After being deferred from my first choice, I’m sort of unsure whether to pursue more colleges. I don’t know what I want out of a school other than smart peers and super strong networking opportunities. I want to go to grad school and get a Ph.D. in something. Trouble is, I’m crashing and burning in school, and I don’t like the idea of spending 50k+/yr for a private school when I’m basically a shoe-in for UMDCP, in-state, with merit money.
Right now I’ll end the semester with a C and two Bs. Already had a C and two Bs over the past years. This will put my GPA at around 3.83. Super tough schedule, 1600 SAT, National Merit Finalist, basically unhooked. I have a tremendous research position though. I’ll need to somehow show that my lack of focus on school doesn’t tell the whole story about me as a student, though I have some decent data to back that up.
I have a half-dozen reaches to apply to. I’ll shoot my shot and be humble. I’m just struggling to find a few more that are a bit more realistic, hopefully cheap, and would set me up for big-time success in life or admission into a top grad school. Nothing too small, or too remote. My main interests are neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, computer science, music, economics, political science, and theology. Any guidance would be super appreciated. Thanks so much!
Stick with U of Maryland if you think computer science is your major.
Its got the very top programs, if you are sure you can get in with some Cs? If your Cs are in math you may be rejected
by U of Maryland Computer science. So you may want to list what you are getting Cs in, as that may impact where
you can get in.
Also more information is needed. Do you want other large public programs? Geography? Near a City?
You are interested in 8 very diverging majors, and there are clearly some schools that shine in music and others in computer science.
If you list the six schools you are already applying to, then posters will be able to help you find similar schools that require lower GPA.
I got a C one semester in BC Calc. Now I’m getting a C in multivariable calc with the same teacher.
I’d love something near a city. Midwest and east coast.
The first four listed focuses are really the ones I’m into. I’m applying to Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Brown, NYU, NW.
Remember that admission to college is conditional on doing well enough in in-progress 12th grade courses. So do not slack off too much. D or F grades will obviously be bad; letting your last semester or year GPA fall by a lot may not be good either.
Thanks, I try and keep it in mind! I won’t get any Ds or Fs.
I’d say your current semester grades are going to hurt you significantly with the list of schools you’ve got at this point (assuming you will get into UMDCP, but at this point it is probably a match, not a safety, given that your grades have dropped this semester).
You can get into a good grad school from almost any undergrad institution IF you put in the work for great grades, get along well enough with your profs to get good recommendations, and continue to build your research experience. You seem too focused on name brands, though. Like those school names are going to make it for you in life (they really don’t). Or that the “network” is going to be a big boost for you (usually it isn’t). A kid with elbow grease attending a state directional can pass you in the adult working world like a shot, and you will likely find yourself working alongside some of them in grad school as well if you take that route.
How about Lehigh as a low match? Or Case Western (you might get merit there).
I appreciate your perspecitve, thanks! I don’t think those two schools compel me, but I’ll need to look more into Lehigh.