<p>@conmama,
Bunheadmom’s advice is great. Definitely click on the links such as xiggi’s method. It looks overwhelming but take it slow and it will make sense.</p>
<p>The only change I would make to BHM’s post is to have your kid study for ACT and take it in either May or June 2014 rather than waiting to fall 2015. It’s hard to plan for which colleges to apply to in the fall 2015 if you don’t have any idea what his ACT score is or will be.</p>
<p>@conmama,</p>
<p>Depending on how far you want your child to go to college, there are options for a 3.1/low 20s ACT student, that won’t totally break the bank. Missouri’s state schools (other than Mizzou) are very reasonably priced and don’t have difficult entry compared to some others. Check them out. Some are not that far from Indiana.</p>
<p>Also, my one son is likely going to Bowling Green, just south of Toledo. There are tuition breaks at 3.0/20 ACT. It might be a little more than 20K total, but not way over. At 3.0/20, BGSU gives $3,654 off of tuition for OOS students, bringing tuition down from 18K to maybe 14-15K + room and board. And if your son manages to get a 26 ACT and keep the 3.1, I think the discount increases to $7,654, which is the entire OOS premium - turning it into an in-state school. BGSU is on par with Ball State - same conference, etc.</p>
<p>You also might want to look at Murray State University, in Murray, KY. That school has reciprocity agreements with it’s border states - so you pay what you would pay at an “average” in state Indiana school. We toured the campus and it’s decent. Tiny town. Listed as a “value” school. Your son would get in there (it’s not a competitive admission), but depending on math may have to take 1 extra course. The student reviews at Murray State are very positive. Friendly school/place.</p>
<p>Very glad to have discovered this thread! My DD goes to a public high school with an arts focus. For various complicated reasons (partly having to do with learning disabilities and ADHD that were not properly accommodated until this year) she did not do well during Freshman and Sophomore years in her academic subjects, with most grades in the 70’s/low 80’s - though she excelled in art. She has turned things around quite dramatically this year and is pulling mid to high 90’s in all classes other than math. Her teachers love her and she is really blossoming! She will take the SATs in May and is hoping for mid-600’s in all three areas. With all of this, we are struggling to come up with a list of schools that would be a good fit and that might consider her… She is interested in fine art and psychology, isn’t sure whether she wants a small college or a large university (but is pretty sure she doesn’t want very small), and prefers to stay within the general northeast area. We think she would be best off at a small LAC, but we’re trying to look at a range of places now, including LACs and large universities, so she can start to have a sense of what is out there. But we can’t get a clear picture on how the first two years will impact her options. Of course everyone says that colleges value upward trends, but which colleges really mean it? Any insights would be greatly appreciated. She’s barely at a 3.0 GPA now but by the end of junior year will hopefully be at a 3.2 or thereabouts. Decent ECs, extremely talented and creative, and a great interviewer 
Thoughts? </p>
<p>Hello slopergal, if you have a chance to read the first couple pages of this forum you will get a good bit of info. The info will range from how to search for LAC or university; what others students were able to do with the cards they were dealt with in early high school ( slow start, maturity issues, and some LD) and there results.
You might spend sometime on the '14 3-3.30 because the results are coming in on their admissions.
BunHeadMom is great with data and how to utilize it to the student and family advantages.
Most the parents on this board also follows the '15 group because they are going through campus visits now and giving a good narrative on the colleges they have toured. Be for warned that most are high stats kids but the parents are down to earth, and trying to find a good fit for their D or S. very different from a lot of the other CC groups.
Hang in there we all will being experiencing this process together</p>
<p>@conmama, did your son take the actual ACT or practice exam? How did he feel about it?</p>
<p>@SlackerMomMD hope your college tours were great. Sounds like what we thought on both schools. Did any schools make the list from the Midwest yet?
We (dear D) still continue to push for large student population.
We now are less than 6 weeks from our dear D and S being seniors.<br>
Last round of testing for SAT this school year in less than 3 weeks.
