Chance Me - NJ Resident 3.6 GPA, 1500 SAT, 11 APs, Finance + Stats Major

Chance Me / Match Me
21

Thise are all reaches and if budget $50k, other than barely tech - not affordable. UIUC less a reach but right near $60k.

If you are interested in supply chain, why not the big 3, all strong in finance too and all likely under $50k. Yes ASU?, Mich State. UTK.

The overall names are really no less and they hit cost. Applying to a school you cannot afford will cause you unecessary hurt saying no or if you accept, strain your $$.

You don’t need a match or reach. You need attainable and affordable. It just so happens the top 3 are that. Purdue (target) would be another.

EDIT - I see your last message. You can do finance and supply chain at many or take classes.

Bottom line and I gave you a zillion up top - finance and stats you can do at many. You’re in NJ so with the list you keep giving, Rutgers will be where you end up. Why ? Budget.

If you want more choices, add affordable schools, not those bursting the budget. I put many makes above and there are more.

22

Even UIUC and UW Madison are reached with the given extracurriculars and test scores? I know that gpa is on the lower end but everything else seems fine.

23

Yes in my opinion. Not impossible.

But then there’s budget - you say $50-60k. Which is it ? If $50k you’ll be well above.

Your outcome won’t be different if you go to Wisconsin or Bama or UGA or Miami Ohio or Delaware. Why not apply to schools either most likely or assuredly affordable.

Gies gpa is 3.77-4 unweighted - so you are well below. They take out non impact classes to like PE in calculating. Again a reach but not impossible. I’m concerned not affordable - and UIUC is a fit school. Make sure you visit. Some agree. Some don’t. But it’s hmmmm - not nice…imho or wasn’t 6 years ago. There’s a reason many Illinoians - like 1500 head South (affordability and cost) and 2k NY/NJ/CT to Bama, which for you is under half of budget (at a $50k budget).

Nonetheless admission wise I think a reach. Others may disagree. But given your budget the app doesn’t make sense. Btw at most schools ECs are nice to haves but don’t overcome academics. Typically neither will a test.

UW the average gpa is 3.9. I’ll assume weighted but don’t know. Over half are in the top 10% of class. Are you ? And business is tougher.

Again not saying impossible but reaches - to me. Not Ga Tech or Emory or BU reaches. But reaches.

But figure out the exact budget - if $60k is the max, unless you’re going to push your folks to exceed, you’re really stressing it. Each year costs go up and you’re just about there. If it’s $50k, don’t bother.

You are building a list of names you think are impactful or by US News rank or what not.

When you have a budget, that’s what needs to drive the list. And I’ve given you substitutional (not lesser) schools that will work within that budget. If your budget constraints are true, then you’ll likely end up at Rutgers with your list or possibly IU Kelley if you go into the 50s. I supposed Pitt too of you go that high (Pitt highly likely of applying b4 Nov).

And there’s nothing wrong with Rutgers. Want other choices - add more as noted or find other budget friendly schools.

Good luck.

24

Well, what do the private school NPC’s say? Are there any that give you enough need-based aid? Check NPCs at schools like Princeton and Stanford - not because they’re realistic admits, but because if they don’t give you enough, none of them will.

For highly-competitive OOS publics, it depends whether you can afford them without merit aid. You may get in, but they’re not going to allocate big merit scholarships to convince you to attend. If you can attend without merit, then sure, take your shot. But also consider whether they’re offering any meaningful difference in opportunity and experience, vs. Rutgers in-state. For example, full-pay COA for a non-resident at UW-Madison is over 63K/year. Rutgers in-state is under 40K. Many students prefer to go out of state, and UW is an excellent school in a great college town. But it is worth over 150% the cost of Rutgers? That’s an individual decision, but if it means debt, I would say no. There’s no shortage of opportunities at either one; what you get out of them will be determined far more by what you put in than by which one you attend.

IMO, an OOS school that will beat Rutgers on desirability relative to cost is going to be a bit of a unicorn. It depends in part on what you’re looking for, other than perceived prestige. If it’s mainly the prestige factor, just understand that “familiarity breeds contempt” is a thing when it comes to in-state schools (perhaps even more so in NJ than in many other states), but it doesn’t mean those schools are really less rigorous, less worthy, or less well-regarded by those who matter (employers, grad schools, and generally people outside of the NJ high school ecosystem).

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25

If you love the schools, then apply. Also pay attention to what their admissions staff talks about as being important and participate in webinars, get in touch with folks in the admissions offices, etc. But Madison is definitely a reach from my experience as a parent and teacher. Be prepared for a waitlist. Gies is a reach as well with a low (comparatively) GPA.
Georgia Tech provides some very helpful data re: admissions (very depressing..for OOS students). Try this website and click on “State” to see the NJ numbers. https://admission.gatech.edu/admission-snapshot
Also, if you go to this site, you can see the data for last year’s cycle and you can filter for residency, gender, race, etc. There was a 9.8% acceptance rate for OOS males to Scheller for the 2025 cycle. https://lite.gatech.edu/home-content-internal-pages/Admissions%20Dashboard
I’m sharing this info not to depress you, but because I wish my kid had a better understanding of the difficulty for some publics that have higher standards for OOS students before he applied/got his hopes up.

