Match me for Applied Math, Data Science or Engineering [CA resident, 3.74 UW]

Chance Me / Match Me
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CA Resident, US Citizen, Male
Public
High level athlete for one sport, Captain, 4-year varsity; Also played varsity level for two other sports.

Intended Major(s): Data Science, Applied Math, Engineering

Unweighted HS GPA: 3.74
Weighted HS GPA *(on unofficial transcript UC A-G 10-12): 4.23
Weighted 9-11: 4.13
ACT/SAT Scores: Not taking

Coursework
AP Computer Science (Principles), AP US History, AP English (Lang), Chemistry, AP Gov/Economics*, AP Calculus AB*, AP Computer Science A*, Physics Honors, Geometry Honors, Algebra II Honors, Precalculus Honors, Bio Honors, AP Statistics*
*Future course work for 2024-2025

Extracurriculars
-250 high school volunteer hours coaching youth camps
-Paid coach for 4 weeks a year (sophomore and junior year)
-Assistant Coach to an AAU grade team
-President of a DEI club one year
-Long term Data Analyst Internship with a Nasdaq listed company (4 hrs/week for 6 months+)
-Participant in 3 clubs on campus, 2 years

Essays/LORs/Other
Strong

Cost Constraints / Budget
No constraints and full pay student

Schools
*(All UCs, Chapman, Claremont Mckenna, Madison, UT Austin, Seattle, USF, SCU, SLO, San Jose State) *
High Reach: UChicago, UPenn, Columbia, Duke, Stanford
Need help with safety and likely. Seems like everything is a reach.

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The UC GPA is based on 10th and 11th grade. Was 10-12 a typo?

Look at this tool and re-calculate it yourself. Read the instructions first. GPA Calculator for the University of California – RogerHub. You should have an unweighted, a weighted and a weighted & capped GPA.

3

Since you have no budget, why not the Arizona schools - U of A and ASU - for safeties.

Your TO will likely impact you at your high reaches. given some of the top schools are heading back to test required or recommended. Yes, Penn is TO but 70% submitted, etc.

Why all UCs?

So the two most important schools on your list are safeties ? Why - in case everything else crashes. After your safeties, your list can be as you want.

So Chapman is a safety. Seattle U, USF, SCU are safeties - so you have. But if you want others - the Arizona schools (U of A, ASU), Oregon State (on the WUE or others) - such as Colorado State. Gonzaga since you have Jesuits on here. If you want engineering, do make sure the schools have engineering. I’m looking at ABET - Chapman doesn’t have. U San Fran doesn’t have. So you might want to cut those two.

UT Austin is test required for the Fall 2025 semester - so no need to apply. If you want a sub, given your interests, look at Maryland or CU Boulder.

But you’re fine as is.

Good luck.

4

I’ll add, do 9-11 for Cal Poly.

Speaking of SLO, where it falls on the scale will depend on the type of engineering you choose.

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I’m not sure that I would list SCU and Chapman as safeties. Both schools offer ED and track demonstrated interest. Based on OP’s list, it doesn’t sound like they will be applying to either school ED.

While OP’s GPA might meet those school’s average GPA, the GPA needed for their majors of interest, will be higher.

@Sandy007 look at this list. Which CSU service area do you live in?

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I agree. I can’t speak for Chapman, but SCU could even be a reach. I’ve seen students with higher GPAs rejected.

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Freshmen Impaction Results | Admissions shows last year’s thresholds for SJSU frosh admission, based on Impaction | Admissions using weighted capped GPA.

Data science, math, statistics, and industrial engineering do not appear to be very competitive, but some other kinds of engineering like computer and mechanical appear to be much more competitive.

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What have your AP scores been like so far? As you won’t have an SAT/ACT, those scores may have greater importance.

Additionally, if you haven’t yet taken the SAT/ACT, I would encourage you to try one or both (many people find one more preferable than the other). If the scores don’t come back how you like, you don’t need to submit them. But if you get strong scores, it will strengthen your application.

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Below are my guesses as to what your chances may be at the schools on your list. With respect to the UCs , San Jose State, and SLO, I yield to @ucbalumnus and @Gumbymom as to your chances.

Extremely Likely (80-99+%)

  • Seattle U. (assuming you meant this institution and now UW-Seattle by Seattle)

Likely (60-79%)

  • Chapman

Toss-Up (40-59%)

  • Santa Clara

  • U. of San Francisco

Lower Probability (20-39%)

  • U. of Wisconsin – Madison

Low Probability (less than 20%)

  • Claremont McKenna

  • UT – Austin

  • U. of Chicago

  • U. of Pennsylvania

  • Columbia

  • Duke

  • Stanford

In order to provide additional options for likely or extremely likely admits, it would help if you could provide more information about what you’re looking for. Based on your current list I am guessing that you prefer mid-sized or larger schools, preferably in or near a city. But when I see U. of Wisconsin and Claremont McKenna and U. of San Francisco on the same list, I have a hard time finding some additional common threads between them.

Additionally, as mentioned above, some of the schools on your list (like Claremont McKenna and Chapman) do not have ABET-accredited engineering. If there are engineering fields you’re interested in, it would be helpful to share what types of engineering you think may be possibilities.

Some questions that may help prompt your thinking include:

  • What size classes do you prefer?

  • How do you feel about Greek life (fraternities/sororities)?

  • How do you feel about high levels of enthusiasm for intercollegiate sports?

  • Are you interested in playing your sport in college (varsity, club, intramural)?

  • What kind of vibe of students would you like to find?

  • Are there particular interests/activities you’re hoping to pursue in college, outside of your proposed major?

  • Will politics, religion, or climate play a role in your college selection? If so, how?

