What's my chance for the following universities? [Mechanical Engineering; 4.0 UW, 1550 SAT 'superscore', MA resident]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • US domestic
  • MA
  • Public high school

Cost Constraints / Budget
Merit aid would be nice, but it’s not a dealbreaker. DWBI

Intended Major

MechE

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • 4.0
  • 4.44
  • school doesn’t do class rank
  • 1550 superscore SAT (790 math 760 eng)

List your HS coursework

(Indicate advanced level, such as AP, IB, AICE, A-level, or college, courses as well as specifics in each subject)

  • English: honors 4 years normal hs english courses
  • Math: AP Calc BC, currently taking Multivariable Calc, planning to take Linear Alg in spring
  • Science: AP Phsyics 1, currently taking AP Physics C+AP Chem
  • History and social studies: school doesn’t offer APs, so just up to US history honors
  • Language other than English: AP Spanish
  • Visual or performing arts: band all 4 years, pep band, some jazz
  • Other academic courses: engineering senior year

Awards

  • nationl merit semifinalist
  • president’s bronze service award
  • seal of biliteracy with distinction
  • trumpet senior districts placement
  • general acedemic school awards for classes

Extracurriculars
(Include leadership, summer activities, competitions, volunteering, and work experience)

  • School Trumpet Ensembles
    • Trumpet player in 5+ ensembles and on the Leadership Team. Wind Ensemble: MICCA Gold all years; selected to perform at the All-Eastern Festival. Section leader Jr. and Sr. years
  • Sr. MA Youth Wind Ensemble at New England Conservatory
    • Auditioned ensemble, one of 9 trumpets accepted
  • Varsity Ultimate Frisbee (D1)
    • captian Jr. and Sr. years, spirit captain soph year
  • Community Sailing Program
    • Camp counselor for municipal small-boat sailing program; taught and supervised up to twenty 7- to 15-year-olds each week.
  • Competition competition team
    • Competed individually in rock climbing in both bouldering and top-rope. Qualified for Regionals Jr. year.
  • School Radio Station
    • I worked/managed the technical department of the school radio station. Maintained/fixed equipment, managed tech members, tasks, and recruitment.
    • technical director jr. year
  • FRC robotics team and FTC robotics team

Schools
ED either CMU or Cornell

EA2 GA Tech

EA UMich, Purdue, Cal Poly SLO

EA UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD

RD Harvard, Yale, Northwestern, Columbia, MIT, UPenn, Duke, Princeton

Where to apply as top choice? CMU, GA Tech, or Cornell (MechE)
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I can’t chance you but these schools do not have EA.

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Did your school offer AP level English classes or DE?

You have a good background.

The UCs won’t see your test.

This is a great list and Purdue will happen I’d guess and maybe Michigan. Cal Poly maybe too.

But what safety, assured schools do you have?

You can get into all these - and you could not get into none.

Any cost / budget concerns? With your stats, solid Mech E starts at $20K and you have some $100K or will be on your list.

Can you afford all?

PS - the UCs have an app month vs. EA, etc.

Ga Tech - since it sounds like you missed EA, don’t miss 2.

Great record but unpredictable schools. I’m guessing you get into two but I’d love to see a UMASS or another less competitive added - just in case.

Your English could be an issue at top schools and then we know nothing about budget.

Thanks

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@tsbna44 FYI, UC deadlines are Nov 30. Georgia Tech EA1 is for in state students, EA2 for OOS.

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Sorry, I just meant EA, as in the deadline is Nov. 30, before the Common App RD deadlines.

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My school began offering AP-level English this year, but I have already taken the AP Lang exam and got a 5, so I didn’t take the class. I am applying to UMass Amherst as a safety (forgot to add to this list, mb).

I can’t apply to GA Tech for EA since it’s restricted to GA residents only. I am applying for EA2

I am fortunate enough to not have to worry about the budget.

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Please do not underestimate how strong your in-state public options are, and particularly U.Mass Amherst. You can do very well with a degree in ME from U.Mass. Once you graduate, regardless of whether you attend U.Mass or MIT or somewhere else, you are likely to find students who graduated from all of these schools working side by side, and in most cases no one will care where you got your degree.

