<p>It was suggested to me that this would be a more pertinent place for this discussuion. I would like to add that my son's cumulative GPA will be around 3.5 and his ec's include non competitive bowling and fencing, Habitat for Humanity (weekly ) and NYLF medicine.</p>
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<p>My son could be described as the classic underacheiver. His GPA does not represent his ability. Using the Naviance Program, there is not a single student with his low GPA and high SAT in the history of his school! </p>
<p>There are valid reasons for his underacheiving which I will not bore you with, but the good news is, he is on the upswing. 9th grade 3.2 gpa w/ 3 honors classes, 10th grade 3.5 w/ 3 honors and 11th grade 3.9 w/ 2 APs (all weighted). His 1st swing at the SATs he got 800cr and 670 math. My son really wants to be in an urban environment. He is interested in the sciences, Bio and Chem mostly, but he loves literature and reads 1000+ pages per month for fun. We have been saving since he was born so cost is not a consideration. I expect he will receive stellar reccommendations from his AP Bio teacher and his guidance counselor who holds my son in high regard. I think because he is a grounded, respectful student in a absurdly affluent private school. At worst, I expect his essays to be above average, his vocabulary is astounding, though his structure can be lacking.
I ask for the direction of other parents with students like my own. Where have they found success in applying and which schools have valued what students like my own bring to the table?
I have read, on this forum and others, that students like my son can be thought of favorably by admissions committees because they have not yet "peaked." Yet my son is a member of the class of 2009 which has been referred to as the "peak year for college applications."
Here's what we are looking at right now.
NYU
Fordham
Loyola of Chicago
Northeastern
Drew University
Case Western Reserve
St. Johns of Annapolis
Son will also apply to ND because his father is a contibuting alum, but isn't to keen on South Bend and we all worry about the "fit"
Thank you</p>
<p>Ask your son's guidance office to show you the school profile that accompanies all college applications.</p>
<p>In many cases, this is the place where a school that "doesn't rank" will offer colleges the kind of information that can help a school place your child in appropriate context. Here's some typical language from a school that doesn't rank and keeps kids' stats under tight wraps: </p>
<p>"Courses are not weighted in determining grade point average, which is expressed on a numbered scale from 1 - 100, with 60 as passing. Students are not ranked. The [name of honor roll] at [name of school] is reserved for students whose GPAs are from xx - xx with no grade lower than a xx. The [highest honor roll] is for students whose GPAs are from xx - xx with no grade lower than a xx. . . . Fewer than xx% of all upper school students achieved an overall GPA over xx% in June 20xx."</p>
<p>The required letter of recommendation from the guidance office can also be a big help in a situation like yours.</p>
<p>Also, I wouldn't call a kid with an upward trend like that an underachiever. :)</p>
<p>I think you are selling your kid short or expecting too much by calling him an "underachiever" with his schedule (6 honors classes and 2APs) and ECs at an "affluent private school."</p>
<p>My son was accepted at Northeastern last year with simliar stats from an "affluent private school" which also does not rank, except my son had a slightly <em>lower</em> GPA (with math/CR SAT scores reversed). This of course is no guarantee of future returns ;) but I hope it gives you a little reassurance that it's not out of reach for your son. As ECs, mine played water polo and drums in the jazz band, did some robotics, and worked 20 hours a week. He was courted heavily by Drew but did not apply because it did not offer the major he was interested in; he's at FDU just up the street from Drew this year with a <em>monster</em> merit scholarship. (We did not apply for fin aid.)</p>
<p>I don't understand how that GPA can be absurdly low, unless that's how Cs are weighted in honors classes or something. I think if you play with the Naviance ranges you'll get an idea of where his best chances are; an 800 in CR is really impressive.</p>
<p>Perhaps it is all relative...
My son is happy getting a B without any effort when an A is very attainable. With demonstrated effort he could be competitive at elite universities. That effort had been largely lacking until this year.
This is not to say that he isn't a fine young man with many desirable even enviable traits. It has been a priveledge to raise him and watch him mature. My concern is finding him a school that will nuture what was late in coming, provide him with a stimulating atmosphere and an understanding of students like him.
I would be most appreciative of comments from parents who have walked this particular road.
Thank you.</p>
<p>I prefer to think of my senior D as a smart, average kid (wGPA 3.8) who probably could have done better grade-wise but is a wonderful, hard-working, outgoing kid who also wanted an urban school. (She also had some funky ECs, like radio and Girl Scouts.) We looked at many of the schools on your list and my D has decided to attend DePaul in Chicago - good school, enthusaistic teachers, and a fabulous location in Lincoln Park. You didn't mention potential majors, but DePaul is know for its music department and its College of Commerce. Depending on your son's final GPA, he could get good merit money from them, too.</p>
<p>My D was admitted to both Northeastern and Loyola Chicago with merit aid at both; her GPA was a little higher than your son's but her test scores were lower.</p>
<p>Good luck! I think you'll find there are actually lots of schools that will embrace your son.</p>
<p>My daughter is also an underachiever. She attended an advanced middle school, and ended up being skipped twice in math and science so that in 9th grade, she took classes with honors 10th grade students. Big big mistake. She couldn't keep up it, and handle the adjustment to a new and much larger school. Grades really fell apart sophomore year, and with our support, she started replacing honors classes with regular ones. She has gone through a terrible time emotionally and socially, but is doing much better now. This year, she has a 4.0, taking few classes including one honors and one AP. Next year she will probably take three APs plus two regular academics. Her weighted GPA is currently 3.8. She will take SATs in May and guess she will get about 1850-2050.<br>
I think she would do well in a small private school, where she will be less likely to get lost. But, given how difficult the competition will be next year, I am having a hard time coming up with such a college. Is Gettysburg (PA) too much of a reach? Franklin Marshall (PA)? We live in the northeast and would prefer that she stick to the east coast. She loves city life, so I can't see her being happy at, for example, a small college in Iowa.<br>
Any thoughts? Any one in a similar situation? Our alma maters are way out of reach for her, so no help there.
