<p>Northstarmom, you keep telling me there are hundreds of colleges, but I have yet to hear a single suggestion from you. If you could please name some of these colleges, it would help me a lot.</p>
<p>There are over four thousand colleges in the U.S., and given your friend’s situation, there are at least one thousand colleges he could consider. Limit it to the East Coast, maybe three hundred. It’d be difficult to narrow it down further from our subjective opinions. I suggest you to use some websites for this purpose. CollegeBoard, “My Chances” and “College Data” are all pretty useful IMO.</p>
<p>I just reread these posts and if your friend intends to take the money offered to him by working as a firefighter, then his college choices would be limited to schools that are close to his firestation. The intention of paying for tuition (generally a tuition reimbursement) is to attract and retain employees. The money os there to help those existing employees. This is assuming he can get a job as a firefighter (highly competitive), work the required amount of time for the reimbursement program (generally 1 year), and fit it in with full-time work.
If, however the program is simply a scholarship with no requirement for emplyment, then the East Coast opens up to him again.
I think it is great that you are attempting to help your friend. I am currently coaching two juniors that have 2.8 and 2.75 gpas. They are realistic enough to target community college or the non-flagship schools, even though they are both URMs with great ECs. Money just doesn’t appear to be there.</p>
<p>From the U.S. news site, “A+ colleges for B students”. The list show percentage of studets accepted and what their average SAT scores are. There are plenty of other colleges that your friend could get accepted to. Getting accepted to college isn’t going to be your friend’s problem. 60% of students in the U.S. get into their first choice colleges. The problem is paying for college.</p>
<p>In addition to the below, your friend probably could get into some of the nonflagship publics in Mass. such as U Mass. Lowell, and your friend probably could gain acceptance to virtually any community college. </p>
<p>Providence College
45.3% 1070-1270 </p>
<p>Loyola University Maryland
Baltimore, MD
68.6% 1100-1280 </p>
<p>Fairfield University
59.1% 1060-1240</p>
<pre><code>Ithaca College
65.5% 1090-1280
</code></pre>
<p>University of Scranton
66.0% 1030-1210 </p>
<p>St. Joseph’s University
Philadelphia, PA
1010-1210 </p>
<p>Arcadia University
Glenside, PA
69.6% 980-1200 </p>
<p>Iona College
New Rochelle, NY
59.4% 1090-1300 </p>
<p>Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, PA
64.8% 1040-1250 </p>
<p>Messiah College
Grantham, PA
70.2% 1040-1270 </p>
<p>Elmira College
Elmira, NY
74.3% 1010-1230 </p>
<p>From Insidecollege.com – Colleges for B, B- students with average scores. “Scholarships available” does NOT mean the school meets full need. It means the schools may have some scholarship or loan money available on a need and merit basis. Check the schools’ websites for more info. Some such schools will give full rides and full need scholarships only to students who greatly exceed the college’s average stats.</p>
<h1>Albion College (Albion, MI) (12 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Albright College (Reading, PA) (19 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Arcadia University (Glenside, PA) (19 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Austin College (Sherman, TX) (16 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Berea College (Berea, KY) (7 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Birmingham-Southern College (Birmingham, AL) (27 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Bradley University (Peoria, IL) (14 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Bryant University (Smithfield, RI) (10 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Butler University (Indianapolis, IN) (2 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>California State University – Chico (Chico, CA) (15 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Champlain College (Burlington, VT) (5 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Coastal Carolina University (Conway, SC) (7 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Coe College (Cedar Rapids, IA) (8 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>College of Charleston (Charleston, SC) (15 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO) (43 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Concordia University Wisconsin (Mequon, WI) (3 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Coppin State University (Baltimore, MD) (13 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Cornell College (Mount Vernon, IA) (26 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Creighton University (Omaha, NE) (3 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>DePaul University (Chicago, IL) (9 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA) (9 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, FL) (21 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Ferris State University (Big Rapids, MI) (17 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) (19 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Franklin Pierce University (Rindge, NH) (2 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>George Mason University (Fairfax, VA) (14 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Hampden-Sydney College (Hampden-Sydney, VA) (11 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Hartwick College (Oneonta, NY) (17 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Hawaii Pacific University (Honolulu, HI) (24 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Hillsdale College (Hillsdale, MI) (11 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Hollins University (Roanoke, VA) (9 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Hood College (Frederick, MD) (14 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Hope College (Holland, MI) (16 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Illinois College (Jacksonville, IL) (12 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, IL) (10 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Jacksonville University (Jacksonville, FL) (34 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Lake Forest College (Lake Forest, IL) (16 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Lesley University (Cambridge, MA) (7 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Linfield College (McMinnville, OR) (10 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Loyola University Chicago (Chicago, IL) (22 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Loyola University New Orleans (New Orleans, LA) (15 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Manhattan College (Riverdale, NY) (12 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Manhattanville