<p>I am currently finishing up my Junior year and I was wondering if you guys knew any good schools that I could get into with my grades and scores. I don't really have the best grades overall, but I am really good at what I like and really excited to actually focus on something in college. Currently I think I am looking at around a 2.7-3.0 Unweighted GPA at the end of this year, although I am an IB Diploma candidate. I don't know what they would look like weighted considering I am in all honors/IB courses. That's my GPA for my entire time in high school as well, so I don't know what it would look like if schools don't look at freshman year however. I am very bright, but I've never really been dedicated to classes that I will never use in my life which is why it is so low. If I had dropped French after freshman year and not done full IB I would have a much higher GPA. It just makes me angry when people get into really good schools because they have really good grades in classes that middle schoolers could be taking, but that's a different story. So here are my stats:</p>
<p>A's in Math and Woodworking
B's in History and Biology
C's in French and English</p>
<p>1930 in January SAT (670 640 620) I will take it again
31 on ACT</p>
<p>Varsity Athlete in Football, Swimming, Baseball. I would be interested in playing DIII or maybe DII football but I would be content to go to a big DI school and not play.</p>
<p>Very interested in Political Science.</p>
<p>I am currently looking at:</p>
<p>Wesleyan
Amherst
Williams
University of Virginia (out of state)
Berkeley (In state)
UNC (out of state)
Gilford
Claremont Mckenna </p>
<p>So are there more schools I should look at, and does it look like I can get into these ones?</p>
<p>Wesleyan - reach
Amherst - reach
Williams - reach
University of Virginia (out of state) - reach
Berkeley (In state) - reach
UNC (out of state) - low reach, high match
Gilford - match
Claremont Mckenna - reach</p>
<p>Unfortunately, most of those do seem like reaches for you. What are you specifically looking for in a school, so we can give you match and safety suggestions?</p>
<p>I’m looking for a school that has a good Political Science program, and either has D3 football so I can play or a very good D1 program so I can just enjoy it. I also want a school with at least some sort of a name.</p>
<p>How about UC Santa Cruz? Many students are interested in politics and I’m pretty sure it has a good political science department. And as for out of state, George Washington University and American University (both in DC) would probably be matches for you.</p>
<p>If you’re OOS for UCs, you need at least a 3.3 GPA…and that’s really for the lower tier UCs.</p>
<p>What is your weighted GPA?</p>
<p>What is your likely major?</p>
<p>What is your budget? How much will your parents pay?</p>
<p>your GPA will likely keep you out of many schools that give good financial aid. Does your school put a weighted GPA on your transcript? If so, what will it be?</p>
<p>I know that you’re upset about your GPA and taking hard classes. However, be aware that many kids take AP and IB hard classes and still have high GPAs…you’ll be competing against kids like that. </p>
<p>What state are you in?</p>
<p>* I am very bright, but I’ve never really been dedicated to classes that I will never use in my life which is why it is so low.*</p>
<p>The above is why your GPA is lowish…your GPA is not lowish just because you took hard classes.</p>
<p>I am in California, although I go to boarding school on the east coast.</p>
<p>I am interested in Political Science.</p>
<p>My school does not include weighted GPA’s, and I don’t know how to calculate it.</p>
<p>If you take the classes I am interested in and will use in life I have a great GPA, but the subjects (like French) that I won’t ever use bring it down.</p>
<p>Guilford? If so then that is a match.
Every other school on your list is a very high reach for a 2.7-3.0 GPA, no matter what SAT/ACT score. I would suggest applying to a few you like, but you should find some match and safety schools to apply to as well.</p>
<p>Guilford would be a match. The others are among the most selective LACs and public universities in the country. None are realistic reach schools. </p>
<p>Check out the “Colleges That Change Lives” list. Guilford is on it. UC Santa Cruz is a good suggestion (depending on how they calculate your GPA, since California residents need a minimum 3.0).</p>
<p>^Agreed. That isn’t really a realistic list of colleges - it’s extremely top-heavy. UNfortunately, colleges don’t divide a GPA into classes you’ll use and classes you won’t use; they’ll see the entire thing and judge according to that. This alone will make it very difficult to get into all but Guilford on your list.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in California, I’d second the suggestion of some of the less-competitive UCs, as well as maybe other California. Other schools that appear to meet the rest of your criteria (outside of CA), and are a more realistic shot, would be (for example) schools like Evergreen State College, Allegheny College, maybe Hampshire College or URsinus. You could look at UConn as well if oyu’re unopposed, although it might be harder for you, as I don’t know whether UConn would count you as in or out of state.</p>
<p>Take a look at Alfred University (NY), established in 1836. </p>
<p>You could probably play Division III Football there, Empire Eight Conference. </p>
<p>Princeton Review’s Best 373
Fiske Guide 2011
Fiske Best Value
Fiske Small schools strong in Art & Design
Fiske Small schools strong in Engineering
USNWR’s Great Schools Great Prices
Princeton Review’s Best 300 Business Schools </p>
<p>About 2300 undergrads, small classes-know your professors, Division III Athletics, Housing for all 4 years, no Greek Life, small charming village of Alfred, NY, friendly people.
Shuttles to Rochester airport & buses to NYC at holiday & break times. </p>
<p>School of Art & Design
School of Business
College of Liberal Arts
School of Engineering </p>
<p>Oops, left off merit aid at Alfred University, COA for College Liberal Arts= $38,000/year.
With a merit award a possibility, your parents could save some bucks, you would get an excellent education as well. If you wanted to go on to grad school, your parents might be willing to help you with the cost, seeing as you did not go to a full pay 50k plus school for your undergrad years.</p>
<p>Yes, UC Santa Cruz has a minimum of a 3.0 for instate (3.4 OOS). That may be an option, and a good one if so. Look at some of the Cal States too. Since you are looking at Guilford (I personally love this school), why not look at Humbolt State too. IB program will help you hopefully get nudged into UCSC, but the reality is that your other schools are big reaches and it’s time to come up with some schools you can really target. Also, look at UC Merced. I have a DD with your GPA and she’s looking at Whittier College (for Japanese, so I have no idea how strong in the sciences/math they are…look into that one too).</p>
<p>A previous poster mention GWU in DC. It does have a very good poly sci program, but I think it would still be a reach with your GPA. Last year’s acceptance rate was only 30%. Not to say you shouldn’t try, but don’t count on it as a match.</p>
Perhaps not but there is a much higher probability, particularly since the OP is from California. But someone *asked *OP if that would be the case. It wasn’t assumed.</p>