<p>Hey Jym! Georgia colleges calculate GPA with academic classes only. I really never understood UGA’s average GPA because everyone I know who got into UGA had a much lower GPA. Also, the people I know only took a couple AP’s. I was reading UGA’s blog and it stated that you may have a 3.7, but an academic GPA of a 3.1 and still get in. My academic/hope GPA is a 3.1, but my “real” GPA is a 3.4. UGA looks for the rigor in your classes and many people I know apply and only take CP classes. UGA isn’t my number one school though. I’m considering because of hope and it has a good journalism school, I know it is hard to get into.</p>
<p>Georgia College and State is Georgia’s honors liberal arts college. I would rank it after Georgia Tech, and UGA. It is a tier one school and GA Southern, GA State are not. The con is the area/location. Millidgeville isn’t exactly NYC. </p>
<p>My GPA isn’t terrible! I don’t think I should be considering lower ranked schools when their GPA averages are lower and people did not take honors/AP classes to get in. I would have a 4.0 if I took regular classes. My GPA is almost a 3.5 which is very good in my opinion. It isn’t 4th tier quality. My grades are strong, but not great. I think a school like Emerson is a great fit.</p>
<p>My PSAT score was bad because I did not study and take it that serious. Teachers made it seem like it was not important at the time. My mom is Catholic/Italian and my dad is Jewish. I’ve been raised Catholic ever since I was a baby. I’m not that religious, but I believe in basic Christian principals.</p>
<p>Your GPA is ok, but it isn’t competitive for a lot of the schools you are considering.</p>
<p>Taking lower level classes and getting a higher grade is not looked upon favorably by many/most top colleges. You need to understand that the top schools want to see you taking the most rigorous classes AND get the top grades.</p>
<p>Your GPA for GA is low. Sorry, but this is simply the truth. Many students with higher GPAs and more rigorous courses are being denied.</p>
<p>GA college and state is ok. So is Ga Southern. So is GA State. But they are not in the UGA/GA Tech league.</p>
<p>Just because you do not have a 4.0, does not mean you are looking at the local 4 tier college. When I tell people I have a 3.4, they are impressed! My friend got into UGA this year with 4 AP classes. She never taken any AP social studies or science class. UGA isn’t a top choice and frankly isn’t a great fit. There aren’t many schools in Georgia which are. </p>
<p>GCSU is the third top public college according to the chart. You need honors classes to go there.</p>
<p>Also, I know my GPA will go up again. I could possibly get a 3.7 and that is excellent!</p>
<p>I have an upward trend. A 3.4 is a bad GPA for CC, but not real life.</p>
<p>If you like Skidmore, what about taking a look at Goucher? Somewhat of a similar campus vibe, close to DC (good for an aspiring journalist ), but a bit easier to get in to?</p>
<p>Thanks. I have looked at Goucher and it could be considered a safety/match. The average GPA is a 3.1. I have heard bad things about the Baltimore area though.</p>
<p>Money is something which is very important too. If they give good aid then it should be considered.</p>
<p>Edit- Is it too soon to classify something as a match/reach? My GPA will be different come next year and I have no SAT/ACT scores.</p>
<p>Goucher is actually in a very pretty semi suburban area and has a lovely campus. A girl who is a very close friend of my middle son’s is there and she absolutely has loved her experience. She is a senior there this fall.</p>
<p>Thanks, I will def consider it. Do schools like Skidmore and Conn College give good aid? Should I be focusing on LACs? LACs usually do not have journalism majors though.</p>
<p>ec-
No one is saying you have to go to a 4th tier college, but everything below UGA and Tech in GA will put you in the second tier rank (GCSU is 34th in the “regional” school list but didn’t make any ranking in the national list).</p>
<p>If you are concerned about cost, consider Mercer (they have nice scholarships) and other lower ranked schools who will see you as an asset. If you want merit $$ you have to be the top of the middle, not the middle of the top. You need to be realistic and explore schools where your GPA and SAT will put you in <em>at least</em> the upper 1/2 of their applicant pool. You can bolster chances by knocking the SAT or ACT out of the park, so you’d best put your energies into prepping for those, and take it at LEAST once this year, at least by Jan 2011. </p>
<p>I found your post on another thread about your PSAT. Not a score that will, unfortunately, be of any help to you.</p>
<p>Journalism is an academic class at my school and counts towards Hope. I’m not in it any longer, so it doesn’t matter. </p>
<p>I really wished Georgia would have better colleges. Like you said, everything below UGA and Tech are tier two and below. If you look at other states, it isn’t like that. My hope GPA is a 3.1, so I already qualify for it. There are no good instate fits. I don’t like any college here lol.</p>
<p>@ jym:
To the best of my knowledge, UGA considers journalism as an English course thus it’s included in the academic GPA. I found that the HOPE calculator - which includes only courses in the four core disciplines - was almost identical to my UGA GPA.</p>
<p>@ early:
If you’re very interested in majoring in journalism you might want to give UGA a second look - generally Grady College of Journalism is ranked in the top five to ten J-schools nationally. Also, have you checked out schools like Berry? That’s one of a few schools in GA with a LAC “feel” but you might have to search to find them as their names generally don’t come up that often, especially on this forum (which isn’t to say that they are not great schools).</p>
<p>Berry’s campus is gorgeous. Ogelthorpe is also very pretty, but double check that tis accreditiation is still intact. There were some concerns. </p>
