<p>The common data sets generally post the unweighted GPAs of their admitted class. I found that especially helpful with my first boy who was a 3.4 unweighted with AP classes. Kids (and often parents) post their kiddo’s weighted GPAs because many high schools report the weighted GPA on the transcript. Ours does not so I needed to get a reality check back then about what was a real match and used the common data sets to parse that unweighted GPA range. I was also freaked out by some of the stuff that I was reading on the threads as a newbie. A 3.3 can easily become a 3.7 (or more) in a weighted GPA situation for a student with APs or other types of classes that some schools have and give a GPA boost to. I recall one college my S1 applied to that sent him back a note congratulating him on his 3.7 GPA and he opened the letter and announced that the college has mis-read his transcript. That college had “weighted” his GPA apparently when they recalculated and included that in their letter.</p>
<p>Steve:</p>
<p>While not technically east, the midwest would be ok for him. He liked the midwest when we visited my older son in Cleveland. He says people are nicer in the midwest than they are here in FL.</p>
<p>From what I know about the Big 10 Northwestern is out of the question for him. WI, MI and IL are probably reachy since he is OOS. On the surface the numbers look ok.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about IN, IA, MN, NE, Purdue, Penn St. He might like OH State or Mich State. </p>
<p>Thanks.
I will look at these schools.</p>
<p>“His UW GPA is around 3.3. He has gotten mostly Bs in high school and some As. No Cs/Ds on his transcript. His weighted GPA is 4.7” - That seems wrong. Maybe 3.3UW, 3.7W? </p>
<p>That is a very nice PSAT score. It could open the door for some acceptances/scholarships, especially with challenging hs courseload. </p>
<p>In a few states it there is a chance that the PSAT score could make him possible candidate for National Merit Semifinalist. From <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1427971-class-2014-cutoffs-3.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1427971-class-2014-cutoffs-3.html</a>
Here are last year’s state cutoff scores for the Class of 2013 -
VARIES BY YEAR:
AL 209; AK 204; AZ 212; AR 202; CA 220; CO 212; CT 218; DE 215; District of Columbia 221; FL 211; GA 214; HI 211; ID 207; IL 213; IN 211; IA 207; KS 212; KY 208; LA 209; ME 210; MD 219; MA 221; MI 207; MN 213; MS 204; MO 210; MT 203; NE 207; NV 208; NH 211; NJ 221; NM 208; NY 215; NC 213; ND 200; OH 212; OK 206; OR 213; PA 214; RI 211; SC 208; SD 204; TN 210; TX 216; UT 205; VT 214; VA 217; WA 216; WV 200; WI 207; WY 200; Commended 200; International 221; Boarding Schools 214-221; New England Boarding Schools 221; U.S. Territories 200</p>
<p>Source: National Merit Scholarships</p>
<p>This is a very different sort of school, but how about Syracuse?</p>
<p>His GPA is a little low,but his PSAT is high and if his high school profile shows grading is rigorous, it maybe a match. Definitely got the Division 1 sports and the marching band, though admission to the latter may be competitive. </p>
<p>Very different weather than Florida though!</p>
<p>Yes the split is 3.3/4.7. His school weights +1 for honors and +2 for AP classes. The vast majority of his classes have been honors. He has 4 AP classes through his junior year. Although he is not a star student he does not have any Cs or Ds on his transcript.</p>
<p>Syracuse is probably a good fit for him. Small city, D1 sports. I am sure admission to the marching band is competitive but he is not afraid of competing for a spot. It looks like he would have a good chance of admission there but it is not a guarantee. His school reports weighted GPAs on Naviance and we have had a few kids with his stats waitlisted but the majority have been accepted. Most of the kids from our school who have been denied at Syracuse have been low stat kids. It also looks like we have had some athletes accepted there (low stats for school but accepted).</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>University of Tennessee in Memphis did have a music management/production engineer program. I can’t speak to the band part, though. S1 had a friend who wanted to work in music but not as a performer and that’s where she went. I have to believe that Memphis would have a vibrant music scene!</p>
<p>An enthusiastic band person/former drum major in our town is at Michigan State.</p>
<p>I was also wondering why there is a need to look beyond FSU.</p>
<p>MichiganGeorgia–um, talk is different then doing. They haven’t done anything yet. It’s still worth checking into.</p>
<p>
This is why most colleges don’t really look at WGPA. Too much variation among HSs.</p>
<p>I know Syracuse was going to be a safety for my B+ son. He ended up dropping it when he got in EA to a school he liked better.</p>
<p>“Yes the split is 3.3/4.7.” - OK, it does make sense for you to do UW gpa comparisons, except for your own school Naviance. For most hs the AP/IB adder or +1 (or sometimes +.5 or no weighting). </p>
<p>Maybe Northeastern in Boston? The GPA may be low (they get a lot of apps) , but high SAT scores could offset that. No football, but the hockey pep band has a lot of fun. It is smack in the middle of the city, but the core areas are surprisingly campus-y.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s only one school. I don’t know anyone who decides to investigate just one school. One thing about FSU is that it is a huge party school. Son is not a party kid. He is very social but does not like parties. There is a good chance that I have to go to Tally in March. If I go I will take him out of school for a day or two and take him to see the school. He would prefer U of Miami.</p>
<p>How much of a big party school is Tennessee? What kind of city is Knoxville? He wants a city. He doesn’t mind if it isn’t a big city but he doesn’t want to be isolated. Since he doesn’t drink he wants a school where he can see a movie, maybe a concert or play, etc…One of the things he doesn’t like about FSU is that Tally is a weird city. It’s like a college town with a state capital attached.</p>
<p>What about U of T-Austin or one of the bigger schools in Texas? Maybe University of Nebraska–250,000 people in Lincoln–about 100,000 people more than in Tally. BIG football school with a good marching band.</p>
<p>I think he would LOVE Austin as it is a city with a big new music scene. That would be a draw for him. However, I thought it was difficult to get in there OOS. I am not sure his B average would be enough. Nebraska might work. I don’t know much about admission there.</p>