<p>My D just found out her GPA is a 3.2UW, 3.4W, and she's feeling pretty bummed out. To keep it brief, she was dealing with some issues during high school involving depression, death of a friend, and family situation (W and I have separated.) It isn't an excuse, but it happened. </p>
<p>IMO, she's written a good 'extenuating circumstance' essay about how dealing with depression w/ psychosis and recovering from that over the past years has lead to her desire to work in the field of psychology and help others with mental illness.</p>
<p>Given that she has a 36 ACT, strong ECs, and good recs, etc., does anyone have an idea of what schools we could look at? We were previously considering USC, Bryn Mawr, UMich, and possibly Scripps/Barnard as high reaches, and since we're instate, we're applying to most UCs. I'm just concerned, as I don't want her to get too many rejection letters. </p>
<p>She's bright enough, she has a 4.6 right now, but, of course, colleges don't admit people solely based on potential.</p>
<p>Any ideas? What is a reasonable bracket for safeties and reaches? :)</p>
<p>There are plenty of good schools she can get into especially to student psychology. You have some schools above that are all over the place both geographically and kind of school. Maybe you can narrow down a bit and we can offer more suggestions.</p>
<p>I’d prefer instate, but I would send her across the country as long as it was a good school and really worth it. UCs are my first choice, but with a 3.4 UC GPA, I’m not sure which she could get into (I’ve been told publics don’t care as much about other circumstances as privates). In terms of instate privates USC, Claremont, etc would be ideal, but a high reach.</p>
<p>East coast = only if it’s Top 50 because of financials. </p>
<p>I think you and her shouldn’t worry so much about rejection. As with employment, it only takes one. If you believe she us fragile, then you need to prepare and council her</p>
<p>A 36 is special. Make sure you have some favorite reaches, along with safer selections of course.</p>
<p>I would suggest you get another opinion (possibly from her HS guidance counselor?) on the essay. I am not clear from your post, but do you mean the Common App essay? You are pretty close to the situation, and I think there is some risk with this topic. It can easily veer into making excuses. It might be more suitable for the GC to reference some of the issues your D has faced in the GC recommendation, and have her write her essay on something else. You would hate to have that 36 derailed by an essay that is more about her problems than about other aspects of her life and personality.</p>
<p>Also, you mentioned Claremont – is there a specific Claremont college that appeals to her? There are five different schools there… has she considered Scripps?</p>
<p>I would be very cautious about bringing any specific diagnosis into the application. (Struggling with death, divorce = clear sailing; depression or anything else in DSMIV = much less clear sailing). Without the essay, your daughter is a B/B+ student with stellar test scores. Plenty of adcoms would be thrilled to get their hands on her no further questions asked. With the essay, if it brings in anything psychiatric, they start thinking about liability and that may do more harm than the growth-and-lessons-learned aspect does good.</p>
<p>ucbalum gives good advice on publics. Pitzer might be a good option among the Claremont schools - her GPA would obviously be well on the low end, but with scores way on the high end and a good essay it could work.</p>
<p>So she either wants a very big university or a woman’s college? If so then I’m not really seeing anything amiss with your list. If she’s heck bent on leaving the state you could add another easier to get into Big 10 school, picking one depending on what her potential major or interests might be. But you do know that Michigan doesn’t meet need for out of state students, right? You mentioned distance would be matched with cost.</p>
<p>Make sure you calculate her “UC GPA” which is different than the HS GPA. You can find info about it on UC Pathways (google it). You might find it’s higher than you think.</p>
<p>Personally I wouldn’t worry about the rejection letters. She’ll get over that. She’s better off applying and seeing what results, even if it’s a rejection, than never applying and later regretting it.</p>
<p>Don’t be too bummed out - her scores look pretty good - especially if the 3.4 GPA is actually a higher GPA in terms of the UC GPA.</p>
<p>Her grades- total gpa versus year by year. If she had one terrible year flanked by stellar grades she can explain how family issues influenced her. “x year my parents were … and it affected me” but before and after… It could be to her advantage to point out why stellar grades sank so admissions looks beyond the averaged gpa. </p>
