My suggestion after this year’s admission gauntlet with a child with scores/GPA slightly lower than yours would be to be more of a “hunter” than a “spawner” with your approach.
Yield management is a real priority to some top schools and that provides an opportunity for those that do their homework and are prepared to commit ED. Do your research upfront, including visits. If you don’t expect to be full pay, use school NPCs to eliminate out of budget options, and then go all in.
Many highly selective private colleges do not report an average entering GPA in the Common Data Set.
Perhaps they are a bit lower than some people might imagine? On the other hand, some of the “public Ivies” or other selective state universities do report very high average entering GPAs (3.9-4.0 – or higher, even though the CDS instructs schools to report GPAs on a 4.0 scale).
For places like BC, I suspect the 3.7 will be neither high enough to tip the scales toward admission, nor low enough to keep you out. A"holistic" decision may depend on a host of factors including grades/rigor.
Suggestion: Build a balanced reach-match-safety list of schools with affordable net prices. Don’t fret too much over the GPA number.
If there is rigor, it there is an upward trend, if there are good AP scores to validate mastery of the material, if your HS is academically solid, if he’s in/around top 10% rank, I don’t see that GPA being a huge liability. (Naviance can be helpful in putting this in context.). This pattern is not unusual for boys.
Nothing is a given at the schools on your list but he’s in the ballpark for sure. I would suggest that he really think about his essays and how to convey who he is and that he keep pedal to the medal senior year. This is the kind of kid for whom midyear grades senior year will get a hard look.
And of course, find safeties he likes.
I really appreciate the feedback.
I only mentioned the ADHD for insight into the type of student he is. We have no intention of mentioning it in college apps. I like the idea of his guidance counselor addressing the concussion in the lor. Will talk to him about that.
@MWolf yes…he is a 2E kid! Is it that obvious…lol. It has been quite the challenge. He is so looking forward to college for more breadth and depth of study. I ran for BOE (won:-)) and one of my main reasons was to advocate for gifted students as our state does not have gifted programs or Gifted IEPs.
I have 5 kids…two are 2E.
His school is a solid northeast public. Top decile kids go to Ivy’s, BC, Georgia Tech etc. However, they offer more ECE classes than AP. He is taking SAT2s today. He is planning on working on essays over the summer.
@tk21769
I feel like his gpa will be in the gray zone. Maybe SATs will get him through the initial cull, then they will look deeper into his gpa.
My other son, I felt confident that his gpa would help tip the scales and it did for the most part.
Just feeling like this scenario is more of a wild card than our first time around.
The colleges you mention seem reasonable. My two cents/cautionary tale after several cycles of this and a heartbreaking shut-out this year with a strong applicant having similar stats:
Do not mention concussion. One of our kids had 2, serious enough to trigger a repeat year. We heard from several sources that, despite lip service to the contrary, colleges may worry, fairly or not, that it could have lingering effects on performance. Might SEEM to lend a compelling narrative for an essay, GC summary, or to explain GPA or other shortcomings but I’d proceed with caution. We did not mention ADHD either. With your child’s test scores and solid GPA I see no reason to in today’s competitive climate. Make sure the school has what your child needs in terms of supports, of course, but apply from position of strength. Others’ mileage may vary.
Through several kids, this year surprised and frustrated us re GPA. It seemed to reign even more supreme than in past. Take UCs. California kids with high GPAs (often somewhat inflated-I know some of those schools where As flow) but relatively lower SATs (sub-1400 and even -1300) green-lit for Cal, UCLA, while those with high test scores such as your child’s + only slightly lower GPAs denied/WL. We didn’t sense the rigor of h.s. mattered as much to adcoms as they claim – nor did the unusually impressive ECs/jobs, URM status, etc. push our applicant over. From limited feedback received, the bottom-line GPA ##s hurt him in a pool where it seems so, so many kids somehow have 4.0 and up (which I gather your child also does with weighting). I guess what I’m saying is a 3.7 in one school can objectively be stronger than a 4.0 in many others but we didn’t get the impression there was a lot of concern/splitting hairs over that, even with regional adcoms knowing the schools and purportedly making adjustments, judging kids vs. his own school peers. With USNWR nonsense, they want high ##. Your GC will have better insight given your school’s own history but, again, through several kids GPA seemed to rule more this year than ever.
