<p>I've been looking at options for my daughter, a junior in high school with a mediocre GPA. My daughter is smart but does not have an academic work ethic to support the grades she would like or the grades required for a lot of the colleges she would like to attend. </p>
<p>All through elementary and middle school, she got by without studying, she did well with mostly As and a few Bs. In high school, she expected to do the same but she found out that didn't work. Unfortunately, without an established work-ethic no amount of parental guidance could change that. She's very social and in a lot of groups and clubs, which up until this year took precedence. Her GPA is 2.6 but she's done better this year with all As and Bs and one glaring exception in Yearbook...yes, Yearbook. She got an F this past quarter because she lost all of the data she had saved on a media card and had nothing to submit a day before the due date. I did try talking with the teacher but she wouldn't budge. By all rights, that data should have been backed up. It was a hard lesson to swallow especially since she had an A in that class last semester. We're hoping this next quarter will boost things a bit. </p>
<p>She hasn't taken her SAT or ACT yet but typically she scores in the high 90th % of all standardized tests. She's taking a class now and will take the ACT and SAT at the next date. She has taken many AP and Honors classes.</p>
<p>So, my academically inconsistent daughter is looking to colleges on the east coast. She would like to major in communications or theater, maybe broadcast journalism. We live in the mid-west. From my vantage point it doesn't look too hopeful but we're planning a trip out east over spring break and I'm trying to complete our list of colleges to visit.</p>
<p>Check the book "colleges that change lives" or the web site Colleges</a> That Change Lives for some ideas, if she can do all right on her standardized tests and perhaps bring that gpa closer to a 3. Most of these colleges are awesome, yet not too difficult to get into.</p>
<p>cecerra, If she's interested in journalism, I would look at journalism/ communications schools near a big city where she could get several internships. Maybe George Mason near DC for a communications major? It's a nice size, friendly kids, approachable teachers. Also, they're part of a consortium which would give her access to other colleges in the DC area if there's a particular course she wants to study. </p>
<p>Another option-- especially if she makes a strong showing on her SATs-- is Fordham in NY. There are lots of news organizations in NY and it would be easier to get exposure to different kinds of journalism (fashion, business, art, music, science-- not as focused on politics). </p>
<p>Two commuter schools come to mind if you happen to live in Miami or NYC-- FIU in Miami and CUNY in NY. </p>
<p>I assume the 2.6 GPA is unweighted or does your school not weight AP and honors classes? I find it hard to compare GPA's because of the weighting issue. While the common data set asks for GPAs on a 4.0 scale, the Virginia schools appear to be inputting weighted GPAs. For example, UVA lists the "average high school GPA for incoming freshman at 4.05%." Obviously, not a 4.0 scale. A 2.6 GPA would fall below the bottom 25% of the easier public schools in our state (Radford, Longwood, VCU). A popular safety in our area, the University of West Virginia, lists the bottom quartile as 3.00. Nevertheless, WVU accepts 91.6% of applicants and every student from our school who went there last year scored below 1000 on the SAT. George Mason, mentioned by an earlier poster, has a 25%/75% range of 3.20 to 3.70 with a median of 3.4 GPA.</p>
<p>The only way we have been able to judge GPA fit with confidence is by going through the book at the high school showing where students from our school have been accepted and rejected based on GPA. For example, Virginia Tech cuts off at about a 3.8 GPA at our high school with only a couple of exceptions. But this is because, with weighting a 3.6 GPA isn't even in the top 25% ofthe class. I know that may not help, but it is an issue to be aware of when looking at GPA.</p>
<p>How about Ithaca (Ithaca, NY) or Quinnipiac (Hamden, CT). If finances are not a big consideration, there are a lot of NE privates with good communication/theatre/journalism. If your daughter has great people skills, she'll be successful at many schools.</p>
<p>I know you said east coast but I thought I would mention one midwest possibility, the University of Missouri-Columbia. They have one of the top journalism programs in the country and their approach to admissions is such, that good test scores will overcome a lackluster gpa. </p>
<p>cecerra - It's probably too early to have ACT/SAT scores back. Perhaps your D's PSAT scores would give us a better idea of which colleges she might fit.</p>
<p>Most colleges recalculate applicants' gpas so that they can compare apples and apples, and most colleges tend to use only academic classes when recalculating, so the F in yearbook wouldn't count.</p>
<p>I think we need to be a little more aware of how a 2.6 GPA will be viewed by some of these suggested schools. From what I know...at both Ithaca and Quinnipiac, that GPA would not be viewed favorably (this based on admissions for the last few years for students we know).</p>
<p>I would say she should focus on maintaining a more solid GPA for the next three terms, hopefully showing a significant upper trend. If her standardized tests scores are higher, the upward trend will be helpful. </p>
<p>Does the OP's state have any state universities, or a state college system that this student could attend? For east coast schools that I personally know of where this GPA might not be an issue...Salve Regina in Newport RI, University of Hartford, York College (in PA). </p>
<p>But I wouldn't discount other schools...yet...as she does have time to bring up that GPA.</p>
<p>I agree that she has time to bring up the GPA if she takes it seriously starting now. Does she have some ideas of schools she's interested in and has she looked at the "stats" of the students who get admitted? She needs to light a fire under herself immediately if she wants certain options to be open to her.</p>
<p>Also, this student and family should (in my opinion) try to figure out WHY the grades are not commensurate with the possible standardized test scores...and perhaps do what they can to correct that situation.</p>
