Type of high school (or current college for transfers): Public
Other special factors: First Gen
Cost Constraints / Budget depends on situation. parents are willing to spend on Berkeley, Cornell etc. due to top engineering program/merit.
Intended Major(s): CE, CS
GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
Unweighted HS GPA: 4.0
Weighted HS GPA: 4.6 ( 5.0+ per AP/dual class, 4.0 for honors/on-level assuming As)
Class Rank:18/645
ACT/SAT Scores: 1550 (790m, 760r)
HS coursework
English: Honors Lit (9), Honors Lit (10), AP Lang, AP Lit
Math: Accel Geometry/Algebra, AP Precalc, AP Stat, Calc AB, Calc BC, currently enrolled in Georgia Tech math yr one through the distance math program.
Science: Honors Bio, Honors Chem, APES, AP Physics 1, AP CSA, AP CSP. Currently enrolled in both AP Physics C: Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism
History and social studies: AP Human Geo, AP World History, Dual US History, AP Gov, AP Psych, AP Macro, AP Micro
Language other than English: Spanish 3
Visual or performing arts: none
Other academic courses: Internship Periods
Awards:
FBLA Nationals (business presentation/ethics): 3rd and 4th in 2024 and 2025, respectively, state winner for UX Design (will be listed as separate awards on app)
TSA: State winner for Essays on Technology
Kode With Klossy alumni Software Dev Scholarship recipient
UGA Outstanding High School Student Award
AP Scholar Award
College Board National Recognition Award
Extracurriculars
Internship at one of the largest international engineering companies as a Data Analyst and Developer: selected as one of 5 high schoolers from the entire state to work here, required skills include Python, Tableau, Power BI, and fundamental software concepts, along with knowledge of procurement tools
Officer of the largest FBLA chapter in the southern region of the United States: (700 plus members.) Developed a website from which we post blogs, use video editing tools to create promotional content, actively host workshops to aid with member events, etc.
Website Developer and Manager for a state cultural nonprofit: worked with the org to create content such as flyers, social media posts, and newsletters that increase website visibility, worked with JavaScript and CSS to create the website and increase the effectiveness of the website’s layout using my knowledge of UX design principles and SEO optimization.
Summer Intern at chain coding and robotics bootcamp: taught students grade 6-10 robotics curriculum, app dev, web dev, and basic cybersecurity.
Provided one-on-one tutoring and academic support to low income students through UPchieve: in computer science, mathematics, and environmental science, accumulated a total of 78 hours of coaching and averaged a 4.9-star rating (out of 5) as a coach.
Team Coach for NSF Gamemaker award competition: mentored and directed a team of 5th graders to develop an educational game following the competiton theme in Scratch. The team went on to be state semifinalists.
Vice President of School Toastmasters Gavel Club: Increased club membership by 34 individuals through effective recruitment, recruited and managed a team of two members to develop and launch a document navigation tool using JavaScript for the chapter, increasing engagement between executive officers and members and increasing chapter effectiveness.
NIHF Leadership Intern:
Shadowed STEM educators and course directors, gaining hands-on experience in delivering instructional material, trained and mentored incoming Leadership Interns by providing detailed daily walkthrough of responsibilities, tasks, and best practices for program success.
Essays/LORs/Other essays: focusing all my essays on the central theme of how I find potential to incorporate technology into every single space I am involved in, am a decent writer but idk.
for LOR: Will be asking my AP CSA teacher who has a high opinion of me from teaching me for two years and being my FBLA adviser, however I have zero clue how well written they will be as she is not the most eloquent teacher I’ve known if that makes sense. Was thinking of asking a lit teacher for this reason, but I expect a decent rec from my physics teacher.
I apologize for this being rushed bc at the end of the day I need to be working on my essays more than stressing about chance mes( bc at this point, whats done is done ig), but I would really appreciate any feedback/opinions.
Can you run the NPC on Cornell? Is the net price affordable (check with your parents).
If you get into GTech instate, it’s almost impossible to beat in terms of quality, professional reputation, and value (you would get free tuition through Zell Miller, right?)
I do think you have a very good shot, as much as is possible to guess for such a university (test scores, academic rigor, selected for GT Distance Math Y1, first gen, ECs).
You’re within ballpark for Cornell, Purdue and UMich. Perhaps replace UT Austin with UWisconsin (UT has very few spots for non hooked OOS applicants). All of these will not offer any financial aid and don’t expect any merit.
Georgia State is a safety - perhaps add another safety or likely (U Alabama? Iowa?) and one more target ? (What about NCSU if it’s affordable for instance? Case Western Reserve? UMN?)
I do agree that Tech is pretty much golden in all regards if I get in: the Zell Miller Scholarship makes Tech hard to beat in terms of cost+rigor.
for Cornell, the cost per year seems to be an astounding 98,000 dollars, but my parents still want me to apply.
UT Austin and U Wash both have near-impossible seats for CS, so really debating whether I should bother with those. My parents do acknowledge this, but they want me to cast my net wide in hopes of getting into any of my reaches. Wisconsin actually is on my list, forgot to add it here.
As for safeties, I have Virginia Tech on my list as well, but I doubt I would attend given either GSU’s conditional acceptance to Tech + free tuition in-state for GSU through Zell Miller.
The ROI (time spent on app vs. Odds of getting in OOS for your majors of interest) isn’t in favor of UW Seattle and UT Austin. Imho you’ll be better off if you devote more time to your other apps.
You look pretty solid for GT. Strong scores and grades, participating in their remote math program, strong EC’s, etc. Just be SURE, when you do your GT app, that you pay close attention to GT’s Motto “progress and service” and their mission statement “to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition”. Be sure to address how your goals will help others. GT likes to know not just what you want to do at GT, but what you plan to do afterward, with the knowledge and experience you get at GT.
Thanks so much for reminding me of that. I’ve seen one other post that highlighted the motto (on reddit) and forgot to note it down when working on my essays.
Remember, most of their “techie” applicants will look very similar on paper wrt their general experiences, grades, test scores, etc. Address in your essays the activities you did with the kids (your # 4,5 and 6).
Not exactly sure how editing works on here, but I meant to add AP Art History in the VA section for coursework. That should fulfill the UC requirement for art.
Hi there, thanks for the advice! I should’ve clarified that I meant merit as in prestige instead of merit as in financial aid, but to be honest, I think Cornell’s rigor is comparable to Tech and might only get an edge due to being an Ivy.
As for safety schools, I don’t think I’m willing to go away for schools that I can categorize as safeties, since getting into GSU means it’s incredibly easy to transfer credits to Tech, which is the route 70 percent of GT rejects take in my area.
Most of your other reaches (cal, michigan, cornell, cmu, uw) will be more expensive than purdue. might make sense you only apply to a couple of them but still keep uiuc and add wisconsin.
Edit: Cal needs a separate application and UW needs a separate essay. Still doable just extra effort.
A friend’s daughter did just this and it’s a perfectly fine plan. It’s also doable from KSU (and other GA schools). Just double check that you will be able to transfer into your desired major.
Are you aware that the UCs have four Personal Insight Questions? You should view the PIQ as if you were sitting in an interview. I’m not sure that repeating the same theme four times is going to work in your favor.
Is one campus worth the writing four new essays and 3-4 sentences to describe up to 20 Activities & Awards?
I am quite sure that it would NOT work in the OP’s favor. They want to see different facets of who you are and, as a rule of thumb, only ONE PIQ should relate to your major. The other three should be on different topics.
So, for example, for the “personal talent” piq, would you suggest that I write about a talent separate from my main focus? I was thinking about writing this based on cooking but was advised to write about things relevant to my career.
