,000 per year is not realistic, since you can only borrow $5,500 first year without a co-signer.</p>
<p>Out of state list price for CSUs is around $30,000 to $35,000 per year. No state or school based financial aid is given to out-of-state students (although you may get federal aid). Many of the CSUs are heavily commuter-oriented schools.</p>
<p>Be sure to apply to schools with deadlines respected - make sure to include some other lower cost options with great engineering programs. Listing in US News Best Colleges 2015 Edition - have two different eng listings but all are ABET accredited (one for schools where highest eng degree is PhD).</p>