What are the odds of getting into some better ranking colleges with a 3.5-3.6 unw GPA for industrial design?
I would recommend taking a look at the IDSA student chapters and finding a few schools (especially in-state public options, if you have any) that youâre interested in. Then search online for â{school name} CDSâ, to get the Common Data Set report for each school. Hereâs Oregon Stateâs CDS. Within the CDS, look for sections C10, C11, and C12 to get a sense as to where a 3.5â3.6 would fall. You can also look up other info, like SAT/ACT scores to see how youâd compare.
Iâd recommend making a spreadsheet so you can track the various schools and the data you pull out from the CDS. (Also include a link in the spreadsheet to the CDSâs PDF so you can jump back to it easily when you think of something else you want to look up.)
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Define better ranking? You need a school where the student can learn, participate, and excel.
A 3.5 GPA is ok - but there are other factors - rigor (do they take Honors/AP and if so in what areas), ECs, test score, and more.
Hereâs one list - but one canât make an assessment on an UW GPA alone.
30 Best Colleges for Industrial Design & Product Design - 2024 - College Transitions
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That list includes Arizona State University, where you may meet its published automatic admission requirements.
Do you have a portfolio? If you want to apply to schools that are a reach for you stats-wise, applying with a strong portfolio could help, at programs that consider them.
There are good programs that should be attainable with your stats, though. Whatâs your home state? Whatâs your budget? Do you have a test score?
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Thank you, will take a look
Agree, the program has to be good and thatâs how Iâm also defining better ranking (ranking for their ID programs). Something like CMU or Georgia tech.
California, ACT 36, and yes, we have a portfolio but isnât very solid.
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Still need more info. Rigor. What have they done etc. hard to make an assessment on 3.5-6, 36 and nothing else.
Is OP in a private high school ?
So, youâre the parent?
The strong ACT wonât outweigh the GPA, but it will help tip things in the right direction, and it will also help with merit money at some schools, if that matters.
Are there budgetary limitations? For example, would your financial profile require to to pay the full cost at CMU, and if so, would that be affordable? If you do qualify for financial aid, you wonât get any at Georgia Tech - would their OOS cost be affordable? (Both of these schools are reaches, as you know; Iâm just using them to frame the question about financial parameters, since you mentioned them specifically.)
There are good options in the CSU system. Some, like SJSU, have a secondary admissions process into the ID major.
Western Washingon has a particularly well-regarded Industrial Design program (and itâs a really nice school in general). WUE is competitive there, and you might well not get the discount, but it could still be a great place to apply.
Does your child have particular interests within ID? For automotive, Long Beach and U of Cincinnati stand out, for example. The Oregon State Cascades campus in Bend has a specialty program in Outdoor Products. Is your child interested in art schools (like Parsons, Pratt, SCAD, etc) or only in programs at traditional universities? (SCAD Atlanta has cross-registration at GT, Emory, and other area schools, although I donât know how much time the BFA program allows for electives from other colleges.)
There are plenty of very good programs on that College Transitions list that would be accessible with these stats. For someplace like CMU, though, I would say that the portfolio would need to be very solid; they expect a strong portfolio even from high-stat students. For GT⊠Iâd call it a very long shot for an OOS student with a 3.5-3.6 GPA, but thereâs no harm in trying.
How do you feel about Syracuse? If you prefer a private-university vibe, that could hit the sweet spot in terms of being a little more forgiving on stats, while still being academically selective as well as offering a well-regarded ID program. Iâd expect the 36 to give a boost there, and being full-pay would help too if thatâs the case. RIT could be a good GT alternative.
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RIT has a really well developed program and is worth looking into more. It may be an option that you may consider a safety, but offers a lot to really like for industrial design, and becomes a favorite. They have a great balance of STEM and arts.
SCAD is also an interesting option for this, but definitely an art school experience.
Look at the course catalogs and the course requirements for majors to ensure the program match their interests and have various options.
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Course rigor is ok compared to other kids in school (would say somewhere in the middle), some APs in school and some self study. EC is good in terms of leadership in a major club, no sports.
Yes, Iâm a parent.
Yes, applying to RIT, SCAD as well, though leaning towards traditional colleges and not pure art to keep options open for a minor.
Looked at the CDS for all colleges in consideration, a little disappointed 
We are in public school system. Finances arenât an issue but would like to not go to full fees if possible, unless itâs our top choice program
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The student shouldnât self study APs. They should take the class.
What level of math are they at?
What type of ECs do they have?
There are very good programs that wonât be $90K. With a 3.5/3.6 and medium rigor and youâre still not giving a full profile - there will be some very fine schools.
You might do a chance me or match me - so everyone can understand your full picture.
Your descriptors have been very vague.
There are 3 schools that industrial design is on the WUE for discounted costs if you qualify.
U of Utah - $13,655 tuition.
W Washington - $11,993 tuition (someone mentioned above)
Metro State in Denver - $18,522 tuition
On the list of schools above I posted, with your #s,
Purdue and Ohio State may be possible. Purdue is a BFA.
