<p>My stepsister is a junior and needs some help figuring out where to apply. I told her I would ask all you guys on CC because I've been helped on here so much in the past :)</p>
<p>She's had a rocky life. She's not looking for sympathy, but it will help you understand the gpa. Freshman year: drug addicted, depressed, rarely went to school, living with abusive father.
Sophomore year: moved in with my dad and stepmom (across the country), completely rehabilitated, doing well in school, etc.
Junior year: stepmom lost job, she got sent back across the country to her dad's. She is now going to her third high school, a small, private Christian school. She recently had back surgery and missed a month of school, but is otherwise doing well. </p>
<p>Her GPA is around a 3.0. It was ~2.1 freshman year, 3.3 sophomore year, and 3.5 first semester junior year, looking like a 3.2ish second semester (grades dropped due to missed school). No AP classes are offered at her school. Her ACT score will likely be in the mid-20s. </p>
<p>ECs are almost nonexistent. She worked about 15 hours/week last summer and fall, but was replaced when she had to get back surgery. </p>
<p>I know that to many a CC would seem like the best option, but the reality is that she is largely influenced by her peers and feels she does not live in an area where she can live up to her full potential. She also needs to get out of her dad's house. No concern with prestige whatsoever, but rather with a relatively supportive campus where she can get a good education. She's smart and hard working but has gaps in her education from moving and missing school. She is interested in interior design. </p>
<p>Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance :)</p>
<p>Finances? Would she consider a Christian school? They can be more forgiving of some things (like fewer EC’s due to past issues). Otherwise, I’d suggest writing about the past and current changes angling for a great essay. Finances may come into play a bit though.</p>
<p>In addition to the above, I would also consider some smaller LACs and/or schools that specialize in the arts that fit her stats/desired location/what she can afford because: (1) the admissions staff is more likely to read the details of an application and (2) once she gets to the school she will be less likely to get lost in a crowd. </p>
<p>I am aware that a state college in South Carolina, Winthrop University, offers a B.F.A in Interior Design that is fairly well respected. Its located 30 miles south of Charlotte, NC. Nice campus, friendly people, and good education, for kids with stats like hers. I recommend it to you/her. Good luck!</p>
<p>I have a list of schools that accept at least 50% of students and graduate at 50% of students at [50-50</a> College Listing](<a href=“http://diycollegerankings.com/50-50-college-listing-intro/]50-50”>50-50 College List). You might use it and see which have interior design programs or check it against the resource happy1 listed.</p>
<p>Her dad makes around 80k, and will be contributing what he can. He isn’t giving an estimate and I don’t think he even really knows. Her mom is unemployed (they are separated).</p>
<p>She is in Michigan, so if she is instate to a good option there, that would be fine. </p>
<p>Actually a Christian school would probably fit her great. The one she is at now has a strict honor code and it seems to have been very good for her. </p>
<p>@sovereigndebt that does sound like a great option we will check it out. Thanks! </p>
<p>@happy a small LAC does be sound optimal but we aren’t sure where to look, because they are generally expensive/don’t meet need and she isn’t in a position to get merit aid. </p>
<p>@sadilly thanks for the list! We will check it out. </p>
<p>@M’s mom I hadn’t thought of that. Good idea, thanks. </p>
<p>Interior design isn’t a certain thing, but she is very artistic and is trying to combine that with something she can still support herself with. Graphic design might also be a good option.</p>
<p>I was also going to mention Augsburg as well, I think their program is well-known, nationally. Here is an article that mentions a few other programs:</p>
<p>Anything that can make sobriety easier, especially in a college environment, would definitely be great (part of why we were looking for a Christian school–even though Christian doesn’t always mean sober, lol). I will mention Augsburg to her. It sounds like a good fit and the average gpa is around hers. Thank you so much!</p>
<p>@Newberrytiger Thanks for the recommendation :)</p>
<p>-Augsburg College-StepUP Program, Minneapolis, MN
-Case Western Reserve University, Prevention and Recovery Services (PRS), Cleveland, OH
-The College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN
-Jiang-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
-Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI
-Kennesaw State University, Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery, Kennesaw, GA
-Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD
-Ohio University, Athens, OH
-Rutgers University: New Brunswick Campus, New Brunswick, NJ
-Texas Tech University, Center for the Study of Addiction, Lubbock, TX
-Tulsa Community College, Tulsa, OK
-University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
-University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
-University of Virginia, Hoos in Recovery Program, Center for Alcohol and Substance Education, Charlottesville, VA
-William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ</p>