You might think that your excellent results from high school would allow you to get accepted to other universities, and you might even be correct. However, the main point of your excellent results from high school is NOT which university you attend. Instead, the main point is that you appear to be very well prepared for the tough engineering classes that you will be taking regardless of which ABET accredited university you attend. Engineering classes at U.Mass will be plenty challenging, and of course you appear to be very well prepared to do well in these classes.

I did not look at rankings, but I would be surprised if there is much difference between UCSD and U.Mass other than price, weather, skiing opportunities, and the amount of time that you will need to spend in airports.

If undecided I would not ED anywhere. If budget matters at all, I would not ED anywhere.

Yeah!

Best wishes. I think that you are likely to do well regardless of which of these universities you attend.

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Good luck whatever you decide.

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For the UC’s can you calculate out your 3 UC GPA’s using 10-11th a-g course grades. As an OOS applicant, only AP/IB and UC transferable DE classes are weighted in the calculation.

Here is the calculator: GPA Calculator for the University of California – RogerHub

For Cal Poly SLO, they use 9-11th a-g course grades with an 8 semester Honors point cap for eligible classes. You can use the CSU GPA calculator and include 9-11th grades to get your SLO GPA: https://www.calstate.edu/apply/gpa-calculator

Since the UC’s and SLO are test blind, your SAT score will not be considered for admissions or scholarships (UC’s), only course placement. SLO does offer a scholarship for NMF which is $3K.

Overall OOS admit rate for 2026 First years are listed here:
Berkeley: 10.0% (31707 apps/3155 admits)
UCLA: 14.9% (32225 apps/4793 admits)
San Diego: 37.2% (26835 apps/9995 admits)
Cal Poly SLO had around a 28% admit rate for Non-California residents in the College of Engineering (2025 data).

Most recent Data published for 2025 Mechanical Engineering Freshman admits. GPA ranges are the middle 50%.

UC Berkeley: Admit rate of 4.9% with UC Capped weighted GPA 4.20-4.30. Campus Uncapped weighted 4.30-4.79 and Campus Unweighted 3.89-4.00.

UCLA: Admit rate of 3.9% with a UC Capped weighted GPA 4.25-4.32. Uncapped weighted 4.54-4.83 and Campus Unweighted 3.95-4.00.

UC San Diego: Estimated admit rate of 18%with an Engineering UC Capped weighted GPA 4.15-4.30 and Campus Unweighted 3.84-4.00.

Cal Poly SLO: Projected admit rate of 15% and an SLO GPA range 4.14-4.25 for the College of Engineering.

Best of luck with your admissions.

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I wouldn’t apply ED at all. I would apply to either MIT EA or Stanford REA (not sure why you aren’t applying there). You should still apply to Georgia Tech EA2, which is your real first choice from what I interpreted at the other thread, a much lower cost option for you as a full-pay. Drop Harvard, Princeton, & Yale & a few others - down to a maximum of 10 schools.

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EA…I hope! UMass has excellent engineering.

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Hi, I was hoping you could share some thoughts on where I should apply. I’m a senior rn so I need to figure this out in the next couple of days.

I could ED CMU, ED Cornell, or REA somewhere, with GA Tech as my top choice. (Leaning toward CMU and GA Tech)

GA Tech is significantly cheaper than both CMU and Cornell. I am fortunate enough to not have to worry too much about the financials, but it doesn’t hurt to keep it in mind.

Here’s a bunch of factors and my thoughts:

Program

All three schools have phenomenal MechE programs, and I’m sure that I will get a good education/opportunities wherever I go. GA Tech has a very high student-teacher ratio, which isn’t ideal. I’m not one hundred percent sure that I want to do MechE instead of, like, Industrial or smth, but all have good options for switching (besides CS/ECE, which I am not interested in).

Student Life

I’ve been lucky enough to get to tour all three schools. I’ve heard that freshman year at Cornell can be depressing or feel isolating. I toured GA Tech during homecoming, so the energy was high and people were very active/happy. CMU has a different feel since it’s much smaller; it felt like a more nerdy community with a chill vibe rather than a crazy high-energy, go-go-go vibe. I’ve also heard that CMU is a very grindy school, but that didn’t seem to be much of a case when I toured there (at least in comparison to Cornell and GA Tech). If anyone can give me a more in-depth idea of the work-life balance or lifestyle at any of the schools, I would appreciate it a lot.

