<p>S has
GPA 3.2
ACT 26
In private catholic boys high school in CA.
2 AP's this sr yr (physics, comparative politics)</p>
<p>[Compared to D, his EC's are average, so I can't tell if these will really mean anything to AO]
EC's: outside cycling interest (4 yrs) - competitive cycling team, has company sponsorship by frame company, worked intl trade shows, crazy job Gondoliering, 200+ service hours (special Olympics, homeless support groups), videography, blogging photojournalist
V letter two sports (f-ball injury took him to tennis), captain, etc, yearbook/photography
Has ADHD (diagnosed 2nd half of jr yr)
Wants bus major</p>
<p>Think we make too much to qualify for any aide ($300k+), (notes: one Daughter at Cal 3rd year - antithesis of son's academic path)</p>
<p>So questions:
- does not applying for fin aide help chances of admissions significantly in any way? (Is it possible for a 3.2 student to receive any?)
- does western undergraduate exchange application for OOS schools affect admission consideration?
- does an 'undeclared' major affect admissions?
- should he disclose ADHD? (Will they skip him and rather admit a non school fund/effort sucking student?)
- his wish list of schools:
USF, colorado state, U Colo Boulder, Oregon state, Univ of Denver, Michigan state (Lansing), Seattle Univ, WA State Pullman, Univ of WA (Seattle)</p>
<ol>
<li>Only if the school is need aware. Why do you need aid when you make 300k/year??? And I doubt anyone with 3.2 would get FA. </li>
<li>Minor to none </li>
<li>Talk to his counselor to mention his ADHD in GC recommendation.</li>
</ol>
<p>OSU: Safety
Univ of WA(seatlle): match
Not sure about others…</p>
<p>Re financial aide… We all have bills. Much of ours goes to a family created foundation. Just because we make money doesn’t mean we spend it all on ourselves, but thanks for the input again.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t disclose the AD/HD. Colleges sometimes worry about mental illness due to school terror incidents likr what happened at VTech not too long ago. If they ask about it, don’t deny it, obviously, but it’s not something that I think necessarily needs to be the forefront of his application. It’s tempting to use mental illness as an essay topic, and while I think it would make a very interesting essay, it’s not always conducive to a college’s desires, which ultimately is the safety of the students.</p>
<p>That being said, I have AD/HD myself. Having AD/HD does not make a student violent, unstable, or mentally incapacitated. For most, it’s just a focus issue. Sorry if I made your son seem like a monster, because I’m very very certain that he’s not. o3o</p>
<p>Instead of talking about mental illness in his essay, have him talk about cycling. I have no idea if cycling teams exist in college, but if they do, have him apply to colleges that may want to recruit him for their team. I think that this is probably the only way you’re bound to get financial aid. </p>
<p>I wish you and your son luck with the college app experience~</p>
<p>^
@minohi pure curiosity…how does ADHD have anything to do with tragedy that happened in VT?
You yourself said that it doesn’t make one violent or belligerent, so why is it harmful to disclose it?</p>
<p>I think that the ADHD shouldn’t play against the applicant. and it’s OKAY to talk about it in GC letter.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I agree with @minohi about the essay; cycling sounds much better.</p>
<p>@vichig
I think the colleges won’t consider how much bill your family has unless it’s extenuating circumstances like
huge, huge debt pile or unexpected expense like hospital stuff. </p>
<p>@paul2752 It doesn’t. Some colleges are just a little more wary of mental illness as a whole, that’s all. It’s one of those things that isn’t going to help chances if you bring it up, though it won’t hurt either. I could see your reasoning for wanting to bring it up, though - diversity. Colleges love diversity. I’d say have your GC mention it in their letter of rec. It’s something that is OK if addressed, I just don’t think it should be the central focus, as your son is so much more than a mental problem.</p>
<p>I apologize if I offended you or your son, it’s really not what I set out to do when I wake up every morning. o3o</p>
Final Stats:
Highest ACT 26 (English 28 Math 26 Reading 25 Science 26 Comp. 26) - he took ACT twice. Never took SAT
GPA: 3.42
He chose Colorado State University. Loves it.
