<p>I got so much great info when I asked about Pa schools that I decided to stretch out and ask your opinion on other schools. We are primarily looking at schools on the east coast and Ohio but my son is pretty flexible. </p>
<p>He presently has a 3.0 GPA. He's taking 3 AP's now and will take 3 more next year. His ACT score is a 30. I don't know the academic reputation of the school, but for various reasons, he hasn't killed himself but is picking up the pace. He hasn't taken the SAT yet. He's involved in a couple clubs and has volunteered at the local aquarium for about 10 hours a month for the last 1 and a half. He's looking for a small to medium size school and wants to major in biology. (Doesn't know what he wants to do yet). He does well with small, interactive classes and really loves to learn.</p>
<p>I'm looking for some schools that he would have a decent chance of getting into. His counselor has given him the following schools that are definitely a stetch: Oberlin, Emory, Bucknell, Gettysburg. (These are for the student that he should be...) </p>
<p>Thanks for your help! I'm amazed by everyone's knowledge!!!</p>
<p>Check Elizabethtown also. Nice school with Bio. There’s so many schools in PA it’s just a matter of fit. Try one of the search engines (such as where you register for the SAT) for some other ideas.</p>
<p>You could give Case Western a shot - the application is free if you submit it online and they’re pretty strong in the sciences and engineering. They’re also generous with merit aid, although I don’t know if your son would qualify. If you’re visiting Oberlin anyway, they’re about half an hour away.</p>
<p>Schools often look at improving gpa’s favorably- if that gpa represents lower grades that have gone up this year he has a better chance. He has the good ACT score but UW, for example, would wonder if he will do the work based on his HS performance. You may want to discuss this with him and see what level of challenge is is up for- his HS grades could be low because he has been bored and would thrive with a reach school. He will need to decide what level he wants to try for. Notice my focus on HIS deciding.</p>
<p>wis75 - I am actually trying to get him to think and make some decisions. He took the ACT as a practice and now wants to bring it up higher. His grades are definitely improving, but he definitely works harder in the classes that he finds interesting (sciences, history, latin). </p>
<p>I’m finding it difficult to come up with a list of match schools because of the descrepency between his GPA and ACT. We are visiting Goucher, McDaniel and University of Mary Washington in April. We also have plans to visit Marist, Wheaton, Hampshire, College of Wooster and Ithaca.
I thought he might have a shot at Wheaton because they are looking to entice more males. When I looked at Hampshire’s website, it seemed as if the school was created for a kid like him. </p>
<p>Enough of my babbling … any other suggestions or thoughts on our planned visits.</p>
<p>I was very disappointed in our Goucher visit … so much emphasis on how much fun it was going to be and lacking in the academic area. I had been hoping it was a possible school for my son but he was really turned off by the EC fun and games. YMMV. Perhaps our visit and tour was atypical.</p>
<p>I think if he is taking three APs and his GPA is not weighted- his GPA is not that bad.
( my daughter took no APs and was admitted to Reed ( for bio degree) with a GPA just a smidge higher)
This might be helpful
[HHMI</a> Beyond Bio 101: The Transformation of Undergraduate Biology Education](<a href=“http://www.hhmi.org/BeyondBio101/]HHMI”>http://www.hhmi.org/BeyondBio101/)</p>
<p>If he has an unweighted gpa of 3.0+, 6 APs, a 30 ACT, and a strong upward trend in grades, I think that your list (Goucher, McDaniel, et al.) includes schools that are mostly in the safe-match range. The schools in this tier are mostly quite need aware, so, particularly if you have a high EFC, he might investigate schools such as Gettysburg, Muhlenberg (great new science center), Skidmore (somewhat artsy non-conventional feel like Hampshire), Connecticut College, or Union. They’d be more like matches or slight reach-matches. Wheaton, which you mentioned, is in roughly the same ballpark as far as selectivity goes.</p>
<p>I also wouldn’t freak out too much about the GPA. My DS’s was about the same, he had good SATs, very good teacher recommendations (including from one teacher who he had gotten Bs-Cs from but who knew what an exceptional kid he was), good ECs. In Ohio he applied to Kenyon, Denison, OWU, and Wooster. Got into all but Kenyon, and received decent merit aid from those he was admitted to. I believe OWU is particularly strong in the sciences. I also have a soft place for Wabash–<em>very</em> impressive school, and I truly believe they do what they claim they can with their students. Just didn’t have the varsity sport my DS wanted to play.</p>
<p>In the end, I believe the SATs saved his hiney.</p>
<p>ingerp- that’s good to hear. We checked out OWU - figured out what it meant. Mys on was thrilled with the course selection. He is really into zoology and genetics (besides all the other bio stuff) The school has a ton of science courses. </p>
<p>Is it anywhere near College of Wooster or Cleveland or Columbus. I’m trying to plan an Ohio college visit. His counselor thought that we should also check out University of Dayton (or maybe it’s Dayton University). Do you know about this school?</p>
<p>Pay more attention to his test scores and recent gpa for better matches. Consider how he is doing this year now that he is motivated as a sense of how high to reach academically. My son still gets the grades in college based on his interest (as opposed to ability) level, sigh. The guidance counselors know something- your son is starting to reach his potential and you don’t want to aim at too low a range. He’ll likely thrive at a college he is challenged by based on his test scores- especially since he will want to be there. I would expect him to be rejected by some of the top schools based on his gpa but accepted at several others students with his gpa would consider too much of a reach. Sorry I can’t be of help with specific schools. Good luck.</p>
<p>I’m wondering if Bard might be a possibility since they are looking for science students.</p>
<p>Also look into Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. – my sense is that they are looking for geographic diversity, so that might be helpful in your case.</p>
<p>Eckerd might be worth considering – he could definitely get in there.</p>
<p>Obelin and Bard, yes, both good in biology. Would suggest Clark University, one of those “colleges that change lives,” a really nice serious school for kids who aren’t top in the class, but interested in academics, and has a lot of close interaction with professors. Is there a state university that is appealing at all, near you? Some of them are pretty good at coming up with ways to break a big school into smaller communities.</p>
<p>Personally, I love kids who follow their interests. Some top colleges have an awful lot of kids who were tops in everything, but were so busy chasing external motivators, they never learned what they actually like to do. Your son sounds like a great kid.</p>
<p>I want to second Allegheny and add Juniata. My son was accepted to Allegheny with a similar gpa and lower ACT score, and offered merit aid. He waited to visit until he was accepted and then they paid $100 towards the accepted students visit. </p>
<p>Juniata has a very strong Science program and high acceptance rate into med school.</p>
<p>From second hand objective experience, Allegheny college has excellent Biology teachers, facilities and graduate/professional school advising. There is a required capstone project. They are written up in the book “colleges that change lives”. The downside is that it is somewhat mono-cultural and has a “local” feel. If that doesn’t bother you, then I can’t imagine you can do better. Read the book, it’s a bit long-winded, but it has a lot of information that would apply to your son as you describe him.</p>
<p>Clark is on our list to visit. I had crossed off Allegheny because i thought that he would never get in. I’ll have to check out Bard. I am probably reaching a little low, but in these competetive times, it seems that schools can talke lots of kids that have proved themselves. Why should they chance someone who hasn’t??</p>
<p>I emailed his counselor about a school that I thought was a good safety - her comment was that “if they breathe they’re in and that was not the school for him”. She is definitely aiming high. I’m fine with that but I need some places that I know that he can get into and that will still encourage him. (and maybe even give him $$$)</p>