Chance me: Bay area kid looking for CS [1560 SAT, 4.0 UW GPA, NMSF, CA]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • US domestic (US citizen)
  • State/Location of residency: California
  • Type of high school (or current college for transfers): Large Public
  • Other special factors: (first generation to college, legacy, recruitable athlete, etc.) None

Cost Constraints / Budget
Full pay

Intended Major(s): Computer Science, AI

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 4.0
  • Weighted HS GPA: School does not do weighted. UC capped: 4.33 uncapped: 4.75
  • College GPA: N/A
  • Class Rank: Does not rank
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1560 (M: 800, R/W: 760)
  • AP : All 5s

List your HS coursework

(Indicate advanced level, such as AP, IB, AICE, A-level, or college, courses as well as specifics in each subject)

  • English: English 9H, English 10H, AP English Language (5), AP English Literature
  • Math: Accelerated Math 1, Accelerated Math 2, AP Calc BC(5), AP Statistics
  • Science: Living Earth, Chemistry H, AP Physics 1 (5), AP Chemistry (5), AP Biology, AP Physics C (Mech), AP Physics C (EM)
  • History and social studies: Geography, AP World History (5), US History, AP Gov, AP Macroeconomics
  • Language other than English: Spanish 2, Spanish 3
  • Visual or performing arts: Photography
  • Other academic courses: AP CSA(5), AP CSP (5)

College Coursework (Transfer Applicants)
(Include college courses taken while in high school if not included above.)

  • General education course work:
  • Major preparation course work:

Awards

National Merit Semifinalist

AP Scholar with Distinction

AP school award

Extracurriculars
(Include leadership, summer activities, competitions, volunteering, and work experience)

School Club president (Related to major)

Selective Summer program (same level as SSP, Garcia, BU RISE) research work

COSMOS (AI/ML related cluster) : poster presentation

Research with a UC research group

Long term piano with multiple invitations to play at conventions

Essays/LORs/Other
(Optionally, guess how strong these are and include any other relevant information or circumstances.)

Kid is a good writer

LOR: Science, CS and English teachers. CS teacher likely to give a very good LoR. Also a LoR from research professor in CS

Schools

Full pay

  • Assured (100% chance of admission and affordability): UC Merced
  • Extremely Likely: UC Riverside, UCSC
  • Likely: UCSB, UCI, UCD, Purdue
  • Toss-up: UCSD, USC
  • Lower Probability: UCB, UCLA, UIUC, UT Austin, Gatech, U Mich, Cornell, Harvey Mudd
  • Low Probability: Stanford (REA), MIT, Princeton, CMU
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I’m guessing you are the parent based on the comment - kid is a good writer?

You are full pay - but you are also NMSF and NMF. Is there a desire to take advantage - i.e. get a full ride or near full ride but at names you likely aren’t interested in - Alabama, Tulsa, UT Dallas, and more - thus saving you between $150K + and $400K in costs?

When you have NMF (and you mentioned), it should at least be given consideration - if even for just a second to ensure you know what it brings. So that’s a possible suggestion for addition.

Looking at your list - I like it and think you graded it appropriately.

While the UCs won’t look at the test so I won’t comment there, I’m assuming you’ve researched the various GPAs to see where you fit. If not, others will provide that info but I’m sure you’ll have at a minimum several entries.

If I had worries, it’d be this:

Spanish 3 - at a school like Princeton, which recommends four years, it may keep you out - but you have a varied list for that reason. So it’s not too much a concern.

Your ECs. I’m not saying colleges will see them this way as I’m not an AO and all AOs are different but I see them as - too narrow - although the piano playing is a nice diversifier.

In other words, I see academic stuff but I don’t see band or theater or sports or walking dogs at the shelter or tutoring kids at the Boys & Girls club. Hopefully you can show impact and tenure but I don’t see a kid being a kid. That’s just how I think - it doesn’t mean an AO thinks that way. As far as club President, it depends what the club did and the students impact but I don’t think you needed to do anything related to the major. I think that’s overblown and in this case not relevant.

And taken from another thread earlier in the day on is research seen as real or fake for admissions - in the programs the student participated, it may come down to how it is presented in regards to showing impact or what can be proven, etc. to determine how an AO might weight it. So the description is likely very important, etc.

And at some you won’t declare a major up front (Harvey Mudd).

I like your list though and do think it’s graded appropriately.

But you have enough schools of heft on here that if you don’t get in to some or any of the lower probability and low probability, it’s no big deal.

