Hi I am just finishing Junior year in high school with pretty good but not perfect grades and excellent test scores. My first choices would be UC schools except that Cal is the only UC currently on the semester system (although I hear UCSD and UCSB are talking about it). Is that information correct? If I did not have to submit a CSS I would apply to USC and other out of state private schools. I have a recurring health problem that sometimes sets me back a few days (migraines) and my mom is worried that it will be easier to get behind and not recover if I am on the quarter system. I love programming and have been developing little test VR apps and working professionally already…I want to be in a research focused university with professors that are current and engaged. Anyone have any ideas? I am not sure if I will make the cut to get into Cal Berkeley I have had a few missteps because of the migraines, etc. in my grades. It depends if they are looking deep at the skill testing, APs, SAT or just at a few Bs. My parents are divorced and I am trying to qualify for financial aid without the CSS Profile. I have job offers to start work and go part time to college and my mom is cautioning me to not fall into that trap. She says I love History and debate and would benefit from being around the college environment. Does anyone know if any of the other UCs are seriously going to implement the semester system soon? Does anyone know of a good CS Program at a well endowed private university that does not require the CSS Profile?
UC Merced is also on the semester system.
What are your grades and scores? How much can your family afford? You might be better off looking for merit aid. Schools that meet need tend to use the Profile and those that don’t often use their own forms to get the same info. Also schools that meet need are generally more competitive for admission.
With a few exceptions, the majority of the Cal states are on the semester system and have great CS programs. Cal Poly Pomona, CSU Long Beach, CSU Fullerton and San Diego state are some to consider.
CS is a very marketable major so you do not have to attend a UC to get a job/internship in your field.
Look at Santa Clara as a posssible option for a private.
Santa Clara requires a CSS profile.
SJSU is on the semester system and their students do extremely well in Silicon Valley due to their location.
Among the UCs, Berkeley and Merced are on the semester system. Among CSUs, all campuses except San Luis Obispo are on the semester system. All but three of the California community colleges are on the semester system.
If one of the other UCs changes from quarters to semesters (which San Diego is considering: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2020-02-19/uc-san-diego-might-switch-from-quarter-to-semester-say-to-ease-stress-on-students ), it will be a multi-year planning and implementation process. It may also be disruptive if you have to cross the transition.
Among CSS Profile using colleges, not all of them require the non-custodial parent information, according to https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx (but verify on the college’s web site or with the college directly whether the listed information is correct). For example, Chicago and Vanderbilt do not require non-custodial parent information.
Note that colleges that are not on the above list may have their own forms, and may require the non-custodial parent information. Check their web sites. Princeton is an example of such a college, and it requires non-custodial parent information if your custodial parent has not remarried.
https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx says that SCU does not require the non-custodial parent information. SCU’s FA web pages at https://www.scu.edu/financialaid/apply-for-aid/first-year-students/ do not mention the non-custodial parent information; contact the college directly to verify.
However, run the net price calculator at https://www.scu.edu/financialaid/net-price-calculator/ to find out if its FA is likely to make it realistically affordable.
We had to fill out the CSS profile for D16 for Santa Clara 5 years ago. Maybe they’ve dropped it.
Still waiting on some scores, just preparing now
I’m not in the least worried about getting “a job” … I am already working on professional projects even though I am 17… I am interested in being in a department with good mentors that enjoy teaching that I can learn from. It would be great if they are fairly current and doing research. Likewise I care about what kind of students are available to make friends as I hope to meet possible business partners for a start up or new venture inside a company. I hope this can be somehow noticed by the UCs I am not sure if they read the essays or throw you out of the running if you have a B in an AP class (I am referring to the most sought after positions like Cal and UCLA). It is possible one of my projects will get enough attention that it could help my application. I don’t know. But I want to learn from programmers who actually enjoy the thrill of creating programs and workarounds, not someone just there teaching from a book. Where I excel is in communication and creativity along with programming and I like being with excellent teachers. If anyone is out there and a junior or senior at a UC or CSU now and feels their department is amazing at mentoring, please speak up. It seems like department tours will be canceled because of covid.
I am hoping to get a lot of aid money. I can’t make decision until I see what my options are. I don’t know my custodial parent’s income.