@5boys if you don’t mind answering did your son do a program or work study during the gap year?
DS had a 3.46 Weighted GPA, 1770 SAT (1790 superscore). No AP classes. Decent EC’s
Computer Science major
Accepted:
U of Arizona (EA)
Baylor Univ. (EA)
U of Denver (EA)
Chapman (EA deferred to RD)
Boston Univ CGS January London program (RD)
San Jose State (RD)
Drexel (EA)
Waitlisted:
LMU (RD)
WPI (EA deferred to RD)
Rejected:
Northeastern (EA)
NC State (EA deferred to RD)
Santa Clara University (EA)
We cannot decide between BU and Chapman right now.
@bechic : For CS, Drexel is by far the best program of those he’s been accepted into.
It depends on what one is looking for in a CS department. For example, BU made this list http://www.computersciencedegreehub.com/50-innovative-computer-science-departments/ and Drexel did not.
@bechic. Thanks for that info. Did your daughter get any merit money from any of those schools?
@singermom4: That’s sort of a wacky list. I’ve been hiring CS graduates for over 25 years, so I know a little bit about this.
While there are many fine schools on this list, it’s completly skewed towards the larger schools. Many fantastic programs at smaller schools are simply not there: Rose-Hullman, Rochester, Case, RPI, Brandeis, RIT, etc. etc.
@soze - Agree with you about the list. Question as a recruiter: our son was accepted at OSU and U of IL (Urbana) in Computer Science (non Engineer) at both schools. OSU is ranked 35; UIUC is ranked 12. He really thinks he wants OSU (he got oos scholarship $$ so it is even less expensive for us for him to attend). What’s your opinion from the job side?
Keeping up with the thread: Stats: 3.4 GPA (unweighted) 31 ACT - lots of AP’s & taking college CS class this semester (through IIT). Good EC’s & work history
Major: Computer Science (Programming - not Engineering hardware)
Accepted:
University of MN
Miami University of Ohio (merit $$ - OOS)
The Ohio State University - Columbus (merit $$ - OOS)
University of Illinois - Urbana/Champaign
UConn (merit $$ - OOS)
Miami University (Coral Gables) - spring 2016 admit
Waitlisted:
Northeastern of Boston
For all intents and purposes UI and OSU are pretty much equalvent for CS.
But… I think there is another data point to consider:
Frankly, a very large percentage of kids who go in with all intentions of majoring in CS, don’t quite make it. The major is quite difficult (for the better programs anyway) and once you get past the very introductory coursework is uncharted terratory for most kids – and the fact that the in pretty much every HS, CS is not taught well, or at all.
So… I think you need to look at what his second choice of major would be and how OSU and UI stack up. There does exist the possibility that he will like the school, hate CS and it woudl be a shame if he had to transfer.
@andersonw not a parent either but I got into Denison and wait listed at Kenyon. My school does weighted but I estimated my UW as 3.3 at best. 10 AP classes and 2110 SAT
Not this year, but in 2011 my S had a 3.45 GPA, 1870 SAT, 31 ACT, 3 APs. Music major. Accepted at Belmont w/merit aid, Temple w/merit aid (in-state), Berklee College of Music . Rejected at NYU. He is a senior at Belmont.
@soze Baylor gave the most merit. 8.5k. Drexel gave $5k. Nothing from other schools. Even though Drexel gave merit their sticker price was $70k per year. Taking $5k off isn’t even going to make a dent. We can’t consider it because it’s too expensive.
Unfortunately his stats were probably too low for merit at all other schools. We also on paper look like we make too much for financial aid. We live in Bay Area where cost of living is nuts. So you look wealthy even though you live pretty average compared to the rest of the country.
It’s a hard decision between BU and Chapman with pros and cons to both.
I don’t know about CS major at BU. Chapman’s CS department is extremely small. I would check how many kids graduated from Chapman with CS degrees last year. I think it would be a very small number.
Alright this is about a year late but I’ll provide my update for the sake of providing some encourage to my fellow CC-ers
You can see details of my school activities/ academics on one of ‘results’ submissions
3.65 GPA
2230 SAT
32 ACT (superscore)
Acceptances: Vanderbilt, Wellesley (likely letter), Emory, a bunch of public schools with very generous scholarships/full rides
Waitlist: WUSTL (I ain’t even mad)
Recjected: Tufts
Attending: Emory with generous aid
Congrats Class of 2019 and good luck to Class of 2020 and beyond! I know firsthand just how nerve wracking the college application process can be 
Awesomeirl, is it a 3.65 weighted GPA or unweighted GPA?
aewsomeirl is a URM which needs to be considered as a hook.
DD2,
3.5 gpa UW,
ACT 26
JV Swimming 3 years, Martial Arts 4 years
Applied: U of Utah, U of New Mexico, U of Kansas, U of S. Dakota, all OOS.
Accepted: University of Kansas, awaiting other results.
Ok, my D falls into this camp, on the lower end…
GPA: 3.385 uw, 4.275, w (she will have taken 9 APs and took some Honors classes fresh and soph yr.)
ACT: 31
ECs:
Marching Band, 4 years, elected Drum Major for senior year;
Jazz Band, 3 years, trumpet, lead trumpet in junior year, probably this year too
PALS (Peers and Leaders) 3 years - (community service events and volunteering for local neighborhood)
SAVE (Environmental) Club, 3 years
Junior Class Club
Senior Class Club
Math Team, 2 years (fresh and soph)
Dance Club, 2 years (fresh and soph)
Freshman Girls Volleyball
(she’s not sure if she’ll list the last three on apps, because they weren’t recent)
Plans to Apply to:
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Ball State University
Ohio University
Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
Augustana College (Illinois)
College of Wooster
Wittenberg University
MAYBEs: UW-OshKosh, Illinois State
Ball State and Ohio are tied for her first choice, if accepted.
We have yet to visit SIU, though, or any of the three small schools…
She’s a pretty easygoing kid, and would be relatively happy at any of these, I believe.
I think it’s helpful to put the year too.
A bit late but will hopefully provide some 2015 admissions insight
3.56 UW-GPA,
SAT 1920
IB Diploma : English, Theatre and Psychology HL
She’s an American kid who attended two different international schools in Asia and Europe: DD is a diplo-brat.
ECs: founded gender equality club, did a Tedx talk at school on gender in classroom, Litmag editor, tutored with girls rescued from brothels in one country, raised funds for women’s shelter in another.
Essay: great, she is an excellent writer - this is why we love IB
Recs: great, small classes helped
Accepted: Scripps ED2 (attending), UCD, UCSC
Rejected: Pitzer, UCSD
Her stats were on the low end for Scripps but she interviewed and stayed in touch with the admissions counselor throughout the process.
Son 1 class of 2017
3.6
2190 sat
8 aps
Strong ECs
Accepted w merit: Tulane, Rochester,UVM, oberlin
Wo merit: u mich (attending)
Waitlisted: wash u, Emory
Rejected: Wesleyan(ed), brown, northwestern, Carleton
Biggest negative was a lower class rank in part due to his school not weighting gpa for class rank.
Son 2, class of 2019
3.3 gpa
2150 sat
5 aps
Good ECs
Accepted w merit: Knox, kalamazoo
Accepted wo merit: uvm, case western, oberlin ED (attending), Tulane
Biggest positive was that he probably knew more about Shakespeare than any other applicant and his passion/depth for the subject showed very clearly in his app.