<p>^^I have no doubt that he could do C+ work in college and varsity sports even if he doesn’t increase his output. He’s already doing more conditioning and practice than most college athletes.</p>
<p>The most optimistic outcome from an academic point of view is that he decides that he really would like to learn more about health and fitness and it occurs to him that one way to do that is to take courses at a university, in which case he could be a phys ed teacher, a physical therapist, actually anything in health care.</p>
<p>“I have no doubt that he could do C+ work in college and varsity sports even if he doesn’t increase his output. He’s already doing more conditioning and practice than most college athletes.”</p>
<p>Your son’s having very high scores indicates he could be on Dean’s List even while pursuing varsity sports. Based on his gpa, however, he doesn’t appear to have the motivation, maturity, and work ethic to do well in college yet. My high scoring, low gpa (still not as low as your son’s gpa) son flunked out of college for not bothering to go to class, do assignments or show up for tests even though the classes themselves would have been very easy for him. For instance, he flunked an honors English class that had some of the same assignments and books he had had in AP English.</p>
<p>I strongly suggest that you tell your son that for you to help pay for his college education, he’ll have to earn a minimum “B” average throughout senior year, and will have to take sole responsibility for his college apps except for paying the fees involved and doing paperwork for financial aid. If he can do this, he would be indicating he’s ready for college. I also suggest requiring him to obtain at least a 3.0 each semester in college.</p>
<p>Your son is capable. An upward trend in grades can help in admissions. If he chooses to earn grades to be on a college prep level, he needs to pick up the pace. That’s on him. If he continues with his current grades, 70, you may find someone to give him a chance…however as a parent I would not advise it.</p>
<p>He needs to choose success. Being bored is not an excuse. Being at a tough school may explain an 87, not a 70. If he continues to achieve at the same level I would recommend community college. Many state schools have an auto admit from community colleges with an associates degree with a minimum gpa of 3.0. I would not put $25k on the line to see if he would sink or swim. Putting a student in that environment, expecting them to show maturity they never have, and excel in academics when they have not previously, you are setting them up to fail. Sending them to community college, they can excel and build up to university if they choose. If they don’t do as well it is much easier to regroup, and you are not $25k in the hole.</p>
<p>Toss it in his court. Let him know if he wants to go, he’ll have to show the willingness to succeed NOW.</p>
<p>Your son reminds me of my best friend’s brother. He’s incredibly capable of doing well (as evidenced by his scores), but lacks motivation. He’d rather play sports. </p>
<p>I think a community college is actually a pretty good idea. I know some people who slacked off and really wasted academic opportunities in high school. After a year or two at cc, they were much better prepared to handle college-and they got the same degree as everyone who’d been there for four years.</p>
<p>@Northstarmom: Thanks for the input. I already took your advice and told him that our paying for college is contingent on him getting better grades this year.</p>
<p>For those who suggested cc instead of a 4 year college, I’m wondering if you see any difference between a fourth tier SUNY (Oneonta, Cortland, Oswego) and a cc.</p>
<p>Bird Rock, I’m not a New Yorker, and not familiar with the various SUNYs, but if I were to guess at the differences, I’d start with cost and distractions. I strongly suspect that there’s more to lure a not-very-academic freshman away from the books at a mostly residential SUNY than at a mostly commuter cc.</p>
<p>I suggested community college if he didn’t pick up the pace in his last two years of high school. If he does not have the desire to do well now, there is a chance he will not have the discipline to do it in college. Thinking the effort to earn 70’s your Sr year will not magically change three months later as a college Freshman. He needs to earn the right for that $25k/year education. That starts by showing you he is serious about school and putting in the extra effort these last two years of hs.
What do I think the difference is between cc and a forth tier SUNY? $20k/year. Do well at cc and he has earned the right to go to a four year university.
JMHO… And yes, we did this with one of our students…who had an 80.</p>
Actually, Oneonta is listed this year with COA about $16200 (with room and board), and ECC maybe $4000 with fees for a commuter. OP - do you live close enough to CC for S to commute, or would he need housing someplace? I still feel that we have no idea where S is in all this, aside from being potentially an athlete, and not much of a studier. He likes to do what? What’s he good at?</p>
<p>Depending upon how good an athlete the OP’s son is, and what sport he is considering playing in college, I wouldn’t rule out either Geneseo or Binghamton.</p>
<p>I worked with a classic underachiever last fall. He was a high DIII-level athlete in a non-revenue sport, with a 2.8 average. His academic trend was downward. Junior year included a D and F in core subjects. He had also dropped out of an all-honors track so his poor grades came in basic (Regents) classes he should have mastered easily if he had put any effort into them. This young man’s SAT score for M+CR was in the 1300 range.</p>
<p>Under family and peer pressure he applied to a half-dozen private schools he had no chance of being admitted to but he was accepted at a Top 60 LAC and SUNY Geneseo (which he is now attending). He was waitlisted at DI Binghamton.</p>
<p>Athletics and a decent SAT score, along with a commitment to live up to his academic potential senior year, helped him overcome a very inconsistent high school academic career. </p>
<p>I think that last point is key – he owned up to the fact that he had screwed up in the classroom by not completing homework assignments and by not studying for tests and began applying himself. One of his great fears was ending up at the local CC’s with most of the same slackers he had allowed himself to become entangled with as a soph and junior. (In this area at least, that is one of the things that seperates the CC from the 4-year SUNY)</p>
<p>Anyway, your son appears to have the ability, if he wants to put the work in, to dramatically improve his performance in school and expand his college options.</p>
<p>I am thinking that some of the schools profiled in the “Colleges that Change Lives” might be a good fit. But I also agree with all the advice to set clear performance expectations if you are going to be footing the bill.</p>
Actually he’s good at almost everything with the exception of school work that he doesn’t like, especially math, science and foreign language. Outside of school he’s a hard worker, a great salesman, very likable, and as I mentioned, a very good athlete. I’m not sure if this adds much to the discussion, but since you asked…</p>
<p>BTW, we decided that since the schools are closed on Friday we’ll be taking him on a tour of a top school within driving distance. And he’ll meet the coach (if allowed, it may be a recruiting violation for them to talk) and team he’s interested in. Then we’ll step back and see what happens.</p>
<p>BTW, I should mention that he met a lot of college athletes this summer, some from a top 20 school and some from some fourth tier schools, and he’s mentioned several times how much he liked the guys from the top school and how much contempt he has for the guys from lesser schools. So let’s see if that translates into any action the next ten months.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think that you are setting your sights way too low. While gpa is one of the most important things to get into college, everything Ive seen in our admission experience indicates that the scores are just as important for athletes. What colleges do is present an average SAT scores for a specific team on their reports. So a high score is a major plus on the team, and why some schools have walk-ons that never play b/c they bring up that average. If he is on a cusp of being a recruited athlete, then he is entering a completely different applicant pool from everyone else. While with barely passing grades, he is probably not looking at Amherst or Williams, you really shouldnt rule anything high out.</p>
<p>^^Thanks, that’s extremely useful information to have. One of his teammates from last year is now on the roster for a top Divison I team (which we were pleasantly surprised at, since my son as a sophomore was as good as this kid was as a senior), and I’m wondering how much his SATs are a part of it. We’ll definitely contact him and get a sense of whether he expects to start or sit on the bench for the next few years.</p>