<p>Hopefully you will continue to qualify for the HOPE. Many students get it but lose it their first year, sot it is important to recognize that it is not a sure thing.</p>
<p>If you want a smaller school/LAC, you can major in English. Is drama/theater no longer a plan?</p>
<p>As I mentioned in another thread of yours, splurge on the SAT prep classes, and prep bigtime for this year’s PSAT (it matters) and the SAT/ACT. You need to knock them out of the park if you want to continue to consider several of the schools on your list and hope for any merit money.</p>
<p>I am not in journalism any longer for reasons stated in post #1. I am planning on taking drama all four years of high school. I also have been on the swim team for the last two years and will be doing diving this year. I will join the literary magazine after school and drama and maybe french club this year. </p>
<p>UGA is on my list and I know they have a great journalism program, but UGA is obsessed with sports and greek life. I have never been to a high school football game and I don’t plan on going in the future. I am def not anti social, it just doesn’t interest me. UGA was rated the number one party school. I am going to get an education, not to get drunk every single night. I def want some party/social atmosphere, but not to that extent. Tech would be a great deal, too bad I don’t like math or science lol. </p>
<p>If I really wanted a private school; I would be be looking out of state. The only plus in staying instate is Hope. I actually love Georgia’s weather and the change of season. I grew up in South Florida and lived there ten years. It is way too humid down there. However, I do not like the southern atmosphere. In Florida, everyone is from the north and it really isn’t the south. I never heard y’all or yes m’am or sir until I moved here. If I could have Florida’s northern atmosphere and Georgia’s weather, I will be a happy camper. My whole family is from NY, so were not southern at all. Suprinsingly, I am not a huge beach goer or nature person. I do like to hike in the mountains, but have never been camping. Peace and quiet is good for a day or two, but not for four years of college. I heard Berry is on a farm? Not for me, lol. Most colleges in Georgia are very conservative (except Emory). I really can’t deal with being the only democrat any longer. </p>
<p>Is there any great deals concerning $$$ OOS? I know there are in Minnesota, but the schools there are way too rural. I really want a NY or LA feel in college. I love the non campus feeling of NYU and the whole no school spirit thing. I also don’t want a low tier school for a couple of reasons. One- I could have taken the easier classes and still have got in the school. Two- I rather be the bottom half of students admitted then the top. </p>
<p>How about U Dayton? Does anyone know anything about this school? Yes, I know I did <em>terrible</em> on the PSAT. But I feel like I learned a lot more in the year since and I will study next time for standarized tests. I don’t think it is worth it to take the PSAT again because I will not qualify for national merit. I am going to take the SAT in January and the ACT in Febuary of 2011. I will retake the test I do better in. I really do not want four years of hell. I want to make the right college decision. </p>
<p>I attended exactly one football game in high school. I’m not a hardcore party type - hell, it’s 8 on a Saturday night and I’m on CC trying to convince you to give UGA a second look - but my point is there’s plenty to do outside of partying. Despite its reputation as a party school, there really is more to do in Athens than getting drunk every night. Many students, including myself, chose Georgia for its academics rather than its partying.</p>
<p>As far as the sports obsession goes, you’re right that Georgia loves its sports - but keep in mind that many students enjoy cheering for fellow Bulldogs rather than any particular sport. You don’t have to love football to be a huge fan of Georgia football (I hope that makes sense). Cheering on sports is just one way of showing school spirit.</p>
<p>P.S. The vast majority - something like 40-50% - of the student body comes from metro Atlanta, which is just as diverse ethnically and geographically as south Florida. Many “native Atlantans” are children of northerners, especially from NY, NJ, PA, and MA.</p>
<p>I def see where you are coming from. I know UGA is a great school. I am going to apply there. I know it is a big school and I could find my niche. It is also a great deal finanically. I will not have to be in debt for the rest of my life, lol. I did here about the Southern Regional Education Board, but there is nothing for print journalism. </p>
<p>Edit- The difference with Florida is it isn’t the south and the bible belt. There are no southern accents and the whole lifestyle is different. Religon is not a big deal at all. The children of northerners may have been born here, but it is still the south/conservative. We just talked about this in AP US History.</p>
<p>i know a lot of kids who have gone to University of Dayton and been very happy. But it is a very different place from the schools on your list. Have you considered the Oxford campus of Emory University? You take your first two years there and then transfer to the main Emory campus for the last two years. You might qualify for some merit $$ there. My oldest son graduated from Emory in 2007–he had a wonderful four years in Atlanta.</p>
<p>Nysmile- I have seen the website before and I know UGA has a great journalism program. Thanks!</p>
<p>boysx3- UGA and GCSU are both different from the other schools on my list. I can’t find any school in Georgia which would be similar to some northeastern schools. I did indeed look into Oxford at one point in time, but it seemed a little rural for me. It is a greal deal though and I told a friend about it.</p>
<p>I’m also considering Cali schools. Any comments on schools on the west coast? Loyola Marymount is a great deal and I really like where it is located.</p>