Colleges for smart kid with so/so grades and few extracurriculars?

College Search & Selection
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I wouldn’t call myself a complete underachiever, but I definitely do less well than I could. This is mostly because I don’t want to “play the game” of getting into an elite school. For a number of reasons, I consider my highest priority to focus on learning, getting decent grades, and enjoying high school–not getting perfect grades and impressing everyone.

My average is about a 93; I think my GPA is 3.8, as of now (I’m a junior). I can write pretty well, though not fantastically, have won a couple of minor awards (best in school for AMC 10, scholastic awards silver key for writing). I have essentially no “passion”. I play in the orchestra, jazz band, wind ensemble, and my own band outside of school; I sing in chorus; I’m on math team and volunteer to coach the middle schoolers about once a week. Recently I started volunteering for homework help at the library, which is another hour or so every week. This is just this year–last year and the year before that things were very scattered because I went to a private school that essentially had mandatory extracurriculars. None of them were interesting to me, so I had very little time to do things I actually might have enjoyed. I haven’t taken the SAT yet but my PSAT is 1500 (I barely studied for it).

Furthermore, my schedule this year involves only three academic classes: AP Physics 1&2, AP English, and regular American history. Four of you count AP Music Theory. Then the rest of my schedule is almost entirely filled with electives (orchestra etc.) Before you ask, I don’t like music too much. I do it because my friends do it. I used to like it a lot but it doesn’t interest me much any more, so I stick too it out of social necessity and desperate hope. My schedule is slated to look very similar next year, with only three academic classes, all of them APs.

I should had that I would have taken a language, but they don’t offer the language I took at my old school at my new school, and I don’t feel like starting over.

I’m really nervous about applying to college. Mainly because I have no “passion”, don’t do much, and my schedule is really not very rigorous. Does anyone have advice on where I can apply that isn’t a completely crappy school, that has bright, laid-back kids who aren’t all totally focused on becoming billionaires or getting famous? I prefer medium sized schools, but I’ll happily take any suggestions you might have.

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You should have many options. Do you know your approximate class rank? If you’re in the top 10%, then few colleges are completely out of reach. If your rank is lower, then a larger number of colleges become reaches (or possibly out of reach), but you’ll still have many options outside the “elite” schools. Have you looked up the admission requirements for public colleges in your state?

Does your HS have access to Naviance? If so, you can look up where students with similar GPAs and scores have been accepted.

What about your budget?
Have you run the online net price calculators for any colleges that interest you, and if so, have you discussed the “Estimated Family Contribution” with your parents? How much can they afford to pay?

3

You don’t have any math class this year? How many years of foreign language? I think that’s where you may run into trouble.

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I don’t know your financial situation, but LAC’s pop to mind: kenyon, macalaster, bates, bryn mawr, schools where the classroom experience is valued and where you can still do your music with your friends for fun.

5

Clark u. in Massachusetts is a school that offers a heck of an education for other-than-perfect students.

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A few comments:

–You should have many choices.

–Talk to your parents about any limitations they have (financial, geographic, anything else) on your college choices.

–I’d suggest you get your hands on some good college guide books (ex. Fiske, Princeton Review) which can probably be found at the guidance dept. or library.

–I’m a little concerned about just taking 3 academic subjects – you should look at the recommended/required HS classes for some colleges you are interested in and be sure you have those classes. It could be a problem if your schedule falls short in academic areas so you may need to readjust.

–A couple of ideas offhand might be Tulane, Lehigh, UMiami

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What level in a language did you get to?

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Sorry I forgot to add that–I got to Latin II. I got very good grades and would have been an obvious candidate for accelerated, which would have put me at Latin III or Latin II and a half, at least, but naturally in my old school Latin was the only language that did not have an accelerated program (because until recently very few kids took it).

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The lack of language when a language is offered, even if it is not Latin, is concerning to me. You need to check out a lot of colleges admissions sites to see if that will disadvantage you.

read through this http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1802227-faq-foreign-language-p1.html

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Forgot to add-
Do you have plans yet for the summer? Could you take a language at at community college, the program Middlebury College runs, or an immersive camp such as Concordia Language Villages?

