Also, I was at an alumni interview session this past weekend and a parent said that an admissions officer from another college said that it is so important to find a school that fits your child. He said that about 80 percent of the students usually don’t graduate in 4 years and only 20% do. He says it is due to the wrong fit and they end up transferring out. He was spot on but I was so surprised on how high that percentage was. So many of my children’s friends have transferred or dropped out because they dislike their college. One transferred out of JHU because he hated the environment. That’s a shame because that could have been avoided if someone told him what it was like up front.
@newjersey17 I think that person was exaggerating on the 4 year graduation rates.
@newjersey17 – thanks for all the info
I just wanted to thank the OP and everyone on this thread. My original account had issues and I just made this one.
This thread has been incredibly helpful. My D is a senior. She isn’t a b student but she isn’t s strong test taker. She took both the act and sat 6 times (total not each) and her scores were not strong. I don’t mean like some posters who say my scores are bad and have scores in the 1700-1900. Her superscore was 1490.
Some of the schools you all mention are where we focused our efforts as not all of the test optional schools had video game design/computer science. Becker college was one we looked at, applied to and was actually her first acceptance (with merit money!)
For those looking at a college counselor, they are well worth it but make sure they know their stuff and ask for references.
We are still waiting to hear from some schools so will be back.
Congrats to your daughter @Kitzka1 !
Getting that first acceptance-- especially with money-- is such a huge thing!
I’m pretty sure that Becker was one that my son’s guidance counselor recommended last year when I started the process. It’s not right for him, but I’m glad it seems like a good fit for your daughter.
It’s been almost a month since one college’s “admissions hiccup” (Post 114)
Still no word from them.
At this point, my opinion of that school (sight unseen, admittedly) is dropping pretty quickly. So glad it wasn’t ever a top choice for my son.
That’s terrible. It’s happened before though. Rice actually sent out acceptances and then recalled them! It was a computer glitch. Terrible right?
You’ll find out soon enough. The whole point is to get past the admissions team. Once your in you are in!!!
He already has an acceptance to his #2 choice, waiting to hear from #1.
The hiccup school would have to pull something pretty spectacular at this point to merit a visit.
Thank you bjkmom for this thread. I can’t tell you how demoralizing it is to read through the majority of threads on this site. My oldest daughter, a senior, is an amazing kid. She also doesn’t test well. Never has, never will. Timed tests, especially in math, are death. She is a slow processor and 60 minutes or whatever the given time frame, is just not enough. She’s taken the ACT 3 times. 21 each time. She’s had tutoring and ACT prep courses and all that and still, a 21. After a truly disastrous sophomore year, her grades are in now the 3.2-3.4 range. She is thrilled that she falls within the midrange of accepted students at her #1 choice college. Hopefully they accept her. She will be devastated otherwise.
All this to say, she is young for her grade and has chosen to approach high school in the way it should be, IMO: figuring herself out, her likes/dislikes, etc. It used to be that kids had 4 years to grow up and learn about themselves before college. No more. Now you need to know what you want and have the grades to prove it by 10th grade. She likes dance and creative writing and surprise, physics and AP psychology. I’ve long since given up the desire to “helicopter” her grades. This is her journey and we will see where it takes her. There’s a college out there for many, many kids who are not slaves to grades and academic perfection, kids who are taking a slower journey. And that’s okay. You wouldn’t know it on this website though. 
@anelmi thanks for sharing your post. I posted a few above you and mentioned my daughter’s horrible sat/act scores. She took both three times each and scored a 19, 20, 19 on the act. Her sat superscore was 1490. I felt horrible reading some of the comments here where students had “bad” scores but scores 400-500 points higher than my daughters “best” efforts.
Test optional schools have been a life saver. But before we found some test optional schools that fit our bill we had to seriously look at some of the schools mentioned in this thread. Besides Becker College where my daughter was accepted she got into Suffolk University in Boston. But her top schools which gpa, academics, ec, rigor or schedule, volunteering, etc she was a fit for out right rejected her. In the same week. That was our eye opener.
My daughter too likes to dance and great for you to not helicopter her grades. Other parents in my daughter’s school aren’t so willing.
We haven’t looked at test optional schools, primarily bc I’m not sure there are any in my state (Colorado). From a financial perspective, we need to stay in-state to take advantage of cheaper tuition rates since I’m 99% confident she will not be getting any merit scholarships 
I thought maybe she should try the SAT since I’ve just recently come to find out that that test is better for the child who needs a longer processing time. ACT is pushed hard in Colorado and hardly anyone takes the SAT unless they are going to East Coast schools. I dunno. I guess we can see if her top school (Univ of Northern Colorado) wants her to try it again.
@Kitzka1 see the comment above…
When did applying for college become such a convoluted game? I mean…is it not possible that most kids will not peak in high school and will actually start to shine in college, if given the chance? Drives me crazy.
As for the helicoptering grades, she is my oldest. I was definitely a helicopter in the beginning. Largely in part because I was a straight A kid, got a prestigious academic scholarship and figured that anyone, with even a small bit of effort, could reproduce such results. Well guess what? Not her. My 3rd and youngest daughter? Definitely. But my oldest has things going for her that I never did as an academic superstar and thank goodness, I was finally able to see that there is more to a kid than their academic prowess.
1st time poster here. I saw this thread and thought I would give some B students in Georgia some hope. My daughter has a 3.2 GPA, 2AP, SAT M530 R600. I don’t remember writing. ACT25. She got accepted to the following schools.