Use ED card(s) very, VERY wisely. Don’t reach too high, a bit is fine, fall in love with a solid match. Our applicant’s counselor encouraged non-Ivy range but selective reaches for ED1 & 2 that in the end proved too reachy given slightly lower GPA. It’s a terrible place to be come RD having forfeited better match options in early round as by then even “Likely” target schools became more reachy. Also: applying EA didn’t seem to confer the advantage you think at many schools, perhaps especially if you aren’t full pay. They want you to show love and go ED if offered, especially if stats aren’t blemish-free. BC’s new model will be interesting to watch. I would also think hard on the advice re applying to major reaches RD with a “why not” mentality. Chances by that point fell more than ever this year and felt like a lottery ticket in our circles. Take Middlebury. Apply early and enjoy a near 50% acceptance rate with >50% of class filled. Apply RD and you’re looking at 10-12%, I believe, with most of class filled. Examine recent Common Data Sets and believe them. Sure, you might be that one kid who dazzles adcoms but RD is tough turf these days at selective colleges. Other advice we ignored but proved true: multiple rejections begin to sting, even with child intellectually appreciating the tough odds.
Things have changed a LOT even since 6 years ago when we entered this den. Who knows, maybe post-scandal and shifting ##s next year will cause a return to more “normalcy.” But if it’s like this year I’d suggest: target true match schools and know specifically what your kid can offer/gain there, keep that GPA and trend up, give schools that need love plenty of love, write compelling essays from the heart. Best of luck!
@gluekster You suggested giving the schools “plenty of love.” How do you suggest best doing that? Thanks!
@My5Kiddos @MWolf Another 2er here (a family of 2es) so I’ll be watching closely.
He has the goods. Important point :essay. Make it personal, interesting and unique.
Many schools will sorta discount freshman grades if the upward trend is strong. 3.7 unweighted is great. Finishing strong Senior year is key also to prove the trend is real.
Colleges aren’t looking for perfection. Unfortunately too many parents do. If he has ECs that he has done for several years and writes a great Essay then he will be a very competitive candidate. Too many high stats kids didn’t get in where they wanted to while lower GPA with good Act /Sat did on many threads I saw. Interesting kids with good GPA and stats, essays, is something most colleges are looking for to build their classes.
What is his career goal with that major?
Do you have any budget concerns or is money no object?
@1stTimeThruMom If demonstrated interest is a factor (and at most schools other than a few of the uber-elites or large publics it arguably is-even when colleges insist it isn’t or don’t mark it as such on their Common Data Sets), start by getting on the mailing lists. If you’re able, officially tour/attend info sessions, sit in on a class, take advantage of anything else on offer such as student lunches, interview on/off campus or remotely anytime a college offers them (“optional” or not), reach out to the regional rep (often listed right on the websites) with any questions just to make that connection.
The ultimate way to demonstrate interest, of course: apply ED. Others advocate contacting professors, etc. If it’s legitimate vs. not too contrived or an obvious angle so that you’re pestering these folks, sure, why not? Your student is a consumer looking for information re four years of life, after all. Some schools reportedly track whether applicants are monitoring portals, opening emails & clicking links. Others have online events, and some schools (Holy Cross comes to mind) may send extras like parent questionnaires by email, and in the case of HC they even snuck in an additional “optional” essay, discoverable only if an applicant actively went to the portal. Many did not per CC comments.
Some schools are known for wanting/needing this kind of love, e.g. LACs, Tulane. Re visits: we could not easily afford but found them super valuable and illuminating-helped shape lists more meaningfully. If you can’t, at least try to attend a regional school fair or any other events colleges have in your area to meet the rep and ask questions.
Check out Alabama. He would likely get a tuition scholarship with his grades and scores.