<p>my best guy friend will not be in school in the fall if he does not start doing something about this college stuff fast. I knwo this is a website for all the ivy lovers who know a lot about the top schools, but I am asking from the bottom of my heart, where can my friend go if he only has a 19 act and a 2.1ish gpa from a catholic hs......im gonna help him through the application process...hes worked and has some decent activities, has also won a few essay contests. I am aware that this is his thing, and he needs to do it...but if anyone knows of any schools, anywhere that this kid could be wisked off to for 4 years, and be able to get into...i would really appriciate it. he will succeed when hes there, just getting there is the problem, hes unmotivated because he doesnt think hes smart enough. Financials are also a concern, so cheep 3rd or 4th tier schools are ideal. Thank u so much!</p>
<p>"I knwo this is a website for all the ivy lovers who know a lot about the top schools, but I am asking from the bottom of my heart, where can my friend go if he only has a 19 act and a 2.1ish gpa from a catholic hs....."</p>
<p>This website is for anyone considering college, not just people who are considering Ivies.</p>
<p>My concern about your friend is that with a 2.1 average, your friend may not yet have the maturity or organizational skills to handle college. Even though your friend may be very bright, he may need some additional time to grow up before going to college. I say this as a mom of a S who had a 2.8, was very smart, but flunked out of college because he didn't go to class (though he did wonderfully in the college's academically-related ECs as well as partying!).</p>
<p>Here's a thread that you may find helpful as it concerns a student who is very similar to your friend. The link includes info about colleges as well as post high school programs that your friend could do community service with while gaining in maturity, leadership and organizational skills and earning $ that could be used for college. </p>
<p>tahnk u so much. Its hard to admit it, but i am afriad that he is not ready to go to college. its just going to be really hard for him to do it later i feel, because he wants to become a chicago cop, and has connections to doing that..its just that I want him to do wahts best for him, and thats get a 4 year degree and thennnn do what he wants...</p>
<p>Communiy College - that's where most of my friends that didn't try too hard in HS went, and they later transferred to private schools of larger state schools.</p>
<p>Its a common, and solid, plan.</p>
<p>whoa, it sounds like you've been reading wayyyyy too much CC. how do you know that going to a 4 year college is "what's best for him"? unless he has a learning disability or a family trauma or some other extenuating circumstance, his 2.1 gpa shows that he's not mature enough to work hard enough in school. most grades are all about effort.
and that's totally fine. 4 year colleges are NOT FOR EVERYONE. maybe your friend would end up happier if he took a year off, travelled a bit and saved up money. maybe he's just not meant to go to college. life will probably be harder for him if he doesn't have a degree - there are many positions that require one. but it's not as if he is doomed, and he might be a lot happier if he doesn't jump into more school right away.
as long as he can find what he's really interested in - being a policeman sounds like a great goal to work toward - and put all his effort into that, there seems to be no reason for him to keep doing something (school) that he really doesnt seem that interested in.
there are many, many people who go back to school later in life. lots of universities have programs for continuing, returning, or non-traditional students. maybe your friend could join the army - that would probably be a great experience to prepare for a life in law enforcement. he could go to a community college and take classes in law or sociology. (i'm not sure what education is required to be a policeman in chicago.) his guidance counselor in school can probably help him figure out options about 4 year colleges if HE (not you) decides that is what he wants to do.</p>
<p>just please don't force your own conceptions about what is "best" onto your friend.</p>
<p>I know i know...and we were talking last night about it...and hes like god u make me feel lke im not going to succeed! and i felt so bad cuz thats not what im trying to do...im of course just lookin out for him...and its just that hes not educated on whats out there. he doesnt have parents that help, or push him to succeed, he drinks to much and just wants out. I told him what a 4 year college is like, and it was the first time he actually listened. he knows he should be there, justgetting there is what he can't bring himself to do. god it is so frusturating and emotionally straining on me. I helped him apply to Western Illinois, and im afriad he wont get in, he applied himself to Parkside-in Illinois, and I think its a cc..but im not sure. thats what scares me. he wnats to go there, but neither he nor i know what parkside can do for him. He wants to be a cop, but i told him with a degree, u can choose anything, including being a cop..then he asked me "what can i do with a degree" and i was awstruck and could hardly answer him. He is really passionate about the Coast Gaurd, but u have to be involved in a school for that, and his mom, not his gaurdian, will not sign the papers...gosh..</p>
<p>your friend is lucky to have someone who's looking out for him since it doesnt sound like he can lean on his parents.
a guidance counselor is a good place to start, although sometimes they don't give the best advice.
here's an idea, why doesn't your friend give your local police department a call? maybe they can give him some kind of idea of all the different paths people can take to become a police officer.
and it's true - a degree can help him narrow down his interests and gives him more options. i don't think you need a bachelor's to become a cop but you probably do if you want to be a captain. maybe after taking some classes your friend could decide that instead he wants to be a forensic specialist, or a criminal lawyer, or a crime reporter. but community college is probably a better option for him since it would not be as hard a transition from high school as going to a 4 year school might be (especially since his parents dont sound supportive). it's also cheaper and therefore gives him more room to experiment and if he doesnt do very well at first it's not like he's wasting the $30k a year that 4 year colleges can cost.
but while education can give your friend options, it's not his only option.</p>
<p>thats very true..and i should really try to understand...and accept that. its just hard u know..seein someone with such potential..kinda just get sweept under the rug. his gc doesnt seem to be that great of a help, and only does things when my freind goes in there with exactly what he needs done. He doesnt wnat to live at home..i dont blame him...so now i just need to get a couple cc names out to him so he can start applying and stuff. but all cc are commuter right?</p>
<p>why doesn't your friend look into the cuny schools? that is - city university of new york system. it's made up of several colleges in nyc, they all emphasize different things and some are easier to get into than others. i know hunter college (which is part of cuny) has dorms, but that's probably the most selective. i'm not sure about the others.
there are also a lot of really obscure but still great colleges. i know the university of maryland, eastern shore had an average sat of about 800 (this was on the old scale) but it's still a reputable institution. so your friend could check out state schools like that - in state will obviously be cheaper, but there are many, many colleges in each state that are still cheap for out of state. for instance, university of michigan at ann arbor isn't the only college in michigan. you could find out the others by going to the main website of the state's university system.
<a href="http://www.princetonreview.com%5B/url%5D">www.princetonreview.com</a> has a college match-maker thing that lets you plug in your gpa and sat scores and things you want in a college (e.g., urban location, 5000+ students, etc) and then spits out colleges that match you. your friend could try that.
obviously it's up to your friend. are his parents willing to pay for any part of school? most community colleges are indeed commuter schools, but if your friend gets a job he can just move out and get his own apartment, which is what lots of people at regular 4 year colleges do anyway. he could work during the day and take night classes to get his degree. granted, it would be a lot of work and he wouldnt really have money for anything besides tuition, rent, and spaghetti, but living on your own can be really fulfilling, especially if you have a realistic goal in sight. and becoming a police officer is a notable and realistic goal.</p>
<p>yes i was considering suny schools, however never looked into cunys..thanks for the advice. we are from chicago, and there are some good public universities here...i just wanted to push him to try to spend some time outside of chicago, away from people he knows...his family, ect. u know, gain some "life experience".<br>
I do need to accept that he is not me and has differnt goals and things. this is so much of a personal thing with me then anything...like our freindship and stuff its not just college. i just care so much about him and i know he would love college. enough with the emotional part...
ive been doing some research tonight about some schools in indiana, that are affordable and have people living on campus.<br>
anymore adivice?
thanks so much guys for helpin me through this..</p>