Help me choose schools! (low grades, high everything else)

College Search & Selection
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<p>“They do when they see other signs that a student has issues in school, like this one with the very high test scores and low GPA.” </p>

<p>Do you have any source supporting this? I find this highly doubtful. Also,</p>

<p>“The fact that you are this late in getting your list finalized and getting apps in will just further the impression that you are a slacker and procrastinator that is extraordinarily bright”</p>

<p>I think this is extremely unfair. I made this thread back in August. I am this late in finalizing a list because I have no information to guide me. Our guidance office is essentially nonexistent. My school doesn’t have Naviance. I had a friggin’ ninety minute meeting with my “guidance counselor” and came out of it with absolutely nothing. Then I turn to the internet for help. I haven’t found any useful resources for students with a profile similar to mine. Admissions data is mostly useless. So here I am, crying out for help on CC, drowning. I don’t know what would be a safety, reach, or match for me. I don’t know which schools I might have a shot at and which schools I shouldn’t bother with. I haven’t a damn clue where I can get in.</p>

<p>Sorry, I just needed to rant. I’m pretty stressed right now.</p>

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<p>Honestly, it will be almost impossible to do as well as you’ve done in the UK in the US. That was a wise route.</p>

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<p>Paiev - OK, maybe I was a bit unfair. I think your expectations for some of those US schools are wildly out of line, but nothing to lose, that’s for sure. It is unfortunate you cannot get more help locally.</p>

<p>I have one suggestion, but you will probably hate it, lol. Truman State University is a public LAC that is pretty affordable, even for OOS. It is a much better school than most people realize, and I am going to make the assumption that someone that is as bright as you probably are will excel in math or whatever field you enjoy and go on to grad school. If that is the case, you don’t need to worry so much about the “prestige” or “reputation” of the undergrad school, just about getting great grades. However, Truman is very highly thought of by people at other schools. Truman grads are routinely accepted into top grad programs and top law/medical schools. The one drawback? It is truly in the middle of nowhere. Oh, two drawbacks. The weather in the winter pretty much sucks too. But do yourself a favor and before you reject it out of hand, take a look. It might not be for you, but on the other hand it might be quite a good fit.</p>

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<p>*I’m feeling fairly confident about Oxford, actually. I also have applications to Imperial and St. Andrew’s pending in the UK. In the USA, I’ve sent off an application to Rutgers so far and that’s it.</p>

<p>I’m trying to nail down a list of schools in the next few days so I can get working on the essays. Some that have been tossed around in conversation: Rose Hulman, Reed, Fordham, UChicago, URochester, Case Western, JHU, Emory, Vanderbilt, Tulane, NYU. If anyone has any comments on any of these, or on new schools, that would be great. </p>

<p>I am also considering readying applications to a bunch of top-notch schools (MIT, Caltech, Princeton, what-have-you) in case I get into Oxford, since I’ll be getting a decision from Oxford in around two weeks from now (so before the New Year for sure). Any comments on this? Is it even worth it, or are my chances of getting in to any of these schools so tiny that I shouldn’t even bother? *</p>

<p>Hmm…the schools abroad. AFAIK, these schools do not give aid to Americans, so you’ll be full pay. Unless you have some kind of full financial commitment from your parents, I don’t see these schools happening even if you get in.</p>

<p>It’s hard when divorced parents are not communicating to get any kind of real and fair agreement about who will pay how much. I can’t think of anytime when divorced parents aren’t speaking to each other, each making decent incomes, and coming to some fair agreement to cover private college costs. </p>

<p>Many of your other schools are just unreasonable reaches…MIT, CalTech, Princeton…you won’t make it thru the initial screening because of rank/GPA.</p>

<p>I think you need need a sensible list that takes into account your GPA and your questionable financial situation.</p>

<p>Right now, your list only includes schools that would REQUIRE your parents to be super generous…and you have no reason to really believe that will happen.</p>

<p>If you don’t include some reasonable financial safety schools, you could find yourself (as many on CC have in the past) with acceptances that aren’t affordable. </p>

<p>What is your resident state?</p>

<p>What college does your dad work at? Would you get free tuition there if you applied by a certain date?</p>

<p>OK, maybe I was a bit unfair. I think your expectations for some of those US schools are wildly out of line, but nothing to lose, that’s for sure.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t say that you were being unfair. Your assessment is likely correct when dealing with some of these top schools. These schools reject so many kids, that if they can do an easy rejection over grades or some other issue, they will. These schools get enough apps from kids without grade issues, that they don’t have to waste their time with those who do.</p>

