What type of school does she want? I know the major, but what else is she looking for? I ask because she can get a solid education at almost any big school with a CS/Engineering department.
Also, she doesn’t need to cure cancer to get into top schools. IIRC someone built a nuclear reactor in their garage and was rejected by MIT. Look for the ones that are a good fit, and she will have a better chance of standing out.
Can you refresh my memory as to what her instate choice would be? (if there is one)