New 3.0 to 3.3 (GPA) Parents Thread

<p>flyaround: yes, the UMiami acceptance puts that one on the list (which btw has almost every other school your son had on his…), although, with the high price tag, not sure we would really care…where did he decide to attend?</p>

<p>Like mdoc said, my D is finishing her sophmore year at the University Of Scranton, and there IS an intangible feeling about that place and I am sure at other campuses on this thread. Scranton is large enough, small enough, beautiful campus, working class city, fun hard working kids, she just loves being there and learning there, she also plays a DIII sport. The professors do give them a lot of work. As our second child is enrolling at another university in the fall we have seen and toured quite a few schools in the past 2.5 years, and I firmly believe that B students have many many wonderful choices to attend, public and private, and many of these schools will be competitive in offering finacial aid.</p>

<p>Son is currently a senior with a 3.3 gpa, 1300/1940 SATs. Lots of honors and 2 APs. His biggest problem was that he slacked off junior year, so on top of the mediocre grades, he had a serious declining trend. We were convinced that his choices would be very limited. Happy to say that we were wrong! He was accepted at the following schools: University of Vermont (will attend), Tulane, James Madison, Clark, SUNY Albany, University of Rhode Island, Ohio Wesleyan, Miami U, University of Colorado. He also received some merit awards from some of these schools! Was denied at Towson (thought this was his safety), Virginia Tech and Indiana(waitlist really). Now that we are on the other side of the application process, I truly feel that so much of this is random. If you have an interest in a school, definitely apply, even if it seems out of reach. Bottom line is you never know!</p>

<p>Mom2009…was that a weighted GPA for your son? Gives us some hope! So surprised about the waitlist at Indiana…did he apply late or…where are you located?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Thanks OP for starting this thread. I know it will help many students and offer parents some reassurance. At the end of my S2’s junior year, he had a 3.12 weighted gpa, even though he was working hard. (His grades show an upward movement as he figured out how to study more effectively) He attends a rigorous all boys college prep school and I walked out of the junior parents meeting (How to choose and apply to college) VERY discouraged. I knew he would be challenged at his HS school, but I did not realize how competitive even state schools had become. According to the GC, anyone under a 3.5 would have a tough time getting in at our top state schools. He had not taken the SAT or ACT yet, so grades were all we had to go by. He is a very likable kid, charming, and very hardworking, so I thought his recs would be positive. Also he played FB and BB on Varsity and had other good ECs. But I really worried about his grades and what his options might be.</p>

<p>SAT 1200/1860 ACT 26 GPA 3.12 W</p>

<p>So here are his results:</p>

<p>Ohio State: Accepted
Penn State UP: Accepted (OOS)
Ohio University: Accepted (merit $)
Kent State: Accepted (merit $)
Miami University: Accepted (merit $)
Marquette University: Accepted (merit $)
Xavier University: Accepted (merit $)
John Carroll University: Accepted (merit $)
Saint Louis University: Accepted (merit $)
College of Wooster: Waitlisted (This is a CTCL school. They later contacted him to see if he wanted to stay on the waitlist, but he declined because he liked many of his acceptances and did not want to wait and see.) </p>

<p>He was one happy senior and H and I were equally thrilled and relieved. </p>

<p>I hope this helps someone else. State schools and Jesuit schools were happy to accept him, so I would look at these as well as LACs. Ohio University is $27,000 tuition/r&b for out of state and they do give merit aid. If you are looking for merit aid, I would apply broadly. </p>

<p>For the big school D1 sports experience:</p>

<p>Other Big 10 schools besides Penn State and Ohio State that are B student friendly: University of Iowa, University of Illinois, Indiana University, Purdue University, University of Minnesota and Michigan State University.</p>

<p>Big 12: Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa State, Nebraska, Colorado</p>

<p>All three state schools in Arizona are possibilities: Arizona State, University of Arizona and University of Northern Arizona</p>

<p>MAC schools are another idea: Ohio University, Kent State, Miami University, Bowling Green, University of Toledo, Buffalo, Temple</p>

