Chance My Son, Please

<p>Son is a junior in excellent public (MA) high school - white male.
He has a 4.7 weighted GPA - have no idea how this translates to the 4.0 scale but he is a solid B student, having taken 3/4 of his classes at the Advanced level and will take 3 APs next year (Bio, Stats, Latin). President of Latin Club; varsity golf and crew; few other clubs at school. He has done a little volunteering throughout high school.</p>

<p>SATs: 700M, 620CR, 520W -- will take again in June.</p>

<p>Also, not applying for financial aid. By the way, what are your thoughts as to if this even matters??</p>

<p>I'd really appreciate your giving me your honest opinion -- thank you!!</p>

<p>He appears to be an easy in, but of course, nothing is for certain, ever. I would say if he brings up the SAT scores he is a shoo-in for sure.....</p>

<p>Easy in? What in the world are you talking about, BandNerd?</p>

<p>I was just waitlisted with a 95 weighted GPA and a 680 Math, 620 Critical Reading and 630 Writing (1300/1930). Excellent ECs and recs too. Solid essay.</p>

<p>MyOneAndOnly, I'd say your son has a good shot at Villanova, but by no means is he an "easy in."</p>

<p>You are right, Freestyla! I saw the 4.7 GPA....how a "B" student has a 4.7, I have no idea! I retract the "easy in"....sorry, myoneandonly.....although, Nova does seem to like varsity sports players, if they are good.....I do apologize!!</p>

<p>I am a straight A student with a 4.6W(I have taken everything AP at my school)....how can that be?</p>

<p>Katifromkaty: Our school GPAs are based like this: 7.0 (A in AP), 6.0 (B in AP, 5.0 (C in AP), etc. Advanced levels are: 6.0 (A), 5.0(B), 4.0(C). Regular College Prep Levels are: 5.0 (A), 4.0(B), 3.0(C). So, we're on a 7.0 basis, so my son's 4.7GPA is in the B range. </p>

<p>How did Villanova get so difficult to get into? Kids with over 1300s are getting waitlisted???</p>

<p>A lot more students have been applying and they're each applying to more schools. This year has been the largest in terms of applicants and next year is supposed to be larger. So the schools that one may think are easier to get into, have gotten more competitive.</p>

<p>So, your son is 4.7 out of 7.0? That makes a BIG difference than just saying 4.7. I think most schools are on a 5.0 weighted. Also, I think most schools look at the UW GPAs, or recalculate their own.</p>

<p>your son has a pretty good shot as long as he can do well in the APs next year and pick up his SATs by about 50 pts cumulative i'd say...i just found out today i got in, but i got 1450/1600 on SATs and had more activities than ur son seems to have, but he does have varsity sports over me since i never made a varsity team</p>

<p>You don't talk about class rank...is he in the top 10%?</p>

<p>you have a 3.13
i think villanova is a reach for you</p>

<p>KatifromKaty: I said in my initial post that my son's 4.7 was WEIGHTED. It is on a 6.0 scale and is a solid B. You really seem to be in an unpleasant state of mind at present. What kind of school do you attend if, like you state, you're getting all A's and only have a 4.6 gpa?? Doesn't jive. You seem to be a bit bent and neurotic about the whole process and should probably relax a little.</p>

<p>MRocKEd: How did you figure out that his gpa on a "normal" scale would be a 3.13??? Enlighten me, please!</p>

<p>MRocKEd: How did you figure out that his GPA on a "normal" scale would be a 3.13??? Enlighten me, please! Clearly, not a math major!</p>

<p>I think it's a reach school also. GPA is on the low side especially if the classes were advanced and not AP. You also have to remember that he's a junior and when he applies to colleges in the fall of 2008, the transcript that will be used by the colleges to be evaluated will consist of grades 9-11. Of course it's important maintain an academically challenging senior year and a good senior year gpa but his acceptance will be based on his gpa through 11th grade. You must also consider the fact that at top tier schools, he probably won't get much merit aid (if any) based on his current stats. He'll definitely get into colleges. Just make sure you choose wisely when applying. Get his match and safety college applications out early action in the fall so he'll have a decent list of choices in the end. Send out a couple of reaches, a few matches, and a couple of safeties. Be realistic with the safeties because I've heard of kids not getting into their safeties because they assumed they were a shoe-in. Truth is, the competition is incredible.</p>

<p>Thanks for the info -- his school didn't offer any APs until senior year, when he'll be taking three. Will the fact that we're not applying for any aid have any influence in Nova's decision? Just curious. I thought a B average was fairly decent -- how come all these non-Ivy, 2nd and 3rd tier schools are looking for more B+ to A- GPAs -- things must be much tougher than I thought out there!</p>

<p>Any suggestions in the NE/Mid-Atlantic Region as to what might be more of a match for him?? Interested in majoring in Classics, possibly with a minor in Business.</p>

<p>Thanks so much.</p>

<p>well his gpa is 4.7 out of 6
to find it out of 4 you do this:
4.7/6=x/4
solve for x and you get 3.13</p>

<p>Yeah it's def a reach. You need about a 92 avg. at the least now to get in.</p>

<p>Jeez. If you need a 92 avg. at a school like Villanova, no offense, what do you need at an ND/GTown or the Ivies??? So glad I graduated from college in '85 - those were the days, my friends! You really are telling me that every kid walking around the Nova campus was an A student in h.s.? Seriously???</p>

<p>Thanks MRockEd -- you really clarified things for me. Now I know (unfortunately) that he's a 3.13 -- doesn't look too promising. Community college??!</p>