<p>my daughter just finished her junior year in high school and is worried because her gpa is a 2.6. she really tried to get into psu but knows its no where close to being possible as of now.
she hasnt taken the SAT yet, but plans to in the fall.
would it count against her if she waited until after senior year to apply to raise her gpa and retake the SAT if she has to?</p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>Standard advice for girls is “Take the ACT too/instead, as girls often do better on the ACT than on the SAT.” But back to your question …</p>
<p>Presuming her SAT score is at least average she’ll be accepted many places. IMHO the big question is “Why?” Why is the GPA 2.6? Is that in a competitive HS? Due to a severe illness or trauma that she’s now gotten over? Is there ADD, ADHD or a learning disability? When you know why you’ll be in a better position to counsel. Good luck.</p>
<p>Nothing is wrong with her, she just mainly slacked off a little bit. It was a stressful year for her and had a lot going on. but she plans on trying harder her senior year because she was able to take harder classes. She’s just worried now because she just found out what her gpa was today.</p>
<p>^ Oh, no problem then. Average that “slacked off a bit” junior year 2.6 out with her freshman and sophomore GPAs … say 3.5 each … and her overall GPA is 3.2. That should be good enough for PSU instate. Just have her prep for the SAT/ACT. (I’m presuming her PSAT score was decent.)</p>
<p>So let me get this straight, they do an overall gpa for her first three years of high school? (I would like to add on I never went to college so I don’t know anything about this)</p>
<p>It’s unclear from the OP if the 2.6 is for Jr year or cum. If it’s cum then the student should consider starting at a satellite campus.</p>
<p>Edit: Ask your D if she knows her cum GPA. That’s what mainly counts.</p>
<p>Shes not sure of her cum gpa</p>
<p>But let’s be honest. She just finished her junior year with a 2.6. She hasn’t apparently taken the SAT or ACT. Junior year is the year to do the best you can - you need those teachers to write recommendations. Can she go to college? Absolutely - 75% of the colleges in this country accept everyone who applies. PSU isn’t one of them.</p>
<p>That’s what shes starting to think.</p>
<p>If she took the same number of courses each year, she can just take her 3 gpas and average them. If she wants to figure out her gpa exactly, google gpa calculator.</p>
<p>Assuming PSU is Penn State, look at what most kids have:</p>
<p>[Middle</a> 50% GPA & SAT Range: Penn State University Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“http://admissions.psu.edu/academics/majors/requirements/50percent/]Middle”>http://admissions.psu.edu/academics/majors/requirements/50percent/)</p>
<p>You asked if it would be ok to wait until after senior year to apply. Is he going to put off college for a year? PSU has rolling admissions-- so admissions are first come, first serve. The website says that anything after Nov 30 of the prior year will hurt your chances so, no, I wouldn’t wait.</p>
<p>Junior year let down WILL HURT, especially without a good reason other than, “slacked off a bit.” One thing in her favor is that Penn State is a huge school. If she posts a fall/senior gpa in the “3s” and has a decent pull on her SAT/ACT there’s still a chance. </p>
<p>Don’t forget to check whether or not PSU requires SAT subject tests as you’ll need to get those taken before applying as well.</p>
<p>My uncle used to work admissions at Amherst, and the sad fact is that girls are judged very differently from boys. Boys can start week, mature late, get awesome grades junior and senior year, still just a so-so gpa, and be admitted. Girls can start off really strong, hit a slump in junior year, and even with a still so, so gpa, it’s over for them! Since girls typically mature more quickly, girls are expected to be able to hold it together as they get through school. As long as boys show the maturation process starting to settle them down, they’re good.
Your daughter may come across this admissions mindset at other schools. She needs to cast a wide net. College application process for the top schools is so competitive to begin with, even for 4.0 students…</p>
<p>Has she ruled out starting at a regional campus? There are several, and students who start at one can still finish up at University Park. A higher test score might balance out a lower GPA at one of these campuses, and some are far less selective than others. </p>
<p>In fact, we have talked with professors at University Park who have conceded that for weaker students, a regional campus might provide a better experience in core classes than the large lecture classes typical of University Park.</p>
<p>But, as others have pointed out, PSU is rolling admissions, and students who are prepared to apply early seem to have the edge. It is troublesome that your D has waited to take her SAT - if she is serious about getting into a regional campus, she might want to use the remaining weeks of summer to work on SAT prep and practice tests.</p>
<p>A 2.6 is a C average. College is much harder than high school whether she goes to PSU or community college. The question I would be asking isn’t “Can she get into PSU?” You already know that the answer is probably not. The question you should be asking is “How can I help my daughter improve her academic performance so that she can pass college classes?”</p>
<p>I can only assume that you were aware that she was not doing well in school. What was it that caused her to slack off? She can get accepted to some college, somewhere. So when she does get accepted what will happen to her? College classes typically go twice as fast as high school and meet less frequently than high school classes. </p>
<p>If I were you I would concentrate on having her improve her academic performance rather than WHERE she will be going to college. It is more important for her to be able to be successful in college than it is for her to go to any one specific university.</p>
<p>she’s been working through the sat book</p>
<p>Op-- Many kids either hit a slump or the idea of college and their future, despite parental reminders, continues to be abstract until it is right ahead of them. Now she is facing senior year, and she she is thinking about her grades and options. The reality is that her immediate options will be more limited than they would have been with higher grades, even if she does well on the ACT or SAT. Doing well on those tests will help. Does that mean that her future is over? OF COURSE NOT. Students can go to a regional college or start at a community college or go to trade school and have a lovely life and career, even. </p>
<p>A “C” average used to mean “average,” so parents might think that most students are scoring at this level. But, partly due to grade inflation, a “C” average for a college-bound student is a bit low. If her grades pick up drastically this year, that may bode well for her ability to keep up in college courses, especially if she is taking advanced high-school classes. If not, it may help to trouble-shoot what she needs to succeed over the course of the year (e.g., does she need to put in more time studying, does she need to fine tune her study and reading skills, etc.) so that she can do well in college, wherever she goes.</p>
<p>Another factor that is so critical are her area of interests. Sometimes kids begin to get a little bit anxious about college after junior year because everyone else is talking about it, and they figure, they need to be thinkin’ about it too. But, what is she interested in? Are there hobbies or academic subject areas that intrigue her? She doesn’t need to have a specific career direction at this time (doesn’t have to know her major, and the major does not always predict future jobs)… But, I find when kids have specific interests that might lead them toward a career direction, there tends also to be forward movement in their academic performance. It has a purpose… (Some community colleges will do free or low-cost career interest and ability testing to give students some ideas as to what careers seem most compatible to them.) </p>
<p>Best of luck. She will be fine. If her high-school decisions and grades limit her options starting college, she can always transfer or finish strong at a less prestigious school. It might be what she needs to realize that her choices matter. A good kid with a “C” average, is primarily a good kid. Take care and enjoy the rest of the summer…</p>