Other than that we have friends that have had great experiences at Abilene Christian - would get merit check cost, TCU, Texas Lutheran (private), University of North Texas, UTSA - Safety, SFA, and SHSU and Texas State.
We are also from TX and all these schools will give your Son a great education. We found an OOS school that ended up cheaper than in state but my S had a higher GPA. D, who was abysmal in school, got a scholarship at Abilene Christian and at Schreiners (very small so was good for her) but in the end didn’t go to college - had friends that went to both schools and loved them. We have looked at both ends so just suggestions. UTD is more tech oriented, U of H has a good business school (my MBA is from there) but not an environment I think your son would love.
Even my friends child with a 2.9-3.0 was offered free tuition through the Jesuit employee exchange at St. Louis U. They declined it to go somewhere else (also free tuition). Their other child is at SLU and loves it!
Fachex is a benefit for Jesuit college full-time employees. It allows their dependents to apply for free tuition at other Jesuit colleges but the benefit is not guaranteed.
Tuitionexchange.org includes many more college exchanges for full-time staff but again, it’s competitive and not guaranteed.
Bit quiet on here for us with “average” kids, whatever that means. How is the fall semester going for everyone?
So, DS23’s pre-ACT scores are in and it is 27. About par for what I was expecting. He “claims” he took a practice SAT and did "MUCH’ better. As such, he will prepare for the SAT instead. Signed up for the December date. Taking the PSAT next week. We shall see.
He is taking his academics a bit more seriously, so that’s progress.
Police visited our house for my kid. Making some not great choices with driving so off to the therapist he will go. He’s had a decent attitude adjustment with talks with me but I like offering the neutral professional as an option.
Practice ACT was 26-33 overall 29. Considering it was done at school with only 1 week complete and no prep, I’m happy with that score.
I’m trying to introduce him to some schools that could be considered possible safeties. Xavier, Salve Regina, Lawrence for example. Pointing out that colleges like U of Redlands or Gonzaga will be reaches financially if he doesn’t get the grades up.
One day a week he’s at school from 630am to 8pm (acapella before school then football after followed by coed extra choir). He’s trying to figure out school work . Lots of missing assignments and trying to figure that out. All As and Bs at this point. Need to bump a few more Bs up as he’s more than capable of doing the work in a couple classes.
We are off next week to Seattle for one day and Portland/Salem for a few to do some school tours. Excited but nervous. Spouse tends to barrel ahead and take charge, and will have to step back and let son take charge on trip.
Son had a lot of bumps last year and a half that have smoothed out with professional help. Crossing fingers that it continues. Sub par grades during covid, but it has gotten better again and scored a 33 on ACT.
In light of recent events, S23 has mentioned they don’t feel they would enjoy living in a heavily red state or area. He leans center or left a bit. He loves the rain. Hes never been to PNW but thinks thats an area that may interest him for college. However, his grades may not get him the awards he could need to go there. (Seattle U, Gonzaga, Pacific U, U of Puget Sound). We have the extra added “maybe” with admissions and/or “merit” IF he does choose music as a major.
We are in NJ so D23 has only been in school for a few weeks, and so far, about the same as most other years. Happy they are in person, masked, full time, 5 days per week, with sports and activities again. She joined the school newspaper and I think sent in an application to be on the planning committee - I think it’s the club that plans homecoming and prom and official school events? Her grades are basically good except for Algebra 2, which is a D right now, and I guess I should get her a tutor NOW and not wait for mid-term grades…we have pretty much accepted that the math skills are just not there, will not be there, and just try to get through it with the least amount of agitah. Other than that-she works a few days a week at a deli-they pay her in cash-I told her I’d take her to the bank to do a deposit and it turned out she had $2000 in cash in her desk!
Did they take away the edit button? Wanted to add-we also had a good talk about The Future and it came out that she does not want a desk job/office job. She’d like to sell real estate, or do event planning or event marketing. She wouldn’t mind being at a desk/in an office sometimes, but she does not want it all the time. And for college, she’d like a college where she can do more internships, from the very beginning if possible, and less classroom. My husband mentioned Johnson & Wales and she checked it out online and liked it very much-so that feels good! I feel like it was a big step forward.
Introducing myself, mom of 3, and oldest, S23 is currently clinging to a 3.0. He’s the king of the B- which brings him down a bit. S23 struggles with social awkwardness but is doing OK in school and hanging in there. His activities are currently Scouts and e-sports. He tried tennis team, and he is in the school choir.
We live in Wisconsin, and my spouse is big into the state schools, thinking privates are too expensive. S23 is very interested in science and he does not like cities, so I am hoping to guide him towards a smaller state school campus with great support for ADHD and great science teachers, with strong industry and job connections. We could look at a 2-year school first to become a more confident student. I would in theory like to look at St. Norbert and Lawrence but think the money make make it just out of reach and also maybe not as strong with the employers. I think the small atmospheres and music would be good for him though.
In my view, he might look at Eau Claire, La Crosse, Green Bay. Maybe Whitewater because it is close enough to home to drive.
Right behind him is S24 who is near a 3.5 and “wants to take a year to drive around the country with my friends, and, might not want to go to college”.
Just trying to hang in there and not stress out over my teens!
My S23 is having a self-destruct period right now that I am trying to figure out. He is purposefully not doing homework. Ugh.
@ScouterMomof3 As for your son, perhaps you could consider Western Tech? They have a dorm (yes, a tech school with a dorm), its in a nice college town with 3 schools in walking distance, they have good support set up, and they have a new e sports team. They have many auto admit programs to 4 year colleges. My oldest has gone there and Ive been pretty impressed with how they handled some challenges he had. Just throwing that option out there.
@ScouterMomof3 Welcome to the forum! Please join us as we try not to kill ourselves, or our kids. LOL!
Mid-semester report: DS23 has 1C, 1B and and 2As. The C is in the AP class he is taking. Did not get into honor society. I know, we are completely shocked too!! Who knew that not having any volunteer hours of note or a barely put together statement of interest might lead to rejection? I had no idea.
Unless a miracle happens, state flagships are pretty much out at this point. He took the PSAT last week. Said he did ok. Signed up for Dec SAT but because PSAT results won’t be out until Dec 5/6, we have no clue how he might perform.
No interest in getting a job. We are probably going to wait until SAT is done to push him.
Any thoughts on B student colleges in Maryland? I would like to take D23 to see Towson…anywhere else we should hit while down that way? She is interested in marketing/psychology/doing lots of internships - prefers to be accessible to a smaller city, so Baltimore or even DC would be good. (I consider DC big, but I think she could handle it.)
I’m curious if you mean that your state’s flagship(s) are out, or that all state flagships are out? Because of the C? Rigor? SAT? D21 was only interested in LAC’s so am trying to get a handle on what’s still in range for D23, who is only looking at large schools. Thanks!