<p>Son is a rising senior with a 3.0 G.P.A including a couple honors courses and an A.P class. He is in marching band and a couple of other ec's Son has after school job a great personality and tons of volunteer hours. We are looking for school in the northeast. Community college is out of the question sincce other two sons are attending ivy league.Our third son would not accept this as a possibility. I personally feel that cc would be best. I would appreciate any suggestions.</p>
<p>Have you checked fairtest.org? They have a list of SAT optional schools listed alphabetically and by state. I think the book "Colleges that change lives" also has some options for B students.</p>
<p>Has your son tried the ACT? Some kids do better on it. Do you think he needs to go to CC because he can't handle a 4 year college or because you think he would have few choices in 4 year colleges?</p>
<p>It is difficult to say whether son could handle a four year college. I think that I have lost perspective having two other sons being such high achievers. Third son is an absolute joy and has so many attributes that if applied in the right direction would lead to something wonderful. I'm just not sure if son has found his inner drive?</p>
<p>And there is something wrong with a B average?</p>
<p>The B average is not the problem the combination of the B and a very low S.A.T score is the problem.</p>
<p>How low is "very low?" Keep in mind that the national average hovers somewhere around 500 for each section of the test. But, even kids with SATs in the 400s still have college options out there for them. And, I personally have worked with kids with SATs even lower than that who have found a college home. </p>
<p>You may also want to see if he'd like to give the ACT a try. Some kids do much better on it.</p>
<p>I am talking about scores in the 1500 range for all three parts.</p>
<p>If your son's SAT score is in the 1500 range, then he is actually right at the national median for SAT scores. With a B average, he has plenty of college options!!! What is he looking for in terms of size, type of school, possible majors, etc.? I just sent you a PM by the way.</p>
<p>Google "Good Colleges for B students."</p>
<p>There are lots of good books and articles on this subject. </p>
<p>US News actually has a list of A+ options for B students. Some of the schools listed may be SAT optional.
<a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/articles/brief/06average_brief.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/articles/brief/06average_brief.php</a></p>
<p>Try these for a start: St. Lawrence, Hartwick, Juniata, McDaniel, Washington College, Clark, University of New Hampshire, University of Rhode Island, Ohio Wesleyan, Endicott, Assumption, Seton Hall, Washington & Jefferson, Ithaca College, DePaul University, Lake Forest College, University of Arizona, Arizona State, University of Alabama, Eckerd College (the last ones are not northeast, but trying to give you some ideas). But that's just a very tiny list of possibilities, there are many more out there - your son does NOT need to go to community college.</p>
<p>My other advice would be not to use this internet board as a gage of what is possible -- most of the kids/parents who post here also would consider a B average and 1500 SATs suitable only for community college, and I'm sure many will jump in and say that I am telling your son to reach too high -- but these are all schools that I've seen kids with your son's GPA/test scores get into recently. Use the resources that Sokkermom suggests -- and also get a hold of a book called Colleges that Change Lives, by Loren Pope. Do also sit down with his guidance counselor to get other ideas.</p>
<p>Some more ideas: Roger Williams, Sunys (not Bing/Geneseo), Hofstra, Manhattan College, Rowan, Montclair State, Susquehanna, Lycoming, Bloomsberg U, West Chester U, Kutztown U, Elizabethtown College, Fairleigh Dickinson (2 campus options), York College, Champlain College, George Mason U, Richard Sockton, Adelphi, Sacred Heart, Bryant College, UVM, and schools for B students that are SAT optional (see fair test website).</p>
<p>Some more: Pace, Drexel, La Salle.
I have seen some below B students (I realize that your son is a B student) get into U of Indiana (but I know that is not in the NE).</p>
<p>Look into Purdue, VERY easy to get into but has some nice rankings, especially business and engineering. But if he does not have an inner drive, thats probably not the best place.</p>
<p>Read "Colleges That Change Lives" by Loren Pope.</p>
<p>Purdue would be a reach. 500s would put the OP's son at or below the 25% for entrants and only 13% of entrants achieved below a 3.0 (55% are in the 3.5+ range). Many other colleges listed earlier are good options.</p>
<p>Thanks for the wonderful information. It was especially helpful to hear the possibilities. Thankyou for the private messages as well. I have felt so inadequate in helping son #3. It has been extremely difficult to switch gears from the ivy league mentality to finding a college that would accept son and son would be happy with. Much thanks to all who have responded and PLEASE CONTINUE TO SEND ANY NEW IDEAS.</p>
<p>Also son is not sure of intended major so a good liberal arts program would be best. The school would need to be large enough to have many majors once he decides what he wants to do.</p>
<p>If 1 out of 8 students at Purdue has equivalent stats, then its not that bad and definitely shows a good shot at admission. The OP's son's ECs would help him considerably, compared to most lazy ~3.0 students. Also based on the people that I know that have gotten accepted there, OOS is not an issue, but I could be mistaken.</p>
<p>edit- I also second taking the ACT at least once. Could not hurt.</p>
<p>Son liked Ithaca college and liked that it was close to where brothers attend. Sons stats seemed too low am I wrong about that?</p>
<p>I don't know if they are too low or not. If he were my son, I would give it a try, and see what happens. I think that with his stats I would apply to many schools to play it safe, and make sure that there are a few schools that he will be very likely to get in, and where he will be content to attend. My older son applied there, we liked the school too. Actually, it was my son's second choice in April (decision time). He chose a state school, b/c he wanted the football games, and school spirit.</p>
<p>Might also want to check out College of St. Rose in Albany. It got some attention recently b/c apparently the woman from Admissions at MIT who recently resigned has a degree from this school. Another poster is sending her son there. She was very pleased with what she saw, and her son has fairly high stats and was offered a full ride.</p>
<p>Have you considered sending him to a Test Masters or equivalent SAT prep course, then letting him take the test again to see if he can raise his scores?</p>