The B+ student parents' thread

<p>RTR: For each school, there is a selector box to the left to chack and uncheck whose data shows up. The “applied” “not applied” are just kids who were thinking of going to said school. Right now, I just check the “accepted”, “waitlisted” and “denied” boxes which give some indication of what was needed to get in this year. The scattergram tab is quick and visual.</p>

<p>Just remember, this is self-reported data, so must be taken with a grain of salt. However, I’ve used my son’s data in it and it’s been fairly accurate for all the schools he was looking at.</p>

<p>It’s a pretty nifty tool actually.</p>

<p>Thanks…except for every school I’ve put in, it says “maybe”. Not a good feeling…he needs at least one safety!</p>

<p>My son got into the school he wanted where he placed smack dead center in “maybe”. I just checked his other acceptances and they were all in the “maybe” range, except for one “good bet” (definitely in). He didn’t get into the one at the high end of “maybe”.</p>

<p>Oh, also, you can “recalculate” your stats if you want to apply Early Action or Early Decision (just remember to change it as you look at different schools). EA and ED generally improve your chances.</p>

<p>Ahah, I see you have all been quite busy in my absence! I just took a new job and have been crazy busy since January. Thank you all for keeping this alive, and, yes, this is not really the place to discuss your 4.0 child’s options.</p>

<p>Anyway, the B+er and I just returned from a tour of the Northeast. Sadly, she didn’t like Muhlenburg (I did!). She liked UMass, and could get in there. We toured Goucher and were not knocked out by the campus. Ditto for Clark.</p>

<p>MSUDad, it’s a good visit when schools are eliminated from the running! S really liked Goucher when we visited, even though it was raining, but that was his first college visited. Nice that your D has a safety she likes already.</p>

<p>A B+ student should never give up hope. Just keep trying your best and reach for your dream. My child, who is now a third year at a top ten university, was not stimulated by her high school. She took some honors classes, but certainly not a majority of her classes. We encouraged her to pursue her interests, which included choir, orchestras and marching bands, where she spent more time and passion than on her school work. She excelled in these and made a mark in leadership roles. She took no prep courses for SATs and got in the high 700’s verbal but low 600’s math. Her teachers liked her, but she did not stand out and get any special awards at graduation. However, she had a dream to attend a school that she had a slim chance at attending and went after it. Apparently they wanted what she had to offer and she got in. Now she is stimulated and excited, getting high honors, singing in several top choirs and even got a prestigious fellowship. So, do your best, pursue those ecs that you are passionate about and show it and you might just be that lucky one. Remember, statistics of top ten schools shows that a small percentage of those admitted are B+ students. Also apply to matches and safeties. There are many wonderful ones that can be perfect fits and help lead to a happy and successful future.</p>

<p>One of the dangers of the lengthy college tour is that it devolves into a beauty contest, perhaps because there’s simply too much information to process. </p>

<p>My guess is that she’d get a better education at LACs like Goucher, Alma, John Carroll, Redlands, etc. I winced at the UMass/UConn/BU tour guides extolling the virtues of the TA-led study session, having gone through some of those myself.</p>

<p>I was recently talking to a couple about their son. They said they can’t remember him ever getting an A in high school - all Bs and Cs. They thought that’s all he was capable of. He applied to a local good but not highly selective school and didn’t get in because his GPA was too low. He did a bit of time at the community college - got As and transferred into the local university. He decided he wanted to go to medical school; his parents tried to let him down easy because they didn’t think he could make the grades. Only he did…and now he’s in med school.</p>

<p>Newenglandparent, thank you for the, er, “advice”; especially the part about how she didn’t need any test prep.</p>

<p>Here are your child’s stats from another post of yours: </p>

<p>“I think that you have an excellent chance at U of Chicago. My child applied EA with a 640M and 760 CR, but had a 3.7 GPA. I’m not sure what the GPA would be if weighted. She had a similar amount of ECs. Anyway, she was deferred EA, but admitted regular decision.”</p>

<p>Should my child rock a 1400 SAT and bump her gpa up to a 3.7, I’ll let you know how the UChicago application turns out.</p>

<p>MSU dad, the 3.7 previously quoted, was actually, it turns out, unweighted. Because she didn’t take that many honors classes, when I later checked, it really turns out that she was reported to Chicago as having a 3.53 cum, which is definitely a B+ student. She did study for the SATs on her own with test prep books. All I am saying is that less than perfect students may have a chance. Don’t count on it, but still throw a reach in.</p>

<p>My B+ S1 (uw 3.46) was accepted at his reach schools (one a usnwr top ten), wait listed or rejected by every match, and accepted by his safeties. What I learned is that none of it makes any sense. I told S2 (who has better grades) to apply wherever he likes, but to have a couple of real safeties, because this match business doesn’t work out all the time either.</p>

<p>Regarding some previous posts: Why do parents of the high GPA kids feel the need to come in here and talk about them? I don’t get it…is this thread the only place they can feel superior at College Confidential, where everyone’s kid is going to Harvard? Blah…</p>

<p>I think you nailed it on the head.</p>

<p>It seems to many (parents and students alike) on CC that anything “less than perfect” = B+. Imagine what words they use to describe a real, true, honest-to-goodness B+ student!</p>

<p>I think another factor is that so many of the schools are quite competitive, with students taking mulitiple AP/IB classes… a student can be scraping the 50th percentile with an A- or B+ average.</p>

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<p>Just think of the horror of having to associate with an honest-to-goodness B student!</p>

<p>Mine was an honest to goodness solid B student. Not a single C or A on his transcript that went to the colleges.</p>

<p>Wondering if you could elaborate, name the reach, match and safety schools. Thanks</p>

<p>Haha, if your son/daughter’s grades suddenly slipped Junior year it’s probably because he/she is simply lazy. I know that’s what happened to me. I went from a 4.0 my entire life to 4 B’s last semester. Procrastination does not work Junior year. If anything, restrict your child’s internet use his/her Junior year.</p>

<p>My junior’s grades are slipping, and I agree … it’s laziness, pure & simple. However, as I explained to him, he is responsible for himself at this age. I would rather see him discover what happens when he doesn’t stay on top of things NOW, rather than when he is away at college (with so many things competing for his attention). It’s not going to wreck his future (just my bank account … he would have a really nice guaranteed scholarship at one school that has his program … but his ACT score is no good without the 3.9 gpa required). He’s a happy, well adjusted kid. That’s a good thing! :)</p>