Long shot or?

My high school junior has barely a 3.0 gpa, her ACT is around 28. Does she stand a chance getting into some of the CA, OR, WA schools? I don’t want to discourage her but want to help manage expectations. She has an IEP with extra time on ACT but her GPA so low.

What is your home state?

And what’s your budget? Of course she could get into some schools. 3.0 isn’t a deal breaker, but we’d have to have a lot more information than just her gpa. Her ACT is good.

UC Merced’s average ACT is 18-23 and 21% of freshmen had a gpa between 3.0 and 3.24. UC Santa Cruz freshman class had 18% with GPAs of 3.0-3.24 and 3% with GPAs below 3.0.

CSU Dominguez Hills, CSU Channel Islands, and CSU San Marcos have lots of students with GPAs below 3.0.

There are privates like U Redlands that might accept her.

Western Washington University is another one she could get into.

So yes, I think she can get into some CA or WA colleges with a 3.0.

Without knowing what your D would like to study, if she’s wants big or small school, city or country what ECs she has, I’ll throw out some ideas. OR: Check out Linfield in McMinnville, Warner Pacific in Forest Grove, George Fox, Portland State, Southern Oregon in Ashland. In WA: Whitworth in Spokane, Pacific Lutheran in Tacoma, Walla Walla University, Western WA in Bellingham, Evergreen. For CA, i think #2 has named several options.

Have you considered Montana Tech or Montana State? Univ of Idaho? Boise State? Not in WA, OR or CA, but might be attractive schools for your D.

Have you spoken to the school’s college counselor? He/she might be helpful in pulling together a list that will suit your D.

Where are you an instate resident? Let’s start there.

Yes, but she may have to pay high out-of-state tuition, which means that they may not be great values.

If she is from another western state, she may qualify for a discount on the normal out-of-state tuition rate through the WUE program. However, only some of the CA/OR/WA schools participate in this program.