Music

I play trumpet and plan to continue doing so on a recreational level during college. All of these colleges have good music programs. GA Tech has a marching band, which I would consider doing sophomore year, but I am not tied to the idea.

Frisbee

I played in high school and plan to continue playing in college. I probably won’t want to do a high-commitment team that meets all the time (probably would want a team that meets a couple of times a week and does tournaments, etc.). All schools have some level of frisbee, but GA Tech has better weather for it and a better program for it (Tribe). I could always play on the B team or something, idk.

Rock Climbing (indoor bouldering)

They all have it; idk, it doesn’t seem to be a big difference between the schools.

Food

I’ve heard that Cornell’s food is good. CMU has a really nice block system and an array of options around campus. I don’t know much about GA Tech’s food, but it has a C on Niche ig.

Housing

GA Tech has the chance to get a suite freshman year, but it has a C on Niche, so I assume that the other options are bad or smth. Cornell has pretty good housing, I’ve heard, except freshman year dorms, which are pretty isolating and far from the engineering buildings. Tbh, I don’t know much about CMU housing.

Campus

Cornell and GA Tech were prettier than CMU, but Ithaca is very isolating. I don’t have much of a preference between Pittsburgh and Atlanta besides the weather (warm would be nice).

ED Benefit

If I ED somewhere and get in, I get to be done and not be sad writing a bunch of essays in December. If I REA somewhere and choose GA Tech, I have to lock in in December no matter what.

Project Teams

CMU only has one :frowning: but also, you can walk on without applications, interviews, or mandatory shadowing, which is nice. I heard that at GA Tech you have to shadow someone for a year before you can join? That’s kinda crazy ngl. Cornell has a bunch, and they have great facilities for them, so that’s a bonus. Realistically, I’m not going to be on more than one team, so it shouldn’t matter how many there are ig?

Workload

I will be coming into college with credit from AP Calc BC, AP Physics 1 and C, AP Chem, AP Lang, AP Spanish, and dual enrollment Multivariable Calc (and maybe Linear Alg, which I would take this spring). I could always self study smth like APUSH if it saves me from a gen ed in college, idk. I have a lot of credit, so I am not crazy worried about the MechE workload.

Weather

I have lived in New England my whole life (Boston area) and am pretty used to the cold. It would be nice, however, to live in Georgia and be warm with fresh fruit and ■■■■. (Also, cold weather + darkness all the time can feel isolating/depressing, which is not great for Cornell especially and CMU)

The Cornell Situation

For a variety of reasons, I think that I’m leaning toward GA Tech and CMU, but I’m not entirely sure. What those frat guys did was absolutely terrible, and the administration is a bunch of absolute dicks. I am not defending what the guys or the administration did in any way. Most people in my life have told me that they think that I should apply anyway, since the experience of most people at Cornell has been positive, the frat rape situation could have happened anywhere, and most top school/Ivy admins have also done terrible things (Epstein involvement, working with ICE, donating to Israel, using AI to change people’s races in photos, etc.). I am not trying to justify any of this or defend Cornell; this is just what people have told me when I ask for their opinion. If you have additional thoughts, feel free to comment them. Another thing to consider is the type of people who will be in what would be my class at Cornell (bunch of dicks? 90% men? idk what’s gonna happen).

Conclusion (sorry for the yap)

Overall, I don’t know what to do (mostly between GA Tech and CMU). They seem like amazing schools that I would be happy at, so I don’t know how to choose between them. I would love to hear any thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. If there are any factors that I am not considering that you think I should, let me know. I liked all three of the schools when I toured and don’t know what to do. I would appreciate quicker responses cuz ED deadline is coming up (Nov. 1st-ish, depending on the school).

I have noticed that the CMU admin seems to actually care about the students, which is nice. They like actually take feedback on food and have paid for free ■■■■ for the students that they don’t really have to (like 30 min of free bike rental a day, etc.). This is nice and is a positive thing toward CMU in my mind.