Fine list - and I wish your student well.

I noted another thread earlier today and I’m posting it for your review. That said, your student is who they are - and I’m sure they’ll do well. The topic isn’t research but it is discussed in the thread.

Best of luck.

Do AOs at top schools see through the whole “nonprofit/club-founder/passion project” bs? - Applying to College - College Confidential Forums

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Yes, I am the parent. For national merit, we can make it for USC if it comes through. With all the challenges in CS major at the moment, we would prefer a top CS research program which Alabama or Tulsa do not have.

I did have concern about Princeton 4 years recommendation for foreign language. I saw incidents of students get in with < 4 years but in the world of hyper selective admissions, it may be a barrier. We had considered a lot about replacing Princeton with Harvard, JHU or Columbia. We would really love to know how significant of a factor it is.

Piano is what she has loved to play. Some significant injuries removed sports from consideration completely. She also does some drama and writes some poetry that she will discuss a bit in her essays but there are no milestones to share. But thanks for the feedback on it not seeming like a child, that is a very important perspective.

The research itself was part of a well recognized selective program and the professor seemed impressed (asked us to apply for top CS programs). I can see last year’s research posters on the program website but it has not been updated yet for this year’s program.

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Your kid has a strong record.

I don’t see UCSB and UCI as likely schools, especially for CS. I would think those schools would be at least a toss-up, if not lower probability. I believe UCI’s admissions rate was about 22% for in-state applicants last year, for all majors. I expect the admissions rate for CS would be significantly lower.

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I used this site to get the numbers for UCs. It shows 28% for UCI and 34% for UCSB

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The common data set gives more detailed numbers about in-state, out-of-state, and international applicants. See page 14.

2025-26-CDS-PDF-Upload.pdf

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Because of declining numbers of CS majors, it is more difficult to categorize CS chances at schools that admit by major. Note that the admit rates for the UCs that you used are for Class of 2029, not class of 2030. I’ll let @gumbymom comment on the UC categorization.

I can’t chance your student, but advise them to get their app in for the EA round at all the public schools on the list. If they aren’t accepted to Stanford REA, is there a plan to apply ED2 anywhere?

IMO, ECs look a bit light for the tippy top schools on the list, but I realize you haven’t share all the details. If the research is long term, unique, and/or impressive, your student might consider writing more details about it in the additional info section.

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I would add UW to the list of schools, or as a potential substitute, if D27 is interested. UW also houses a top-ranked computer science program & the tuition is similarly priced to UIUC & a few other schools. The merit scholarships offered by UW to OOS admits is limited as is the case with some other schools on your current list.

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Student should take a look at the degree requirements for graduation at each school, since their general education requirements can vary significantly to the point that some may be better or worse academic fits in that respect compared to others.

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I think this. You apply to where you want to apply.

It doesn’t matter if it’s Princeton or Columbia or JHU. They’re going to be super selective. I wouldn’t think - I’ll get in. Or what if I change because I only have 3 years of language and that will give me better odds. And Princeton’s language expectation is 4 years. They never say requirement - likely for reason they want to accept who they want to accept. In my son’s senior year, the HS ranked the top 25 kids. One went to Princeton - they weren’t in the top 25 - so a lot of time the “appearances” don’t mean finality in application success.

They’re the most competitive schools for a reason. If you don’t get in, you don’t get in.

Beyond rank, is there a reason they chose Princeton vs. a Columbia or Brown or Dartmouth or Rice? Has she visited? Is it the right fit?

Given there are less applicants overall now (less students overall) and moreso, less CS graduates. It’s become a lot harder for kids to find jobs so therefore they apply in less #s. Of course, at Princeton, given you don’t apply as a major, the less CS # may not matter.

I suspect outside of the UCs, you’ll get turned down at each of the lower probability and down but the best chance at Mudd. But no one knows. You miss 100% of the chances you don’t take. But GA Tech, UIUC, U Mitch, Texas - are tough OOS.

Some say - and others can validate but I believe at UIUC if you do a CS + X Major, the admissions odds are better. I believe @Mwfan1921 has said that but can correct me if I’m in error. I put the list below - if that might be a consderation.

That said, if you wanted another, I’d consider U Wash. It’s brutally hard to get in out of state - but we are at a demographic cliff and given lesser popularity in CS, why not? Expect (as a parent) a rejection - but you have a highly rejective list anyway, and you never know. For another top level outcome acceptance but easy admit and with substantial merit, RPI might merit consideration. If you were interested, you could ask about the RPI Medal.

