The University of Southern California has something like a 10% acceptance rate. I am pretty sure that it admits by major, and engineering is typically a tough major to get accepted to. I agree with @Bill_Marsh that it is a reach for acceptance. It would also be likely to be very expensive.
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Tough to say. SC a reach. SDSU, by stats is a safety but given the acceptance rate, a target. But then, and it’s just one example but certainly not the only, last year a student posted they got into UCB but not SDSU.
SDSU will not see the test score.
It’s a reasonable app but it couldn’t be your only app - as opposed to, for example, an ASU or U of A, which would be near certainties and if you applied to one of them and no other school - then that’d be reasonable. If the love is basketball, like discussed above, U of A would be the better fit in that case.
So SDSU is reasonable, just not definite.
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In Arizona, ASU still lists its automatic admission criteria for the campus and for each major (e.g. for mechanical engineering ). However, UA no longer lists any automatic admission criteria. So it may be better to see ASU as a safety if the listed criteria are met, and UA as likely for a 3.9 HS GPA applicant who meets the course requirements.
Unfortunately, SDSU seems not to believe in admission transparency (unlike some other CSUs like SJSU and CPP), so it can be hard to estimate chances. SDSU does admit by major.
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After talking to DS27 about the many options suggested he narrowed down the list, see below. It turns out warmth was more important to me than to him—he doesn’t want to go south-south. California definitely appeals, but those schools are more target/reach.
Likely/targets:
Pitt
Minnesota
MSU
Arizona
Marquette
Connecticut
Hopefully, he can look into and become excited about a couple of likely schools. The target/reach and reach/reach schools are easier to come up with. Of course, Illinois would be ideal—in state & they have an engineering undeclared option.
He’s working hard to prepare for standardized tests.
Thanks again for all you do on this forum.
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Bummer, you were so looking forward to visiting him. Well, you’ve got Arizona 
With a 3.9 and 33, those are likely safe, with UMN (not the school) and UCONN targets. But then you have in city Pitt and more rural UCONN, etc. if you want big merit look at Syracuse.
The list is ok but I’ll say this - he’s in 11th grade. When it comes time to apply, this is unlikely the full list.
If you travel - stop at a campus or two. No your. Walk around stop kids and talk. Walk the surrounds. Hit large and small, urban and non, etc.
He’s got 9 months. A lot can change.and will change - including his desired major. My kid changed 4 times in 11th/12th grade.
That’s a very good list! Congratulations to you both!
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