Type of high school (or current college for transfers): Public
Other special factors: (first generation to college, legacy, recruitable athlete, etc.)
Cost Constraints / Budget can’t afford T20 60k plus tuition because I don’t qualify for any need based aid (Except Princeton due to new changes meaning free tuition for me)
Total COA budget: ~50k
Intended Major(s): Computer Engineering
GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
Unweighted HS GPA:3.57
Weighted HS GPA: 4.06 on 4.0 scale
Class Rank: 72/444 (~top 15%)
ACT/SAT Scores: ACT 34C 35M 34E 33S 33R
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: AP Lit
Math: AP Calc AB
Science: AP Phys 1, 2, (C: E&M C: Mech self study), AP Chem, AP Comp Sci Principles, AP Comp Sci A
History and social studies: AP Gov
Language other than English: Honors Spanish 4 (Self study AP Test + Seal of biliteracy)
Visual or performing arts: School’s top jazz band
Awards
Nothing really outstanding, State award for 31+ ACT, Honor Roll, District Honor Jazz Band (1 spot)
Extracurriculars President of 2 clubs at school
Marching Band Section leader
Volunteer Jazz Combo w/ friends (Play every Friday in the morning for students and teachers)
Essays/LORs/Other Counselor LOR: 7/10
Band Director LOR: 5/10 (I read this one) (Strong Rec, Poorly written + Generic adjectives)
English Teacher: 9/10
Science Teacher: 6/10 (Also Poorly written most likely)
Essay: 7/10ish (I think)
Schools
Assured (100% chance of admission and affordability): Mizzou, JMU
I don’t understand the budget. If Princeton is free- then there are going to be lots of colleges which are “close to free”. And if you like Princeton, doesn’t seem like you’ve got any other options that are similar to Princeton but easier to get into. But if you like GA Tech, why not some of the other Tech schools that are easier to get into?
I’m guessing you didn’t mean to reply to me. Princeton isn’t free, but I think OP is talking about Princeton’s new financial aid which is free tuition for most families making up to $250,000/year.
I agree that there might be other schools that fit the bill financially.
Be sure that you are looking at the acceptance rates for your major at the schools that admit by major/college and also remember that the state schools give preference to their instate applicants.
CoE at Purdue is reporting a 34% acceptance rate for this year’s incoming class. Average UW GPA is 3.85.
I would put Purdue and UIUC in the lower probability category.
For one, JMU has “engineering” with 3 concentrations - Civil, Geo/Environmental and Electro Mechanical - so I don’t see the connection to JMU - which is a likely, not a safety, for you. If you want a safety in Virginia, that will be under $50K a year (if your budget is yearly), there is Christopher Newport which is accredited in Computer Engineering (JMU is not and doesn’t offer it although perhaps you can piece together electives of some sort).
Purdue would be shocking to happen and Va Tech unlikely. If you can afford $50K a year, Purdue will eke by perhaps. Va Tech is out of reach both admissions and financially.
UIUC is out of reach both admissions and financially. Ga Tech - you’re not getting in - and is right at budget.
UT Austin is out of reach financially and admission wise as is Princeton admissions wise.
You should focus on Mizzou and Missouri Science & Tech (Rolla). To stay in the area, Kansas and Kansas State would both work at under $50K as would Iowa State / Iowa to the North and Arkansas to the South.
Your chancing is very liberal - in my opinion. You need to first find schools to hit budget and then where you’d get in.
It’s outside your immediate area - but since you have South, your cheapest school will be U Alabama - where at $30.5K off, you’ll be under $20K a year. UAH and Mississippi State will be similar.
Best of luck.
PS - if we find out your budget is $50K overall (not annually) - that’s an entirely different discussion. You’d have to find a school that meets need - and have need as they determine vs. your parents have set a budget.
Otherwise perhaps there’s a program here or you’d have to go to college locally (if there is a public one) or community college.
I do not think that you will be penalized for any grammatical errors or poor writing ability of your band director. They are not deciding whether to admit your band director to their university.
With a 3.57 unweighted GPA, I would not bother applying to Princeton, nor to UT Austin as an out of state student. Georgia Tech would be a very high reach with this GPA. I would not call UIUC a “toss up”.
