I want to ask you guys for your own opinions on which colleges should I apply. Here is my profile :
TOEFL : 85
ACT:30
GPA: 3.0(I’m international student and my class rank is 10/35. Public school and no ap class offered)
Awards:
- Regional Olympiad and Informatics
( 8th grade 1st place 9th grade 4th place)
-National Olympiad(up to 2st place can participate - 8th grade 4th place)
-about 10 of school contest awards
Extracurriculars:
- school programming Club
- information security for the gifted talent education institute(at university 10,11,12 grade)
Apply for Financial Aid?:If can
Major: computer system security/information assurance/information system
School Type: Boys school public high school
My parents could support me about $45000/year(including dorms)
My school doesn’t counselor so I’m asking you guys to help me.No one is applying universities to us and I feel like adventure. I would realllllly appreciate heling me choosing schools.
A lot of liberal arts schools that give out at least moderate financial aid will be good match schools for you.
Ivy league-level schools will be reaches.
Thanks really 
But I won’t go liberal art colleges.
I won’t expect to go ivy leagues
Is it possile to go ncsu,umn?
Why wouldn’ yoube interested in LACs, considering theyd offer a high-level academic experience but would be slightly easier for you to get into because you’re a boy, meaning you could get a higher-ranking one than if you aimed for a large university. I realize many boys like the idea of spectactor sports but this is rarer with internationals (who tend to come to the US because they care more about academics than basketball).
Is your school an American school, or did you just “convert” your GPA to 3.0? Because numericals have cultural value. A 16/20 in the US isn’t a 16/20 in Iran isn’t a 16/20 in Brazil isn’t a 16/20 in France. The numbers look the same but the percentile getting that score isn’t the same, and the quality it represents isn’t the same.
3.0 is low-ish in the US. It’s not bad, per se, and definitely means a program leading to a BS/BA, but it’s “average”.
The fact you’re top 30% in a top college prep school with a 3.0 would require some detailed explanation as to what percentage students get a 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5… (like “3.0 = top 30%; 3.2= Top 25%; 3.3= top 20%; 3.5= top 10%”… those numbers would be very different at most US high schools which is why it needs to be indicated.)
An obvious choice for you would be UMD College Park since they are top-notch for CS, especially cybersecurity, but you’ need to increase your grades and test score. UMass Amherst and UWisconsin are two others. UMN engineering is unlikely (CS is in the College of Engineering and they really want to see a 32) but you could try as a reach, NCSU perhaps, Penn State perhaps. Marist, Ithaca, UPuget Sound, Muhlenberg, Earlham, would all be good possibilities, St Olaf as a reach. UMissouri would be a safety as well as Rowan (perhaps Honors if you can get your score up a bit).
You might want to change your user name. I assume you mean Winnie, but it might be read otherwise (not flattering to you).
Are you outside the US? Then start by reading everything here: https://educationusa.state.gov/ Then contact the Advising Center closest to where you live. They can help you with the whole process. https://educationusa.state.gov/find-advising-center
EducationUSA is a not-for-profit organization. The counselors pride themselves on their ability to provide accurate, unbiased advice. If you are asked to pay any fees, that money will go directly toward maintaining that office so that other students can be helped in the future.
Thank you.Appreciate your help.
I don’t know how to change my nickname.I have no idea why I picked that name.
I just converted to gpa. I’m b+~b grade average ( 30 percentile. My school rank is 143/470).College says I should send them english-translated transcripts.
I’d like to go big university because I’m aiming for working at us after graduation.
I’m planning to apply 15~20 and here is my list.
(Penn st,asu,wu,cal poly, umass,ncsu,sjsu,wsu,uiuc,umn,osu,UMD,UIowa,U georgia, uc boulder,tamu,purdue,wisconsin,suny (buffalo,binghamton,stony brook),Uconnecticut,UMissouri)
are they appropriate or are they too reach?
Your list is good overall.
If wsu is washington state u, I’d replace it with Oregon state or perhaps western Washington, keeping in mind that CS is VERY competitive in the entire state.
What is wu?
Uiuc = not possible. It’s become too competitive for you to stand even a slight chance with your GPA.
It’s likely the same for Purdue and Tamu so perhaps pick only one.
Apply to cal poly slo, cal poly Pomona, sdsu, perhaps UC Merced.
The size of a university doesn’t affect employment. In any case the odds of being able to stay in the US or work after opt are remote, due to a problem with H1B’s (they were meant for international graduates of us colleges as well as unique people who live abroad and fill one specific need and they’re being taken/bought ’ en masse ’ by offshoring companies due to a legal loophole, depriving International students whom us companies want to hire in addition to their typical workforce, and depriving the US workforce from jobs because these visas, which were meant as quality individual complement facilitators, are now seen as cheap replacement makers. )
Thanks really!!
I feel like I should buy some coffees or pizzas iff can
I knew there is visa problems and I’ll figure it out.(Mavini if available etc…)
Thanks!!
UCONN may be a reach with your low GPA. Your ACT is in the middle 50%. Cost of attending is about $48,000. I do not know what type of financial aid is offered to international students. I would suggest that you reconsider the LAC’s.