College (Purchase, NY) (10 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Marymount Manhattan College (New York, NY) (22 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>McDaniel College (Westminster, MD) (15 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Merrimack College (North Andover, MA) (6 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Millsaps College (Jackson, MS) (17 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla, MO) (12 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Moravian College (Bethlehem, PA) (5 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Muskingum College (New Concord, OH) (9 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>New Jersey Institute of Technology (Newark, NJ) (5 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ) (4 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Oglethorpe University (Atlanta, GA) (11 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK) (4 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Old Dominion University (Norfolk, VA) (8 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Ouachita Baptist University (Arkadelphia, AR)</h1>
<h1>Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, WA) (16 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Philadelphia University (Philadelphia, PA) (7 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Randolph College (Lynchburg, VA) (4 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Regis University (Denver, CO) (4 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Roanoke College (Salem, VA) (5 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Roger Williams University (Bristol, RI) (8 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>SUNY Alfred State College (Alfred, NY) (8 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>SUNY College – Oneonta (Oneonta, NY) (64 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, CT) (16 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Saint Joseph’s University (Philadelphia, PA) (4 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Salve Regina University (Newport, RI) (11 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Shippensburg, PA) (4 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Southern Oregon University (Ashland, OR) (15 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>St. Anselm College (Manchester, NH) (6 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>St. Bonaventure University (St. Bonaventure, NY) (11 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>St. John’s College (Annapolis, MD) (8 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>St. John’s College (Santa Fe, NM) (2 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>St. Mary’s College (Notre Dame, IN) (4 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Stetson University (Deland, FL) (12 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Susquehanna University (Selinsgrove, PA) (22 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL) (192 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ) (13 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL) (29 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH) (7 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Dayton (Dayton, OH) (9 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Hartford (West Hartford, CT) (13 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA) (12 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY) (19 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Louisiana – Lafayette (Lafayette, LA) (18 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Maine (Orono, ME) (17 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Mary Washington (Fredericksburg, VA) (31 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Nevada – Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV) (2 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of New Hampshire (Durham, NH) (3 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM) (7 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Northern Colorado (Greeley, CO) (3 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK) (109 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Rhode Island (Kingston, RI) (8 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of South Florida (Tampa, FL) (15 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Tennessee (Knoxville, TN) (45 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT) (34 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA) (5 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Virginia Military Institute (Lexington, VA) (5 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Virginia Wesleyan College (Norfolk, VA) (5 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Wagner College (Staten Island, NY) (10 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Washington & Jefferson College (Washington, PA) (10 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Washington College (Chestertown, MD) (11 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Washington State University (Pullman, WA) (13 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>West Chester University of Pennsylvania (West Chester, PA) (3 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV) (25 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Westminster College (Salt Lake City, UT) (2 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Whittier College (Whittier, CA) (11 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Widener University (Chester, PA) (6 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>William Jewell College (Liberty, MO) (10 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Wingate University (Wingate, NC) (7 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Wisconsin Lutheran College (Milwaukee, WI) (8 scholarships available)</h1>
<h1>Wittenberg University (Springfield, OH) (6 scholarships available)</h1>
<p>Another site with info about possible colleges your friend could get into. However, need-based and merit aid is scarce at these colleges due to their relatively small endowments.</p>
<p>[CTCL</a> Northeast Region | Colleges That Change Lives](<a href=“http://www.ctcl.org/colleges/northeast]CTCL”>http://www.ctcl.org/colleges/northeast)</p>
<p>It really depends on what his situation is and how well he conveys it in his essays.</p>
<p>Drexel University came to mind. It’s quite a reach, but depending on his situation, may not be completely impossible. Same with Goucher College. Hard to tell without more information.</p>
<p>Hampton University seems to be a match. It’s located in Virginia (hopefully that isn’t too far south for him). The average ACT is a 22 and close to a fifth of students have a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99. Howard University, in DC, has an average ACT of 24 and about a fourth of students have his GPA. Hopefully, he’ll be able to bring his GPA up throughout this next year, because despite the lower GPAs, the majority of students are in the upper half of their class.</p>
