Chance me Rice University [UT resident, 3.9 GPA, <$15k, mechanical, mechatronics, aerospace engineering]

Chance Me / Match Me
1

Demographics

  • permanent resident
  • State/Location of residency: Utah
  • High School
  • First generation/latino

Cost Constraints / Budget
15k

Intended Major(s)

Mechatronics Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.9
  • Weighted HS GPA: my high school no have
  • Class Rank: 10%
  • ACT/SAT Scores: N/A

List your HS coursework

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

2023 - 2024, Grade 09
FRESHMAN (ECUADOR)
Class Terms
*CHRISTIAN FORMATION B+
*CULTURAL & ARTISTIC A-
*DESIGN AND ANIMATION A
*FOREIGN LANGUAGE ENGLISH B*
*INTEGRATED TUTORING A
*LANGUAGE & LITERATURE A-
*MATHEMATICS A-
*NATURAL SCIENCES A-
*PE SKILLS A
*READING PROMOTION A
*SOCIAL STUDIES A
*VOCATIONAL & CAREER GUIDANCE A

2024-2025, grade 10

SOPHOMORE (ECUADOR)

*BIOLOGY A
*CHEMISTRY A
*CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION A
*CULTURAL & ARTS EDUCATION A
*ENGLISH A-
* ENTREPRENEURSHIP & MANAGEM A
Languaje & LITERATURE A
*MATHEMATICS A
*PHILOSOPHY A
*PHYSICAL EDUCATIION A
*PHYSICS A
*WORLD HISTORY A-

2025-2026 grade 11

JUNIOR (Ecuador)

BIOLOGY A
*CHEMISTRY A-
*CHRISTIAN FORMATION A
*CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION A
*CIVICS AND SUPPORT A
*CULTURAL & ARTS EDUCATION A-
*ENGLISH A
*ENTREPRENEURSHIP & MANAGEMENT A
*HISTORY A
*LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE A-
*MATHEMATICS A-
*PHILOSOPHY A
*PHYSICAL EDUCATION A
*PHYSICS A

JUNIOR (USA)

COMMERCIAL PHOTO 1

English Lang. Develop. (9-12) A
ENGLISH 11 A
FITNESS A
HEALTH A
MODERN WORLD HISTORY A
PHYSICS A
SECONDARY MATH 3 EXTEND TOPICS (honors) A- and B+

2026-2027 grade 12

SENIOR YEAR

AP CALCULUS AB 1 - 2
AP CALCULUS AB 3 - 4
AP PHYSICS 1 1 - 2
AP PHYSICS 1 3 - 4
COMPUTER PROGRAMMING 1 1 - 2
ENG. LANGUAGE DEVELOP 3 (9-12) 1 - 2
ENG. LANGUAGE DEVELOP 3 (9-12) 3 - 4
FINANCIAL LIT 1 - 2
MATH LAB AP 1 - 2
MATH LAB AP 3 - 4
LATINOS IN ACTION 1 - 2
LATINOS IN ACTION 3 - 4
US HISTORY 2 CE UVU 1 - 2
US HISTORY 2 3 - 4
ASTRONOMY CE UVU1 - 2
US NATIONAL GOVERNMENT UVU CE
finance UVU CE
biology UVU CE

Awards

Internship research university of Utah

Name of Lab: EFD

Description of Research: This project studies how irregularly shaped particles—such as snowflakes, pollen, and wildfire embers—fall through air. When particles fall, their speed depends on their shape, mass, and how air flows around them. Current models mostly rely on simplified assumptions and do not work well for complex natural shapes.
The goal of this research is to develop a physics-based model that connects particle shape and airflow to predict terminal velocity (fall speed) more accurately. To do this, we design experimental setups that measure particle motion and the surrounding airflow.
For learning purposes, we will build a small laboratory setup that allows us to:
Track particle motion using high-speed imaging (Particle Tracking Velocimetry, PTV)
Measure airflow around falling particles (Particle Image Velocimetry, PIV)
Measure particle mass and size
Compare measured fall speed with theoretical predictions

High Honor Roll

  • Academic Excellence Award (Grade 10) – Awarded for top academic performance / outstanding grades

  • Academic Excellence Award (Grade 11) – Awarded for highest academic achievement
    Extracurriculars

Extracurricular

Robotic club member

National honor society

200 hour’s service volunteer in Ecuador

Latinos in Action
*(*Essays/LORs/

A powerful essay on my adaptation to changing countries and languages, and on resilience.

1 LOR research professor

1 LOR physics teacher hs

I JUST WANT TO GET IN RICE UNIVERSITY

I NEED SCHOLARSHIP

2

You certainly have a shot – BUT Rice has a single digit acceptance rate and must be considered a reach for any unhooked applicant. No idea if it will come in at budget even if you are accepted (run met price calculator).

