Parents of the HS Class of 2013 - 3.0 to 3.3 GPA

Parents Forum Class of 20xx Community
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<p>Yay simpkin and son! After this it’s all downhill in the college process. Congrats!</p>

<p>When I talk to other parents at our local public HS, which has many very high achieving students, so many of them could use this thread for their B-students. Our B to B+ sons and daughters will all find colleges that fit them and several will also get merit aid, especially at OOS public schools and some privates. Regardless of merit aid, there really is a great fit college that will nurture our students as they mature into full adulthood.</p>

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<p>Well said, SnowflakeVT.</p>

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<p>Congrats simpkin! My D also liked Hofstra and will likely apply there next year. We are visiting McDaniel next week and I’d also like to get to Roger Williams. Good to hear your son got accepted.</p>

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<p>Simpkin - Congrats on the Hofstra acceptance! And he’ll have several other choices too. What a relief that must be!</p>

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<p>Congratulations, Simpkin! I’ve been following your S story and I’m just so happy for him and you.</p>

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<p>Thanks all! Yes, it is quite a relief. I’m really surprised and pleased by how many acceptances he has. Almost everything was a “reach” with his GPA. So don’t despair, parents of B- students; there is a nice college out there that wants your kid! </p>

<p>Of course he still has to graduate from high school . . . .</p>

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<p>^^^ lol simpkin, I hear you!</p>

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<p>Me too :slight_smile: I actually let my son stay home from school today to play catch up. (I feel so naughty.)</p>

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<p>I almost cried when I found this thread at 1 am last night! I am slowly reading my way through every post, but since it is Feb. break here in our area, and I’m out looking at schools with my S, I thought I would write my first post and I apologize for the length!</p>

<p>My S is the oldest of 4. graduates in 2013 and is a great kid-will talk to many adults and can be personable. The teachers love him. He plays 2 sports, but doesn’t think he wants to play in college but loves, loves the idea of club or intramural, but I wouldn’t put it past him to walk on for football if he was comfortable (but that’s probably my wishful thinking). He’s outgoing and funny in his inner circle, but can be shy and socially awkward. Does not do a lot of EC, he is too uncomfortable with anything like that so that is a negative for him. Although I did make him do a stint as a counselor summer before soph year in our church bible camp. To this day he says it was the most awkward experience of his life, being in charge of 8 little kids for 5 days. But now he admits it’s something he could put on his college apps. He does have ADHD and was described in the first few posts on this thread almost to a T. He is very strong in math, ( could be taking honors and did well fresh yr, but hated it) and hates reading. He will procrastinate and put things off. He’s disorganized. He will cram the night before the test, and can get a 100 but will blow off easy assingments at times. He was a straight A student through elementary and middle school (and has been on meds since 6th gr), but then when he went to hs, just fell apart. Our hs has a lot of high achievers, who do a lot of EC. So I have been feeling bad for him that he doesn’t fit in this group- but he doesn’t seem to mind! He usually does not test well, but I think he did do well on his last PSATs and takes the SAt in March. He has a tutor for that.<br>
Oh, another point- he doesn’t party at all and for that I am thankful He seems to have this very mature view of how much that could mess up your life and he wants no part of it. (Ummmm DH and I did not go through teen life with this philosophy so we are in awe of him, even though he seems young and immature in other areas!) He had a wonderful health teacher freshman year who really got to him on this subject. ( Several of the high achiever boys in his hs have been partying and have been in trouble for it, so I’m thankful for this part of his personality and the role model is he being for his siblings, especailly his very social sister in hs with him right now) </p>

<p>He really messed up the beginning of this year (of all years) and didn’t really study or put enough time in and his grades were not great first semester-he says he just got overconfident and didn’t think he needed to study because he feels smart or something like that. Halfway through the first semester, he felt horrible and started to get very nervous and try to bring his grades up so I think that is a good quality. So he is not always a solid B student, but is trying to be for the rest of this year. His teachers all say if he put in the effort he could be a solid A/B. However, he did pull a 3.0 the 2nd semester (and I heard him proudly telling someone that’s what he got) with a physics tutor- I’m a former teacher and I hate to say this, but his Physics teacher is awful. So many complaints from parents and a ton of students in the honors track going down hill, so I know it’s part my son, but a lot of the instruction too. His physics tutor says much of the work and testing is honors material. He does have a solid A/B in that class with the tutor now.<br>
I could go on forever, sorry this is so long.<br>
So now I’m trying to take him to schools that would be a reality for him. We live in NE area. He doesn’t want to go too far away. But I’m not sure a LAC is the place for him, since he hates Eng/reading. He is showing a little interest in Computer Science, but maybe IT would be a better fit for him and my head is spinning trying to figure out the difference. He has no interest in business. (Sometimes he says he has no interest in college at all, and I wonder if we should just find a different goal for him! But he was excited yesterday looking at schools) CS seems very engineering or business oriented and intense at many places- like UMass Amherst, which I know he won’t get into. I’m not even sure that’s what he wants to do, but since he’s good at math, and took an IT class in hs, we brought it up and he didn’t say no, haha. So we’re looking for a school that offers CS and IT. Someone in the computer field said security/IT will be the next wave and Sacred Heart and I think Curry offer some emphasis on that, I think, I’m tired and looked at so many schools online, I may be wrong! </p>

