Which colleges should I be looking at?

College Search & Selection
1

I am a current junior in VA who messed up big time sophomore and freshman year. Combined my GPA was 3.2 weighted w all honors and one AP (AP world, got a 4 on the exam, school has standard weighting .5 for HN and 1 for AP). I got it together somewhat during the summer and am seeing a lot of improvement.

For this year i’m expecting these grades:
AP Physics 1: A
AP Macro/Micro: A
Programming: A
AP BC Calculus: B+/A- /A
English 11 HN: B/B+
AP US History: B
Spanish: B+

I’m expecting around a 1550 on the new SAT based on my PSAT.

Next year I’m planning on taking: AP Physics C, AP Physics 2, Multivariable Calc/Linear Algebra, AP Chem, AP Gov, English HN, and AP Comp Sci. My first choice for major is aerospace engineering, second is computer science or engineering.

What colleges should I be looking at?

2

As you can imagine, your GPA will limit your choices. Why do you think you’ll get a 1550 on the new SAT?

Talk to your parents about how much they’ll spend each year on college. That answer will likely determine where you should apply.

3

On the PSAT this year I got a score in the mid 1400s w a bad score on the math section, in which I had a perfect score on the previous PSAT, because I forgot a lot of Algebra and Geometry. I’m currently re studying it so I’m expecting a high score. My parents prefer in state but can pay more if I get into somewhere good like Georgia Tech or UIUC.

4

University of Mary Washington for Computer Science

5

UVA Wise for Computer Science or Software Engineering

For Aerospace-

West Virginia U
Mississippi State
CU Boulder
New Mexico State
Wichita State

Some may be reaches depending on scores and junior senior year grades

6

Not gonna lie, thats a slightly disappointing list. Thanks for the help though. What would a college like vtech be for me?

7

You have some good in-state options. Your Fr/So GPA will exclude merit at some schools.

Don’t pay the OOS price tag for GT or UIUC.

8

@qamarzs Think your grades are an issue for VT. The 25% GPA for incoming freshman in engineering was 3.9+ in 2016, with an acceptance rate of <25% in 2015…and wouldn’t expect it to get easier in the future.

ETA: ODU has Aerospace and has had good job contacts in the past. Think you’d be fine getting in there if you continue with your upward trend in grades.

9

If you could bring up your unweighted GPA to a 3.0 and if you get a reasonable SAT result you expect, you could qualify for in-state tuition at the University of New Mexico through the Amigo scholarship, bringing total cost of attendance to less than 20K per year.

However, for any school, that unweighted GPA is going to be the key. If it’s less than a 3.0, that will limit your options. Do you know what your unweighted is?

10

2.9 UW for sophomore and fresman year.

11

bradley university
http://bradley.edu/

12

Thanks! I know gpa was important but I didn’t think it’d be this important, kinda feel like I shot myself in the foot first two years.

13

Take the lesson you learned in high school and make sure to do well in college. Any of these schools will provide you with a good education, make sure to work hard so that you have all the opportunities you want open to you at the end of your 4 years there. Good luck.

14

@mamaedefamilia -

Hi, my son has got his aid package from UNM consisting of grants and loans but is yet
to hear about the Amigo Scholarship, which we will need. His SAT scores are very good ( 1520 )
but his school records are not so good. He completed schooling in India, so he does not
have a GPA per se. Anyway, I was wondering if we can still expect a decision later on the
Amigo, or if it is now too late. Thanks.

15

@sidatom I don’t know anything about the scholarship deadlines. I would contact the scholarship/admissions office by email and ask if the decisions have been made. Good luck to your son.