Very High SAT, Very Low GPA, College Choices?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am an upcoming senior looking for reaches/matches in the northeast/midwest (I'm from New Jersey).</p>

<p>2.8 Weighted GPA
2340 SAT, 750 writing, 790 math, 800 reading
800 US History and Math, 730 Bio M SAT II's
6 AP's this past (junior) year, expecting 5's on most/possibly 4's on some
No serious extra-curricular activities: Key Club/FBLA/Habitat for Humanity for a couple of years.
I will be an Eagle Scout this summer but I don't do anything else outside of school.</p>

<p>I've basically screwed up all of high school. I'm smart as hell but I rarely do homework, almost never study, and very frequently don't turn in long-term assignments. My guidance counselor had me look up some sort of motivational therapist for high schoolers, but the fact that I've turned state schools into reaches has scared me enough that I plan on getting straight A's senior year if that turns out to matter at all. What's the best I can do with this? And can I transfer to a better college after a year of busting my ass at whatever mediocre one I end up at? I interview very well and can write an excellent essay if either of those help me.</p>

2

<p>What would you be looking at if you hadn’t messed this up? Ivies? LAC’s? Notre Dame? Urban or rural? What is the financial situation? Are you going to need financial aid/merit aid?</p>

3

<p>Comparing myself to classmates I think I would have felt pretty safe as far as getting into lower Ivies like Cornell and that I would have been applying to ones like Harvard and Penn and Columbia. I might need some minimal financial aid at really expensive schools but generally it’s not an issue. I would prefer an urban campus to a rural one but I figured beggars can’t be choosers…</p>

4

<p>Michigan State University, Eastern Michigan U, Central Michigan U, U of Illinois-Chicago campus, University of Michigan-Dearborn campus.</p>

5

<p>I would consider spending a couple of years at one of the catholic tier 1 schools. There are lots of them where you could likely get accepted, and many of them carry enough reputation that you could be taken seriously as a transfer anywhere if your freshman/sophomore grades are really good.</p>

6

<p>Sorry, I don’t really come on this site that often and I’m not really familiar with what you mean by “catholic tier 1.” Can you give me one or two examples?</p>

7

<p>Someone like you (lazy genius) should definitely consider doing well (by that I mean, 3.8-4.0) during his first year at a mediocre school and then transfer. Try transferring out during your first year because that is when SATs would factor into decisions more. I can picture adcoms being like, “he was a slacker in high school, but was nonetheless smart. He’s done well his first semester in college…”</p>

8

<p>Getting straight As senior year is a great idea. If nothing more, it sets you up for transfer.</p>

9

<p>i would recommend Binghamton, Northeastern, BU, BC, Cornell-will be a bit of a reach wit h that GPA, Villanova, Lehigh, and George Washington University.</p>

10

<p>I know a student with a similar profile who ended up at St. John’s College after a gap year, though that may be a bit too weirdly intellectual for your taste.</p>

11

<p>

US news and world report has a ranking system for colleges in the US, placing many of them into various “tiers”. Somehow, over the years Tier 1 and Tier 2 all got to be “Tier 1” so there is Tier 1, Tier 3, Tier 4, and unranked. They are also separated by type (National Universities, LAC’s, etc.). You can get a good idea from their website:</p>

<p>[Best</a> Colleges - Education - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges]Best”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges)</p>

<p>Now, people disparage their ranking system, and every student has their own needs, but if you don’t know anything about a particular place, it’s a good place to start. Since you want to transfer, the best thing would be to start out at one of the Tier 1 places, because they are seen as more rigorous. </p>

<p>As to the Catholic schools, there are around 200 in the country. Here is a site with info on many/most of them:</p>

<p>[The</a> National Catholic College Admissions Association](<a href=“http://www.catholiccollegesonline.org/catholic_colleges-universities/member.html?id=864]The”>http://www.catholiccollegesonline.org/catholic_colleges-universities/member.html?id=864)</p>

<p>also wikipedia: [Roman</a> Catholic universities and colleges in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Colleges_in_the_United_States]Roman”>List of Catholic universities and colleges in the United States - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>Some of these are extremely competitive, like University of Notre Dame (Indiana), Boston College, and Georgetown University (DC). Others are lower tiers like D’Youville College (Buffalo, Tier 3). </p>

<p>Tier 1 schools which might accept you include St. Bonaventure (Olean, NY), Gannon University (Erie, PA), Catholic University of America (DC). You kind of have to overlay the information from various sites.</p>

12

<p>OP – What do you WANT to study? Your lack of motivation will carry thru to college unless you can identify some subjects that interest you.</p>

<p>Is it imperative for you to be a full time student? Some schools, like Drexel in Philadelphia, offer night/part time programs that have lenient admission policy as compared to full time student. That may be an option to look into.</p>

<p>A GAP Year should be considered as well.</p>

<p>Explore some LACs (Liberal Art Colleges). You will find most are not as urban as it seems you want. The LACs (esp some in the College That Change Lives book – Ursinus is in nearby PA) may give you more leeway in admissions and focus on your potential (esp if you interview well and have great essays) rather than your achievements IF you can sell yourself. This is especially true if you can show areas of study outside of the classroom – I’ve met a few kids like you who could not do school work because the homework was redundant of things they already knew, but one guy in particular who taught himself German via German music and novels – This shows a motivation to learn, but an inability to complete tasks deemed “unnecessary.”</p>

<p>Also – you don’t seem to think money is an issue. You should discuss this with your parents. You may be a good case for a private College Counselor.</p>

<p>No matter how you end up proceeding, just stating that you screwed up and you’re now ready to buckle down shows maturity. Put your words into action.</p>

13

<p>common, common story…go to a CC or a lower tier university and transfer</p>

14

<p>another vote for transferring, but you can start at a 4 year if you don’t want to be at a CC, which is what i did. you’d probably get into my old school (note: i do NOT recommend going at all) if you need a place to add to your list: suny stony brook. i’d take a look at your state schools and then use CC as a last resort.</p>

15

<p>If you are wanting to look at smaller schools, I would definitely look at some of the Colleges that Change Lives schools and those like it, which have been known to help students reach their full potentials. Otherwise, I would just go to a CC or local state college and then transfer out. Good luck. </p>

<p>[Colleges</a> That Change Lives | Changing Lives, One Student at a Time](<a href=“http://www.ctcl.org/]Colleges”>http://www.ctcl.org/)</p>