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We have no idea about what you are bringing to the application process to any college.

Please do a chance me/match me thread and answer completely ALL of the questions on the template.

It’s October 27…some ED applications are due in two weeks.

Why would you ED to Cornell or CMU if you can’t picture yourself being totally happy with the weather there for four years. There are plenty of colleges in warmer weather climates where you can get a mechanical engineering degree.

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Cornell and CMU ED deadlines are Nov 1, this sunday.

OP, no one can really make this decision for you. I don’t know if you are competitive for these schools, but if you apply ED to CMU or Cornell, and were accepted, how would you feel about letting Tech go, which you say is your top choice? Why not apply to Cornell and CMU in RD?

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Since you are not totally sure, maybe it would be better to apply RD to CMU and Cornell…and apply early action to Georgia Tech (not binding if you get accepted).

No one here can tell you which one should be your top choice…and it doesn’t sound like you are ready to make that decision.

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Hi, I’m the person who made the post.

I don’t know how to edit a post, so I can’t answer some questions that have come so far.

Why would you ED to Cornell or CMU if you can’t picture yourself being totally happy with the weather there for four years?

Well, I grew up in the Boston area, so I am used to the cold and would likely not have any major problems with the weather. Sorry if that wasn’t clear. I would be perfectly fine in the cold, but warm weather would be a nice change.

Application stats: (sorry, I completely forgot to add my info and stuff)

4.0 GPA, 1550 SAT

Varsity frisbee captain 2 yrs (player for all 4)

Trumpet section leader

Radio station technical director

both FTC and FRC robotics (FTC 1 year, FRC for a couple) (we didn’t win anything)

a bunch of school trumpet stuff

Sr. MYWE

dual enrollment Multivariable Calculus

Personal project (close to finished) pulltrusion machine (adapted an old broken 3d printer to recycle plastic bottles in to 3d priting filament)

National Merit semifinalist

seal of biliteracy

If more info would help, I am happy to answer any questions

Why ask this forum?

I mainly want to know if there is anything that I am overlooking or should consider that I am not. Also, any first-hand experiences from students in the colleges would be great (how is the work-life balance, are you happy, how is the student energy/vibe/experience, etc.).

Why not apply to Cornell and CMU in RD?

That is definitely an option, but I want to consider applying ED as well.

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Some people have told me that since I am sure that I could be happy at any of them, it doesn’t matter that much where I ED, so the extra application benefit of ED would be a benefit. I think that waiting to apply is definitely a good option, I just want to consider ED as well.

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yeah I gotta lock in this week for the supplementals and ■■■■.

GA Tech specifically my top choice, they are all close to each other. I don’t know where I made you think this in my post; it was not on purpose. GA tech has nice weather and a variety of benefits, but also has a larger student-teacher ratio and bad food/dorms.

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I feel like you are really leaning GA Tech reading this… but obviously I don’t know you:)

I don’t think the ED bump is so great at CMU traditionally (last year published it was a bit higher than overall, but prior to 2 years not really) to make that REALLY needed to apply if not TRULY your clear clear first choice. If you don’t want warmer and sunnier weather Cornell and upstate isn’t it (much grayer than Boston area I believe, ). Cornell, to me, is also going to be distracted a bit, for for the short term with the whole debacle- not for 4 years I am sure, but a bit. CMU, to me, is very much a “fit” school and if you visited and didn’t fall in love, I would be hesitant to ED myself but I am me, you are you! Anyway, you seen qualified and have a chance at any, but certainly not guaranteed at any either (all reaches for almost anyone).

Good luck!!!

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For unhooked applicants, their often isn’t much, if any, advantage to ED in terms of admission chances because ED includes many hooked applicants (recruited athletes, prof kids, questbridge/posse/other CBO students, etc).

If accepted early, there is a benefit in that you are done with apps. But the downside is you might get accepted to Tech, which you like a lot and it costs less, like ~$160K over 4 years less.

You did say Tech was your ‘top choice’ in your OP, but if you would be happy attending any of these three you can absolutely apply ED. Pick the one that you think fits you best. I agree that CMU is nerdy and grindy. Cornell less nerdy, but can be grindy too. At which school did you see more of your people?

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