Doesn’t want to go to a CSU? My son, who had the stats to go anywhere, chose to go to Cal Poly from out of state. He could have gone to Berkeley, but he didn’t even apply. Why? He didn’t want the gigantic classes with labs and discussions taught by TAs. Cal Poly, the CSU, not the UC, was a far better choice for him. She should dig deeper into some of the CSUs rather than following the oft wrong dogma that the UCs are all that.
I’d also second looking at the WUE schools. Good luck.
Your stats Gumbymom make me feel better about her chances at a UC. We will try to make sure she has an awesome essay!!! Any other recommendations to improve her chances?
You’ve been very helpful. Thank you. I feel so much better.
Thank you eyemgh.
Thx Dustyfeathers! Thanks everyone. Are you guys from admissions offices? I heard college coach is former admissions people. Only stumbled upon this forum and got super lucky!!!
Below is the UC Merced’s application review criteria and I did notice I dropped a Zero on UCM’s SAT range which should be 1020-1280.
Since the UC’s are all one application, I would add UC Riverside also.
CC is a very helpful forum. Glad you found it @MsJohnson - and glad you have the abilities to lead your family while also just working pretty dang hard as a single parent. Your kids are benefiting from seeing a good parent and good adulting in action.
Sounds like OOS and private probably aren’t reasonable targets for financial reasons - though it isn’t a bad idea to apply to a few and see what happens. I think she’ll have trouble qualifying for the larger WUE programs like UNR due to GPA.
Id also say, even if she clears the 3.0 threshold, i think Merced is pretty unlikely. She’s well below the 25th percentile for GPA and close to it for her SAT. It is worth a try but, I wouldn’t count on it. If you don’t expect need based aid, it will probably be expensive.
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/campuses/merced/freshman-profile/index.html
All the CSUs are around $8k per yr for tuition. As you’d guess living expenses vary widely.
She’d probably make most majors at Sonoma - which is a pretty unique find among CSUs. Is has one of the most residential campuses in the system and feels like a private college - without the big bill.
Humboldt is another unique CSU - she will LOVE or HATE in an instant.
Most programs at Sac SJ and SF would probably also work if she’s looking for a more urban environment.
Enjoy the ride and good luck
We have students from Oregon who choose both Humbolt and Sonoma from out of state for the reasons stated above, nice residential campuses. The big downside to Humbolt is the rain, but what Oregonian is going to sweat that? 
Spend $300 now on a test prep program like Prep Scholar to save thousands later. Just a small increase in scores will get her big merit from hbcus.
I’m pretty certain she qualifies for free tuition at Alabama State with her current scores. It’s not Howard or Spelman but it is an hbcu.
Alcorn State University is HBCU. She can get full tuition. If she practice and try to get a 1250 SAT or 28 ACT. She could get room and board and a books as well. Try the black college app before you give up on HBCU.
She qualifies for full tuition at Mississippi Valley State (another hbcu) and is only 100 points from a full ride. Free SAT Prep on Khan Academy!
Prairie view A&M is another HBCU of possible interest
Have her watch some Youtube videos about these schools to get a feel for them.
If your daughter is interested in pre-law or pre-med, I strongly encourage attending community college. Transfer scholarships are based on college GPA rather than SAT/ACT scores. She can take the difficult classes at a reasonable pace increasing her chance of a higher GPA with minimal cost. If she would prefer to enroll at San Diego State (you say she has a guarantee?), this would be fine too, since she can live at home. She could always move to campus later if she earns additional scholarships.
Although many schools’ scholarships cover tuition, the cost of housing and meals in California can range up to 15,000.00/year depending on the school. 4 years of these costs will be substantial. If she attends law school or grad school, this will add thousands more. Scholarships may not be easy to obtain at the Masters’ and beyond level and carrying debt is the last thing one would want.
It can’t hurt to apply to some privates just to see what they offer. I know that some smaller privates have special scholarships and if she were to e-mail interest, they often do not charge for the application. I know that Cal Lutheran and Fresno Pacific have special scholarships and only use the FAFSA. Both of these schools have a student body of less than 5000. But again, the issue of the cost of 4-8 years room and board needs to be looked at.
My best to you!
Also…forget the net price calculators. They often low ball what your actual cost will be. You can use the FAFSA forecaster website to get a clearer picture of what your estimated contribution is expected to be. Here is the website: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/estimate
Addendum…actually I think you can actually file already…begins October 1…then you will know for sure.
Good NPC’s (that ask many questions) tend to be pretty accurate.
Do you know your EFC? Can you afford it?
Check out costs at Montana State through WUE (150% tuition); she’d be in the bottom range but she’d have a shot. Same thing at NAU in Arizona, or SOU in Oregon.
What about The College of Idaho, or Carroll College or Montana?
Out East, she could try for Chatham, Simmons, Sweet Briar, Hollins - women’s colleges.
Other possibilities but you’d need to run the NPC: UTampa, Eckerd, Guilford, Elizabethtown, Susquehanna, Lycoming, Goucher, Capital Ohio, Ohio Wesleyan.
If she wouldn’t mind a work college, she could try for Warren Wilson.
If you make under 65K and she wouldn’t mind a work college, Berea.
I know it’s a CSU but she might consider Chico. I’m not sure what the GPA/SAT thresholds are but it’s one of the most traditional college like experiences within the CSUs. Chico has a quaint little downtown area that buts up against the campus but it also has your big box stores too. We are from Sacramento and my daughter, 3.55WGPA/1260 SAT, is considering.