By all means apply to Rice and give it your all but I’d suggest you drop this “dream school” idea and focus on affordability.

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3

Are you repeating your junior year in Utah…or what?

Rice doesn’t require the SAT or ACT, but it does recommend that this be sent if you want to show your college readiness. Is there some reason why you won’t be taking that test?

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4

Why Rice?

Note that Rice only has the ME major, it does not offer mechatronics or aerospace majors.

Rice requires two LoRs from core subject teachers. They will accept a supplementary LoR and that would be the research prof.

Here’s Rice’s NPC. Run this with your parents to get a cost estimate and to gauge affordability. NPC results might not be accurate if your parents are divorced or own a business or real estate beyond a primary home. Are any of those the case for you? Net Price Calculator

Rice is a reach, and I second that you should take an ACT or SAT to increase your chances.

Do you want help building out your list, including at least one affordable highly likely/safety school?

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5

What do you think

Rice

Columbia

Worcester polytechnic institute

Washington university

Case Western Reserve University

Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

University of rochester

UvU

U of utah

Utah state

I toke in account my budget, and I chose universities with generous financial aid

6

I’m repeating the junior second semester, I complete the first semester in Ecuador

7

Rice requires two years of foreign language study for all applicants, with three years recommended.

I’m guessing you are fluent in Spanish, but that would be viewed as a heritage language, not one you learned by studying it in classes. I’m not sure how Rice views this.

Perhaps @Mwfan1921 might know.

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8

Youre a very good student but you probably wont get into Rice, Columbia or Wash U.

If you want to improve your chances, you probably need some combination of 1500+ SAT (or 35+ ACT), Top 2-3% class rank (unless you attend a top private school), a regional/state level award, or some meaningful quantifiable extracurricular (beyond your research project).

NHS, member of school clubs, honor roll, etc. arent going to help you get into the top schools.

9

– Offering “generous financial aid” does not mean a school will be affordable. You need to run the net price calculators for each school to understand if the aid might be sufficient for your family budget.

–Agree that you should study for and take the SAT and/or ACT.

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10

If I get an Act 33+ is that enough to get into Rice?

11

1)No score is “good enough “ to guarantee admission to Rice. With an admission rate under 10% there will be many more outstanding candidates than spots available. All you can do is submit your strongest application and understand that it is a reach school.

2)If you google the Rice class profile, you will see that the 25%th percentile is a 34 and the 75%th percentile is a 36.

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12

Presumably, the OP studied English as a foreign language (along with Spanish as a native language analogous to US students studying English) while in a Spanish-speaking school system. How each college considers this type of high school record may vary.

13

What universities could I realistically aim for?

14

It would be helpful if you responded some of the questions that posters have asked.

What is your budget? Have you run Rice’s NPC that I linked above?

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15

My budget

My budget is $15,000–$20,000 per year. The NPC estimated $2,500 per year, which is expected to be covered by student work-study.

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16

It’s been a while, but I was under the impression that work study hours aren’t guaranteed.

If a job is available on campus, then you’ll work that job, and get paid as you work the hours.

It’s typically used to provide income for your living expenses-toiletries, laundry soap, lab fees, etc. It’s not taken off of the cost of school fees at the beginning of each semester.

If the NPC says “$2500 in work study”, then that amount will be divided in hours of work over the school year.

Your family needs to be prepared to have cash on hand to pay your fees at the beginning of each term.

The Federal Work Study program is a “Federal” program. It means that the US government says that you’re “eligible” to receive/earn funding from the government.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that the university will have job openings that fit your school schedule. A large majority of the jobs are in food service because that is what is available to fit around a student’s schedule.

There are a number of issues that you will have to deal with, as a new immigrant from Ecuador, with the way the university systems dispense financial aid. (If loans are included in your package, you need to read every word of that loan contract and understand it.)

I had friends who were eligible for work study, who couldn’t find campus jobs that fit their schedules. They got jobs off campus.

My financial aid package included Work study. I couldn’t work the shifts that were available (6 am or 8 pm- food service). I had high school experience working in a Clinic, so I used that experience to get a job near campus to work at a Clinic for better hours and better pay.

In other words, don’t “assume” that your bill will be $0 at the beginning of each term.

17

Adding one more voice to “it’s fine to have a dream school but keep your options open”. My s loved, LOVED his years at Rice (he graduated a long rime ago) so I get your passion. He also, back then, had taken Hebrew and German, but because he changed schools he had only 2 years of each. But the suggestion to have 3 years of a language is a good one