<p>My daughter is a senior at a very competitive high school. She has a 3.9 unweighted GPA, but it looks like this: straight A's freshman and sophomore years, 1 B in pre-calc 1st semester junior year, 3 B's (APUSH, Spanish, physics) 2nd semester. SAT's were 2330, SAT 2's were 800 math/770 US History/670 Chem. Good extracurriculars (girl scout gold award, research and volunteer work at a nature preserve, band, dance).</p>
<p>She is applying early to an Ivy League school, but is worried about her GPA trend of the B's coming more recently. Are her recent B's a killer for her chances? </p>
<p>I guess what I'm asking is, what are reasonable reaches and target schools for her? She wants to have the option of going into engineering so no liberal arts only schools for her.</p>
<p>Keep in mind in many selective universities it will be difficult for her to switch to the school of engineering. If her weighted GPA is high then it shouldn’t be a problem, go ahead and shoot for the ivies Keep in mind it will be a reach though. I think schools like NYU, BU, CMU, etc would be good options. Research experience is awesome (although might scream of privilege). A clear focus/passion in ECs, course selection, etc. will be good. I’m a rising senior so take this with a grain of salt :)</p>
<p>She’d prefer a school for which you don’t have to specify a major in the application, but for those that do require it, she will probably choose an engineering field. Her research was at the same open space preserve she did her volunteering at, and it was through a program in her public high school. She is from what I consider a privileged background, but not amazingly so!</p>
<p>As far as I know, choosing “undecided” is not really a good move! Ask your daughter to go with one of the engineering majors she seemingly likes. Also, remember that engineering admissions are always harsh and tough!</p>
<p>She would prefer east coast and urban but she’s open. She liked Brown a lot, but also liked Tufts, Johns Hopkins, Columbia. But there are so many schools we didn’t visit that might be good fits, it’s overwhelming! And I’m not sure what her target and reach schools would be with her recent B’s, and what god safeties would be for her.</p>
<p>(1) What is her class rank? Her grades will be viewed by admissions in the context of her peers at her high school. Even if her school doesn’t rank you should be able to determine whether or not she’s in the first decile.
(2) What was her score on the AP US History. A “5” may mitigate the B.
(3) Her SAT stats are exceptional. They may compensate for her junior year grades.
(4) UPenn has a strong engineering program. You can’t really apply “undecided”.</p>
<p>Tufts’ acceptance rate was under 19% last year, so I would consider it a reach or low reach for anybody. It is easy at Tufts to move from engineering into other programs.
What about Case Western, U. Rochester, Union, Bucknell, Lafayette?
Would she consider a STEM school? If so, some of them might be good matches or safeties for admissions and/or merit aid. RPI, WPI, RIT etc.</p>
Keep in mind it will be a reach though. I think schools like NYU, BU, CMU, etc would be good options. Research experience is awesome (although might scream of privilege). A clear focus/passion in ECs, course selection, etc. will be good. I’m a rising senior so take this with a grain of salt :)</p>