I too wondered why Missouri S&T isn’t on your list. Excellent engineering school - stronger STEM than JMU.
Since you’re in a Midwestern Exchange state, you may want to look at some of the schools where you’d get the reciprocity rate. These include some flagship U’s like U of Kansas and UNL, and branch campuses like UW-Milwaukee. Institutions | Midwest Student Exchange Program
Already suggested up-thread is Iowa State, which should be both attainable and in budget, with excellent engineering.
U of Utah is another flagship option, as they have a path to residency for OOS students; you’d be well within your four-year budget, though the cost would be front-loaded because you’d be paying OOS the first year. Another school with great music opportunities in addition to strong STEM.
There’s also U of Maine, which offers a Flagship Match rate.
Some of your schools look neither attainable nor affordable (i.e. UT-Austin), but there are excellent substitutes that could work well if you prefer to go out of state. Maybe you could tell us more about why you like the schools you chose; I’m not really seeing clear commonalities that make clear to me what kind of environment you’re looking for.
Then see my email above- you can go as low as $20K - and I gave you others as well to look at.
Depending on your desires - size, geography, etc. there can be more - but your list was way too reachy in my opinion. That said, it’s ok to take your shots as long as you have a school you’d love and you could afford - and if that’s Mizzou, then great.
I applied to JMU CS because my mom went there and it would be free tuition + Room and board due to VMSDEP program (all public va schools free because Parent is disabled vet + entered service in VA). I toured rolla and I just could not see myself there, I liked miz (Already accepted and that’s one of my safeties I wouldn’t mind going to).
Every school on my list I think I’ve figured out a decent way to afford it. (good size 529 + parents willing to assist in gaining residency for in state tuition).
I really want to go to a big school with a large research focus and Ideally in a big city (Not a huge deal but preferred).
Will my ACT and course rigor not help a lot with buffering the amount that my GPA is weighing me down for UIUC? I totally understand UT and Georgia Tech are huge reaches, and Princeton is basically guaranteed rejection. However, I think if I don’t apply to these schools I’m gonna regret never knowing if I got in or not. I’m not expecting anything from these apps but they’re schools I’ve been interested in for years, so I feel like I would be letting myself down big time if I didn’t at least give them a shot. Maybe that’s silly, and I appreciate your advice but I don’t think I can be convinced to not apply to any of the schools on my list.
Haha princeton is mostly just for fun. I’m wondering how this app season will go for ivies because of lots of new changes esp with international students and such. I know people say it’s silly to “Just apply to one ivy to see” but I can’t help it.
It might. The only way to find out is to apply and see what happens. Make sure that you also apply to safeties.
Strictly speaking I am not sure that “toss up” versus “low reach” would change your strategy. Either way it is probably worth applying, but you cannot count on being accepted.
Define how you’ll get residency via your folks after you start.
If you want a big city, JMU isn’t it - but since Virginia is free - how about VCU? In your subject line, you said Computer Engineering - which JMU doesn’t have but VCU has and it’s ABET accredited.
If you want big city, why UIUC (won’t be close to budget) or rural Va Tech? I get it - free tuition.
You might add a reasonable reach in UMN (in big city, strong school) and it might squeak in on budget. For a cheaper and easier admit, U of Utah is another in the big city and will be budget.
Your list doesn’t necessarily meet your desires…but it’s ok because you like Mizzou. With this list, and if you want to study CE (not CS), you’ll be at Mizzou. But I’ve provided other suggestions that are more realistic but won’t be as inexpensive as Mizzou or Va schools since you said they’re free. But VCU, not JMU, would fit your needs there - both in major and local.
Yes! That’s exactly my line of thinking. Better to apply and get the truth than not apply and wonder forever. UIUC is one that I’m genuinely not sure how to predict at all. I’ve seen people with 35’s get waitlisted and rejected and then people with 30’s get in the same cycle. It’s probably the most unpredictable school I’m applying to.
Parents want to buy a 2nd house wherever I go and keep it after I graduate to rent out to students which could give in state tuition via owning property.
UIUC - great engineering school, plus chapter 35 will give me a viable path to in state tuition from what the veteran’s affairs office there told me
Va tech - Pretty much the same thing as UIUC. I just liked the engineering program when I toured.