Chances for Future Science Major?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>Hi CC Members,</p>

<p>I am a junior (male) at a public high school in Pennsylvania. I want to major in the sciences (maybe computer science or engineering). Right now, I’m researching schools that would be the best fit for me and I’m just trying to narrow the list and seeking a reality check.</p>

<p>I’m considering:
Penn State
University of Pittsburgh
Carnegie Mellon ¶
Lehigh University ¶
University of Delaware
College of William and Mary (VA)
Temple University ¶
Villanova University ¶
Virginia Tech
University of Virginia
Loyola University (MD)
University of Baltimore in College Park (MD)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)
Case Western University (OH)</p>

<p>I took the SAT for the first time in November and got a 2080 (730 math, 680 reading, 670 writing). I currently have a 3.62 unweighted GPA (4.19 weighted), but my cumulative GPA was 4.0 (4.37 weighted) at the end of my sophomore year. Right now I’m taking Honors Pre-Calculus, Honors Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Computer Science, and Honors Spanish IV. Next year, I want to take AP Physics and AP Calculus.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Ice Hockey: 9 years (currently playing on my high school hockey team)
Mock Trial: 2 years
Track Team: 1 year
Electric Guitar: 8 years</p>

<p>Community Service:
Over 100 hours as a volunteer ESL tutor
60 hours as a summer camp counselor for pre-schoolers
24 hours as a hospital volunteer</p>

<p>Participated in Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (one-week residential business camp) last summer.</p>

<p>I don’t really have any academic awards or achievements. Any opinions on my chances at the colleges on my list? I’m new at this, but will do my best to chance you back.</p>

2

<p>I know this doesn’t answer your question, but I think that right now, you don’t need to look at individual schools yet. Just try to improve your ‘stats’ - keep up the GPA, retake the SAT, and most importantly, get really involved in ECs, particularly science-related, and get some awards and leadership positions. ECs can really make or break your app to top schools, and based on your current stats, you certainly seem qualified for those. It’s really impossible to say anything else regarding your chances now - the only thing I can say is that if you do decide to go into comp sci or engineering, CMU is gonna be extremely difficult no matter how much you improve your app (sorry, that’s the only school I’m really familiar with…)</p>

3

<p>Thanks … it really helps to get some perspective!</p>