<p>My son has a 27 composite, writing score of 8, and a 2.6 GPA. He attends a very rigorous all-male parochial school. He has not had any choice regarding courses taken, other than after the two mandatory years of Latin, the next one studied was up to him-he chose French. The Honors Chemistry and Physics were really challenging for him especially. He does have ADD, no excuse, just fact. He has been allowed extended times on certain tests. His ECs are pretty standard, with things like Student Council and service work with our church. His is a very good baseball player. He applied to Ohio Wesleyan (his sister is currently a student there), Univ. of Dayton, and Ohio University. Last week he received a rejection from OU. I spoke with admissions about their appeals process, which relies heavily on 1st semester grades (which may show the same or only a slight improvement). He was so sad after we discussed the rejection. Do you think OWU is still a possibility? He just sent applications to Muskingham and WVU as I think he's just grasping for possibilities right now. Sorry for the long post-any advice? Thank you in advance!</p>
<p>If your HS has Naviance that should give you a very good idea of where he stands relative to others admitted/rejected from the schools. Unless he is being recruited for baseball (in which case you would probably know where he will be going next year) you should sit down with his guidance counselor very quickly and make sure your S has a college list which includes not only reaches but matches and safety schools as well. </p>
<p>I think you need to get a rolling admissions acceptance ASAP to take the sting out of rejections. I read your past posts and his older siblings got into their schools ED, so likely he’s feeling a little bit like the under-achiever in the family.</p>
<p>What is your budget? How much will you pay each year? </p>
<p>We are fortunate in that we are able to afford tuition, private or public. I think what really stings for him is that OU invited him to a Scholar’s Day, to look at honor’s housing and programs. The admission dept. tells me that was triggered by his ACT score. It was just sort of a bitter pill to swallow after that invitation.</p>
<p><a href=“Updated list of schools with auto-admit (guaranteed admission) criteria - Applying to College - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1562918-updated-list-of-schools-with-auto-admit-guaranteed-admission-criteria-p1.html</a> can give you some ideas of schools which he should be able to be admitted to.</p>
<p>Thank you for that information, just wish some of those choices weren’t so far away! </p>
<p>Rejections hurt a lot, but there are many in life. Assure your son that he will connect with a school that is right for him and his future. Let him know you believe in him and help him by practicing answers for relatives who will likely ask questions about his college plans over the holiday season. Also, if he really wants to be an OU graduate remind him that he can apply for a transfer next year. Let him make the admissions calls from here on out. He will find his path and he is fort</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your advice!</p>
<p>If he’s open to smaller schools, consider Wittenberg College and Hiram College. Both are matches for a student with a 2.7 GPA, although Wittenberg has had some financial difficulty recently. </p>
<p>Bowling Green State University may also accept him as would Xavier University, John Carroll (high match), and Marietta College. </p>
<p>Outside of Ohio, he might want to look into Augsberg College in Minneapolis, MN, Ripon College, Albright College, University of Scrantron, and Susquehanna University (bit more of a reach than the others).</p>
<p>@carrjrr </p>
<p>Since money is not an issue, he just needs to expand his list to include schools that will accept him. You seem to like Catholic schools so why not apply to more of those?</p>
<p>I agree that Xavier would accept him, and likely DePaul and maybe Loyola Chicago. There are a number of Catholics in the NY area that would likely accept him. </p>
<p>What is the geographical limitation? </p>
<p>You mention ADD…Is he now on medication? If so, that may help a LOT. He certainly is smart, it’s likely his ADD (or maybe ADHD) that is getting in his way).</p>
<p>If he would consider a farther away school, I’m pretty sure that if he applied soon Alabama would accept him. It’s a better school than OU. It’s gorgeous, friendly, and has over 50% OOS students. His test score puts him in the middle of the school.</p>
<p>Although his GPA is lowish, Alabama is usually forgiving when kids have ADD/ADHD and are coming from private schools. If he applied now, and sent transcripts/scores, he’d likely have his acceptance in a couple of weeks…which will take the sting out of some of the rejections. UA has rolling admissions. Plus, if you were to contact the UA area rep, that person can often “push thru” a application that could be borderline. That said, I don’t think he would be rejected anyway.</p>
<p>Again, the replies are greatly appreciated. I had Wittenberg on my list earlier, and he is now amenable to applying there. I was not aware of financial problems at Witt. We visited John Carroll over the summer and it just did not catch him like other schools have. I wish that we had looked at Hiram while we were up there. All three of those schools have shown interest in terms of baseball. His high school sends many boys to Xavier, JC, and Dayton, so at least they understand the academic rigors of his past four years. Yes, he has taken medication for three years. He is on his third medication (and his seventh dose total as the various meds are tried at a higher dose before moving on to another). The Educational Psychologist who made the initial diagnosis has worked with son’s doctor to try to find the right med. Haven’t found it yet. Of my three kids, two have ADD. My other takes the same dose of medicine originally prescribed six years ago, with beautiful results. We will look at Alabama too. Two National Merit Scholars from his high school are now there, as their parents just could not refuse the incredible financial package given. I will look into all the other great suggestions. This was a stream of consciousness kind of response, so I hope it made sense!</p>
<p>University of Kansas (Arts and Sciences) looks to be an automatic admit: <a href=“http://admissions.ku.edu/apply/requirements/usfreshmen#nonresidents”>http://admissions.ku.edu/apply/requirements/usfreshmen#nonresidents</a></p>
<p>It seems to me that the colleges he chose have a very classic (at least for the midwest and east) look and feel to them. He would likely get into universities like Bowling Green, U of Toledo, Wright State etc. They are larger more modern feeling campuses but nice looking in their own ways. What is he interested in studying? They each have their strengths.</p>
<p>Creighton also comes to mind as another Jesuit school that would be a match. Tuition not over the top, either.</p>
<p>He is interested in teaching physical education and coaching. I am noting al schools recommended and will present to son. I had not thought of Creighton. Again, many thanks to all!</p>
<p>Bowling Green is the mid size Ohio school which excels at education. Here is their page.</p>
<p><a href=“College of Education & Human Development”>http://www.bgsu.edu/education-and-human-development.html</a></p>
<p>We have a neighbor’s son that also got rejected last year with a similar GPA but lower ACT. He did get accepter to Bowling Green and is now a very happy freshman at BGSU. Goodluck. </p>
<p>He would have a solid chance at some of the other OH state schools like Wright State.</p>
<p>Thank you for those suggestions.</p>
<p>University of Louisville, Western KY Univ. in Bowling Green</p>