And anyone recommend some big schools that place a lot of value on an applicants school involvement and leadership? Preferably SEC or East coast.
I am not sure what you are really asking. What do you mean by âa lot of valueâ?
Are you asking if there are schools that place greater weight on school involvement and leadership than stats and course rigor? If so, I donât think that school exists.
If you need some school recommendations, posters can be more helpful if you share stats, rigor, ECs, budget, size (what is âbigâ?), etc.
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Agree.
Other than a tiny handful of activities that would create a hook (ex. recruited athlete, perhaps an Olympic medalist) I canât think of any university that values ECs over academic stats. I recommend you focus on colleges that are academic/financial matches.
And agree with @Mwfan1921 that we can try to provide meaningful suggestions only if you give us more information.
Thank you for the replies. What I mean by âplace valueâ I mean that they actually take things like that into consideration or at least part of the whole package. My last child got accepted to a school and when she was in the application process she reached out to admissions to ask about submitting a resume of her activities, awards, leaderships etc⊠and they said they pretty much base their acceptances off of the transcript (grades, rigor etcâŠ) and test scores and that they werenât interested in a resume (not those exact words obviously).
Stats- Test optional, 4.6 weighted GPA, lots of honors and some AP.
You donât need a resume. You can list your activities on the common application. There is space for that. Most schools do not want extra papers like resumes when the same info is ON the Common Application.
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You can look at the common data set of each college (google âcommon data set XYZ Universityâ) and look at section C to determine the relative value that the school places on ECs, volunteering etc.
I am not surprised that a large school would not be interested in getting data/resume from a student outside of what is on the application. They simply have too many applications to process.
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This would (generally) describe many less selective schools especially public schoolsâŠincluding nearly the entire SEC (the conference you noted in your OP). Note in the SEC there are several schools that require test scores: U Tenn, UF, UGA.
Private schools and highly rejective publics tend to be relatively more holistic. Sticking with the SEC, Vandy values leadership and ECs, but they also value test scores (and stats/rigor > ECs/leadership), plus they arenât âbigâ.
Thank you! She is very involved because she enjoys it (clearly more so then sitting for the SAT lol) but we know several who also want big school woh do tons of activities just to pad their applications. It makes me wonder why sometimes since there are many schools who donât seem to really care so much about involvement.
Thank you for your suggestions. I think of the schools you mentioned, Tennessee was the only one she had on her short list but has taken it off since they require the test again.
How about Virginia? Anything there you can suggest?
Oh wow, I didnât know that part was on the common data set! Thats great to knowâŠthank you!
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Unweighted GPA?
If it is something reasonable, like 3.5 or higher, several SEC schools like Mississippi State, Mississippi, Alabama, and Auburn are likely admits. Mississippi State is automatic admission with a 2.0 GPA in the specified high school curriculum.
But note that Florida requires the SAT or ACT.
Any good reason why she is ditching schools requiring the SAT or ACT? Can she take the test? While many schools are going test optional, limiting to only test optional will reduce her choices.
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unweighted is a 3.55. I kinda feel like its not super high, hence having the activities to maybe help? Again, not sure.
She doesnât want to take it. Doesnât want the stress that goes with it to be honest. Knows it doesnât show a true reflection of how hard she works. She did the PSAT in school and did terrible. Really knocked down her self esteem. Her sister went test optional (also did terrible on the SAT) and made the deans list the entire freshman year. I get why people do it, for her she doesnât want to and quite honestly I respect that she knows sheâs more then a test score. She is also a senior and in the midst of applying and is insanely busy with running clubs, captain of her team, VP of the class blah blah that I donât even think there is time at this point to cram test prep into it.
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Also, is test optional meaning that your D didnât score on a standardized test the way you might have hoped that a kid with a 4.6WGPA would have scored? Or was this a test whose score was way below normal (say, below 1000)? Depending on what the score was, you may still want to submit it as there are many places that are not expecting a 1400+ SAT score.
Assuming this link is accurate, then some possibilities include:
- LSU
- U. of Maryland
- U. of Mississippi
- Mississippi State
- Oklahoma State
- Texas Tech
- James Madison
- Virginia Commonwealth
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Activities and stuff matter if the academic credentials put the student on the borderline for admission. But an applicant whose academic credentials are below the borderline range (clear reject) or above the borderline range (clear admit) is unlikely to be affected by the activities and stuff.
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This all makes sense.
Most of the test optional SEC schools will admit her with the 3.55 and no test. At TAMU, will depend on major. Auburn really wants test scores even tho they are TOâŠtake a look at the Class of 2026 stats.
Which schools are currently on her list?
Her HS GC and Naviance/Scoir (if they use that) will be most helpful here.
Va Tech probably reachy (but school/major will likely be relevant here too). James Madison, Old Dominion, George Mason would probably be targets/maybe likelies for her. Is JMU big enough with ~20K undergrads?
Depending on size requirements, she could look at U Mass Amherst, U Vermont, Bing. Are there any budget constraints?
All 3 of my kids did poorly, my oldest (senior in college and going to graduate with honors) barely broke a 1000. LOTS of tears, LOTS of prep, LOTS of stress during that time when taking that test multiple times. She did do slightly better on the ACT (I think maybe a 19). My second got a 1100 but ended up applying test optional to most schools and then this one got a 900 on the PSAT. We did all the test prep for the other two, test courses, private tutors etc⊠I think both got to the point of taking it that no amount of prep was going to bring it up enough to make a difference. So for my 3rd and that kinda PSAT score, she decided long ago she would not get caught up in it and apply test optional and hope that what she does have, is good enough or at least she will go where shes wanted. Problem is here we are and she is still struggling to find schools to apply to (and thats part her too as she is an over thinker- Hey maybe thats why she didnât do well on the test lol)
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JMU is actually on her list to visit in a few weeks! I know from my other kids they donât give a ton of money and yea money would be nice but at this point we are already figuring 30k at minimumâŠsigh
My daughter did not get enough merit from JMU to bring it under $35,000 (33/3.9,7 AP, typical ECâs, varsity captain x2, honor societies, work, honor choir), only BING and St. Joeâs came in under $30,000 (she applied to 20, did get in honors almost everywhere). Sheâs #4 of 5 and merit seems to be decreasing.
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