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Or you could start a new language and have your guidance counselor note in his/her recommendation that you could not continue with Latin which you started at your old HS since it is not offered at your current HS so your only choice within the new HS was to start over.

12

So along with the language issue is the math issue. Are you taking a math class?

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I just want to let you know that I have a teen daughter and most of her friends don’t have a “passion” from what I can tell. Many teens are bogged down wiith hw and they do activities that they think will get them into colleges. When they are not doing those things they are mainly focused on finding a boyfriend/girlfriend, going to parties and just socializing in general. There are many kids who have these deep, burning passions, but I don’t think the majority do. I guess many have activities/sports/ interests that they really enjoy, but I’m just not seeing the passion stuff that we hear so much about. Some people discover their passions later on and some never do. You seem like a bright and interesting person. I think you will do well. I just suggest you add more rigor to your schedule. Based on your stats, you can handle more rigor.

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To answer all of your questions: I’m taking math next year (Calc BC). The only reason I did not take math this year was because I opted a study hall (which I really needed) because the class wasn’t very difficult and took a solid half-hour of homework time out of my day every day (I dropped the class after the first few weeks of school). Because I was accelerated a year ahead in middle school, I’ll still be taking Calc senior year, which is what roughly 20% of the class does (the rest take precalc senior year).

It’s similar with physics; I decided to skip honors physics because it was too easy for me, and am now taking a class that is usually taken by seniors.

I feel bad because I definitely can handle more rigor, and would probably enjoy a language and/or science class next year. I like both languages and science. But at my old school there was very little room in your schedule for fun electives, and I feel like I missed out. Currently I’m taking several music classes and a couple of film classes next year, and my schedule is full. If I could add an extra period to the day to take Spanish or engineering or something, I totally would. I’m not sure if colleges will take this as a “reasonable” explanation for the lack of rigor. I’ve tried to continue learning Latin on my own but don’t really have the self discipline.

@citymama9 I really appreciate this. I think you’re absolutely right. It’s hard for me sometimes because I pretty much have no interests whatsoever, and all of my friends are extremely"passionate" about something (if not several things), and in my school, the only kids who really don’t have a “passion” are less intelligent kids (even though many of the less intelligent kids actually do have a “passion” that they excel at). But every time I hear someone say most kids don’t care about anything, it makes me feel a little better :slight_smile:

15

Hi @darnsocks,

It seems your schedule is a little lopsided, in terms of what your interests are. Can you drop even one of your music classes for next year and take a language or science class instead? Maybe you would develop a passion (or at least a strong interest) if you could do more of what you like instead of having your energy sapped by things you don’t.

I second the idea of taking a summer language course if you can at a CC or an away-program…Either in Latin or Spanish/French. I think that any romance language…especially the first couple of years… would be extremely easy for you because of your Latin background. Honestly, I think it would be optimal if you could do a summer course in both Latin III and Spanish I (beginning Spanish should be super-easy for you. ) That would put you into position to take Spanish II during your senior year of high school. I think that would put you ahead of the game for college admissions. I do think most reasonably strong colleges expect at least three years in a language (and I think you would be bored in an unchallenging school.) If the Latin III is not possible, then taking two years of Spanish or French would at least demonstrate that you enrolled in what was possible for you, given your circumstances.

My daughter is someone who I would describe as having interests (and is an interesting person and good friend) but no strong passions, so far. As a person who does have passions, but developed them later in life, I often think the concept is overdone in college recruiting. The world needs people of all stripes…including (and perhaps especially) stable, balanced people who also happen to be intelligent and reasonably hard-working but sensible enough not to go to extremes. To my mind, moderation and a lack of obsessiveness can be a sign of good health!

