Match Me: 4.0 UW GPA, 36 ACT [IA resident, engineering, CS, or math major, <$45k]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

US domestic
Male, not under-represented
Midwest
Public HS
Sibling graduated from MIT

Cost Constraints / Budget
Parents would like merit scholarships (will likely not qualify for financial aid)

Intended Major(s)
STEM (Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics)

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 4.0
  • Weighted HS GPA: 4.5 (AP&College = 5 points)
  • College GPA: N/A
  • Class Rank: Not reported (likely 1st)
  • ACT/SAT Scores: ACT: 36 (36, 36, 36, 36), SAT Math: 790, EVBRW: 760 (took earlier)

List your HS coursework

  • English: AP Language & Composition (5)
  • Math: AP Calculus AB (5), AP Calculus BC (5), AP Computer Science A (5), AP Statistics (5), College: Discrete Math, Calculus III
  • Science: AP Chemistry (5), AP Biology (5), AP Physics C (5)
  • History and social studies: AP World History (5), AP US History, AP US Government & Politics
  • Language other than English: Spanish 4
  • Visual or performing arts: Band, Choir

Awards

  • AP Scholar with Distinction (2023 & 2024)
  • State-level competition winner for several years for two instruments, All-State band
  • Seal of Biliteracy for Spanish
  • Qualified for SET study at Johns Hopkins (CTY Grand Honors)

Extracurriculars

  • Robotics
  • Cybersecurity
  • Varsity State-level Swimmer

Essays/LORs/Other

  • Amiable relationships with teachers
  • Very confident in writing ability

Schools

  • I am still unsure about my college preferences. I would like to know my chances with Ivy League colleges, even if I have mixed feelings about them. I am possibly interested in alternative higher-level engineering schools. Thank you
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You would be a competitive candidate for any Ivy school, but if your parents are wanting you to chase merit scholarships, the Ivy League schools do not offer them.

There are lots of places you’d get merit and you’ll get lots of suggestions here. Any preferences as to school size, location, etc.?

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Ivies don’t have merit, and only some plausibly count as really high level engineering schools.

If you are interested in a STEM-focused college sort of like, say, MIT, but with merit, RPI immediately leaps to mind. If you are looking for more of a Cornellish sort of mix but with merit, Case Western is worth checking out.

If you are willing to consider STEM powerhouse publics which are significantly less expensive than Ivies, then Georgia Tech, Illinois, Purdue, and Texas are obvious suggestions (Michigan and Cal are also great schools for STEM, but pretty pricey OOS).

If you want to take a swing at rare but big merit, Duke is an option. Slightly more common, Rice. Finally maybe WUSTL–not usually considered a tippy-top engineering college but they are investing a lot in those programs, as well as various other science programs, including some cool interdisciplinary stuff, and they do have (rare) big merit.

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What is the price limit that you need merit to bring the price down to?

State of residency?

0% chance of merit. Do not bother if the net price calculator shows insufficient need based aid.

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Ga Tech also falls in the rare merit category with the Stamps and Gold scholarships.

@loathsomedungeater do you expect to be a NMSF?

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What is your budget?

I understand you are full pay - but do they want Alabama (see below) - or are they ok spending $50K or $80K.

MIT doesn’t do merit - so was your sibling full pay? If not, perhaps you would be smart to have them fill out a few net price calculators.

It’s easy to say - they’d like merit - but it always helps when you have an actual $$ figure in mind. Some schools with merit can cost more than others full pay.

There’s amazing schools out there - Ivy or otherwise - some with merit (like an RPI). I think you can reasonably apply to any school in the country but that doesn’t mean every school is right for you - budget wise, curriculum wise, or size wise, environmentally (urban, rural, weather, etc). Obviously, Ivy is a reach - but if not you, who - so it’s possible - but it doesn’t mean they are the right schools for you.

Thanks

PRESIDENTIAL ELITE @ Alabama - it’s automatic so you don’t have to guess.

A student with a 4.0+ GPA and 36 ACT OR 1600 SAT will be selected as a Presidential Elite Scholar and will receive:

  • Value of tuition for up to four years or eight semesters for degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate or law studies
  • First year of on-campus housing at regular room rate (based on assignment by Housing and Residential Communities)
  • $1,000 per year supplemental scholarship for four years
  • $2,000 one-time allowance for use in summer research or international study (after completing one year of study at UA)
  • $500 per year Supe Store book scholarship for four years
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University of Tulsa is another one where you would pay almost nothing. Scholarships - The University of Tulsa

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Have your family run the Net Price Calculator at MIT and Princeton. See if those schools come back affordable. If they do not, then most of the privates that do not offer merit aid (Ivies, Carnegie Mellon, etc) should be eliminated. If you can share your budget with us, that will help in providing suggestions that could actually work.

Below are some schools that you might want to investigate. Most of them would be extremely likely admits, with the last couple being more a toss-up or low(er) probability option.

  • Michigan Tech
  • South Dakota School of Mines
  • Missouri Science & Tech
  • Iowa State
  • Illinois Institute of Technology
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic
  • Rochester Institute of Technology
  • Worcester Polytechnic
  • New Jersey Institute of Technology (offers a full ride, I believe, for National Merit Finalists)
  • Stevens Institute of Technology
  • Purdue
  • Georgia Tech
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Check out the summer earnings potential for STEM students at MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, & Georgia Tech.