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26

Honestly, I find nothing wrong with a Rutgers, however, I would prefer OOS within my budget as I’d finally get a new experience. That being said, UIUC, GT, and UW Madison are some of my top choices, if I get in course. Thank you for the advice. I find it very helpful.

27

Thank you for this. UIUC, GT, and UW Madison are some of my top choices for OOS, if I get in ofc. After seeing the GT data, definitely does look more on the depressing side, but at least it gives me a realistic view rather than being overly optimistic. Thank you.

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But how can they be top choices when they’re not within your budget - that’s what I’m trying to get you to understand.

In reality, they shouldn’t even be in your consideration set because if you do get in, you’re not getting $$.

There are many similar schools and honestly UW and UIUC are different in many ways. So let’s figure out, other than rank, what appealed and find more budget and admission friendly subs.

First, though, tighten your budget with mom and dad - $50 vs $60k is a big difference.

You built a list with your heart in mind but you need to build one with your bank account in mind.

29

U Denver is OUSTANDING in Finance - and might make $50K.

You can try Bryant in Rhode Island - they might get to budget.

You can try Butler in Indy, Hofstra in Long Island, and Dayton in Ohio as well - to try and make budget.

But lots of publics will more than hit your budget and be subs to the schools you earlier listed.

btw - many choose safeties over reaches or affordable over unaffordable - and do just fine.

Both mine chose safeties - voluntarily - and both are excelling.

I noted Purdue earlier - that would be a reasonable choice to hit budget vs. a UIUC - and a muuuuuuuuch nicer campus btw.

Good luck.

30

Have you looked at Arizona State? They have a strong supply chain management major and you may be in line for merit money.

31

BU and GT arent Reaches in my opinion especially for business. A Match to me means around a 30-60% chance of acceptance.

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32

Both have acceptance rates of around 10%, and a 3.6 is below the average.

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Delete

34

I’d still put them in the reaches for me given the whole profile I have

35

You’re missing the point.

You need an affordable and desirable safety.

Targets and reaches are the least important schools on your list.

If Rutgers isn’t desired, then who can fill in that’s safe?

Miami Ohio? Alabama? Purdue? Delaware? Bing or Buffalo? WVU ? Kansas ?

The rest of the list are nice to haves - but you need that assured admission and budget school first.

BU and GT aren’t just reaches - but huge reaches. UIUC and UWM are reaches. But realistic reaches admission wise. But they’re high reaches due to the budget. There’s near 100% chance you get zero money if you were to get in.

These schools are a bit different getting past two large big 10 publics - so what led you to choose them? Have you visited? You read about them in a ranking??

36

Yes, I have in state safeties that are not on this list. I have no problem with Rutgers, but I’d rather prefer something OOS as a primary choice. I chose those 2 after hearing what current students there have said, and that they both are good for my intended career goals. Additionally, even with the extracurriculars and awards, why are they such a far reach?

37

But you don’t want to be in state - so I’m giving you out of state safeties - and these are affordable.

For all intents and purposes, there is little difference between a Miami of Ohio, as an example, and UIUC. The campuses are different but the B schools are similar. Same with Bama, Kansas, and others.

It’s great that current students like Gies and Wisconsin - but you cannot afford them according to what you said. So why would you consider them?

I’d love to stay at the RItz Carlton, but I can’t afford it, so I’m at the Courtyard Marriott.

Many/most schools are good for intended career goals, especially when they’re more generic like yours - meaning non IB.

What matters most is your GPA and rigor. Awards matter little in my opinion - what matters is what you did to earn the awards. But ECs are a consideration, they don’t make up for a 3.6.

So your first issue is you continue to push schools you cannot afford - assuming you are honest about your budget. If it’s higher, that’s different.

In regards to safety/target/reach - they are meaningless. If you get in and can afford, it’s safe - even Harvard. And if you get turned down or get in but can’t afford, it’s a reach - even Rutgers.

I’m not an adcom or specifically the adcom at each school. You were told why they were reaches - mainly your GPA. That’s my opinion. You may have a different one. And some of your schools - like BU and Ga Tech - are reaches of stratospheric proportion - in my opinion. Doesn’t mean I’m right.

If you get in, guess what, admission wise it wasn’t a reach. But still budget wise it is - so are you going to strain mom and dad? Or if you don’t get in, then what.

In state - if you apply - is fine - but what if you can get in out of state and afford? Illinois and Wisconsin are just two schools - there’s many like schools out there that will get you the same place that you can afford.

In the end, you can apply to reaches and Rutgers and it’s fine - you’ll likely but not definitely go to Rutgers. I noted IU could happen..would have last year. And Pitt is “possible” - you’ll get in but can you afford?

You seem to have forgotten you’ve provided a budget.

Have you looked at Umass, URI or UVM?

38

Nobody is saying that your odds of getting in are extremely low. It’s the odds of getting in and making budget that are very low. An acceptance you can’t afford is a different kind of pain from a rejection, but the result is the same.

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I am saying BU and budget meeting Ga Tech are very low - my opinion. Agreed on the other two.

40

Actually, for UIUC Gies, I think the chances are pretty low for an OOS 3.6 GPA with only two years of foreign language. UIUC recommends 4 years of foreign language, and the Gies acceptance rate is around 23%. It appears to be at the budget limit anyways.

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