<p>Hope this is useful RTR! </p>

<p>I also think the Jesuit schools are another idea, there are 28 of them, 26 of them are not Boston College or Georgetown.</p>

<p>Flyaround, congrats to your S and thank you so much for the encouraging post!! D, a barely B student (no honors, no APs), is also considering UNC-Wilmington, College of Charleston and possibly Tampa. We have not, however, visitied any of the schools yet, so any info regarding what you found impressive (or disappointing/troubling) would be appreciated. I will also second NEmom’s request for info regarding the dorms and whether a car is necessary at any of the schools.</p>

<p>Thanks - - and best of luck to your S.</p>

<p>Warriorboy-for most colleges the requirement is 4 yrs of English. Does his school offer any 1 semester English courses? Or something online or during the summer at a Community college. I would be very concerned about a D in English. Some schools might overlook it but others not. It is a risk.
Most of the schools my son applied to were willing to overlook the D in Biology. McDaniels was one such school. My son also had taken Honors Physics and Chemistry. With those 2 courses he had 2 yrs of science with a passing grade. Unfortunately the CSU’s wanted 1 in the physical science and 1 in life science.
CPeltz- your son’s mix was interesting. My son also applied to Lewis and Clark. He was outright rejected but was accepted to Willamette. I think his Willamette acceptance was helped by a visit to the school and a great meeting with the disablilities director. I think she helped get him accepted. He did not attend since he did not get any merit aid from them.</p>

<p>ReadyToRoll - My son’s 3.3 was weighted. He had good ECs - debate team, founder of an environmental club (Environmental Science is his intended major), community service, etc. He is a kid that speaks his mind and is a wealth of knowledge. Most teachers enjoy him in their classes and I believe his recs were excellent. Also had a great essay (IMHO). </p>

<p>He applied to Indiana early, but they asked for his mid-year grades. Even said in the deferral letter that they were concerned about the slip in his junior grades. I thought that personal comment was quite impressive from such a huge school. </p>

<p>University of Vermont was his first choice from the very beginning. He just felt like he belonged from our first visit. He couldn’t be happier! I only hope he starts taking his grades more seriously when he gets there.</p>

<p>Okay…here’s the big question for all of you parents on this thread:</p>

<p>Did any of you use a college consultant…and if so, what did you use them for? </p>

<p>I don’t think we need any more help picking schools. I guess I would like to know if there are any “tips and tricks” for putting his best foot forward in the applications though…</p>

<p>Who needs a consultant when we have experts on CC,lol? </p>

<p>We didn’t use any consults but my two kids applied to state schools with very straight forward apps. </p>

<p>S2, a freshman,who would be the poster child for this thread except his SAT was even lower than all that have been posted, applied to 2 directional schools.</p>

<p>Neither app. required an essay of any kind…mostly fill in the blank stuff.</p>

<p>ReadytoRoll, if you don’t need help picking schools, I don’t know what you’d be paying a consultant for, either. That’s the biggest/hardest part of the whole thing. As for the applications, does your kid know his name and address? your name? most of the application is demographic info. Your kid will have to complete the EC stuff, probably write an EC/Activity resume (easy enough for you to help with, just like a regular resume only listing ECs, part-time jobs, etc) and your kid will need to write their own essays. You can help edit, of course.</p>

<p>We didn’t use a consultant for our older child (who would have been over-qualified for this thread), and other than helping us to find a list of appropriate schools I can’t see what one would have done for us, other than:

  1. Edit the essays (DH & I did that)
  2. Nag DS about deadlines (DH & I did that as well). </p>

<p>I do have a friend who used a consultant she thought very highly of, but in the end the A-average daughter with excellent EC’s went to Boston College, where she also happened to be a double-legacy, so I’m not sure how much help she even needed.</p>

<p>Seriously, I think you can get almost all the help you need here on CC. The hardest part for B students is finding the right schools to apply to.</p>

