I have gotten a 5 on every social science AP test, but I got 4’s on AP Calculus AB, Chemistry, and Biology
I really want to go into engineering (either chemical, electrical, or computer, still undecided) but I worry colleges will think I won’t be able to handle the rigors of engineering if I can’t even get a 5 on AP science/math tests.
Also, I haven’t shown any interest in engineering in my EC’s and now I am really regretting it. I don’t have any major awards and my EC’s are super weak.
My GPA is a 4.0, but my SAT is 2110. UC’s apps are due in a week. I feel riddled by self-doubt and anxiety. I am terrified I won’t get into anywhere, especially since my essays suck. I just want to get a quality engineering education.
Is there any hope of getting into somewhere like Georgia Tech, UMich, UIUC, UW Seattle, etc?
Not ideal considering your intended major is engineering, but those schools aren’t the ones who only admit 5’s on math and science. Your chances are still good considering your SAT score and class rank. What were your scores for the math section of the SAT and Math 2?
If you’re terrified, then apply to more safety schools, simple as that.
Schools like Cal Poly Pomona, SDSU, SJSU would be good safeties I think with your stats and they all have pretty solid engineering programs.
AP Scores for those schools barely count for anything, especially because you don’t send them any AP scores reports until AFTER you decide you decide that you’re gonna go.
Lots of people succeed in engineering without 5 in every math/science AP test, or even without any AP courses/tests at all.
As a Florida resident, are you aware how much the schools on your list will cost, as out-of-state publics (higher price, little or no financial aid)? If you apply widely among the UCs (not just UCB/UCLA/UCSD), you will probably get admitted to some of them, but you may not like the price.
You will probably get good offers with Bright Futures at Florida publics like UF, full ride at FAMU, etc. which have perfectly good ABET-accredited engineering majors. The only thing to be aware of the Florida publics is that they encourage engineering majors to take light course loads but add summer sessions or take 9 semesters (extra cost), rather than taking slight overloads over 8 semesters. If you feel that you are capable of slight overload schedules, you need to carefully plan your own schedule to graduate in 8 semesters while leaving summers free for paid engineering internships.
@ucbalumnus Yes, I am aware of the high OOS tuition costs. Based on my older siblings’ experience and because my family income is <$60k (with 6 dependents), our expected family contribution is usually close to zero. We plan to pay for college using a combination of parent PLUS loans and savings. My parents and I have discussed this and agree that because I plan on majoring in engineering, it will be a worthy investment.
My main beef with UF is that many people from my high school go there (they admit about 50+ students form my HS a year) and I kind of wanted to branch out, go to another state, etc. I’ll admit I am being a little selfish because it would be much cheaper to stay instate.
Please don’t take this wrong but you are insane. Public Us do NOT award financial aid to low income students from OOS. You will be full pay at the UCs - $50K+. Same for GT, UW, UIUC. UMich has stated they will TRY to meet need for OOS students. The only Public Us that DO meet need for all students are UNC and UVA. You need to get some merit apps out there like Alabama. For engineering you should just be concerned with ABET accreditation.
Are you crazy? Why would you want to burden your parents (“family income is <$60k with 6 dependents”) with Parent Plus loans? Because you may run into one of 50 kids you knew from High School, on a campus with 50,000 students? Stop that, just stop it…
Stay in-state, take one of the merit scholarships offered at UCF/USF/UNF/FAMU, etc, the Bright Futures scholarship and earn your degree. Or look at the full scholarships offered at OOS schools like Alabama.
UC net price for you will be at least $33,000, because there is no financial aid coverage for the $25,000 additional out-of-state tuition. Try the net price calculators on their web sites to see. You should try the net price calculator on each other school as well. Michigan has been improving out-of-state financial aid, so it may be more affordable now (try the net price calculator), although if you are bringing in college credit earned in high school, it has a very stingy transfer credit policy which may force you to repeat what you already know.
Parent loans (or parent co-signed student loans) are generally a bad idea, since they imply that you and your parents do not really have the money. This is especially true if you have younger siblings. Do you want to be blamed for consuming all of your parents’ money on your expensive college, leaving them with far more limited choices of college than you may be looking at?
With your situation, you probably want to be looking at:
a. Florida publics (e.g. with Bright Futures, full ride at FAMU, etc.).
b. Big merit scholarships: see http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/ and http://competitivefulltuition.yolasite.com/ .
c. Schools with good need-based financial aid. Most of these are private. Virginia and maybe Michigan might be affordable among out-of-state public schools, but other out-of-state public schools are unlikely to be affordable on need-based financial aid. Use the net price calculators to check affordability.
Remember, deadlines are coming up (e.g. Alabama’s big scholarship deadline is December 1).
@“Erin’s Dad” @Gator88NE and @ucbalumnus Thank you for suggesting other options. I will look into UVA and Alabama. Unfortunately, the deadline for UF was November 1st. I am the second to last among my siblings to go to college and the youngest currently doesn’t want to go to college. I know this is crazy, but all of my older siblings went OOS for undergrad. My parents have A LOT of debt that they acquired before they even had kids (decided not to pay credit cards, student loans, medical bills, etc) and destroyed their credit. They’ve told me that their credit is so bad that they don’t even care at this point. I asked my parents about the parent plus loans, and they said that parent plus are income-based, so they have to pay very little each month. I am extremely grateful that my parents have been willing to make this sacrifice for me and my siblings. Financially sound? No. But, these loans have allowed all of my other siblings to attend OOS schools and all of them help my parents pay the loans back. I plan to do the same.
But again I will use the net price calculators and look into Alabama. Thanks everyone’s responses.