Applied and Accepted:
Cal State Long Beach (Direct admit to Bus. School
Colorado State University (Direct admit to Bus. School)
Oregon State
Seattle Univ
Univ. of Colorado at Boulder (Direct admit to Leeds Business School)
Univ. of Colorado at Col Springs
Univ. of Colorado at Denver
University of Denver
University of Oregon (Eugene)
University of Washington (Seattle)
University of North Texas
University of Texas (Arlington)
University of San Francisco
University of the Pacific
and a score of other smaller schools that were pursuing him that he did not apply to, but they admitted him directly - with offers of money
Thanks for sharing your son’s results. Mine has a 27 act with a 3.7 gap and Boulder (Leeds) ans U. Of Denver are both on his list. Your post gives me hope! So glad your son is happy!
It does feel so overwhelming to try to find the right place. He really wanted to go to boulder. He realized though that being a direct admit to Leeds would require him to keep a 3.0 to stay in it. That was ‘doable’ but a lot of pressure and there was not a back up major out of the business school that he felt great about. The programs at col state allow a lot of flexibility in majors. And talk about having an incredible support system. Wow. They have a great pres. They’re getting a ton of money and the schools infrastructure is getting better every year. Out daughter had looked at the school her jr year (2011) and the changes in the school between then and now in 4 short years has been incredible. She ended up at Cal, and is very happy.
Your boy will do great. My advice… Don’t push him too far out of his comfort zone. Set him up for success and being a normal size fish in a big pond. Being a little fish is hard. Sometimes I’ve seen students feel a lot of pressure just to keep up.
UPDATE: Son from So Cal at CSU ended up being completely:
overwhelmed
lonely (surprised us saying that in a school so big, despite being in mentor program, still had difficulty keeping in contact with new friends. He is really sociable, kind, but didn’t drink a bunch nor smoke dope (which we believe as he got tested monthly in order to get ADHD meds) One of only 2 in his dorm - per his reporting that didn’t smoke pot.)
roommate issues to point of switching rooms at semester exacerbated his loneliness. spent a lot of time in other’s rooms to ‘escape’ (not study unfortunately)
ADHD meds at altitude (we are sea level CA folk) were messed up, along with hoops he had to jump through to get them (psych counseling, monthly blood tests at an off campus center, timing snafus that left him off meds for days at a time so he jumped back and forth)
just plain quit at mid point of 2nd semester. Ended up with all F’s that semester.
Sigh. Poor guy. Not giving any excuses for him. There were PLENTY of resources at CSU. Any kid with extra handling needs really could do well as long as they bought in and outreached themselves.
He’s home now. Worked all summer 5am construction job, has enrolled at local CC with 3 classes and continues part time construction job to pay for car we now charge him for. Don’t charge rent though yet. He is in counseling to try to reconcile his ‘hoped for self’ and ‘actual self’. Effort (or lack thereof) could be self sabotage? Or just lazy. Who knows. Hopefully he’ll figure it out. He is so lonely, even here.
Has been completely off ADHD meds since returning home in May. Tried Wellbutrin for one month, decided no to that. Wants to go back on ADHD meds. Boy oh boy. This kid. Still hasn’t completed paperwork for a retroactive withdrawal to try to take 5 F’s off transcript. We told him we’ll help if he needs it, but this is his to act upon. Trying to empower him that we trust him to make his own choices, whatever the natural consequence. His line to tow. His self esteem is in the toilet (through no fault of his own - college had many many resources at his disposal). We’ll see.
So just a cautionary tale. If your kid has reservations… if he begins to falter… JUMP IN. We stood back and supported ‘from afar’ not getting up into his business thinking he’d outreach for help (as he assured us he would). He didn’t. Just cacoon’d into himself. C’est la vie. Life lesson! Hope he gets into a groove soon - for his own sake (and for our sanity)!
Thank you for the update.
Try to push ain’t harder on the retroactive withdrawal. If he wants to pretend it didn’t happen, that’s the only way - otherwise these grades will e in the national clearinghouse and will follow him his entire life.
Good luck to him and to you.
We have advised him all the way around of the implications of the grades on long term GPA and future. He is dragging feet. We have changed our tact to suggesting that once his first semester grades at CC are in, this may support his rationale for the retroactive W’s. It’s in his court. Hope he puts effort forth at CC. It was his choice. I had suggested volunteer work or a different route than college - Real Estate license, restaurant management, photography. All are not in his vision. Whatever that holds, we have no idea.