On that list - Drexel is a yes, UMN is likely and with merit, and other great schools are safeties - Iowa State (great merit), RIT, ASU, Oregon, App State, James Madison would all be solid schools with lesser costs. SJSU was mentioned above - also on the list.
I donât think a top UC or a Ga Tech or Carnegie Melon is realistic with the GPA and a student that doesnât have top rigor.
Most importantly, you need to find a school for your student to excel, not a big name. Big name doesnât = better education, etc.
A little disappointment now is far better than a lot of disappointment when decisions come out.
Itâs perfectly fine to apply to some low-odds schools. But the important thing is to, as folks like to say on here, âbuild your list from the bottom up.â There is much to love about a lot of more-attainable ID programs, from Syracuse and RIT to Oregon State, UofOregon, WWU, Iowa State, Cincinnati, James Madison, ASU, Drexel, and the list goes on. Look into the schools that match their GPA - what kind of environment would fit best for your student? Which schools have the kind of social environment, urban/suburban/rural surroundings, recreational opportunities, etc. that they would like? There are so many excellent programs, and there should be no shame in attending any of them, but the programs, environments, and opportunities differ. Where can the student picture themself living day after day, and spending many long hours in studio? Take the aspirational schools off the table until that is figured out. You can add the âHail Maryâ schools back in later, if and only if you still think youâd choose them over the more-realistic schools that have won you over.
What I notice is that the two schools you mentioned, CMU and GT, both have a relatively ânerdyâ vibe, with lots of very strong STEM students. Is that part of why theyâre appealing? I can see how a 36-ACT kid might like the idea of hanging out with super-smart CS and engineering kids, even if they donât relish studying those things themself. If thatâs the case, then RIT could be a great fit. Purdue and Virginia Tech would be reaches but not necessarily out of reach. And Oregon State is great, especially for hands-on, âmakerspaceâ type STEM kids, and even more so if they like an environmental focus as well. Plenty of schools well worth getting excited about, that would also welcome your student with open arms.
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Thank you for the detailed response. I had never heard of WUE, will look thoroughly into it.
Agree that big name does not mean better fit or better program. These just happened to be good and what my child wanted . Math will be calculus (regular) in senior year.
May I please ask why self study AP (via an accredited online portal) is not good? The reason we do is because going via school was not possible (either subjects not offered or maxed out on classes overall)
Many are good.
Colleges will accept you based on courses you take. Did you take a course or just study for the exam ? If you are taking a supplemental course that is going on your transcript, thatâs not self study as I understood. I thought you were taking the test but no class. Sure you can get credit at some colleges but you could also get placed at a level youâre not ready for once in school.
You noted earlier the rigor was middle vs others. Colleges will know what your high school offers and will not penalize you for not taking a course that is not offered.
WUE is the Western Undergraduate Exchange. A bunch of states - from Hawaii to the Dakotas - got together and certain schools offer discounted tuition to students from those member states. Some are for everyone. Others, from what I understand, are limited. Iâve read on here that Oregon State is one that offers to some of the top applicants but not all applicants.
Donât forget college is an investment and like any investment you need to plan for a total return.
If CMU is $400k and Arizona State $160k for four years, is CMU the better investment ? Thatâs the question each family has to decide - everyoneâs situation is different.
I just did a nearly identical search for D24. California resident with 3.8 UNW, 34 ACT but sounds like we had a lower target budget. We also wanted to stay within a short flight of CA.
CSULB - Accepted and attending.
Univ of Utah - Accepted, preferred over CSULB in some ways and not in others. Slightly smaller design program that is more of a product design focus instead of industrial design.
Davis - not accepted. Very large and thorough design program, but no industrial emphasis.
SJSU - Accepted, but CSULB seemed like a better environment for her.
Oregon State - Accepted - loved the campus and the college town, but the design program wasnât what she was looking for.
ASU - Accepted, largest ID program, but she didnât like the campus. Of the colleges we looked at, it was the best mix of ID and âtraditionalâ college experience.
Other colleges we explored seriously but missed something on D24âs requirements:
WWU - would not have gotten WUE so above budget and a bit of a commuter college according to those we talked to.
Iowa State, Montana State and NMSU.
Univ of Arizona - wouldnât have hit budget for her stats.
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If you are just doing the APâs for college credit, the CLEP tests may be a better option.
Since you possibly considered it, what were your (or your daughterâs) thoughts on SFSU vs SJSU? (I have zero opinion on the schools; I just know that both have ID majors, and since theyâre near one another Iâve lumped them together in my head (fairly or not), but know nothing otherwise.)
I didnât read many positive things about SFSU or the ID program there. If we already lived in the city maybe we would have considered it as an upgrade over CC, but not by much. It sounded like a fully independent and driven student would do fine, but Freshman wouldnât find much of a college experience. SJSU sounded like a better option for nearly every type of first year student.
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