My son was diagnosed with a major illness during his sophomore year at boarding school. He was able to finish the year, but elected to stay home for his remaining 2 years of school. It was just too difficult to manage the medical issues from thousands of miles away. (I was not impressed with the health center during this ordeal, but that’s another story.) He is much better, managing his illness well, and feels fairly engaged at his new high school. We are concerned about the college admission process next year, and how to explain a plethora of B’s as a sophomore in advanced classes at a rigorous boarding school, then the change to a public school. I am seeking suggestions from this pool of parents for either consulting companies or individuals who have experience with this type of scenario. We live out west, so someone who is willing to skype or FaceTime would be best. The public school counselor suggested that my son’s 3.3 unweighted boarding school GPA indicated that he should start at community college. He was heartbroken and I know she is wrong. Feel free to PM me if you prefer.
I am sorry you and your son are going through this. That sounds like a load of crap. Granted, I don’t have one in the college process yet, but it sounds like your counselor is not familiar with boarding schools at all…or with kids who tackle obstacles. I wouldn’t put much stock into that recommendation. As you recognize, talking to someone who can give you a better view of things.
One question, do you mean that he is now a junior, so doesn’t have any grades at his new school to demonstrate his abilities?
I agree. Bs at a boarding school are much better than Bs at a public school. Many public school personnel have issues and defend the PS school system to the death. Load of crap is well put. DO NOT start at community college. Two years at a BS has already put him WAY WAY beyond that. Tell him this Tiger Mom wishes him the very best of luck and tells him to keep his chin up. His personal struggles and life experiences already make him a more diverse candidate, so don’t give up!
Does he compensate with high test scores and solid EC’s?
Absolutely ridiculous. No problem here whatsoever. Your son will explain exactly the way you did (in the additional info section of the common app). Time to request a change of guidance counselors!
I’ll join the chorus. 3.3 at a rigorous boarding school, while dealing with a major illness, is quite impressive. Your public school counselor is ill-informed, and giving you bad advice.
I’m not on the west coast, thus I can’t recommend any counselors. In you position, though, I would look for a private counselor. I would first ask your son’s former school for recommendations. Try contacting the head of the college placement department; he or she may be able to recommend some consultants.
Boatload of crap.
I’m sorry you’re dealing with this, Leafy. I second @Periwinkle’s advice. Spot on.
you can find a list of college counselors on the IECA website: www.iecaonline.com
Thanks to all of you for the encouragement and especially the PM’s. It’s nearing time to begin choosing senior year classes (?!?) and I suddenly realized we should be talking to someone.
The counselor who told my son he should consider community college was retiring, which is good. So few kids in our area go to BS, she just had no clue. Now we have the 25 year old fresh out of grad school. We definitely need professional help. I’ll keep you posted!
Such a complete load of BS. Does anyone actually believe that everyone attending every single top 50 college has a 4+ GPA? That’s the CollegeConfidential trap.
I have no useful suggestions, just want to wish your son the best of luck!
First, I’m so sorry for your son’s illness and glad to hear he is managing it and moving forward.
I’m sorry that the public school counselor has given such poor and upsetting advice that adds to the stress of this situation. You are a wise parent to be seeking competent assistance elsewhere. The transition and grades can and should be handled in the counselor’s recommendation part of the application process, and your son can also mention it in his personal statement or in the additional information section of the Common App.
I second the suggestion to contact the boarding school college counseling office for recommendations of private counselors. They don’t necessarily need to be in your area since you (and your son) can facetime/skype with them.
Best of luck and keep us posted!
Normally this would be a good topic for the GC to address. Given that the GC is new, I would set up a meeting with her, you, and your son. Ask if she can address in her recommendation that he had serious health issues in sophomore year that affected his grades and caused him to return closer to home at the end of the year. If she won’t, the other option is a brief explanation in the additional information section of the common app.
Regarding college selection, either hire a college counselor or do it yourself out here. 
I wouldn’t be sure a 25 year old is as on top of making recommendations for schools and providing admissions support as you might want.
I wish your son’s health is improving more than anything else. College is next issue but he will have no prolbem explaining on the college application.
There is no doubt that your son’s situation will need to be addressed by him in the college application process. I was a faculty member at a top tier boarding school for twenty years and I have had several ex students who I stayed in touch with who had to deal with this sort of problem or worse. The good news is he can explain it.
Schools that are doing personal interviews are expecting to learn the “why” about situations. He will need to be able to confidently talk about “what I have overcome” and “how I have grown from that experience”. His application essay may be about this, but the ability to speak about it as an accomplishment and success story is critical.
For some free advice on how to develop his personal story see the articles tab at www.iscacademy.org. Then, I’d be happy to help further if you want to contact me.
On another note, I totally disagree that. CC is his only hope. And also disagree that his 3.3 in sophomore year is any real problem. It is Junior year that is most important and senior fall, particularly in this case. Many kids who do not thrive at great boarding schools without the medical problems, do just fine back home at public schools. The 3.3 is an indication that he might have done great had he been healthy enough to stay there. Colleges like kids who struggle at those schools a little and then rise to challenge. It sounds as though he did, but under the circumstances, was better off at home.
How he tells the story both in writing and in person iwill be critical. Is he ready to do that? Coaching can make a huge difference in his confidence about this issue.
“The public school counselor suggested that my son’s 3.3 unweighted boarding school GPA indicated that he should start at community college.”
This is such a load of crap that I don’t even know where to begin. I know a number of kids who left BS for various voluntary & involuntary reasons, and they went on to good schools.
In your son’s case, he has an easily explained reason for his situation. Your son should hold his head up high and feel confident.
And even leaving aside the whole medical issue, since when do all kids with a 3.3 GPA go to community college??? Do you mean to tell me that every kid in a 4 year degree program had a GPA north of 3.5? Come on, seriously.
This made me laugh. Yes, I believe that the GC thought that a 3.3 cumulative GPA (which she calculated, because the school doesn’t do GPA’s) was not 4 year college worthy. I sent that GC a link from the school website explaining their rigor and grading system, because she had never heard of the school. Any school in the TSAO group is pretty rigorous, right?
She seemed frustrated by how she received the information, because it didn’t easily integrate into their system. She was very flustered by the trimester system, and how to transfer that into the semester system at PS. She also wanted my son to take PE because it wasn’t listed as a class on his transcript.
Based on some of the PM’s I received, I am talking to some people who are making me feel better about this situation. My son is willing and able to discuss in person and in writing how this has changed him, and how he has grown. Hopefully some AO will think that this kid has potential.
My older D left boarding school after sophomore year, with dismal grades. In public school she did fine and had good test scores and ECs. She got into her first choice college.
The advice that was very helpful that we received here on CC was to talk about what she learned in her essays. Not very many kids have gone through this, so it is interesting to college ADCOMS. She talked about learning independence, better study habits, social stuff, responsibility, and finding what she loved, and turning her life around.
You may also want to ask the college counselor at the boarding school to write a letter to the new school GC so they can understand your son’s rank in class when he left. 3.3/4 is probably top third in a competitive school despite his medical problems?
Leafy kid took the SAT for the first time in November. Just received his scores: CR 710, M 730, W 650. Essay was 7. We are very pleased for him!