Ap first part of May
Finals first week of June
June 14 the last ACT for this school year.<br>
Hold tight because now the fun really begins. Lol</p>
<p>@Hoosier96,</p>
<p>I asked D about the Midwest and she was pretty adamant about not wanting to look there. I am limited to ONE Midwest school suggestion. She agreed to look at Kalamazoo (because it has the study away from campus component). I want her to look at Cornell College but no Iowa. Similarly, no Beloit because no Wisconsin. Any good arguments? :-<</p>
<p>Actually, finding the Florida schools less than perfect may work out - I really want D to go in state. </p>
<p>D seems calm about the AP’s but she only has three and she feels good about Lang, okay about World. Bio is the only one she feels she needs extra study. </p>
<p>But she’s still on the hunt for her summer internship. I hope she gets one by May.</p>
<p>Time is going by way too fast. </p>
<p>Hi all. We decided to stick with the SAT. That morning DH, DS and I sat down and discussed the month we had until the SAT. We all decided that after almost a year of studying for the SAT (with dire results, I know), that is what he was accustomed to. Switching gears at this late date probably wouldn’t do much, and we should just go the course until the May 3rd SAT. That will mostly likely be it with that test. After the SAT, it will probably be worthwhile for him to take a practice ACT after school is over. Depending on how he does with that, he may or may not take a real one in the fall. We thought that changing gears would be too confusing. He didn’t even do any studying this past weekend (I’ve been helping him alot) because of Prom. We have one more weekend. Thanks for checking in. When we find out, I will let everyone know. I don’t hold out much hope for any vast improvement, but he’ll give it a another shot, anyway. I think we just have to come to grips that his options will be limited going into freshman year. If he does well, he can transfer to the school he really wants.</p>
<p>@conmama, that sounds like a good idea. Don’t forget, most schools superscore. So if your son can raise his lowest score even if the overall score remains the same, that will raise his overall superscore. Good luck!</p>
<p>For those kids taking AP exams this year, you can purchase old released exams from CB Store. While I am not too crazy about “donating” more money to CB, it may be useful knowing what real questions look like. For revamped exams - Chem and Bio for example - old exams won’t do you much good for obvious reasons. </p>
<p>The board has been quiet these days so I figured I would give it a bump. DS ACT score was disappointing to say the least. Which is really upsetting considering all the materials and encouragement/nagging he received. We got him a private tutor who he’s seeing twice a week and he’s retaking it in June. My stomach is in knots over it all and the anxiety it killing me. I don’t know how others have gotten thru this. </p>
<p>D will take the ACT again in June. Finals schedule just posted…less than 3 weeks my D will be a senior.
We have a firm list based on the last ACT score. She needs 2 more points to make all on the list financially secure. If not those will go off the list. She knows this but the Red Book has been gathering dust. Uggggg</p>
<p>@momincypress - how many times has he taken the exam and how many points is short of his target score? </p>
<p>@Hoosier96, I could have written your post pretty much word-for-word. I’m hoping that once the AP exams are over she will step it up with the ACT prep.</p>
<p>@momincypress-I found the way for us to deal with all the standardized testing frustration and anxiety is to find schools that will accept my son based on his stat. If his scores improve, that’s great because it opens up more opportunities for him. If not, he will do fine wherever he goes. So far we have found a few D1 academic and financial safety schools that my son will be happy to go to. </p>
<p>@momincypress - I did the same thing as @sunnydayfun. We picked schools based on D’s earliest scores (her scores remained the same the second time). If her scores improved, then she’ll be a stronger candidate. If not, that’s okay too.</p>
<p>@momomincypress…we are waiting for my son’s 2nd round of SAT results in a couple of weeks. I have become more accepting of the fact that he probably won’t do much better. His options will be limited, and it is what it is. I think you will get to a point where your stomach will untwist and you’ll just accept it and then deal with it. Yes, I’m sure there will be some disappointment for us all, but I’ll remain positive for son’s sake. Even if he ends up in a school that I never imagined he would…I will buck up and be happy about it…for his sake. There was a point on Parent Cafe, I think, where a Mom came back and told her experiences of her two children and how they thrived…one at the flagship school and one at a “directional” school…which is where I think mine will end up. I try not to get so worked up over all of this…and remember how lucky we are they he is healthy and happy and will get to go to college!</p>
<p>@FromMD it was his first time taking it so there is a little bit of hope there but he’s 4 points away from his target score which can be a little tough. His tutor has him doing a lot of the things I see here for tips and he’s feeling a little more confident so fingers crossed</p>
<p>^^ Hopefully, your son will improve <em>some</em> in the June test (good luck!). But don’t fret if he doesn’t quite reach his target score. I keep reading that many students improve a lot between June and September/October exams. Also, it is common to retake the ACT and improve significantly on the second try (never mind that my daughter did not).</p>
<p>I also agree with @conmama. It’s disappointing initially to realize that maybe that school you thought would be perfect for your child is, well, out of reach. But there are lots of hidden gems out there and we just have to search a bit more to find those schools for our children. We’re not even looking at any flagship schools - never even occurred to us. D is considering a few directional schools and is actually pretty excited about one.</p>
<p>BTW, I’ve been noticing in the Class 2014 3.0-3.3 thread, the kids have many more acceptances than rejections while in the general CC threads, I tend to read about rejections the high stat students are suffering. I think we are lucky. Our children need really focus on what they need and what’s realistic and in the end, they put a lot of thought into it. It’s not just a random list of well-known colleges.</p>
<p>@momincypress - Even with EA/ED schools, your S will have two more shots (June and September) so have him continue with his prep work (time measured using old retired exams) but I wouldn’t worry too much. Also, keep in mind more schools superscore nowdays so that should help as well. Make sure to check each school’s admission policy. Superscoring policy maybe different school to school. Good luck. </p>