<p>What’s particularly nice about this list is that there are a number of schools for which the OOS or WUE cost of attendance is under $20K a year, and quite a few have scholarships for 3.1-3.5 students that bring the cost down even lower.</p>
<p>^^^ and for CA kids that puts it below many in-state publics!</p>
<p>historymom, thanks for making this list. it sounds like my son’s interests may be in line with your son’s. my son’s weakness will be his grades – probably between 2 and 2.5 – but his act/sat scores may be decent, based on practice scrores (his latest act practice test average was 30).</p>
<p>his #1 choice is Boulder (in state) but i think that’s a reach considering his grades.</p>
<p>add Central Washington University - great location for skiers, excellent music ed. program</p>
<p>katliamom I hope it works out for him. I think my S would like/love Boulder too but he is likely to have test scores that will be in keeping with his 3.3ish gpa and that will ace him out of WUE. We will see though and we have some time for it all to shake out.</p>
<p>And it all WILL shake out (somehow.) Have you considered CSU? I am encouraging my son to take a look at it - in many ways it’s an underappreciated school: their biological sciences are outstanding.</p>
<p>Just to avoid confusion - I think katliamom is referring to CSU Ft. Collins, not the Cal State University system. </p>
<p>It does have an excellent biology program, as well as quite a number of equine and animal management offerings.</p>
<p>arabrab: funny, as a Californian, when I read that I thought first “which one?” But then realized (almost) immediately she was referring to Colorado State.</p>
<p>katlia, Yes, we are going to make a Colorado visit and I have every intention of encourageing S to explore CSU further. The school has a lot going for it!</p>
<p>Western Washington University
Washington State University
Pacific Lutheran University: Tacoma
The Evergreen State University
Central Washington University </p>
<p>Portland State
Linfield College- McMinnville OR
Oregon State
Southern Oregon University: Ashland</p>
<p>Dominican University, San Rafael
University of San Francisco
Saint Mary’s College of CA: Moraga
Notre Dame de Namur, Belmont
Menlo College, Atherton
California Lutheran University: Thousand Oaks
Humboldt State U
Sonoma State U
CSU Monterey Bay
Cal State Channel Islands
University of Redlands
University of the Pacific
Whittier College
University of California Merced</p>
<p>University of Nevada: Reno
University of Nevada: Las Vegas</p>
<p>University of Arizona
Northern Arizona University: Flagstaff
Arizona State: Tempe</p>
<p>University of New Mexico: Abq
New Mexico State: Las Cruces</p>
<p>University of Montana: Missoula
Carroll College: Helena Montana
Montana State: Bozeman </p>
<p>College of Idaho</p>
<p>Western State College of Colorado
Colorado State University
University of Denver</p>
<p>University of Wyoming</p>
<p>I would add University of Portland. academic profile is higher, but I think they are definately looking for students. it is a GREAT school, and they are VERY generous with merit aid, and they kind of fly “under the radar”. I think the school is looking more for the well rounded, whole person, then a particular gpa.</p>
<p>Could also add Gonzaga. Also gives very generous merit aid. Both of these schools are excellent and possible for a 3.0 - 3.3 student to get in.</p>
<p>From my experience, many of the schools in the less populated states are much easier to get into, simply because there are less people competing for the spaces, so have higher admission perscentages, even though their acadamic stats are high.</p>
<p>I would definately say NO way for University of San Diego - their average gpa is getting close to 3.9. Many many California schools are getting tougher and tougher to get into.</p>
<p>BayAreaMom, what do you know about University of San Francisco? If DS gets his grades up it may be a possibility, and I think the smaller size and Jesuit influence would be good for my son (not for religious reasons - I know it’s a fairly secular school - but for their stress on work/public service.)</p>
<p>katliamom, Check out Central Washington’s website [Central</a> Washington University](<a href=“http://www.cwu.edu%5DCentral”>http://www.cwu.edu) Their outdoor program seems active, varied and exciting!</p>
<p>The University of Portland is definitely accessible to 3.0-3.3 students from our high school. Other schools in Oregon that could be added to the list are Pacific University in Forest Grove and George Fox University in Newberg. In Washington, there’s St Martin’s University, Seattle Pacific and Whitworth.</p>
<p>If we had a thread for the 3.3-3.5 student, that’s where I would put Gonzaga, University of San Francisco and and Willamette. </p>
<p>I agree with BayAreaCAMom that University of San Diego is even tougher.</p>
<p>I just have to say that Central Washington U has the NICEST student center we’ve seen in all of our visits. It is a wonderful new hub with dining, lounging, climbing, shopping, and working out all combined under one roof. I like that central meeting place for students to congregate.</p>
<p>@ciervo,
I respectfully disagree about Willamette University. According to its common data set, the average gpa of admitted students is 3.75. That would make it a reach school for students in this stat range. The University of Portland reports the average gpa of admitted students as 3.63, so that would also make it a reach. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.willamette.edu/dept/ir/cds/2009/C._Freshmen_Admission.htm[/url]”>http://www.willamette.edu/dept/ir/cds/2009/C._Freshmen_Admission.htm</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.up.edu/showimage/show.aspx?file=2197[/url]”>http://www.up.edu/showimage/show.aspx?file=2197</a></p>
<p>Gonzaga may be possible for a 3.0 to 3.2 student, but the average GPA for last year’s freshmen was 3.66. Kids lower may very well get in, but the merit aid probably isn’t going to matter.
