Suggestion for Engineering university/college with this Stats

College Search & Lists
1

Hi I am junior at Walt Whitman high school (#1 in the Maryland) I want to major in engineering but I haven’t decided a specific major.

UnWeighted: 3.2
Weighted: 3.82 (not that great)
4 APs (Psychology, Calc AB, Macroeconomics and Microeconomics)
taking 3 APs Senior year ( Principle of Computer Science, AP Environmental science, AP phsyics C)
and MV Calculus
New Sat 1330 going to take again in August
SAT math 2: 780
SAT Physics: planning to take

Activities
Accomplishment
Granted U.S. Patent from Trademark Office (USPTO).
The President’s Volunteer Service Award

Member of Body Electric Team 1389 ( We won two competitions and got first and second)

Member of Bethesda U-19 Travel Soccer
Vice President of Soccer Club at Walt Whitman High School
Japanese Club Member at Walt Whitman High School
Member of Glorystar of Children Chorus

Community Service
Assistant Teacher at Bethany & Rockville School

International Night Volunteer at Pyle MS & Whitman HS

Volunteer at Insadong Nursing Home

the total of 327 SSL hrs and won President Award

I just want to say patent was the biggest accomplishment in my life because due to the help of professor from UMBC I was able to patent an idea.

I just want honest suggestion. I know my grades are terrible but I would love to hear suggestion of 1 dream school 1 reach school and 1 likely school (I am thinking about Carngie Mello as my dream school and apply early decision, Virginia Tech as reach and Texas a&m as my safe school).

2

Cost limits?

Texas A&M is not a safety since you do not meet the academic auto admit criteria. Even then, admission to engineering is not guaranteed, and cost will be high.
http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshman/admitted

3

I don’t have cost limits and any preference for states. What college do you recommend for a Dream school, reach and safety ? @ucbalumnus and Would you recommend me to apply early decision for Virginia tech, Boston University or CMU?

4

If you could raise your SAT/ACT score your EC’s and other accomplishments are going to look a lot better. You still have time to do that.

5

@TooOld4School Can you recommend me 1 dream school, 1 reach and 1 safe school for me?

6

What about the two Universities of Maryland, UMBC and UM-CP?

College Park might be a reach for you, UMBC should be easier to get into. Both seem to be great schools with awesome STEM majors. We are in MD (Frederick County) and these two schools are definitely on my daughter’s list. Although she has higher stats than you (3.97 uw, 4.6 w, 1390 SAT), we don’t think if them as safeties, as CP especially is getting quite selective.

For a true safety, you could consider Frostburg State. They have a mechanical engineering program in conjunction with College Park.

I would definitely study for the SAT over the summer.

7

For admission safeties, there are plenty of schools with engineering that are not too selective. Some examples:

Louisiana Tech University
Mississippi State University
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
South Dakota State University
University of Alabama
University of Alabama - Huntsville
University of Mississippi
University of Wyoming

There are others as well that you can consider admission safeties. What other school preferences do you have?

8

@Astro77 Yeah I am gona study for August SAT hoping to get around 1450. Maryland CP is my reach school but I heard it is harder and competitive to get into instate school even if they take more instate students. I am trying to look for colleges out of state and tuition is not a problem since my parents saved up ever since I was a child. Do you recommend any schools out of state that I have 50 50 chance or 30 percent of getting in?

9

@ucbalumnus what targets school do you recommend? Will Penn State university park and virginia tech a reach school for me or target school for me?

10

Have you looked at College Navigator? (Website)

Look at the admission stats of schools and try to find ones where your stats will be in the top 50% or better.

11

@Astro77 I have it is called naviance, it shows how many people got in from our school to those colleges. however, it doesn’t show what major that decided. According to naviance I am basically into Penn State and Virginia Tech. I just want to know more opinions from others.

12
  1. Does it separate branch campuses from main?
  2. Penn State admits by college. Engineering is competitive. Does Naviance separate different majors?
13

Naviance is fine, but websites like College Navigator and others give additional data.

At UM-CP, you can go in undecided and work your way into Engineering.

14

@bodangles naviance doesn’t that is why I am using college confidential for some advice

15

Okay, just checking, because I am not sure if PSU would be considered a safety (which is how I would interpret “basically in”) for you. Nothing wrong with asking questions here!! I will leave the actual chancing to others (paging @jlhpsu and @MYOS1634).

16

Would not consider VT engineering a safety because of your u/w GPA, it’s way below 25% for CoE. Higher SAT will mitigate the GPA to some extent, the question is how much. Last couple years of CoE admits has shown OOS to be high - like 45% or so which helps you. You have an OK chance to get in but not at safety level.

17

Clarkson University would be a target I think.

18

You sound like a reasonable person. I hope you spend no more time or effort thinking about Carnegie Mellon. Start thinking about colleges that will be happy to have someone with your stats and your great ECs. You need to be realistic working with the grades you have and current SAT scores. You should definitely retest for the SAT and keep your list fluid as your scores change. Explore various schools and once you know what type of school you prefer you can expand your list. Good luck!!!

Here are some suggestions:
Union, Clarkson, RIT, Stevens, South Carolina, VA Tech, Drexel, U of Vermont, U of Dayton, Miami of Ohio, NJIT and Manhattan, WPI

These are all in the realm of possibility. There are many more to pick from!! By being realistic, you will have a positive experience, you will spend time learning about schools you can get into and be successful while attending. You will also spend your time on applications wisely and probably end up with scholarship offers instead of heartbreak.

19

Naviance doesn’t separate out my major, so in my opinion it’s worthless if you are applying to competitive majors
at Penn State such as Engineering and Business. You are in the ballpark for Engineering, but by no means a sure thing at Penn State. If you are concerned about admission at Penn State, you could apply for Undecided and then work towards the Engineering major from there. It would not take you longer and you would be a target for Penn State undecided. I wouldn’t doubt you would get in. Keep in mind PSU handle their majors differently than many universities. NO ONE is “IN” their major until they complete the entry to major requirements and apply for admission sometime during the end of their sophomore year in college. If you get “In” to the Engineering major as a freshmen, you are considered “pre major” and everyone…Pre Major and those in DUS (Undecided) that want to major in engineering, take the exact same entry to major classes. So you are neither behind nor disadvantaged by going in undecided. You do have to check though, because some engineering majors require you to be in them earlier than others.

20

@JustGraduate @bodangles according to naviance I was so I am saying naviance doesn’t show the full picture of my chance so do you guys think virginia tech and Penn State will be my target school or dream school?