<p>I am a senior in high school. right now my gpa unweighted is 3.4 (not sure what it is weighted) and my ACT is only 19 (took it twice and got that same score both times). i haven't taken any aps (I am smart, but for some reason I never could get into one) I hate every school i'm applying to. i feel like i can't get into most places because i feel like my gpa is bad. I wanted to apply to big name schools to finally feel proud of myself, but i was too scared. i kept myself from applying to any UCs or Cal States and most other well known schools all over the country because i convinced myself that there would be no chance. my brother also made me feel bad for trying to apply because he said it'd be a waste of money doing all those apps and having little chance of getting in anyway, leaving me no options if i don't get accepted into any of the schools I was originally applying to. He says name isn't everything and i shouldn't apply to a school just because it is well known (I know that too, but I want to finally feel more than average). he's also convinced me that I won't be able to live away from home because he wasn't able to and he knows we work the same way, so what happened to him (worsening depression, anxiety, loneliness, etc) will happen to me since it already happens to me now. I feel like i limit myself with my grades (which i used to think were good, but i found out that these days, they are just average and i hate being average) and also with what i want to study (theatre and acting). I know i have some talent in it, but auditioning has just been so hard for me since high school (wasn't that way when i did theatre in middle school). so i feel like i'll be rejected before i ever have a chance of trying out the program, so i have to apply to schools with no initial audition to get into the program. I want to see how it fits instead of getting rejected right away, so i can get back my confidence with performing and auditioning. i also want to do journalism (fashion or just magazine in general) and it's hard to find a program that really let's you try both with specific classes for journalism focusing on ethics as well as fashion. i want to try a little bit of both and see which i'd rather do (maybe in the degree one class in magazine writing and an elective in fashion writing for example). I also want a school with a choir and sports (softball, rowing, lacrosse, volleyball). i hate the schools i'm applying to because i feel like I have to settle to be able to get into somewhere and study what i want to study while staying in my comfort zone. seeing friends getting into princeton, university of notre dame, and lmu just makes me feel more average because i know applying there would be a waste of money and time. not sure what to do because most schools are done with applications. any school suggestions or any other suggestions would be appreciated. i have already applied to george fox university, university of san diego, columbia college chicago, sonoma state university, concordia university irvine, lewis and clark college, seattle university. i want to apply to cuny, northwestern, or other places like that, but i'm still really unsure.</p>
<p>Take a look at Drew University in New Jersey. My daughter is a freshman there and is loving it. She was cast as a freshman in the lead of a main stage show which is a huge feat and the training she is getting is quite good. Great financial aid packages and its only 20 minutes from NYC! PM me if you want any more info….</p>
<p>There is nothing wrong with your GPA nor with your ACT score. There are many absolutely wonderful schools that will welcome you with open arms with those stats - many of which still haven’t reached their application deadlines. Give yourself a break about it. You said you are smart and I’m sure that means you learned something in your HS career. </p>
<p>Your real problem is this statement:
If that is the case, then you shouldn’t be applying to them or should at least have an honest conversation with yourself about why they bug you. If it’s just because they aren’t the quote, “big name schools” that is just not a good enough reason. The list of schools you applied to already really does include some wonderful schools that anyone should feel proud to attend and many kids just won’t get into so I’m very sorry you feel that way. We could, as bisouu already did, give you more schools to think about but I am not sure that is what you are asking for or more specifically, not what you need to hear. That list would probably not include a school like Northwestern as an example because by every measure, you must know you don’t have the stats for that school. So what? It’s just one school. My daughter did have the stats for that school and didn’t get in. She also had stats way above average for another school on her list and didn’t get in there either! Neither experience defined who she is as a student or as a person. They won’t define you either. Pride is a state of mind. I know there are so many great schools you should feel proud about and I already see plenty of them on the list you already have. </p>
<p>If you do have issues with anxiety and depression, I’d encourage you to get help with both. Going off to college can be an overwhelming experience even when one is in the very best shape mentally. It can also prove to be among the best years of your life. All the best!</p>
<p>thank you very much both of you. It definitely relaxes me</p>
<p>do you know of any other schools with theatre programs that don’t require an audition? </p>
<p>I heard Barry university has a good drama program, as well as Oglethorpe</p>
<p>Are you looking to stay in the west (which is where a lot of the schools you listed are located) or are you open to other parts of the country. I second what halflokum said - if you have issues with depression etc I urge you to work on that- going away to college is a challenge, and you want to start from a good place.</p>
<p>If you aren’t excited about your schools- what about the idea of a gap year? It could give you some time to really think about what you DO want in a college, and what will help you be successful. Best of luck to you</p>
<p>@oldiesrock, have you used the supermatch tool whose link is right here on this page? Scroll up and you’ll see it under “Find a College” at the top of the page. You can go in and enter specific regions of the country you’d consider, list the major you want, even enter your grades and test scores etc. and see what pops up for you. I’d suggest you change the settings so that more than just 20 schools pop up because if you put down drama/theatre as major that you want what you will get are TONS of schools that offer that as a major… most of which are non-audition. I did a quick search for you and the list is long and includes schools like U Redlands, Whittier, U of Puget Sound all of which have nice theatre programs and you haven’t missed their application deadlines. I’d play with that search tool and see what you get.</p>
<p>You brother may be trying to help, but it sounds like he is not the most supportive sibling around! Maybe you can also talk to your school counselor? Or your drama teacher? Or someone at your community theatre? They may give you more support about majoring in theatre. Also, I will agree with another poster here who suggested a gap year, just so you can take a step back and regroup. Please don’t go to a school that you hate!</p>
<p>i want to go somewhere in oregon, washington state, new york, illinois, or california. i have been seeing help for my depression and anxiety but only a few months ago and i still haven’t gotten over it, i’ve been so rocky lately. i’m afraid that going away might make it even worse. i am from california. definitely have been thinking about a gap year</p>
<p>A couple of other suggestions to check into - Southern Oregon University has a very well-regarded theater program. Also Central Washington University - we dropped by their theater department after taking a general campus tour and received an impromptu tour and meeting with the department head. They could not have been more welcoming and it looked like a fantastic program. </p>
<p>@oldiesrock, being healthy is job one. College can and will wait. WAIT until you are in shape to grab college by the proverbial balls and love the experience. Otherwise it will be a burden. It shouldn’t be. Wait. Get healthy first. All of the schools we are throwing at you will take you happily. But that doesn’t mean you will be happy. Get healthy and ready. Then have fun. Wait.</p>
<p>very very right. thanks so much all of you :)</p>
Don’t waste your money on applications to schools like Northwestern. It is an audition school, and requires top grades. Check the WUE/WICHE schools, as California is part of the exchange. With your gpa and scores, you should look to the smaller schools, perhaps not the flagships. I think Utah is a great place and they allow you to become a resident after a year, which keeps costs down. If you want a hotter climate try New Mexico or Nevada.
My daughter is at Wyoming. Your score is not high enough to be an auto-admit but they do take some with lower ACT scores and require some extra courses or study programs. There is no audition for the theater or dance programs, but there is a lot of competition once you get there. It is part of the WUE, but those places go to very top students.
I recommend you start at a California Community college. Saddleback has a great theater program, and also costume design. It’s a nice little campus and it’s easy to get to shows at UC-Irvine, Concordia, any of the San Diego schools so you can have a plan of where to transfer.
Northwestern is not an audition school, just a very tough academic admit.