<p>As others suggested, his best bet would be a community college. When he applies as a transfer, he’ll be able to point to his success there, thus showing his motivation. At the time being, it is hard to understand how that goes hand in hand with his grades and scores.</p>
<p>Good luck! :)</p>
<p>My husband is a firefighter/paramedic. He works 48 hour shifts at a time; these shifts vary constantly, and there is no regular routine in our lives. There is no way he could attend a traditional college. Some of the younger guys at his station have gone off to four year colleges, but they all had to quit their jobs. I do not understand how your friend will be able to work as a firefighter or EMT and attend a traditional college, especially if he plans on moving across the country. And I’ve never heard of a scholarship being given to a firefighter unless he STILL works in the fire/EMT service. Also, the only Federal certification system that I know of for EMS workers is for paramedics, not EMTs or firefighters; therefore, if your friend goes to another state, his certification from Texas will probably be null and void.</p>
<p>There are plenty of match schools for him including plenty of 4-year colleges. The problem will be financing whatever school accepts him. In addition, if the student’s school is more than a short drive away, the student may have difficulty getting home for long weekends and holidays and having his family visit on family occasions.</p>
<p>Since it seems that your friend lives around Austin, Tex., it would be wise for your friend to look at community colleges and 4-year public and private colleges in that area. Perhaps some even have some special scholarships for local low income students, something that colleges sometimes do for deserving local students.</p>
<p>I was impressed with Simpson College in Iowa. They seem to be doing a good job with their students. I met a student from Texas there. They want out of state kids, want URMs and want males. Their Trio program is a great resource for lower income students. They have rolling admissions. The financial aid they offered my relative was appropriate for their income.</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.simpson.edu/admissions/]Admissions[/url”>First-Year Scholarships, Awards and Grants | Simpson College]Admissions[/url</a>]</p>
<p>You might want to get Lauren Pope’s book from the library: 40 Colleges that Change Lives. Many of the colleges in it will accept students with less than a 3.0 average. The College Board guide to colleges includes tons of information for all schools in each state, including the % of applicants accepted, and the percent with high school grades below a 3 point.</p>
<p>i dont know about this one
Everything is very similar for me our school is 50 somehting in the nation too
and im bot 50%
only diff is im low income and from a single parent home also i got a little better ACT</p>
<p>Can someone chance me aswell?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/999279-chance-me-please-need-chances-only-bu.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/999279-chance-me-please-need-chances-only-bu.html</a></p>
<p>UMBC in maryland is a great up and coming tech school. not super prestigious but they generally offer alright financial aid and they have lots of new dorms.</p>
<p>I’ve assisted with admissions decisions in the past and would like to say first and foremost that your friend will find acceptance into a university or college, though it may not be one of his top choices. Here’s my 2 cents…</p>
<p>As others have said, the 2.7 weighted (2.4-2.5 UW??) GPA is the obstacle . Unfortunately, his ~1100 SAT (just CR + M) is not enough to mitigate his grades. However, you did say he had a difficult two years. Although his freshman/sophomore years may be abysmal, was there any significant upward trend in his grades and/or extenuating circumstances to explain the low grades? If so, this should be explained in applications and could definitely help in admissions.</p>
<p>As far as your harder than average school: unfortunately any “pull” the high school has would be local or regional and could extend to universities your high school “feeds” into. Boston University and Maryland- CP are definitely out unless your friend whips out an amazing second SAT score which would need to be quite a bit above his current projection of 1800. </p>
<p>I know the idea of community college does not appeal, but I just want to second (or is it third, fourth or fifth?) this idea. CC doesn’t actually have any negatives connotations and can be an indispensable, bridge between high school and a four year institution. Motivation is a great thing to have but university will not be any easier- especially at the colleges mentioned in the original post. Ultimately, he could do well at a CC, transfer to a great school and end up with the same diploma. Although admittedly CC usually feeds into local (though great) universities so the whole northeastern area thing may have to be abandoned for now. However, as a former ad con, I would be worried about your friend’s stability. Low GPA in high school + move across the country + increased demands of college workload = potential recipe for disaster. </p>
<p>If your friend is still in the process of looking for schools, I do have several suggests. However, I’d be interested to know a few more things: what is his general financial situation like/is financial aid needed for out any state/private institutions? Is he completely dead set on the northeast or is he open to other geographical locations? Are there extenuating circumstances to explain the two bad years in HS? Also do you know his combined critical reading and math scores on the SAT? Perhaps he bombed the writing portion and that lowered his overall score even though no one gives a flip about the writing section score.</p>
<p>Still if he settles for a school that is a fit for his grades/scores, it may not be a match for his personality and could lead to a bad situation…</p>
<p>@ kbott</p>
<p>You must be a great friend to help him look at colleges and to take all this heat on this forum. ^___^
Keep on going!</p>
<p>(random encouragement)</p>
<p>I totally understand the situation. My daughter has ADHD and struggles accedemically. It’s so difficult to look her in the eyes and tell her that she may not have the opportunities other kids have because she was unfortunate to be born with this disability. Isn’t it hard enough going through 12 years of school feeling insecure and not up to the standards of everyone else around you. She’s finally made it though high school and wants to attend college and this disability still haunts her with lack of acceptance letters or scholarships. Just once she (and I) want to see her evaluated for the person she really is and not for the grades she produces.</p>