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<p>OK –</p>

<p>You’ve asked for honest feedback about which schools you should invest the time in apply to in the US. I’m going to attempt to answer this b/c there is no assurance you’ll be admitted to any of the three UK schools you listed.</p>

<p>The reality is that adcoms look upon high test score/low gpa applicants as really iffy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard stories of 1600 SAT scores (or close to that) with lower GPAs who flunked out of college in the first year… just never bothered to go to class or turn in any assignments. When schools do show a greater weighting toward one of the two measures, it is almost always toward GPA and not testing. Both U Mich and the UC system weight GPA much more highly than test scores… you could say 60/40, or even 70/30. </p>

<p>Rutgers is a good start.</p>

<p>For GPA, you’d qualify for schools ranked USNWR 140 and higher.
For Testing, you’d qualify for schools ranked 1 and higher.</p>

<p>Split the difference and you’re probably in a good area… USNWR 70-100 and LACs ranked 30-50. Try SUNY Stony Brook as an example. Or Reed as another whose Reader might throw you a line. LACs have a much better capacity to work WITH students instead of UPON them… and you’re the definition of a project.</p>

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<p>To be honest, I don’t really know what my expectations are. That’s why I’m here. </p>

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<p>Well, I mentioned those in the context of “should I apply here if I get into Oxford”. I’m aware that I don’t have much of a shot at them. That’s why it was contingent on already being accepted to a top school.</p>

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<p>Yeah, Oxford comes out to about $45,000/year for three years for everything (fees, living expenses, and travel) so this is a legitimate concern. My mom believes that we’ll be able to afford it, although I will of course have to take out some student loans.</p>

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<p>Indeed, that’s why I’m here :P</p>

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<p>New Jersey. I was admitted to Rutgers this morning; in-state is around $25,000 a year for tuition + room/board, I believe. Right now that’s my financial safety; is that sufficient, or should I apply to another? My dad works at Loyola New Orleans; I would be eligible for free tuition but I’m not sure it’s a terribly good school for what I want. It is a Jesuit school, so that’s why I mentioned a couple Jesuit schools in my previous post- there might be a possibility of free tuition.</p>

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<p>Hmm, that’s an interesting method. Looking through the schools in that range I noticed Drexel; I do know that someone in my class with a GPA around mine or maybe lower, and with lower SATs, was admitted there early. So I think I should have a good shot at schools in this range. I don’t know if it’s worth it, though; honestly I think Rutgers is probably better than most schools in this range, especially for math and because it’s instate.</p>

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<p>Loyola NO is a great school. I’d do that over Rutgers in a heartbeat… plus you can take classes at Tulane.</p>

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<p>Yeah! OMG, you never mentioned he was at Loyola. It’s a fine school. Also, sometimes schools have reciprocal agreements. It might be that you can go to Tulane or another Jesuit school because he is at Loyola New Orleans. Check that out, immediately.</p>

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<p>Yes to Loyola NO…have you visited?</p>

<p>And, if there is some kind of agreement for free tuition at the other Jesuits…look at Loyola Maryland, Gonzaga, SLU, and LMU.</p>

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<p>Congrats on the Rutgers acceptance. The best safety is one you’re already accepted to. </p>

<p>I also suggest that you do apply to Loyola NO, and try to find out if there are any other jesuit schools with tuition exchange programs. Boston College, Fordham?</p>

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<p>Darn, I just realized this post was from 2010…Anyway, I just had a thought about anyone in this predicament (although rare) could save themselves. It’s obvious this person is incredibly smart, due to his 5s on APs and his 800s on SAT IIs. Even his SAT (although personally, I don’t see this as a sign of smarts) shows he’s competent and much better than average. It’s merely the grades that aren’t up to par.</p>

<p>Personally, and even if it didn’t completely hold true, I would write an essay about how difficult it was to learn in a classroom due to the different method of teaching. Talk about how you learn in such a unique and different way (a way that obviously works for you), that the mundane and near obsolete teaching done in school just simply doesn’t mesh with your unique mind. Just saying…</p>

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<p>So you would write an essay about how difficult it is to learn using standard methods which work for other students??? Maybe this thread should have remained dead.</p>