Chance my son for CS - MA resident, 3.3 UW, 1520 SAT

Chance Me / Match Me
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US citizen

Massachusetts

UW GPA: 3.3

Weighted: 4.0

SAT: 1520

Intended major: Computer Science

Cofounder and president Wharton Investment Club, led the team to final round of competition

Cofounder Poker Club

Varsity basketball and soccer

Took summer course in AI, developed AI solution to track stock prices using sentiment analysis

Programmed a solution to email stock picks using momentum strategy

Conducted research on implications of zoning laws on affordable housing in Boston and Pittsburgh, presented research paper

Assistant mechanic

Colleges:

Northeastern

Umass Amherst

Purdue

University of Washington

University of Virginia

University of Maryland College Park

University of Wisconsin Madison

Ohio State

University of Colorado Boulder

Arizona state

University of Pittsburgh

Stevens Institute (for quantitative finance)

Please comment on my son’s chances

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Is he at a public or private school?

How impactful are his ECs from a time POV?

What is his course work like -

What level (highest of English(?

How many years and AP classes in Social Science?

What level of Foreign Language?

What’s the highest level of math?

How many years and what science classes (Honors, AP) has he taken?

U Wash is definitely a no go - they have a 2% OOS acceptance rate and won’t look at the SAT (only in marginal cases and I’m guessing your son isn’t marginal) - unless he’s at a private where kids with 3.3 are getting into high end schools. They’re a hard as get as most any school in the country for OOS CS.

If it were a public school with average rigor, he wouldn’t get into Northeastern, Purdue, UVA, UMD, and U Wisconsin in my opinion.

But I’d like to hear more.

I think ASU, assuming you meet the minimum subject requirements, will be a yes. And it’s a fine school…but to give you some releif.

But again, I’d like to hear more - U PItt, CU Boulder and maybe Ohio State might be reasonable and I’ll have to read more on Stevens Tech.

Also, do you have any budget concerns - a UVA, as an example, is North of $80K a year. Wisconsin, UMD, etc. in the 50s, etc.

If you want schools where the profile fits, let us know.

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I see a lot of good schools on your list for CS and overall. I see quite a few likelies. For computer science, I do not think that I see a safety on this list. Maybe Arizona State might be a safety, but I am not sure. It is a long way to go to get a bachelor’s degree out of state. I am not familiar with Stevens.

U.Mass Amherst is very good for CS. I do not think that it is a safety for CS with a 3.3 unweighted GPA, although a 1520 SAT should help. It is possible, and is definitely worth an application, but I do not think that it is a safety.

Northeastern is a reach IMHO.

Purdue is possible. I am not sure that it is a safety.

U.Washington and Wisconsin and UVA and UMD look like reaches to me for CS.

I might be tempted to add an application to U.Mass Lowell, even though I do expect that your son will probably be admitted to multiple schools on your existing list. If he only gets into Arizona and U.Mass Lowell, I might be tempted to stay local but either is good.

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Private school

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So has he talked to that private school counselor?

Perhaps at that school, someone with a 3.3 is getting to Northeastern. That’s what I’m asking - and asking about rigor - the level of classes taken. Has he taken Calc? AP classes? Do they even offer them? How many years of one foreign language?

All these matter.

In the end, I can chance you statistically but I don’t know the performance level of your HS. Is a 3.3 going Ivy, etc.?

I’ll assume no cost issues.

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He’s taken Calc 1 and Calc 2 both AP.

He has taken 12 APs spanning all of the core subjects. He has taken 4 years of foreign language with 2 of them being AP

Yes the school does send a number of kids to northeastern but I don’t know what the GPA is. The school has categorized Northeastern as possible which would be target.

Budget is not a concern.

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He has taken 4 years of CS elective with 3 of them AP.

Math algebra honors, calc 1 AP, calc 2 AP, statistics AP

Biology1, Chemistry 1, Physics 1 all honors

Physics 2 AP

Foreign Language 4 years two of them APs

English 4 years with two of them APs

History 4 years with two APs

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Do you know your student’s class rank? A 3.3 seems low for CS for many of the schools on your list. Your guidance counselor will be the best source of information because they can understand your son’s GPA in the context of the school. You may also want to ask if they use Naviance or similar software to track historical acceptances against GPA and test scores from your school.

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This is my concern. Out of public school, a likely no short of ED. And even no there. But your school isn’t public. And we can’t have a sense of what a 3.3 means there.

If you like Northeastern, look at Drexel - it’s a similar model.

I’d suspect CU is a yes even out of public school but not for CS but for Exploratory Studies which isn’t a big deal - they take the same classes but need to hit certain milestones to get into the major vs direct admit. It even happens to high stat kids. And your tuition is a bit less that year too as a bonus as CS is higher.

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What do you think of Pitt and Ohio?

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I like Stevens. It’s a very good school and I think is a possible target for OP’s son.

I think these are unfortunately unlikely, with UWash out of reach.

I think tOSU is likely, and probably Pitt as well. The latter is rolling so apply asap - you’ll hear back quickly.

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He’s got good chances at any of these schools. Year after year I hear stories of the disapppinted parents of 4.0 unweighted, high SAT’s and good EC’s get rejected and lower gpa’s admitted. The parents can’t understand why their seemingly amazing student didn’t get in and those with “lesser stats” (in their minds) didn’t. Wouldn’t worry…

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How about University of Minnesota? Should we put that on the list?

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Had a friend whose son got into Pitt because he was the only one who attended their information session when they visited our HS. Not sure if they visit your school but making that extra effort to engage with them may help your chances.

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It’s a very good school. Again, you need to speak with your counselor - because your 3.3 might not be a 3.3 elsewhere.

If you want a list of schools, just say the word - and let people know where you’re willing to go geographically. But if you like the big 10, you can look at IU, Michigan State, etc.

The 25/75 for UMN was 3.62-4 and a 1380-1510 on the SAT - so it’s likely a low reach by that but may not be based on your school.

If you want to know where you can go with a 3.3/1520 and this is the wrong way to go about it - but look at your SEC schools - Bama, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma.

ACC - Louisville,

Big 12 - WVU, Arizona, Arizona State, Kansas, Iowa State, etc.

Would smaller, more focused schools interest you - RPI, WPI, Clarkson? Or smaller universities like some SUNYs (it’s free app week).

In the end, given the private school - you’re paying them, hopefully for guidance.

A 3.3 at your school may get into Harvard…that’s why you need to talk to them…really.

Hopefully your son is meeting with his counselor.