<p>It is so frustrating to know that had your child been born a few years earlier or later that this wouldn't be a problem. Her GPA is not out of range for any of the schools discussed, since it's unweighted. Her SATs are not stellar as you are aware and hopefully, they haven't been sent to any of the schools she is considering. Taking the ACT and prepping for another go at the SAT might be a very good focus for the summer. You will need to consider if any of her choices will require SAT IIs as well. I'd also get her moving on her essays and interview skills. They can be a deal maker/breaker if the standardized tests are iffy.
You haven't mentioned what her intended major is. This will also color the landscape, fairly significantly. As you are probably aware, a lower math SAT score won't be a dealbreaker for a history major but it will be for an engineering major. Certain majors are more in demand and therefore harder to enter.<br>
The impact of being an OOS student varies from school-to-school and year-to-year. It was a question that came up at every presentation we went to at OOSs. The political landscape changes - some years voters are up-in-arms that too many OOS students are accepted and other years, it's a nonissue. DD is an OOS student at one of the schools discussed and although the state is smaller and needs OOS students, the demand has increased and the standards are higher for the OOS students. I was pretty surprised that a few of DD's younger friends (from RI, no less)were not admitted or were waitlisted when they had very good states and got in to other very good schools. If you look on their websites, you can usually find fairly easily, the stats for the previous year's class.
Good Luck!</p>
<p>gmu is sat optional if you didnt know.</p>
<p>Some Penn State info for you</p>
<p>Information</a> for School Counselors - Penn State Undergraduate Admissions </p>
<p>On the How Likely are your students to be admitted to Penn State link you'll notice that the graph shows GPAs above a 4.0 - Penn State does use a weighted GPA in its admissions decisions. Even accounting for your D's lower writing score ( Penn State starts counting the writing portion for the HS class of 2009) with a weighted GPA it looks like this school could be a particularly good possibility for your D since GPA comprises 2/3 of their formula, and admissions is pretty formula driven there. Another factor is that Penn State does not discriminate in any way against applicants who are out of state.</p>
<p>what is gmu?</p>
<p>Sorry to say, but I would doubt she will get into Maryland. My son who had better stats than your daughter (3.6 unweighted) and about 1190 SAT ( math and Cr) didn't get admitted until the January semester. This also was 5 years ago,when admissions were a bit easier. I do think that she has a decent shot for the rest of the schools. They are all excellent choices.Personally, I like James Madison and Ohio State the best overall.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>3.6 unweighted) and about 1190 SAT ( math and Cr) didn't get admitted until the January semester. This also was 5 years ago>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>My son's CR/Math SAT was 1320 and he had a weighted GPA of 3.3...also 5 years ago. He was waitlisted originally and subsequently rejected from Maryland. We never quite figured that one out. He graduated from Boston University. Go figure.</p>
<p>roshke -thanks for the graph of Penn State...it looks like a non weighted GPA though with 4.3 as an A plus? Or does Penn State just weight grades in their own way...so many high schools have strange ways of weighting so everyone is a 4.3...</p>
<p>The graph represents weighted grades - in our school a 3.5 unweighted and all honors or AP classes would be a 4.5. Other schools do it differently, of course. I'm not sure whether or not Penn State takes differences in weighting into account at that level, but you are right that at many schools a good number of kids end up with 4.0 or higher.</p>
<p>Anecdotally, I've heard that U Maryland puts weight on the SAT.</p>
<p>I've heard the same. Roshke, about U MD. Yet I know of some kids with moderate SATs but good grades who got in whereas those with good SATs and moderate grades did not. Perhaps the major or timing of app was involved. Is Penn State similar in selectivity to UMD?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Or does Penn State just weight grades in their own way...so many high schools have strange ways of weighting so everyone is a 4.3...
