Colleges for a mediocre student?

College Search & Selection
21

In terms of the schools you’ve applied to: Hunter is a reach for you, as is Baruch, as is Stony Brook. You may get in, or you may not, so it’s good to have some backups there. I like you for St. John’s. I don’t know the other two.

If your parents are divorced, middle class, and the only conversation you/they have had re: funding college is that they’ll figure it out somehow, and you’re from NY State, then I strongly suggest that you include at least one additional SUNY on your list. If your custodial parent earns less than about $100k/year, you’ll get free tuition via the Empire Scholarship program, and even if they do not, the SUNYs can be a bargain, as you get the lower, in-state rate on tuition. You want to apply to a SUNY as a financial backup, should financial aid at the other schools not turn out as it needs to. And I’d like it to be a SUNY (or CUNY) that isn’t a reach for you, as well as perhaps a second one that you’re pretty sure you’ll get into. So for example, a fit might be, for example, New Paltz. One I’m feeling quite strong you’d get into is, for example, Plattsburgh.

Look at some of the with a good number of students who live on campus, so that you feel comfortable and it’s easier to make friends. Some SUNYs that are academically strong, and which you have a shot at with your stats include (I’m including some of the big ones in case you’re interested): Albany, New Paltz, Cortland, Fredonia, Oneonta, Oswego, Purchase, Plattsburgh, and SUNY the University at Buffalo. You may get merit aid at Plattsburgh. For CUNYs, look at Brooklyn College, Lehman, City College, and Queens.

Colleges in the region of the country that you like, and which you have a good shot at getting into based on your stats, and that I think you might like, and which I haven’t already mentioned, include: The College of New Jersey (bit of a reach), Ramapo College of New Jersey, the New School, Manhattan College, Champlain College, Quinnipiac U, U New Hampshire, Emmanuel College, Lesley U, U Maine, UMass Dartmouth, Marymount Manhattan, College of Mount Saint Mary (NY), Marist (tiny reach)… so you can see, you have a lot of options.

22

I like the New Paltz recommendation. It’s very bucolic and reminiscent of some of Pennsylvania. Very crunchy town.

23

Thirding (?) Marist. I was accepted, but with spring admission. I had a 3.3 GPA and lower SAT scores (I applied test optional).

However, they expected us to pay full price (which is double my family’s income!) Personally, I think the SUNYs are a great deal.

24

New Paltz is getting to be more competitive. I’d apply to one of the other SUNYs too. Do you qualify for the Excelsior Scholarship?

25

SUNY-Geneseo, Allegheny College & Elizabethtown.

26

Quirky makes me think of Bard and also Sarah Lawrence. Any interest there?
SUNY Purchase is pretty quirky and SUNY New Paltz was when I was there, but it feels like it got very picky lately.

Good luck!

27

We talk a lot about those types of schools here: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1995005-time-for-another-thread-for-b-and-c-students-p1.html

28

@mkisaac: Although quirky could apply to Sarah Lawrence & Bard students, my first thought about both of those schools is expensive & need every tuition dollar that they can get.

29

First and foremost you are not mediocre! You are a solid strong student who will have many many options.

Second, feel free to stop by this thread and see results from this year for kids in the 3.0-3.4 range with links to the 2017 class results as well.

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/2018547-parents-of-the-hs-class-of-2019-3-0-to-3-4-gpa.html#latest

My S17 son had similar stats, received acceptances and merit from several already mentioned. I’d agree with Allegheny in particular. Ursinus as well though they will not be as generous with $$.

Have the money talk with your parents. It’s hard but just saying they will cover it evenly may or may not mean they will cover it no matter the total cost and that total can vary a lot!

30

Since you live in NY, you should broaden your SUNY search. While your stats may not get you into Stony Brook, Binghamton or Geneseo, there are 61 other 2 and 4 year colleges. You may not get into Hunter, either. I suggest that you go to suny.edu, where you can do a search based on prospective major, the type of sports teams offered and the like. You can search by part of the state or by school size. If you indicate what majors or courses of study you are interested in, I could give you some suggestions. I did SUNY searches with all five of my own children.

31

Your stats are much better then what my daughter started with in college . At her first LAC she was on the dean’s list almost every semester. She got a talent merit there. But her grades were able to get her a $30,000 presidential scholarship at the LAC she transferred to as a junior. She now has all “As” and now talks to her professors if she gets an A- on something. She has to work really hard to achieve this but a lot of people blossom in college. I know I did. High school was sorta boring for me.

Also I tell my kids in college that it’s more important to “learn” in college vs just getting good grades.