Good but not tippy-top student looking for CS matches/reasonable reaches

[NJEngineerDad]

@CRP2

Talked to my parents, and they have no problem paying for me to apply to all the safeties on my list, so I’ll do that. I’ll add Arizona as well, which I was already considering.

Good. Iowa State, Illinois-Chicago, ASU, Utah and Arizona are all great choices.

Scholarship estimator updates in progress | ASU Scholarships

Hopefully your 3.74 GPA will become a 3.75 when recomputed by Arizona, but don’t count on it, so 12.5K/year merit should be your baseline. 2022-2023 Incoming First-Year and Transfer Tuition Scholarship Awards | Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (arizona.edu)

You might also want to consider adding University of New Mexico as a super-safety with Amigo (17K/year merit)? Scholarships | The University of New Mexico (unm.edu)

@CRP2

Purdue I can see why people are saying it’s more of a reach than a match, though again I hope my ACT and very tough CS/math rigor makes up for my okay GPA. It may not, though.

There is no penalty for giving it a shot. I would.

@CRP2

Alabama’s one of the biggest nonMW colleges from my HS. But I toured there and didn’t like the sports focus and the huge Greek life. I’d rather go to Iowa State, which is closer and probably cheaper.

I dont think that you can get cheaper than Alabama. 35 ACT gives you Presidential (28K/year merit): Out-of-State Freshman Scholarships – Scholarships | The University of Alabama (ua.edu)

Do you expect more than 11K/year at Iowa State? Freshman Awards - Illinois | Office of Admissions (iastate.edu)

@CRP2

GA Tech has really bad Naviance from my HS, especially with not perfect GPAs, and I’d need money to get down low enough to work. Northeastern is pretty bad, too, which is why that’s one I’ll probably drop.

You had not mentioned it by GT is indeed extremely unlikely without a perfect GPA and would be way over your budget anyway. I think that Northeastern however is potentially doable.

@CRP2

A couple people mentioned Wisconsin, which has a great CS program and I’d be happy to attend. But I was under the impression that it was really hard to get any OOS merit aid? If that’s wrong, I’ll put it on my list.

Not aware that Wisconsin is giving merit.

What is the plan for UMass, RPI and Maryland money-wise?