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I received a 760 and 740 for Math and Reading/Writing respectively on the PSAT, which I expect would qualify me for the NMSF in the upcoming high school year (I am currently a rising senior).

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Thank you for your response.

I do not have particularly strong preferences as long as I am in a good engineering/STEM program. I am more used to a rural/suburban environment, but could do with living on an urban campus. I also would not mind a larger campus with more students.

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Thank you for your thorough response, I will research more about those colleges.

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My parents will pay up to $45k; for anything over that threshold, I would need to apply for a loan.

I live in Iowa.

Thanks

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My budget is $45k, for any tuition higher I will apply for a loan.

My sibling was not full pay. When they applied, my family qualified for financial aid assistance from MIT. However, currently, my family does not qualify.

Thanks

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There’s hundreds of these.

Now if you get into a rank discussion you may not see it but rank does not equivolate to good or not. My son, a MechE at an unranked school had 19 interviews and 5 job offers by xmas and works with kids from Michigan, Purdue (who he turned down), Washington and others but also Utah, W Michigan, Akron. Engineering doesn’t play favorites as much as other majors but moreso in most disciplines it wants ABET accreditation.

So you have $45 a year. Great.

Loans - no - why ?

Bama is practically free for you. It is if NMF except food. Other great schools like UMN, Purdue, Florida, and more can be in play.

And guess what - the government is one step ahead of you. You can only borrow $5500 so if your parents are paying $45k, I’d take anything over that off the table. Why ? In engineering, your outcomes will be similar at 90% of jobs.

But at most you can go $50,500 - so MIT, the Ivies, Stanford and more that don’t offer merit are off the table.

Schools like Vandy and WUSTL offer full tuition and half tuition scholarships. You’ll need full but it’s a Hail Mary, so try but don’t count on it. And while the experience is different, I’m not sure the outcomes are much different.

If you are NMF, Bama is totally free as is Tulsa and others also are aggressive too.

So when you have a budget you have to live within your means.

But your accomplishments will give you plenty of options to do so. Far more than I’m listing.

Btw I don’t see your state. I can’t think of a MW state doesn’t have a fantastic engineering program too.

Hope this helps.

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UT Austin and TAMU, top engineering schools, tuition less than 45k and with your scores you may qualify for in state tuition. Georrgia Tech also tuition under 40k. UIUC, Purdue too. All these schools are top in engineering ( top 15 to be more exact), ahead of many Ivy or alike schools, and more likely to give merit.

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Iowa State University gives a full tuition scholarship to Iowa resident NMFs: National Scholars Program - Iowa State University . Remaining price will be about $14k, based on Undergraduate Students: Fall & Spring – Office of Student Financial Aid .

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You may be aware of something I am missing, but UT engineering tuition (there is a surcharge) for the upcoming year is $24,197 so $48K+ a semester. Room and Board is another $7482 a semester.

The school estimates one semester at $34,644 but they include personal and books, etc. But tuition, room and board is about $32K or $64K. And that’s this upcoming year, figure another 3-4% next.

I noticed you used the word tuition. I believe OPs budget is $45K all in - so UT would not be affordable - again, unless you know something that perhaps I’m overlooking.

As for Texas A&M, for this upcoming year, tuition is $20,843. So tuition wise, yes, less than $45K. But room and board is another $6500. So now you are about $27.5K for a semester or $55K. And that’s before books, transport, personal, etc. Perhaps there’s merit aid I’m not familiar with.

You are quoting tuition - but I believe OP means tuition, room and board - and they may be all in which means they need to leave money aside for books, travel, and personal. Room and Board varies from school to school - some $10K, some $17K - but I believe OP meant it should be included but perhaps they can clarify.

Depending on the type of engineering, I’m less concerned with rank short of a few schools (MIT, etc.).

Bottom line OP will have options. I don’t think those you are including are options - but that’s because I’m including room and board in my costs. You are looking at tuition only - and if that’s what OP meant, then you’d be correct - and then there would be more schools to include.

Thanks

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UIUC is over $63k a year, so above OP’s budget. And they don’t give much merit aid anymore. I doubt it’ll come under $45k.

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Of the schools I mentioned upthread, I suspect the first 5 would come in within budget as would NJIT. RPI, RIT, WPI, Stevens might be possibilities. You’d need to research how big their max merit awards aware. Purdue & Georgia Tech are right around your budget at sticker price, and there’s the possiblility for merit at them.
Okay, you have a preference for a larger campus.

  • How do you feel about Greek life (fraternities/sororities)?
  • How do you feel about significant enthusiasm for intercollegiate sports?
  • How far away from home are you interested in going?
  • Are there regions of the U.S. that you prefer (or prefer to avoid)?
  • Are there any special interests that you’d like to pursue in college?
  • Are there any other factors that will play a role in your college decision (like religion, politics, etc)?

You’re very fortunate that you’re a resident of Iowa, as Iowa State is a great engineering option that we recommend for students from across the country.

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