<p>Hi! I have been getting ready to start working on my college applications. My problem right now, though, is that I don't know what kind of colleges, in terms of selectivity, I should be aiming for. Recently I've been looking at UNC/NC State as in-state matches, but I'm going to apply to a few more out of states, and am unsure what ranking range would make for decent matches.
Also, I'm planning on studying either math, physics, or computer science.</p>
<p>My stats:</p>
<p>Unweighted GPA: 3.5
Weighted GPA: 4.37
Class rank: 33/461 (Top 10%)
Fairly rigorous schedule with 4 AP classes this year.
SAT: 2330
ACT: 35
AP: 5/5/5/5
0 ECs. Well, I have around 30 hours of volunteering, but that's not really worth mentioning.
I believe I could write a pretty good essay.
Race: Asian
Location: North Carolina</p>
<p>Any advice/insight would be very much appreciated!</p>
<p>All kinda colleges. Your Sat scores show the flaw in the nation grading system…you clearly had tougher teachers and more grade stingy classes…colleges will see that.</p>
<p>*All kinda colleges. Your Sat scores show the flaw in the nation grading system…you clearly had tougher teachers and more grade stingy classes…colleges will see that.
*</p>
<p>That is NOT a necessary conclusion. This student may have had hard teachers, but also this student may not have turned in assignments, studied for tests, etc. There are a number of high test score kids who have less-than-high GPAs because they skipped assignments, etc.</p>
<p>I mean this in as encouraging a way as possible, but how do you have NO ECs? If the volunteering is the closest you have to one, I’d list it anyway. Try to join a couple of clubs or something this year, though it may be seen as too little too late.</p>
<p>Your GPA isn’t bad (not Ivy League material, but not bad), and your SAT is very good.</p>
<p>Anyway, here are a few I’d recommend:
-Maryland - low match
-Texas Austin - low match
-Miami of Ohio - low match
-U of I - high match
-Michigan - high match/low reach
-UCLA - reach</p>
<p>About 15% of Princeton students had GPAs below 3.75, according to its Common Data Set. Many other highly selective schools do not fill in data in that section of the CDS; however, presumably most of them admit at least as many students in that range as Princeton does. So, that GPA in itself isn’t necessarily a show-stopper. </p>
<p>However, with “0 ECs” and a class rank in the 5%-10% range, most of the Ivies probably are out of reach. That leaves many, many other schools where 2330 + top 10% would make the OP a very competitive applicant not only for admission but also for at least some merit aid. </p>
<p>We need more information about the OP’s budget (plus any preferences for size, location, and other factors.) At many small liberal arts colleges, Asians are a relatively under-represented minority (in contrast to many selective research universities, where they are the opposite). A private LAC with merit money may be cost-competitive with an OOS public university; a LAC with significant need-based aid may well be cheaper.</p>
<p>^Most of that 15% is URMs, legacies, athletes, and, in many cases, applicants who fulfill two or three of those categories. Even for those people, getting in with below a 3.75 is difficult. Of course it wouldn’t be impossible for the OP to get into Princeton based on GPA alone, but it is unlikely.</p>
<p>^ Where is your evidence for that?<br>
Certainly, it is reasonable to believe that applicants with relatively low GPAs must have other things going for them. However, I’ve never seen any data that breaks out GPA ranges according to various “hooks”. It may be the case that many of the 15% with “low” GPAs earned them at exceptionally competitive high schools.</p>
<p>Well, I am in a few school clubs, but I don’t play any instruments, have any hobbies, leadership experiences, play any sports, or anything like that.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately, not very much. My mother has been unemployed for a very long time, nor do we have much savings. My hope, although I am unsure of how realistic it is, was to apply for need-based aid to hopefully cover most of it, and try to find other ways to make up the difference.</p>
<p>I don’t have any preferences for size; I could see myself going to a very small or a very large college. For location, I’d prefer west coast, northeast, mid-Atlantic, and the Great Lakes region, but neither of these things are a deal-breaker for me, unless there are other reasons for not liking a college so much.
I am interested in more of STEM fields (math, physics, computer science). Probably a bit stereotypical there, but oh well. I’m not sure how well a liberal arts college would work, since most of them seem to have a majority of people majoring in social sciences, English, etc.</p>
<p>At least that’s something. I’d go ahead and list them anyway, even if you haven’t been at them for too long.</p>
<p>^Where is your evidence for that?
Certainly, it is reasonable to believe that applicants with relatively low GPAs must have other things going for them. However, I’ve never seen any data that breaks out GPA ranges according to various “hooks”. It may be the case that many of the 15% with “low” GPAs earned them at exceptionally competitive high schools.</p>
<p>I have seen evidence for it - I think it was at CollegeData - but I’m not really willing to pull it up now so I won’t contest the issue. Oh, and I’m aware that many applicants with low GPAs for their prospective colleges do have other things going for them - in fact, I’m in that boat myself, though my high school is just quite competitive, not “exceptionally” so. My point was just that being within the range of admits doesn’t mean you’re “in,” especially if you’re at the lower end in some factors.</p>
<p>If you like the school, Berkeley would be fantastic for you if you go with computer science. They are ranked very highly and you’d have great networking opportunities. California, home to Silicon Valley, is the best place to go if you want to be successful in that field. Lots of money to be made there currently and in the foreseeable future</p>
<p>I definitely would consider it, but it seems that UC Berkeley, and a lot of other Californian universities as well, rank GPA as very important and test scores only as important according to Collegeboard’s app thing, which I don’t think would go in my favour. Especially since my UC GPA is a fair bit lower than my normal one.</p>
<p>I am not sure how financial aid works. With my family’s 0 income, how much of the total would need-based financial aid cover? Is it a realistic goal to pay for the remainder without having to resort to loans, or should I try only to apply for schools where I have a good chance at receiving merit aid?</p>
<p>I am not sure how financial aid works. With my family’s 0 income, how much of the total would need-based financial aid cover? Is it a realistic goal to pay for the remainder without having to resort to loans, or should I try only to apply for schools where I have a good chance at receiving merit aid?</p>
<p>? </p>
<p>your family has NO INCOME? how does it live? </p>
<p>Anyway…a school like Berkeley will NOT be affordable since it won’t give aid to cover the OOS portion (which is about $23k per year).</p>
<p>Also, since your UC GPA is lower, you may not even get accepted since OOS students are expected to have HIGHER GPAs.</p>
<p>Yes, you need to apply to two types of schools…</p>
<p>Those that give HUGE merit scholarships (so much that any remainder could be covered with a small student loan and summer earnings.</p>
<p>Those that meet need.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean by:<br>
“Is it a realistic goal to pay for the remainer without having to resort to loans”</p>
<p>As a student, you’ll be lucky to earn $5k-7k per year and some of that you’ll need for “personal expenses/travel/etc”.</p>
<p>YOU can only borrow $5500 by yourself (Stafford loans) but you’ll already have full loans in your FA pkgs, so you won’t be able to use a Stafford loan to cover any gaps.</p>
<p>With your scores, you should be able to get some good scholarships from schools. Maybe yes, maybe not, your very top schools, but decent schools, if not top. Check out this thread:</p>
<p>We have some savings that are just enough to get by with.</p>
<p>I am still a little confused, though. If a college does meet need, wouldn’t the difference between EFC and tuition be completely covered by loans, without having to co-sign or anything?</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice, although it is a little bit disheartening.</p>