Hi, I especially love University of Michigan for it’s big school, location (Ann Arbor), diversity, strong engineering (CS & electrical engineering) and opportunities for research/extracurricular options. Same with OSU.
However, I am aware that University of Michigan is quite competive for OOS applicants, and OSU is really competitive (especially in my school district) for admission. In the event I don’t get into these schools, where are places with similar qualities that my stats would give me aid?
ACT: 29 composite E 24 M 27 R 29 S 34
GPA: 3.9 UW, 4.1 W
Class rank: top 10%
Hooks: low income, women in engineering, legally blind
Intended Major: computer science and engineering or electrical engineering
Downsides: I had to drop AP physics 1 and I failed honors precalc because my eyes got tired from ACT testing (legally blind). My guidance consoler mentioned it in her letter or rec though.
Letters of rec: English and math teachers both 10/10, my guidance consoler read them and said they were AWESOME! (Since I can’t read them.)
Honors: geometry, algebra 2, precalculus, biology, physical science, English 10
AP: Chemistry, Computer Science
DE through local community college: American History, Gov, Econ, Compostion 1, Digital Design
Awards and honors
-NWCIT Aspirations in Computing National Honorable Mention (top 10% of applicants) (11)
-Intel ISEF finalist (10)
-Grant from NCWIT to teach CS (11)
-Recognized at board of education for achievements (10,11)
Take a look at Iowa State? I think you would get merit money and possibly further grants based on need. My daughter found cost of attendance cheaper at University of Iowa (OOS for her) than our instate UIUC. I believe Iowa State has a similar aid structure.
She was offered only loans at Indiana U and U Minn.
Looking at my DS’s Naviance, you should have very good shot at OSU. You could add on a Miami University as an additional safety. The Naviance data is based upon over 200 apps per year. The school is one of the biggest feeders into OSU.
@Eeyore123 Thanks for the information. For my district, it’s extremely competitive to get in because so many people have good stats that they end up applying there. I only know a few people from last year’s class that got into OSU.
I actually tried to look at data from last year’s class for Naviance, but I think my school has it blocked?
(And given my grade situation in those STEM courses, but with good awards, it’s hard to figure out matches/reaches.) Of course, my GC talked about it in her rec, but… you never know.
Look at University of Kansas and Kansas State. Both are excellent research universities. You’d be a great candidate and would perhaps get some money. They are in terrific college towns. Lawrence is sometimes rated the best college town (I’d vote for Chapel Hill). Manhattan (KSU) also gets very high marks. Also, obviously great basketball at Kansas. If you like Ann Arbor/UM campus, then definitely check them out.
For my DS’s school, a little more than 50% of students apply to OSU. About 80% get accepted. They use a 100 point grade scale, but at a 29 ACT, the only denied are below an 85 GPA. That is well below your GPA.
Thanks, I actually looked into Kansas the other day because I heard that is has a good engineering program, and apparently they have the Midwest exchange program, so I’d get $5,000 a year automatically.
Look at Kansas State too. They have a good engineering program and great automatic OOS scholarships. My son loves it there!. Has great research opportunities.
Is your challenge admission or scholarships? Your stats seem solid for OSU, but I agree that they would be unlikely to get you any scholarship money. Have you run the numbers at these schools just based on financial aid? What about Purdue is another school with strong engineering and a similar atmosphere, but I have no idea about the financial aspect. A school like WPI might present scholarship opportunities. Or University of Utah?
@pittsburghscribe I considered U of U, but I don’t think I’d feel comfortable living in Utah. They have a really great CS program though.
I already looked into Purdue, they only give scholarships out to 15% of freshman so it’s not likely there.
I’ll look into WPI.
OSU won’t give merit aid for my stats. That usually starts around a 33 ACT. I applied for Morril Scholars though (diversity app that’s just based off essay) and that’s a potential full ride or full tuition.
It’s money AND admission, since my stats are kind of weird.
WPI is a fantastic school. Truly one of my favorites, and I’ve been to scores of schools. It is fairly generous with merit aid, and probably more so for women. The school has a fantastic female president and is successfully working toward a student body with a pretty even gender balance (had been heavily male, just a few years ago). It is expensive, though, so even with aid it can be costly. Run the NPC for yourself.
It has a beautiful campus in a nice part of Worcester. It has a very hands-on approach. We thought students were fantastic and campus has a great vibe.Students do lots of team projects and also lots of internships, coops, etc. Students take 3 classes at a time on a quarter system. So it is a different approach.
They have a top 100 engineering school, so that’s nice.