My SAT score is 1550 in my SAT and my ACT score is 34, but my GPA is 3.56. I have 16 AP courses. All A’s and B’s, but I have 1 C and that is AP U.S. History. I am planning on being a Computer Science Major (I have all A’s) and a Math Minor (I have A’s and B’s) Do I have a chance of getting into Cornell, JHU, or Vanderbilt. I planning on ED to one of them.
You’d have a better chance if your GPA was 3.8+ (even if it meant taking fewer APs) as those are reach schools for just about everyone. We don’t know what ECs you do, what awards you’ve earned, what your letters of recommendation look like, etc. You have a chance, but, like everyone, it is a small one. Apply to plenty of match schools and likely schools in addition to these, so you will have choices next spring.
Thank you. Would a professor rec letter help? I have a UT professor that I work with. Will, that increase my chances?
Check the requirements of each college. Some want LORs from teachers only. Some accept supplemental LORs, some don’t, and some don’t require them at all. It is important to follow the university’s requirements/instructions.
Thank you
You have a chance but the 3.5 will be an issue decreasing your chances substantially, hopefully you went to a VERY competitive HS. GPA is usually weighted more heavily then test scores.
I go to Westlake High School in Austin
Are you top 10% in your class?
UT Dallas is obviously your safety, do you have another one?
What’s your budget for College?
Private universities will generally “appreciate” your course rigor more than public universities with a stricter formula.
Can you reduce the number of APs senior year BTW?
16 is WAY overkill (top universities expect 6-8 TOTAL, after that the law of diminishing returns applies).
My recommendation is to take the highest math class available to you, AP CS, an AP science (AP physics C probably), and an AP in either English, foreign language, or a social science. Total, 5 APs /AP equivalent classes senior year. That would be your max.
BTW, have you taken Bio chem physics, and foreign language through level 3 or 4?
I am in the top 25% I am taking BC Calc this year, I have taken, biology, AP chemistry, AP physics and this year will be my 3rd year of language, I am taking AP bio this year. I have taken 4 years of computer science and am doing my 5th this year. All AP computer science classes
Look at making your schedule more reasonable.
Otherwise you’ve covered the basics.
Top 25% least UT is out of the question, TAMU dubious (especially for stem).
What are your matches ? Have you found safeties you like and can afford?
I’m thinking OU Honors would likely be a safety, as well as Texas Tech, UT SA, and Texas State. SMU, Santa Clara U would likely be academic matches but beware of their financial/merit aid, run the NPC.
UT & A&M are my safety according to Naviance, but my EC includes Dance, President of clubs and officer, Nationally ranked in science, debater, golfer, Model UN. Would that help for getting into college? I also go to a very competitive school Thanks for your help
While top 25% rank with your SAT score is automatic admission to Texas A&M (http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshman/admitted – see “Academic Admits”) , that does not necessarily assure admission to the engineering division where the CS major is, according to https://engineering.tamu.edu/admissions-and-aid/prospective-students/admissions.html . Additionally, Texas A&M engineering admits to a general engineering status; admission to a specific major later requires either a 3.5 college GPA or facing another competitive admission process.
Because Texas A&M does rolling admission, apply as soon as possible. If admitted to the engineering division, it becomes a safety (if affordable and you are willing to risk the admission process to CS later). If rejected, admitted to the school but not the engineering division, or put on hold for a decision later, then you know that you need to find other safety options.
UT Austin seems very unlikely if you are significantly outside top 6% rank.
Didn’t TAMU change the rules for academic admits? It’s not a safety for CS/engineering - odds are 50-50 you’d be allowed to enroll in pre-engineering. So, not a safety, unless you don’t care about your major. Apply immediately and keep your fingers crossed they’ll admit you to the major you want. If not you can recalibrate. Applying to UTD would make sense (excellent honors college) or perhaps UTSA (good CS).
Alas, you’re so far away from top 6% that UT is out of reach. Only rank matters (and, if you’re top 10%, other factors, but you’re not top 10%).