Parents of HS Class of 2020 - 3.0 to 3.4 GPA

Parents Forum
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I’m stealing this discussion topic…and making it my own as my B/G twins just started Junior Year and I am now in the throws of SATs/ACTs and beginning “true” college search for my “polar opposite” twins!

With appreciation to @MotherOfDragons and @fwtxmom for their 2018 and 2019 threads!!

“This is not a chance thread for students. It is for parents of kids roughly in the B to B+ range with any range of test scores. Of course, all parents are welcome, but it is not meant for the top of the line, applying to Ivies sorts of dilemmas. Advice from parents of other years is definitely appreciated!”

Below is my spin on previous threads…

Topic 1: SAT/ACT Testing Dates
Based on their readiness and availability for prep classes I’ve decided to have them take their first SAT in the Spring - March 9 test date for us. When should I aim for retesting? Is May too soon? Or should I wait until August? D20 may do better on the ACT but that is not pushed as hard at their school so I may just have her take the ACT in June or July. That leaves the fall of senior year open to retake ACT and/or SAT.

Topic 2: SAT Subject Testing – Yes/No?
How important is the SAT Subject Testing? I did some research and it appears as though it depends on where you apply - not all colleges require or even recommend this. Seems it is mainly Ivys and upper tier schools that really want this - which is not where we are looking.

Topic 3: SAT/ACT Prep Classes & Workbooks
I am checking on “in person/classroom style” prep classes (in person would work better especially for my D20) – have narrowed it down to either Georgetown Learning Center or Princeton Review – based on budget and class schedules. Any thoughts or other recommendations? I also plan on getting some Workbooks for them to begin review/study now…any recommendations?

The above are my current most pressing topics but am copying and pasting below topics from previous threads as they are just around the corner for me.

Topic 4: School Visits & Casting WIDE nets
So - when do we start truly visiting colleges? Should I plan on using Winter/Spring Break of Junior year for college visits? Should these be formal (registered through the school and making contact with the school) visits? Or is this too soon?

Topic 5: Fit & LOVING ALL OUR SCHOOLS
D20 is my bright, responsible and “A” student…if grading were based on effort. But she has her challenges – currently on an IEP with ADHD/Inattentive Type + General Anxiety and working memory issues. So we are being realistic yet still remaining open to some “reach” schools because well, you just don’t know…she just got a PT job working retail at the local mall and has regular babysitting gigs. She also earned the coveted Girl Scout Gold Award this past summer! I want her to “reach” for where she wants to really go, but also have some realistic options/safeties and we’ve even discussed and she is open to Community College for the Guaranteed Admissions route should she still really want to go to her “reach” school if she does not get in.

S20 is looking to have turned himself around and focusing more on school - currently taking Honors and 1 AP class with a focus on Computer Science (AP Computer Science Principles and Cyber:CompTech2 A+). If he continues to apply himself he will hopefully be closer to the 3.4-3.8 GPA…but only time will tell.

Topic 6:Possible Financial/Merit aid
We will not qualify for much if any FA (having twins at same time…our EFC comes to about $25K). As for merit aid, I thought we’d never qualify either based on stats, but after reading threads on CC I see that we might just qualify at some schools - yeah! That being said – our budget is $25K (tuition/room & board) or less per kid with student loans being required if over that. Therefore we have been sticking primarily to all in-state public schools (Virginia) – but I’ve heard from friends that there are some OOS schools where you could actually end up paying only about $25K so I’ll be looking at a few OOS options as well maybe.

Topic 7: Books to assist our quest of the perfect school for our children.

Topic 8: Requesting LOR’s before school gets out

And…finally…as we get close to and into senior year:

Topic 9: Applications (EA vs. ED vs. RD), to disclose or not disclose LD, essay prompts, etc.

Topic 10: Auditions (music, dance, theatre) (does not apply to my but left it in the thread for others)

Topic 11: Senior year visits & overnights

Topic 12: The Waiting Game of acceptances

Topic 13: Reviewing award letters

Topic 14: Committing and sending in that check!

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I’m confused. Is this different than http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/class-20xx-community/2096221-parents-of-the-hs-class-of-2020-3-0-to-3-4-gpa-p1.html ?

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Hi @scoutmom2002 thanks for starting, however, someone beat you to it. It’s in the 20xx subsection; maybe it could be moved to be more noticeable?

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/class-20xx-community/2096221-parents-of-the-hs-class-of-2020-3-0-to-3-4-gpa.html#latest

To answer some of your questions/add my input, with regards to SATs, my son set up a schedule on Khan where he does about 15 minutes a day of practice. That’s all we’re doing until we see how he does on the PSAT. My son is interested in engineering so he may do SAT2 for science and math IF his SAT/ACT aren’t great. We don’t send any scores to the schools.

As far as visits, we have already begun them. Junior and senior year are busy, and when I did this with my daughter, it was too hectic. So my son has seen two schools so far (happened to be near them during vacation) and he has about 6 more scheduled for this fall. We will try to do the rest during April vacation. I don’t like touring in the summer; I don’t think you get a good feel for the school when the students aren’t on campus. Remember that you might need to go back for a second visit for interviews and/or an overnight during senior year for the schools your child really likes. We do the formal tours through the school. They definitely expect a lot of juniors so now is not too early.

Re: FA. If your EFC is $25 you’ll qualify for lots of FA, no? Merit is unpredictable. My daughter only applied to privates, but the majority of those came in around the same as our instate public. She had barely a 3.0uw but a 3.7w and rigor. My son has about the same uw but only a handful of honors and no APs (hoping he can get into one senior year) At his school you can’t take honors unless you can an A in advanced and you can’t take APs until junior year and only if you get an A in honors. He is also ADHD, late diagnosis-last year-and doesn’t want meds so it’s difficult. He did finish last year with First Honors so we are hoping he keeps the upward trajectory.

Our fav books for researching schools are Colleges That Change Lives and the Fiske Guide.

Son’s school wants kids asking for LORs by spring of junior year so teachers can write them over the summer. All apps have to be submitted to guidance counselor by November 15.

I’d specifically love some information for engineering bound kids in this gpa range. Having a hard time figuring out if engineering is an affected major at a school and how to find average test scores and gpa for engineering applicants. If any 2018 and 2019 folks want to chime in, I’m all ears.

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Ooopss…did not realize someone has beat me to posting this discussion!! So sorry for duplication – don’t know how to fix it though.

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@taverngirl - thanks! didn’t realize this thread was already posted somewhere…oops. FA is totally confusing to me…so yes, technically we qualify for some FA but only because we have twins (2 in at same time).
We are in Virginia so luckily many good in-state schools. However, we in are No. Va - a highly competitive area - and especially competitive HS where a large portion of kids are the super over achievers taking all APs/Honors many since 9th grade…having GPAs over 4.0. We hear it all the time…you are basically scr___d if you are from NOVA when it comes to applying to any of the mid to top tier schools in Va. I know many people whose kids (and I’m talking still decent GPA, some with 4.0s) don’t get into Va. Schools of their choice…many go OOS rather than a lower tier school.
I’ll have to start planning for visits! Should we already be making contact with admissions offices as well?