[At</a> a Glance - GU Facts & Figures - Gonzaga University](<a href=“http://www.gonzaga.edu/About/ataglance.asp]At”>At a Glance | Gonzaga University)</p>
<p>Still, a great school for many kids. I love colleges that help students see how to help the world.</p>
<p>thank you all for your input but I am with CalAlum on this one. There are lots and lots of reaches for kids in this particular gpa range. I began this thread to help those kids who were interested in attending schools in the western US (and their parents) identify safeties and matches and while some of these reachier schools may be in reach for some, they are likely to be out of reach for most so it is with the deepest respect and affection for UP and Willamette that I refrain from adding them. </p>
<p>Though they may be closer, Gonzaga and Whitworth would also not be matches or a safeties for most 3.0 to 3.3 kids so I can’t add them either. 
No offense in intended so I hope no one gets their feelings hurt. </p>
<p>Now, If you have a son in this gpa range who plays the bassoon and has stellar test scores all bets are off and I recommend these more selective schools ( particularly Willamette) whole heartedly 
They all want boys and bassoon players are a rare breed!</p>
<p>digdig I had never heard of Central Washington until today and I was really impressed with the beauty of the campus. It looks like a really nice mid sized U and I like the way you describe the central meeting area/student union building. How far is it from Pullman and WSU?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>as the mother of one, trying to decide if I’m bothered by that…</p>
<p>just kidding, she is a rare type!</p>
<p>Western Washington University
Washington State University
Pacific Lutheran University: Tacoma
The Evergreen State University
Central Washington University
St. Martins: Olympia WA
Seattle Pacific University</p>
<p>Portland State
Linfield College- McMinnville OR
Oregon State
Southern Oregon University: Ashland
Pacific University: Forest Grove
George Fox Uniersity Newberg</p>
<p>Dominican University, San Rafael
University of San Francisco
Saint Mary’s College of CA: Moraga
Notre Dame de Namur, Belmont
Menlo College, Atherton
California Lutheran University: Thousand Oaks
Humboldt State U
Sonoma State U
CSU Monterey Bay
Cal State Channel Islands
University of Redlands
University of the Pacific
Whittier College
University of California Merced</p>
<p>University of Nevada: Reno
University of Nevada: Las Vegas</p>
<p>University of Arizona
Northern Arizona University: Flagstaff
Arizona State: Tempe</p>
<p>University of New Mexico: Abq
New Mexico State: Las Cruces</p>
<p>University of Montana: Missoula
Carroll College: Helena Montana
Montana State: Bozeman </p>
<p>College of Idaho</p>
<p>Western State College of Colorado
Colorado State University
University of Denver</p>
<p>University of Wyoming</p>
<p>dragonmom: LOL I meant no offense at all! When we were at a Willamette accepted students event last year D and I attended a session with the performing arts directors. The orchestra director made a joke saying that if anyone was a bassoon player that they should step to the front of the line where a scholarship check would be waiting.</p>