Also, we have enough savings to send her to a private college for at least two years, and are prepared to beg or borrow the rest.<br>
Thanks for any help!</p>
<p>applemom: drexel and temple are popular city colleges in Philly. Franklin and Marshall will be a bit of a reach (from what I've heard), and Gettysburg is a great school, that I think would be highly swayed if she shows a lot of interest. The great thing about these smaller colleges is that they really look at your application as a whole and don't completely dismiss it on the basis of grades.</p>
<p>If you're a PA resident, have you looked at UPittsburgh? Great school</p>
<p>i am also an underachiever student. I come from one of the better publics in new jersey (3 MIT, 5 Duke, 4 HYP, 10+ ivies acceptances this year)</p>
<p>GPA: 3.64 Weighted (+.5, +1.0 for AP)</p>
<p>I took a hard courseload with all honors (15+) and AP classes (2) except required electives and spanish language. My SAT scores were</p>
<p>Math: 800
Verbal: 730
Chem: 730
Math I: 790</p>
<p>Basically, I am very similar to your son. I can tell you about my college process this year if you are interested (PM me for more details or questions): </p>
<p>Of the schools you listed, I only applied to NYU and I was rejected. Looking at other people's stats from my school, I am confident your son will get into most of the other schools you listed though. best of luck!</p>
<p>One of D's friends and a former student of mine is doing brilliantly at Lake Forest in Illinois. And his grades were way lower than your son's so that he had to bring his up first semester of senior year in order to even be accepted. But he was a reader and nailed the SAT's. He loves it there.</p>
<p>my DS is a "sleeper"-he has a GPA of 3.8, SAT's in May. Honors classes, do not know his rank. Interviews great.
STILL he is not Ivy League or competative environment material. He wants small, personal, and friendly. ie he wants to be wanted. A big fish in a small pond guy. So we are also looking for those sweet schools but in the PNW. I worked at Gettysburg many years ago and from what I know currently it sounds like your son would fit there. Another idea would be Butler in Indianapolis or DePauw in Greensburg, Ind. If you want him closer -have looked at-but do not have strong opinion about Stonehill outside of Boston.
Anyway, I think there are great school out there for our "sleeper" kids who are coming to life and into their own differently than others. Our DD was an Ivy/LAC kid and it was a very different search. Actually easier-we just looked up the top 20 or so schools and started interviewing.
I think finding the "right fit" for a kid who has more defined needs is lots harder.</p>
<p>I'm sorry but as a CC veteran, your "underachieving" children are by no means "underachievers" by an average college applicant. Anything over 3.5+ is considered terrific and very much accepted by top schools, especially when AP and honors are factored. For most part, CC has seen several posts by parents/students who have something below 3.0 and know that they can do much better. That's unachieving.</p>
<p>Perhaps you mean that they're just not fulfilling to their promise/potential according to YOUR expectations. This is actually a classic thread where a parent is concerned about a child's GPA and desire to learn and push themselves even though stats wise the child is just fine. Some kids are just brilliant at standardized tests but as discussions I've seen over the years, standardized tests tells us nothing but how adept the student is at taking a test filled with traps. Of course, a concern is allowed if there's a HUGE disparity between the child's grades and the SATs/ACT at least, say by 150-200 points like if a kid gets 750 on math on the SAT but pulls Cs in math... that's an underachiever.</p>
<p>Think twice before complaining. Know that college admissions are crapshoot. But you shouldn't have to aim low either. You just need to apply to a broad range of schools that your kid will be happy attending. Before making this kind of post or comment to someone else (other than your GC), ask yourself "Is this kid doing alright by the colleges' standards? Am I talking about MY own standards/expectations for my kid?" If it's the latter, keep your mouth shut and let your kid do what he wants. If it's the former, good for you.</p>
<p>That's the big problem I see all the time on these boards as I've been watching in the last 4 years.</p>
<p>Allow me to express my gratitude to those of you who replied with thoughtful and compassionate posts. Our search is for the school which will meet most of our sons wants and needs and be as happy to have him as he is to be there.
Perhaps there are 17 year olds that can filter through the dizzying array of college choices, know and find what they want, have the qualifications and means to pursue it AND win the crapshoot (as it has been eloquently put) of college admissions . This is not however where we are on this journey. Our son needs and has asked for our help.
This year, we have watched slack jawed a student with a 4.0 gpa get rejected from our big state university, and other strong students get wait listed at schools that I had not perceived as competitive. Obviously I needed to broaden my horizons. Since my first hand knowledge of the college admission process is 30 years old, I turned to those who had walked this particular path ahead of me. That was the motivation for starting this thread.
Many of you graciously replied with knowledge of schools I had not considered, which was precisely for what I was looking. Thank you for taking the time.
Peace.</p>
<p>hkfl-
I take your definition of "underachieving" to mean that your s's GPA is not a strong as it had the potential to be. I understand completely. My s#2 was the same. He worked, just didn't push himself. Had a good, not stellar, GPA, similar to your s's. Fortunately he tests well, and did very well on SAT I and IIs, and had solid (not extraordinary) extracurriculars. Your s's list should contain a few reaches, a few match-reaches, and a safety or two. His list looks pretty balanced in that regard. My s only applied to 4 schools-- got into 2 and waitlisted at 2. Three of the 4 were top 20 schools, one was a top 50 school. So the "underachievers" can do just fine. They may not be as competitive in the top of the top schools, where all things being otherwise equal, the competition will probably have better GPAs, but they will do fine. Good luck!</p>