<p>“must be incapable of sucking up and doing work he doesn’t like. Another life skill discussion.”</p>
<p>Have the discussion, but don’t blame yourself if it doesn’t sink in. Sometimes a kid has to get there through maturity and experience rather than parental guidance.</p>
<p>If you and he decide it’s best for him to go to college right after high school, there are schools that will take him with that ACT. They don’t need to be local colleges, either. If the overall GPA is at 3.0, he’ll likely get into flagships like Arizona State, U of Kansas, etc. These are schools with strong graduate programs in math and science, where there’s no limit to how far a bright and motivated student can go. If you think an LAC with personal attention would be a better fit, there are many out there who are glad to take a gamble on a STEM-focused male. You might be surprised, especially if you are full-pay.</p>