<p>One of my friends used a consultant because she and her daughter were constantly fighting and everone (my friend, her husband, D) thought it ws the best way to turn town the stress.</p>

<p>Bassdad, thanks for your helpful comments. I take it he is enjoying the business courses as well as the college generally.</p>

<p>Readytoroll, I would not pay the near $1000 consultants in NJ charge. I simply doubt they have so much inside information about the hundreds of schools they would need to really be value added. I think a lot of people use consultants to show that they pulled out all the stops and spared no expense–or simply do not want to read CC, websites and guidebooks themselves or rely on their child to do it.</p>

<p>Regarding Division 1 sports, they certainly are fun when you win, but for many kids, going to a school that large may mean not getting as much academic attention as they would at a smaller school, or the ability to play a Division 3 sport themselves. There are, of course, smaller schools with Division 1 basketball, but not football, if that suffices.</p>

<p>Jeremysmom- Don’t know if your question has been answered yet but I wanted to respond to post #45.</p>

<p>Here are the schools my D explored here in CA and also in Oregon:</p>

<p>Loyola Marymount
Chapman
Cal Lutheran
Saint Mary’s College of CA (where she will attending this fall)
Pacific University in Forest Grove OR
Linfield College (rolling admissions)
University of Portland (rolling admissions)</p>

<p>Also The small Northern CA CSU campuses:
Sonoma State
Cal State Monterey Bay
Chico State
Humboldt State</p>

<p>Regarding the college counselors: there is a trend to use them as a substitute parent when kids are not responding to parents nagging/encouragement to get apps done. Some are good, but be sure to check credentials and educational background, and make sure they are members of the NACAC. Anyone can declare themselves a college counselor - there is no licensing, no test to pass. We used one for our D but decided before her senior year that we could handle it ourselves, and saved ourselves $2500 in the process.</p>

<p>re Willamette: It is very likely that the things you mentioned mom60 did work in your son’s favor. They put emphasis on the interview and a desire for all types of diversity so that no doubt worked in his favor too.</p>

<p>Has anyone ever heard the term “Blue Ribbon School” in reference to a high school?</p>

<p>This <em>is</em> a great thread. My oldest survived with <em>maybe</em> a 3.0 uw (maybe not–I really don’t know the final GPA–sometimes that stuff just makes me sad) and pretty good SATs and ECs. We spent a lot of time researching/visiting (I enjoyed all the e-poking around–so much information at your fingertips, I never saw the point in a paid counselor) and I think came up with a good final list of schools to apply to. Rejected at one (which was actually good to see–otherwise wouldn’t you think you hadn’t aimed high enough?); waitlisted at one; accepted (with merit aid) to all the others. Many were CTCL schools. He is very happy where he is (although if you asked him right now, he can’t wait to get home–it’s been a long, eye-opening first year of college). I <em>do</em> think it’s a little easier for these kids when applying to smaller schools, which almost all of his were. A big public really <em>has</em> to do their initial cut by numbers only. The LACs will look at the whole application. (They must have!)</p>

<p>DS #2 (current hs junior) is turning out to be even more interesting! We had a minor panic after 3rd quarter grades came home but DH got up the next morning and said the magic words: “There’s always the University of Montana.”</p>

<p>There really <em>is</em> a school for everyone out there. And I am a fatalist who believes that kids usually end up in a place that is right for them. </p>

<p>At least that’s what I keep telling myself. . .</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Yes - around here many of the schools (elementary, middle and high) have been “Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence” at one time or another. See here for more info: [Blue</a> Ribbon Schools Program](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ribbon_Schools_Program]Blue”>National Blue Ribbon Schools Program - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>yabeyabe,</p>

<p>he certainly enjoys the school but switched majors entirely after having to drop an economics class partway through first semester. He is now a psychology major with intended minors in mathematics and philosophy. He has a plan that squeezes all of that into a standard 4-year curriculum, but we will see if he can actually get into all of the classes he needs to complete everything. He is doing very well - made dean’s list first semester and expects to again this semester pending grades on exams and final papers.</p>