<p>cecerra, On second thought, I think thumper1 is right. I think you will find many schools that will take that gpa-- but the problem is you don't want her to fail out of colllege.</p>
<p>Agree with 2collegewego...if low grades are due to a lack of effort and motivation, and if there isn't going to be much change in the future--I'd go to the cheapest college I could find. The last thing you want is to have your child drop out of college and have it cost you $$$$--talk about a double whammy!</p>
<p>cecerra, I applaud you for starting this post. For the most part, the kids who post here on CC (and the parents who post on behalf of their kids), are NOT indicative of college students across the U.S. I think we chase a lot of people off with all the HYPS / top LAC, etc. discussion. Very few students in the U.S. are in this category. Since they are so focused, and because their parents tend to be much more involved in the process, I think that's why so many are here on this forum. I've heard the estimate that there are over 2400+ colleges in the U.S. and the vast majority can offer a very good education. Although your daughter will want to keep her grades up, and learn the skills to get her through learning at the university level, please don't get caught up in the uber-competitive aura here at CC.</p>
<p>I came to CC and got great advice and information for D1's college search last year....she fit the CC image of over-achiever, valedictorian, SAT scores, blah blah blah. CC was good to give me a reality check that she wasn't ALL that unique, when it came to the top schools. HOWEVER, when looking at the common data sets of MOST schools, it was always encouraging to see where she fit in with the rest of the student body there. Looking at where she fits in based on stats of previous freshman admits will be a great way for your D to approach college choices. For our family, D2 is very bright, and has good (but not stellar) grades. I am actually quite relieved not to be in the uber-competitive queue with her, in terms of college apps for this fall. Been there, done that. I expect her college search/apps will be much less stressful, but I know she'll end up at a school that is right for her. Good luck!!!</p>
<p>One thing you may want to consider: With a weak work ethic and poor grades, why would she be in AP's and Honors? I don't think there is any benefit to advanced classes in your particular college search if she cannot consistently earn B's.....Why does her HS allow her into these classes with her grades and work ethic? High standardized test scores will not be more important than GPA; figure out how she can get that up (with the appropriate level of courses) and she'll be in much better shape....</p>
<p>I didn't mean to suggest that this kid is not bright, she is. There is no way she would stand for failing out of college. Part of her problem is she does too much. She's the captain of her dance team; she spends a great deal of time on projects and other forms for displaying her intellect. She works very hard at some things; she's not a slacker at all. This kid has a memory for words like no other. She's likely spread too thin and has a problem with priorities. She also is probably depressed because she is realizing that her options are limited. Yes, I have worked to get her help.</p>
<p>I tried several times to get her to take lower level classes but she would have none of it. As I said, she coasted through her early years with high grades. She tested out of her first year of high school science. I've never told my daughter this, but she reminds me of me in high school. In my early high school years I was more interested in my friends and social life than school. That continued into my early college years. I ended up graduating from a small and respected liberal arts college with a 3.75 GPA. </p>
<p>Astrophysicsmom--- thanks for reminder. I just want a good fit, where teachers will challenge this inquisitive young woman. I also hope she settles into an environment where she is able to contribute and learn from as she moves into her adult life. </p>
<p>It might be worth looking at the possibility of LD. Nothing like that ever showed up early on. She would always be doing well above grade level work and was in the gifted-talented program. </p>
<p>I'm sure some parents wonder why I would let this happen. Shouldn't I forbid her from dancing or engaging in other activities if her grades aren't up to her ability? That might be, but she loves to dance and has been able to help others through her leadership. </p>
<p>If my daughter doesn't get into a respectable college, she plans to study abroad for a year and continue to work on her grades.</p>
<p>Had a student, D's friend, who is probably one of the most brilliant kids I ever met, and he almost failed my class! Am friends with the parents, and believe me, we were all ready to strangle him. Low GPA, but brilliant. Asked me to write a rec for him to Lake Forest College. After my letter arrived, they told him they would not reject or accept him until they saw his first semester grades. He brought them up, and he is there now, doing brilliantly. A properly drafted letter explaining the child's brilliance and expectations to shine when outside the constraints of a HS setting will do wonders. Is there a teacher he is close to that could do this for her? That said, Lake Forest might give her a chance.</p>
<p>"... she reminds me of me in high school. In my early high school years I was more interested in my friends and social life than school. That continued into my early college years. I ended up graduating from a small and respected liberal arts college with a 3.75 GPA."</p>
<p>cecerra - I think you have your answer. Better a school where a professor will contact a student who's missed a class, that a school where poor preparation is severely punished.</p>
<p>cecerra, I am sorry if in any way I offended you. I didn't think your daughter isn't bright. Honestly, there are many schools that will accept kids with those grades-- the most common probably being the satellite campus of your state college system. My concern was that if there is something interferring with her performance now, it may be worse when she goes away to school and doesn't have you to help her/ remind her/ etc.</p>