<p>She should discuss likely colleges with her HS guidance counselor, presuming with all of her HS issues her counselor is up to speed and also knows area schools that accept students in her situation. Given what you have said about her it seems as though she may do best in your region instead of thousands of miles away from family.</p>
<p>I would consider some of the good Midwestern LACs, such as College of Wooster, Earlham, Macalester. Carleton is a great school, but it is reachier than the others.</p>
<p>Another thought. I hear California schools are different in that one can’t transfer from just any state school to another (eg not one UC to another but can go from a community college to a UC- weird). Consider going to a school then transferring to one that matches her ability as shown by test score. In Wisconsin she could go anywhere she got in (possibly she could even get into UW-Madison), do well and then transfer to the flagship (like many California schools the flagship is much better than most private schools). </p>
<p>She may need to consider a school as a stepping stone to the one she gets her degree from. Ask her which schools she is interested in if her gpa weren’t an issue. She should use one or more of those as her reach schools and consider transfer options later. Where she applys depends on her proposed major- ie if she is a STEM person or a social science/humanities one.</p>
<p>I just don’t think a 3.2 is that bad a GPA to have to consider that… also, colleges talk a big game about the importance of GPA, but it is test scores that they love to report on and that people take seriously when they look at a school’s stats. Who takes GPA seriously, since it is so variable across high school systems? I am not saying the OP’s D will get into her reaches, as GPA isn’t irrelevant in the admissions process – but honestly I would rather have a GREAT test score and a B+ GPA than an A average and crappy test scores. She isn’t going to have to start out at a stepping stone college. That 36 is going to help her.</p>
<p>Actually with her stats and geographic desirability she might do well (better?) with merit aid at the slightly less competitive LACs out of your region (which is most of them). What is she interested in studying?</p>
<p>You can transfer UC->UC and other combinations of state universities in California. However, it is encouraged to start at CC for various reasons, and transferring from a CC means that one can take advantage of articulation agreements for pre-approved transfer credit (and avoid taking too many courses that won’t give subject credit for one’s major). Transfer admissions supposedly favors those applying from CCs over four year schools.</p>
<p>When was the year that brought down her GPA? Her Freshman or Sophomore year?
If so, and she bounced back strongly her Jr year , then with her 36 ACT[ which is REALLY good!] she will be a good candidate for colleges like USC, Pitzer, etc.
A rising GPA towards the end of her HS career, when the classes are hardest- shows college reps that she can handle pressure and overcome adversity. A commitment to helping others [ via a degree in psychology] will resonate with many colleges.</p>
<p>fightingirish = Notre Dame alum? If so, with a 36 ACT, why not try ND? Or, St. Mary’s, and potentially transfer in to ND?</p>
<p>With a 36 ACT, I’m sure your mailbox has been inundated…colleges love perfect scores…</p>
<p>And, guessing that with the “disparity” between GPA and ACT, her HS guidance counselor would be able to address with some adcoms. If it were me, I’d probably advocate that her essay be more about her passions with EC’s, etc., rather than any psych issues, as NT mentioned above. ymmv…</p>
<p>Good idea on St. Mary’s – would give her that “girls college” that seems to be on her list plus the “Big 10 only not Big 10” of Notre Dame. It would help if the OP would clarify the girls colleges vs. Big university dicotomy of the “list.”</p>
<p>I always like to think of the essay as the students interview. If your daughter had three minutes to tell the dean of admissions something about herself what would she want them to know. She wants to let them know how she’s going to add to the university community. For this reason I think students should focus on their positive and unique attributes in essays. I’m not discounting the hardship that your dd has experienced, but as mentioned this can be very effectively addressed by the GC. Also, most apps have a section or question that asks if there is anything you would like the admissions committee to know/consider when reviewing your submission (I’m paraphrasing). This is a short answer and your DD can write something here. As others suggested I’d stay in the family circumstances and out of any diagnosis.</p>