What are you thinking of studying in college…in what region of the U.S ? Large, medium or small school…urban, rural, etc? Need financial need-based or merid aid? This would help us to suggest particular schools…

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I think it is really hard to change high schools like you have. I get that you want to stick with the music because that is where you have found friends. It is entirely valid.

The BC calc is good.

Consider doing something to mitigate the language issue. At this point that is the only weakness. I’d hate for you to close off colleges that are strong enough academically for you.

What courses in high school have you enjoyed? History, economics, math, chemistry?

As regards to colleges for students who want balance in their lives, look towards colleges in the Midwest or west or the Colleges That Change Lives colleges.

Have you had a chance to tour any colleges near you in order to start identifying types of colleges or features that you enjoy? I had my kids tour a college that they were not interested in so they could learn how a tour goes, what kinds of questions people ask, etc.

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@inthegarden That’s why I left my old school. However, for whatever reason there’s nothing I like anymore. So I cant stop doing things that sap my energy in order to do things I enjoy because there isn’t anything I enjoy. That’s part of why I’m having so much trouble. If there was something I really liked to do, I’d do it, and I don’t think I would have so much of a problem getting into college.

That CC thing looks really fun, my only issue is that there’s an excellent-looking creative writing class I’m already planning on taking over the summer. I haven’t sent in my application yet so there’s no reason I can’t change my mind, but I’m always wary of doing things only for the sake of college.

@“Snowball City” I haven’t really enjoyed any courses since middle school. I liked Latin in freshman year and English in sophomore year, but in both cases it was because the teacher was good and paid lots of attention to me because I was the only smart kid in the class (there was no honors English section for underclassmen at my old school). So I have no idea what I want to study. It probably sounds like I shouldn’t go to college at all, but I want to because I’ve always liked learning and I’m sure I’ll wake up some morning and like it again. Plus I’m lucky enough to have a very sizeable college fund even though my family is middle class because we’ve had some wealthier relatives. I don’t want to take a gap year because I wouldn’t want to be stuck with people a year younger than me, and I kind of want to move on with my life. It’s unlikely my parents will permit my going to community college (if I was going to disobey them I’d need to become financially self-sufficient, which I think is pretty hard as a teenager without a college degree and without any starting money).

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@darnsocks, if creative writing appeals to you then that’s a very good thing! Anything that truly piques your interest is important. Would it be too much to do an online language course over the summer as well ?..(an actual course to keep you working at it :wink: You seem very competent, with the ability to handle it, unless, of course, the creative writing class is intense. )

Sounds as if a small liberal arts college with strong teaching and lots of interactions with professors may be ideal for you, since that’s the common denominator for the classes you have liked.

I strongly suggest you check out St. John’s College (not Catholic) of Annapolis, MD and Santa Fe, NM. Very unique school with tiny seminar classes and strong interaction with professors…and emphasis on Greek, Latin and a Great Books of Western Civilization curriculum (and yes, that includes science.) I have known students who have loved it (but it’s not for everyone! Not if you want to pursue engineering, for example.)

If you take to creative writing, Kenyon College is notable for this, but also very selective. Check out the College of Wooster, Denison, Muhlenburg, Lafayette, Dickinson, Skidmore, Ithaca and Ursinus as well (for no particular reason, except that they seem to be nice, selective LACs for smart kids, that are not impossible to get into.)

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If you are at all introverted, remember that school is a 7 hour group activity. One of my kids just need to come home and have quiet time. Roughly about your age school became something she endured. She focussed her energy on her outside activities that we had to drive to and summer. She was a different person when around people who were interested in what she was interested in.

How long does the summer writing program last? If it is short would you like to add in another?

Here is another summer program you may be interested in. Applications close April 1st
https://iwp.uiowa.edu/programs/between-the-lines/2017-between-the-lines

You could email and ask if this program is still open https://www.rhodes.edu/departments/english/summer-writing-institute

Here is a program that combines language study with global issues. https://apps.carleton.edu/summer/lgii/

Don’t think of doing this just for the sake of college. Think of it as doing it for yourself so that you will have options for going to college where you are not the only smart one in the class.