<p>I’m not sure how he’ll do on his SATs and I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Should he take the ACTs? </p>

<p>Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I’m thinking of looking at St. Michael’s and saw that Champlain had a nice computer curriculum. Any advice on those?</p>

<p>Again, sorry for the long long post and even if no one has any suggestions for me, I’m just getting a lot of help lurking and reading so thank you!</p>

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<p>Hi Emmie … also ready the 2012 (HS graduates for this year) version of this thread to get insight before you start the college application process next fall.</p>

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<p>Emmie, welcome to the thread! My son, a freshman, is majoring in Computer Networking and Information Security at Champlain and I think has just decided on a cyber security specialty along with a CS minor. The CS minor will be allowable for his major starting this fall. What helped my son decide on a potential major was visiting colleges that offered both CS and IS/IT and talking with the department chairs. This blog written by the head of the department at St. Mike’s was helpful: [Saint</a> Michael’s College - CS vs. IS: A Comparison](<a href=“http://www.smcvt.edu/academics/csiscomparison.asp]Saint”>http://www.smcvt.edu/academics/csiscomparison.asp) </p>

<p>He also got a very interesting look at a security major when he attended this [RIT</a> College & Careers Homepage](<a href=“http://www.rit.edu/emcs/admissions/careers/]RIT”>http://www.rit.edu/emcs/admissions/careers/) summer program at RIT. I’ve recommended this program to a few people after my older son did it several years ago. RIT is another one of the very few colleges that offers an Information Security major, and even rarer, accepts B students. I’d be happy to talk with you about other colleges that we looked at or more about Champlain either via pm or on this thread.</p>

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<p>Thank you so much for all the info Kathiep- will definately look into the RIT program.</p>

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<p>Hey Emmie, welcome to the club :slight_smile: My son also is showing a bit of an interest in “computing” and I found this website and the poster in particular, to be helpful in understanding the differences in SE, CS, IT, IS, etc…lol
[Computing</a> Degrees & Careers Download Our Computing Degrees & CareersBrochure and Poster](<a href=“http://computingcareers.acm.org/?page_id=58]Computing”>http://computingcareers.acm.org/?page_id=58)</p>

<p>My son did ok on the PSAT, just shy of 180. I have him taking the SAT in May and ACT in April. He hasn’t taken a practice ACT yet so I have no idea how he will do on that test but didn’t want to discount the chance that he may do better on that one.</p>

<p>Kathie, please share your college information here :slight_smile: Although my son has shown a slight interest, he’s more interested in the creative side of computing. I’m looking for strong CS programs that allow for a concentration in interactive multimedia design, gaming, simulation, etc.</p>

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<p>I give two thumbs up to the RIT program. My DH is a grad and we’re local Rochestarians. Great school that keeps improving year after year. Highly recommend it.</p>

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<p>reeinaz, has your son looked into York college at all? I noticed you’re from PA so thought I’d suggest it. I graduated from there 7 yrs ago.</p>

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<p>fendergirl, I’ve looked at York but I don’t think they’d give enough FA to make it doable. Even though it’s a great value, I won’t be able to cover more than about $7000/year out of pocket.</p>

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<p>I am having some last minute anxiety regarding the schools my D has applied to. She only applied to 6 and not one of them is truly a perfect fit. Each one has an aspect that makes me uncomfortable. So far she has been accepted to the 2 safeties so we know she can go away this fall but neither one is without flaws. The 4 we are waiting on are reaches and even those are not without a downside. I started looking for schools that are still accepting applications and when I mentioned it to my D she told me to “just stop”. Is it unreasonable to expect a perfect fit?</p>

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<p>samsmomo, you might want to go to the the thread for current seniors <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/939935-3-0-3-3-gpa-parents-thread-2012-hs-graduation.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/939935-3-0-3-3-gpa-parents-thread-2012-hs-graduation.html&lt;/a&gt;
But in my opinion, there is no “perfect” school. You just have to know in what areas you’re willing to make concessions. But if your daughter is fine with her selection, I say leave her be.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the advice. I thought I was in that thread, doh! Yes, 2012 not 2013.</p>

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<p>Reeinaz, It sounds like your son may be interested in a Digital Media major. My son was interested in that for a short while. That’s one of those majors that some colleges put in the art department and some put in a Communications major. I think I saw it in a computer science department somewhere, but I don’t think that’s as common. But, I can see how it would work as a concentration or minor. </p>

<p>One college that comes to mind right away is Marist College in New York - [Department</a> of Art & Art History - Digital Media Major: Marist College](<a href=“http://www.marist.edu/commarts/art/digitalmajor.html]Department”>Digital Media - Marist College) They have a pretty cool Computer and IS/IT department in a brand new building. I have to admit though, that they gave my son the lowest merit aid offer of any college he applied to.</p>

<p>Have you looked at Kutztown U? Since price is really important, I’m guessing that you are trying to find a good one within our state system. In fact, they have an open house for technology majors next weekend! [Welcome</a> to Kutztown University – college of visual arts, college of performing arts, college of education, college of liberal arts, college of business, college of graduate studies](<a href=“http://www.kutztown.edu/sciopenhouse/]Welcome”>Science, Technology and Mathematics Open House - Kutztown University)</p>