Accepted to UCF!!! I’m liking the streak so far. I submitted my research paper to CJSJ in September and they’re supposed to email me back in “early December” so I’ve been refreshing my email like a kid on Christmas. Fully expecting to get rejected, given the prestige, but it would be an actual miracle to be published in such a big journal.
(also… MIT decisions supposedly on the 16th. Or so the rumors say. I’m going in expecting a deferral but I think maybe I can clutch.)
First I’d like to look at the EFC you got — noting the high cost from brown. Brown is a no loan school with a free ride for $125k and under. If your household income is there or lower, I think your NPC calculation is wrong
If you are above 125k annual income that’s a different story, though I’d still prioritize no loan schools ( including brown) I’d add Vanderbilt which has full ride scholarships regardless of income
I would look at the list of 3/2 engineering programs ( 3 yrs liberal arts school + 2 yrs engineering at Columbia MIT or another top tier = BS and MA in 5 yrs)
And
I’d cross check that list with no loan schools
I’d consider Trinity Univ because they have good aid for lower income and high Hispanic population
If you are below $125 income, I’d add Harvey mudd and Pomona and Claremont McKenna and Pitzer — because they have good aid if your income is low, Mudd is a top engineering math school like MIT and CIT ( only with fewer humanities requirements!), and the other 3 schools let you take classes at Mudd. Also the vibe is welcoming for Hispanics, and close to LA, and the schools have pretty good first gen support
If you like brown I’d add Wesleyan Univ CT because the vibe is similar ( open curriculum) , they have a 3/2 engineering, an IDEAS engineering major, and a stupendous 1 st gen support system
Income is slightly above $125k. Brown’s financial aid is not incredible for my situation (according to their NPC) but I’m applying in case scholarships can tip the scale. Same case with GTech (since i’m OOS). Every other school I can afford.
I would check income cut offs for no loan schools then. For example, it sounds like Rice would be 50% tuition for you. Great school. Good diversity.
Colgate and Lafayette college have income cutoffs that include you
You were rejected from Fly in and Coca Cola because you are not poor enough. Fly in is for seriously low income and high performance. Coca Cola too
I see. Does make me feel a little better!
Delete
Also, does anyone know of a reputable journal for publishing a scientific paper in high school? It doesn’t have to be anything big, but I figure if I have something I might as well roll the dice if CJSJ doesn’t work out.
Don’t forget those income cut offs are just a guide. They also include assets etc so there are some people within income brackets but with above the norm net worth (investments, rental properties, etc). They might not have liquid wealth but they have enough wealth to scuttle an aid package.
Out of curiosity, what does “Delete” mean? I’ve seen it in a few posts on the forum. Just the word “delete”. Very ominous.
Sorry. Same message I just posted but I thought replying to the specific person might not have been right so I just posted it tagging no one. Nothing ominous.
Sometimes people write things but then see someone else already did so they remove theirs.
Nothing ominous.
Ohhhh I see. Just thought it was a little funny 
Deferred MIT. It is what it is.
Not rejected - so congrats.
so who is next?
Apps for Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, Stanford, NYU are due early January. Regeneron is announcing it’s Top 300 Scholars January 10th, on my birthday. February Update Notes for MIT are in mid-January.
UF is also announcing decisions in February but I figure there’s quite some time until then.
What are your safety (financial and admission) schools.
UF is likely…can you afford?
I just can’t through the entire chain.
You are NMSF. Do you have budget issues? If so, have you applied to Tulsa, Bama, UTD, Maine, etc?
Sorry. If I qualify for NM finalist, I get Benacquisto within Florida, so UF/UCF/FIU are all free and might even pay me a stipend. UCF/FIU are safeties. I got into both. UF is a likely, and announces decisions in February.
I have considered Tulsa, Bama, and UTD, but a big part of going to college for me is escaping this hellish weather. I need snow like I’ve never needed anything in my life. I was considering Maine at some point, but I think I forgot to follow through with it.
Great As long as you have that financial safety - then it’s just waiting on the reaches.
Congrats. Great position to be in. You can breathe !!
But if your worst case is UCF/FIU and free you are playing with house money !!
Congrats
Hi all! Sorry for harping on this point. I’m trying to gather up some things I can put on my FUN form for MIT, and maybe get some feedback also on whether they will be useful or not. Would these be accomplishments worthy of being included?
I’m trying to think of what else I could include, but for now these are my main accomplishments. There’s some smaller stuff here and there like honor roll and maybe NMF if they announce it before the deadline. Opinions?
Uhhh this might be a dumb question but if I get something like Top 300 Scholar in Regeneron STS or a good result in the January USACO competition is there any way to update schools I’ve already submitted an app to? Should I specify that I’m “waiting on results” in the addl. info section?