  • Are there area(s) of the country you would prefer or prefer to avoid?

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After you calculate your 3 UC GPA’s, your CSU GPA and your SLO GPA’s, you can compare the admit rates and the overall GPA admit range for each school.

CSU GPA can equal your UC capped weighted GPA if you do not have any CC/DE classes on your transcript.

SLO GPA is the CSU GPA with an 8 semester Honors point camp plus 9 a-g course grades: GPA Calculator | CSU

Campus Applied Math/Math
UC Berkeley 29% Capped weighted GPA: 4.15-4.29
UC Davis 37.9% College of Letters and Sciences/ Capped weighted GPA: 4.03-4.27
UC Irvine 33.3% Capped weighted GPA: 4.07-4.28
UCLA 11% for College of Letters and Sciences/ Capped weighted GPA: 4.20-4.31
UC Merced 99% Capped weighted GPA: 3.48-4.08
UC Riverside 98% Capped weighted GPA: 3.76-4.18
UC San Diego No data Estimated <30%. Capped weighted GPA: 4.11-4.29
UC Santa Barbara 32% for the College of Letters and Sciences/Capped weighted GPA: 4.13-4.29
UC Santa Cruz 68.8% Capped weighted GPA: 3.86-4.22
Cal Poly SLO 34% SLO GPA: 4.08-4.23
SJSU CSU GPA of 2.6 to meet minimum Impaction index threshold
Campus Data Science
UC Berkeley 9%
UC Davis No Data but approximately <20% Capped/Selective major
UC Irvine 28%
UCLA 11% Does not admit by major but into College of L&S
UC Merced New major no data
UC Riverside 49%
UC San Diego No data but approximately <10% Selective major
UC Santa Barbara 32% admit rate for College of L&S which does not admit by major- Stats/DS major
UC Santa Cruz Major not available
Cal Poly SLO 31% projected Stats/minor DS
San Diego State 38% Stats with DS emphasis
San Jose State No admit data but need a 3.7 CSU GPA to meet 2024 Threshold

As stated by @eyemgh, different Engineering disciplines will have different admit rates since all the CSU’s and all the UC’s admit by major for Engineering.

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Thanks. This is helpful. I am only starting the list. Which engineering is easiest for SLO? What about San Jose state?

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My daughter - accepted as a Regents Scholar to UC Berkeley - was waitlisted by SCU.

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Yes, 10-11 AG GPA calculated by the school on an unofficial transcript.

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Follow the links in post 7 to see what last year’s thresholds for admission to each major at SJSU were.

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Shortened List after feedback, but wish to add more based on feedback. Yes to mid large schools, city or fun downtown nearby, prefer west coast, will play sports at club or intramural.

UCLA applied math or cognitive science
Berkeley cognitive science

Davis, Irvine, SB, SD, UCSC, Riverside:engineering (which majors have. Better chance?)

Chapman: engineering or data science and pursuing D3 sports

UChicago, CMC: Data Science, active recruiting for D3 sports might become ED.

USC, early action, major undecided

SLO industrial engineering

No SCU, USF, other Cal states, no UT Austin…. rethinking UW Seattle, Madison

Would love recommendations for high reach and safeties again. Thanks for all the feedback.

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I’m sure there’s an answer - but that’s not a reason to choose a major. You should pursue the major that you’re interested in.

In the message above, you have cognitive science at one school, engineering at another.

If you have a desired major, it should be the same everywhere.

You are looking to game the system - by asking, for example, which engineering major is easiest - stop.

Going to a school, knowingly with the wrong major, is a recipe for disaster.

Figure out what you really want…or say undecided, etc.

UW in Seattle makes sense in this case- that you are TO - and they, for most, don’t use the test.

You already have high reaches - and they’re the least important schools. The safeties are most important - what you describe were mentioned above - U of Arizona, ASU, Colorado State, Nevada Reno, Utah. You should have two safeties.

You want high reaches - that’s your UCs and U Washington. Want another high reach - since you picked out Wisconsin and Texas (need test), how about Michigan? Purdue a more realistic reach - but you prefer West coast. So maybe USC.

Good luck

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I will add UW Seattle then. Agree about major, but still going through what I want to do. Not 100% sure on engineering vs applied math vs Data science. This summer, talking to a lot of folks, visiting companies and interning to help this choice. Formulating an initial list now, but will modify.

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You don’t need to know - but if you are applying to one school for Data Science and they all have it, then apply to all with the same.

If you want to be an Industrial Engineer, then only apply to schools with Industrial Engineering.

In your case, a large public might be best - and frankly, if you get a degree in engineering from Arizona and UCLA, you’re going to have the same job at the same salary.

Engineering is like that - there’s an accrediation called ABET - and companies look for it, more so than the school name.

As an example, my Alabama son works with kids from Purdue, Michigan, Washington, Cal Poly SLO, UCI and more - and also Western Michigan, Akron, Buffalo, Utah…they all make the same (it’s a 2 year leadership program). He purposely chose a lower ranked school (wanted his own dorm room) - but the point being, find the right thing for you. Don’t worry about the name - especially given the majors you are talking about - all of them are hard, rigorous, and will be in demand.

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General, Industrial, Manufacturing and Materials.

That said, you can’t easily start in one of those and switch to a major like ME that you wouldn’t have likely been admitted to right out of high school. Cal Poly works hard to prevent backdoor admits.

Also, I may be reading this wrongly, but it seems as if you’ve coopted the OPs thread. It’s best to start your own, as they get pinged every time there is a reply even if it’s a reply to you.

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Oops, I have a similar profile. I will start a new thread soon. Sorry.

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