Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 12:26     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Anonymous wrote:Options:

1. Purdue. Apply as a pre-studies major, then buckle down and apply to CS.
2. Indiana University.
3. University of Tulsa.
4. University of Kansas




Changing majors to CS or Engineering at Purdue is virtually impossible. Really, it's impossible at most schools.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 12:24     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
A “pay to play” summer program doesn’t have to be just about getting a leg up in college admissions. It can help a kid experience life away from home (especially if it’s their first time) on a college campus, and/or in a different party of the country. I attended a pay-to-play program in another part of the country back in the day, and that experience made me more comfortable about choosing/attending college in that part of the country.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 12:21     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Anonymous wrote:I feel like your high school’s college counseling office has fallen down on the job a bit. We have been hearing from freshman year on how competitive the college process is currently. When I say “we,” I really mean “me,” because my husband and son basically tuned out all of the information (and also my warnings) until the end of junior year when they were shocked that DS didn’t have the stats to get into schools that would have been slam dunks 30 years ago. (eye roll)

Anyway, our son has similar stats, but unbalanced in the opposite direction, so I don’t have any personal experience applying to engineering or CS programs. DS has a friend with stats like your son’s (weighted toward math and science) who has been accepted to Pitt, Penn State, WPI, RIT, Denver, and Dayton for engineering, fwiw.

I would do as everyone else has suggested and get an appointment with your school’s college counselor to get a realistic list of colleges where kids from your high school have been successful.


Thank you, this is how it is here too. DH and I both went to top schools, and DH comes from a family of scientists with impressive alma maters. So it's been shocking to see that schools we never considered "good" schools are now apparently out of reach. We don't really want to put so much pressure on DS, as it seems this area is already ultra competitive, but we are really confused about this. The counselor is no help at all - they just keep giving us lists of schools kids have gone to, and won't provide any kind of comparison.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 12:12     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Not a single one is likely. All heavy reaches for computer science.


+1 Start over.


Please suggest something. Most of those don't look like top tier schools to me.


Maybe Minnesota. Also Michigan State, Oregon, Iowa, Nebraska.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 12:07     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Public or private HS?

In Virginia or Maryland?


Large public in VA. His sport might help him with a couple schools on the list.


Those are D1 schools. If he isn't already talking to the coaches, it won't help.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 12:06     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
I feel like your high school’s college counseling office has fallen down on the job a bit. We have been hearing from freshman year on how competitive the college process is currently. When I say “we,” I really mean “me,” because my husband and son basically tuned out all of the information (and also my warnings) until the end of junior year when they were shocked that DS didn’t have the stats to get into schools that would have been slam dunks 30 years ago. (eye roll)

Anyway, our son has similar stats, but unbalanced in the opposite direction, so I don’t have any personal experience applying to engineering or CS programs. DS has a friend with stats like your son’s (weighted toward math and science) who has been accepted to Pitt, Penn State, WPI, RIT, Denver, and Dayton for engineering, fwiw.

I would do as everyone else has suggested and get an appointment with your school’s college counselor to get a realistic list of colleges where kids from your high school have been successful.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 12:06     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Public or private HS?

In Virginia or Maryland?


Large public in VA. His sport might help him with a couple schools on the list.


You have a lot of P4 schools on that list. Are you saying that your kid might be recruited at that level? If so, I'd be looking at schools a step down where his sport might guarantee support. Someone who has a shot at playing P4 is likely to get a lot of interest from D2 and D3 schools.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 12:02     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Options:

1. Purdue. Apply as a pre-studies major, then buckle down and apply to CS.
2. Indiana University.
3. University of Tulsa.
4. University of Kansas


Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 11:52     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Anonymous wrote:Need to look at
Michigan State
UNH
Delaware
RPI
Stevens
WPI

These schools are your targets


Thank you for this list!
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 11:51     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Anonymous wrote:Delaware would be a fantastic option. Great for engineering and provides the classic college experience. My spouse went there for a STEM major and had a wonderful time. We keep up with about 20 friends and they are all successful and in high level jobs.

I'm sure UDel is a good school, but how people ended up after graduating from UDel 20 years ago may not be how it is now. A lot has changed in the past 20 years -- both in the college landscape and the workforce.

And I say this as a no name state u grad.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 11:41     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Anonymous wrote:DS wants to major in computer science or engineering. 1350 SAT, will graduate with 5 APs (math, science, foreign language), 3.8 weighted GPA (unweighted 3.5), extra curriculars include 1 varsity sport, one club, and a part time job he's had for years and where he works quite a few hours. We are still hoping he might get that GPA up before the end of the year, but he doesn't seem very motivated. Based on what I usually see on dcum, these stats aren't great, but is the list below reasonable? What should we add?

Virginia Tech
Georgia Tech
UT Austin
U Wisconsin
U Washington Seattle
U Maryland
Ohio State
University of Florida Gainesville
Boston U

I'm sorry, but this list is so far off from reality it seems like a troll post. Did you research any admission information before coming up with these schools? Student should to talk to their school counselor.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 11:40     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
You might want to look at Temple University.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 11:30     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Anonymous wrote:Need to look at
Michigan State
UNH
Delaware
RPI
Stevens
WPI

These schools are your targets


Agreed, good list.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 11:29     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
GMU and JMU are definitely not safeties. At best they are targets.

Kentucky and Alabama should be on your list. Miami of Ohio would be an option too.

Things are so different now. Most of the huge state schools are very difficult to get into.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2025 11:29     Subject: Are these schools reasonable with DS's stats?
Delaware would be a fantastic option. Great for engineering and provides the classic college experience. My spouse went there for a STEM major and had a wonderful time. We keep up with about 20 friends and they are all successful and in high level jobs.