Georgia State University(ED)
Georgia Southern University
Valdosta State University
University of West Georgia
University of North Georgia
Clayton State University(They have Regents’ Engineering Transfer Program for those of you that want to transfer to Georgia tech)
We chose to focus on instate schools because GA have the hope scholarship. Hope will cover 80% of the tuition. With Hope and the Fry Scholarship she will attend Georgia State University in the fall on a free ride.
@anelmi: Is your budget roughly cost of attendance at a Colorado Public (~25K)?
Merit is not absolute, but relative to the schools where your daughter is applying. She could well earn some scholarships if her ACT is in the median and her GPA/course rigor put her above. Obviously, test optional universities would only see her GPA/course rigor. 
Since you’re from Colorado, anywhere in the Midwest, South, and East means a boost (which translates into preferential packaging at some colleges).
RUn the NPCs but many of the colleges below would offer you a serious discount.
With a 21ACT and a 3.2-3.4, there are lots of possible colleges that may give her a scholarship:
Chatham, Judson, Meredith, Simmons, Salem, St Catherine’s, Augsburg, Hamline, Hiram (one of the “colleges that change lives”, solid pick for B students with EC/activity-based scholarships), perhaps even Ohio Wesleyan if she applies test optional, Elizabethtown (test optional, excellent odds of scholarship), Elmhurst, Millikin, Flagler, Lynn, Guilford, UMW, Longwood, Virginia Wesleyan, Richard Bland (residential 2-year college that allows students to transfer into excellent public universities such as William&Mary or Virginia Tech), Lagrange, Muskingum, Gannon, Capital, UToledo, The College of Idaho, Carroll-Montana, Nebraska Wesleyan, Blackburn, Manchester, Central College, Wartburg, Lindenwood, Texas Lutheran, St Edward’s, Centenary of Louisiana, University of Mississippi for Women, Southern Mississippi, U Southern Maine, U Maine Farmington, U Maine Fort Kent (at all three, lower costs to start with and automatic scholarships to boot), Stevenson, Capitol (MD), Adrian, Molloy, Elmira…
There are tons of others but all of those are looking for students and many would likely be interested in a student with a B+ average (even if a 21 ACT). Run the NPC, check out scholarships (automatic in particular)
Apply to test optional schools, too - merit can be decided there, based on grades, recommendations, and essays.
I agree that many small, good less-elite privates will offer a B student - even with “meh” test scores - some big $$. I happen to be familiar with Roanoke College in Virginia - and the posted awards are quite good. http://www.roanoke.edu/admissions/scholarships_and_financial_aid/how_do_i_pay_for_college/merit-based_aid
@anelmi - Definitely try the SAT. I’m not really familiar with ACT, but looked at it and thought, “yikes!” The SAT has shorter sections, and for my S that was much better. Another thing I’ve noticed, in SAT vs ACT, is that when people discuss ACT they invariably post the composite; when discussing SAT, it seems to be just as much about individual scores. If your D tends to have an imbalance in strengths (my S is very weak in math) the SAT could play to her strengths. (S just got a merit scholarship offer – at, of all things, an OOS! – and trust me, no one just looking at his math would make that offer LOL. So don’t assume! You could end up being happily surprised. It cut the sticker tag to very close to in-state levels.)
Also, check out the Western Undergraduate Consortium. That brings down the price of a huge number of unis all across the Western states for residents of other Western states. http://wiche.edu/wue
And for test optional schools, it doesn’t matter if they’re in-state … that’s only an issue with public universities. Good list above ^ and definitely run the NPC and check out CTCL schools.
And good luck with UNC – as you said, she’s in range! It’s just all so nerve-wracking 
@MomOnALaptop, yeah I’ve checked on the WUE schools. Unfortunately, there are parameters with many of the schools, i.e. University of Arizona will only take xx major and Washington State U will only accept x, y and z majors. It’s a bit disappointing, really. And to be fair, she is no longer interested in actively pursuing OOS options. She realized that Colorado is a pretty damn cool place to be and she really doesn’t want to leave, lol.
I will definitely check out the SAT although if she has already applied, is it a moot point at this stage?
Oh, I thought she was a junior! Well, if she’s already applied, just cross your fingers If she had more time to prep, it could be worth it, though … and others who aren’t great test takers might find that SAT is better than ACT. Depends on the kid.
That’s too bad about WUE; didn’t realize it had so many restrictions. But yes, Colorado is a very cool place to be!
@anelmi , your daughter will find her school, where she’ll grow and shine.
I think, honestly, that the process is a lot simpler away from this site. I know that the Seniors I teach were a bit stressed in the fall, but not to the frantic level I see here. In school, in talking with the other moms at my son’s school, there’s a realization that there’s a lid for every pot. That kids have different growth rates and that some-- many-- won’t come into their own until college, and that’s OK.
Folks, just a reminder that College Confidential is a parallel universe where many believe that ending up at any school not in the [take your pick] Top 20/50 in the US News rankings means a life of utter despair and disrepute. (It’s kind of hysterical if you think about it. How many of your neighbors/family members/co-workers meet those high standards???)
Look, I love talking inside baseball as much as anybody, but let’s face it, the vast majority of those types of discussions have zero relevance to majority of Americans when, as of 2014, fewer than 66 percent of high school students were headed to college.
Also keep in mind that CC is populated with a huge contingent of international students and parents, who really slant the conversation in one direction. (Especially those coming from Asia, where prestige and rankings are a much more important factor in assuring future success.)
The AVERAGE SAT score in 2014 was 1497 (497/513/487).** Trust me, a lot of parents would LOVE to have kids with those average scores!
http://nyti.ms/1k1JtDS
*http://www.businessinsider.com/average-sat-score-2014-2014-10