[/quote]
Every high school has it's own formula for calculating weighted GPAs so they won't compare the GPAs directly. Because of that I wouldn't take the GPA axis of that admission chart too seriously. The general message with that chart though is that to be admitted to University Park you need to have very good grades.</p>
<p>They'll certainly take into consideration the fact that you have honors or AP courses on your transcript and will look at the letter from your guidance counselor for an explanation of how the school calculates GPA. They'll also look at your class rank (to get your relative position in the school) and of course they'll have records regarding previous applicants from your school so they have some benchmarks to go by. The top 23% figure seems at bit low for main campus, but of course it depends on what stats the top 22% have. </p>
<p>
[quote]
since GPA comprises 2/3 of their formula, and admissions is pretty formula driven there
[/quote]
I think you misread what they've said on that subject. PSU says they consider GPA as 2/3 of the academic qualification portion of the application... not the application on whole. They're simply saying that they consider your grades twice as important as your SAT score when they're evaluating your application. </p>
<p>You shouldn't have much trouble getting accepted to PSU in general, but with the stats as they are at the moment I think it would be a struggle to University Park. If you can get the SAT boosted up then you'd increase your chances, but University Park would still be a reach not a safety. Not trying to sound pessimistic, just helping you set out a realistic game plan.</p>
<p>Note that the chart in roshke's link represents data from two years ago. I don't think the new version of the chart will be radically different, but word on the street is that a lot of kids who thought they would be accepted for Penn State main campus this year weren't.</p>
<p>I think the OP's daughter has a decent chance of being accepted there. I think she has a decent chance of being accepted ANYWHERE that isn't in the sub-20% admission bracket. But to feel more comfortable, at Penn State and elsewhere on her list, another 80 SAT points or so would help a lot, and give her other great qualities a chance to shine.</p>
<p>Middle</a> 50% GPA & SAT Range - Penn State Undergraduate Admissions</p>
<p>Thanks rocketman, you are quite right to point out the difference in their stated policy. From what I hear from our guidance department (and the one thing they know is Penn State!), though, the practical reality is that the SATs usually make up a good bit of that remaining one third. I'm sure there are some compelling exceptions, for someone with an outstanding talent or skill, for example, but that will be a small minority of cases in such a large school. Note that activities lists and essays are only <em>sometimes</em> considered to assist with decisions and that rank is considered if a school with honors or AP classes offered does not weight. I could be wrong here (much depends on what the weighted GPA is and we don't know that) and JHS makes a good point that the chart is from two years ago - but I think it's still the case that from a strategic point of view the way that Penn State works could favor the profile of a student like this. Other factors are the school (rumor has it it helps to apply with an undecided major) and willingness to start in the summer. </p>
<p>
[quote]
Penn State bases admission decisions on a variety of factors. The high school grade-point average (GPA) accounts for approximately two-thirds of the decision. The remaining one-third is based on other factors, which may include standardized test scores (students taking the ACT are required to complete and submit the writing component), class rank, the personal statement, and activities list. Class rank is also considered for students with honors or Advanced Placement courses whose schools do not supply a weighted GPA. The optional personal statement and activity list are sometimes used to assist with the decisions for students whose applications require additional review.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I have practically the same stats as your daughter, except with more AP's and a higher SAT score and am also applying to most of your daughter's list of schools.
I'd say your daughter has a pretty decent shot in all of them provided she improves her SAT score or get a pretty decent score on the ACT. She might also want to consider taking some SAT Subject Tests.</p>
<p>One other very important point in the rolling admission schools, which includes Penn State, is how early the application gets in. The earlier you apply, the more slots that are open. It gets much harder to get admitted later in the admissions cycle. Look at getting the completed admissions packages in before the middle of October for the best opportunities. Also, as someone mentioned earlier, the specific major or program you are applying for will have a significant impact on your success rates.</p>
<p>In our area, many students use the University of Indiana at Bloomington as a safety school.</p>
<p>Grades and test scores should be a guide that helps determine a path through college. They show potential talents and weaknesses not an aptitude for college.</p>
<p>Recent experience among kids I know shows U Maryland and Northeastern to be especially tough. I second Indiana as a good add.</p>
<p>Arizona is a popular state U here. Clemson, U Kentucky, U Kansas, Purdue, Indiana, Alabama, Tennessee possibilities. Rutgers is large enough that it must have a variety of levels of entry.</p>
<p>"In our area, many students use the University of Indiana at Bloomington as a safety school." </p>
<p>Not picking on you personally here. You just happen to be the latest poster that mistakenly identifies the school as University of Indiana. I've even heard sportscasters and members of national media organizations refer to it incorrectly. </p>
<p>It's Indiana University. It could be a safety if the OP's son applies early enough. It's been tougher and tougher to get in the last several years. There was a poster here earlier this year with a son that had higher stats and was rejected. I suspect he applied late in the process, not sure though.</p>
<p>Take ACT for sure!</p>