Good luck on obtaining the $20K at USC. The website makes it sound automatic but you might confirm. I could have sworn the other year it was “possible” but not automatic. But it reads automatic.

Anyway, I do think your list is wonderful with lots of acceptances - and wish her luck.
Honestly, I learned from @momofboiler1 that Purdues # of applicants for CS was way down and conversely acceptance rate way up - and if you ended up at a school like that, it’s not much different cost wise and could potentially have better outcomes than some of your UCs - and I’d think it will be pretty safe. But I’m sure there’ll be others given the academic chops.

Blended CS Degrees | Siebel School of Computing and Data Science | Illinois

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I could not find CS specific admit rate in the CDS

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Yes the numbers on that site are for 2025 and my assumption is that enrollment dropped further in 2026. However, it seems, colleges like UCB also cut seats

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Given all the numeric parameters (gpa, test scores etc) admission will depend on the quality of recommendations, quality of essays, and your schools’s perception at the college. We have no visibility into any of these three important things. Therefore it is very hard to chance someone anonymously. If someone from our school had top grades, they would be a Val, and can get into 3-4 of the top 5 schools — just as an example. There is hardly anyone with a perfect gpa at our school, because the perfect gpa depends on how many A+ s you get, across 4 years, which is 98 and above in each subject. So I find it surprising that in some Bay Area schools there are some 40 kids in the class with a full 4.0, and they are all worried about schools.

Recommendations should be effusive. Essays should be authentic, and interesting. Transcript rigor should be exceptional. Then it’s easy.

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Your kid is obviously incredibly bright and has worked VERY hard… given fantastic test scores, I might have added more schools that are test required? Or maybe you are fine with any UC given costs (which totally makes sense!)

Also if particularly if know what kind of CS research you should check out this: CSRankings: Computer Science Rankings

It often shows up some interesting choices…

One that might be of interest is UMD (they say 2 years of language)- CS is also, by far, their most selective major, but she has great great background and I think their honors program is solid too…

I am going to be really really honest since they are trying for some of THE hardest schools in country.. AOs could be concerned about a perceived drop in rigor in math sequence (stats is typically considered a drop from BC Calc). (I am assuming those courses are in order?) I am assuming your school doesn’t offer anything higher than BC and that those courses are not required in that order? Do other kids at your school take DE options? Definitely not deal-breaker or anything..but just saying… At some of these top schools, especially given you are full pay and coming from Bay Area, quite a few kids will be beyond BC calc, especially applying for CS. The 2 years of language taken during 9-12 may also be a barrier for some schools as pointed out. IF this was due to a scheduling issue or something, you can have your counselor note that, but I am assuming not. Not much to be done at this point, I am assuming you aren’t adding classes now and taking Spanish 4 next semester seems a bit silly.

My gut is a no for the low-probability schools unless the research with UC group is top, top stuff (which it could be of course!).

I think if you were willing to do it, an ED to Cornell or Mudd would be decent chance… and right now, given news, I suspect Cornell has a drop in female applicants TBH… (not sure how I feel about that, but if playing numbers game…)

FYI here is GA tech for CA specifically… (Admission Snapshot | Undergraduate Admission) - 13% (1535 SAT)

Also, given you are full pay, you will have a slight advantage at Northeastern (which has a solid CS program and has non-binding EA, no essays) if you want to play that game…

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CDS never (or 99.9% of time does not) has by major, public school’s websites sometimes do if you dig.

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I heard UW CS is ~2-4% OOS. I could not find any recent numbers to see if it is worth the effort

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It is higher than that, at 8% for OOS CS or comp eng for class of 2030:

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With that said, it is another reach, so up to your kid if they want to apply. UW is also test optional but doesn’t generally look at test scores for most applicants who applied with them, so no benefit there to your kid’s strong test score.

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It was only 2% one point in very recent past.. it just jumped way up 8% - :rofl: :rofl:. I am sure as I worked with a few UW CS people and was talking to them about it and they just couldn’t believe it. It was a big work discussion - lol.

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Yes, 4.0 GPA in the school is not rare. A-/A/A+ are all 4.0 though kid does not have anything below an A. I do feel if there is grade inflation but then I see 35+ national merit semifinalists and plenty of 5s in AP exams.

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I think the way to distinguish yourself is to get superlative recommendations. Pick your recommenders carefully, if there is a choice. They should talk about your personal and academic qualities. Give them an information sheet about your accomplishments etc.

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