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He doesn’t need to be checked for ADHD because he has a GPA in the 80s.
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You misunderstood. His GPA has not been steadily in the 80s. He may end up with a cum GPA in the 80s simply because of extreme grades - both ways.
With an ACT 31, he’s scoring around the 96th percentile. When grades don’t match test scores in this fashion, and there is a lot of video games being played, that can suggest ADHD. Not 100%. A professional would have to evaluate and Dx.
As an aside, the mom was projecting a cum GPA that included senior year grades. That isn’t the right thing to do. Apps will go in during the fall, and no senior grades will be in yet. Then, there may be a mid-term transcript sent, but that is only 1 semester, which will get averaged in with the other 6 semesters, so not much to help bump.
There are a number of “good schools” that will accept him.
Does your high school offer students any way to retake classes and replace their low grades with higher ones? I am on the east coast so I can’t help much with school options but I wonder if there is anything he can do to tidy up his messy transcript?
I was thinking of LBad96 too!
I think his list would be very good for you son, too, although he’s on the East Coast.
Based on the info you gave, I’d also check out Willamette, Pacific Lutheran, Linfield, Lewis&Clark, USeattle (Jesuit), UPortland, perhaps even Whitman.
A discussion with his HS guidance counselor is needed. HE needs to see that person- alone. You also need a separate appointment to discuss your child. The GC should know area colleges and which may take him. Also- the fact that he had one very bad semester is much different than similar grades all semesters. His junior year is the last one colleges will see on his fall applications- this year counts much more than others.
It sounds like he is currently on track with his abilities. He may have material not learned that influenced this year’s grades??- ie he needs to catch up with his knowledge base.
It is possible to have learning disabilities, ADHD and giftedness combined- so these can’t be ruled out just by gpa’s.
Now that he has matured into better grades he may be ready for a better school than the total years’ gpa indicates. His GC should be helpful in finding out how your area colleges treat students who improve vastly or have one horrible semester.
Community colleges vary so much from state to state. I would hate to see him with a group of more average students now that he has his act together. He could be understimulated and underperform.
What are your son’s ideas about college? Is he enthusiastic? Discouraged? Again, meeting with his GC is important for planning.
Thanks for the suggestion to have separate meetings with the GC. I think i will do that next week.
He wants to go to college but he hasn’t spent much time looking at any yet. He is voluntarily taking an SAT prep course, thinking about essays etc. He knows the mismatch will be troublesome but possibly doesn’t have a
realistic understanding of how problematic it might be.
We are not limited to the PNW. Suggestions for other areas are welcome, except for places that are really hot.
Consider Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. Very good option for a B student although I don’t know how much merit the school would offer. It has general engineering and computer science as well as a host of other majors.
He would probably be better served by doing something with his spare time besides taking an SAT prep class. His ACT scores are good enough and he can be done with testing IF the ACT included the writing section. If it didn’t, he can retake the ACT and add the writing test without much further test prep.
He has six months to spend his time on developing an EC before the first application due dates. If he finds some meaningful volunteer work, he’ll have something to put on his application, something to write about in his essays and an added bonus of limiting his game time. An RA told me he saw more gamers flunk out of college than drinkers. Most of the drinkers worked hard during the week and partied on the weekend. Gamers played everyday.
