Yeah, thats why I was planning on applying undecided… But Im guessing now that that’s a bad idea?
Pretty solid, UofM is a great school
Check the college to see if it admits by major or division. If it does, then you should assume that if your major is more selective at frosh admission, it will be selective if you want to change into it later after enrolling.
Your application strategy and choice of safety depend on your financial situation (as well as your qualifications).
Selective OOS public universities like Michigan or GIT usually don’t make much sense for a CA resident, since a good alternative in the UC system usually would be so much cheaper.
Other possibilities that seem to meet your criteria:
Case Western
Boston University
Northeastern
Illinois Institute of Technology
Drexel
Rochester Institute of Technology
These aren’t exactly safeties (especially if cost is an issue). However, you’re fairly likely to be admitted to some of them even if you’re shut out of the UCs on your list. Their engineering programs are at least as strong as NYU’s or GWU’s (if the USNWR engineering rankings are believable). They might offer lower net prices than an OOS public school (absent a large merit scholarship).
I don’t think you’re too likely to be shut out of the UCs yet accepted to much more selective private schools than these. Northwestern, Penn, etc., wouldn’t necessarily be worth a big price premium over the UCs for a mechanical engineering major. But if your family income is below average, do consider some of the selective “full need” schools because their net prices might be lower even than the UCs.
^ Go ahead and apply to NU and Penn but your SAT score (and lack of Subject Tests) will hurt you.
For someone like you (high GPA and Low SAT) you should get into UCSB and UCSD.
I don’t think it hurts to apply to 2 or 3 reaches, but you do seem to have a lot of them. Still, do what you deem best.
Case Western is a great suggestion. Possibly University of Minnesota, Twin Cities as well, though engineering admission would be very selective.