<p>Where do kids who don't have a real interest in schoolwork but have done SPECTACULAR research work, and have CHANGED and reformed their communities, go for college? State colleges just don't have driven, innovative students; and the Ivies have driven, innovative students who have a strong interest in schoolwork. What schools fall in the middle?</p>
<p>Seems like schools in DC or state capitals would be fitting.</p>
<p>claremont mckenna? well, if you don't like school, i don't know. but they do stress leadership</p>
<p>Well, Wisconsin and Harvard tied for the most Fortune 500 CEO's so maybe state schools are not as dead as you think. Several other state schools were in the top 10 for CEO's.</p>
<p>Skull and Bones at Yale.</p>
<p>Leaders work hard to do well in school in addition to their ECs. You will find them at top colleges.</p>
<p>I take offense to the comment that State schools do not have driven innovative students. Have you ever attended a State school? I did and I found the opposite to be true. The idea that State schools are full of students who weren't good enough to get in anywhere else is a stereotype and simply not true. In fact, the valedictorian of my high school class who was a National Merit Scholar and had a 36 on the ACT went to a state school because they gave her a full scholarship. She graduated in three years, got a master's, and then went on to another state school to their prestigious law program. </p>
<p>When I was in high school, I had the stats to get into prestigious schools. However, Ivy League schools and some of the better known LACs are very far from where I grew up and I didn't want to be so far away that I couldn't run home for a weekend event if I needed to. I applied to a few LAC and was offered scholarships. However, they didn't compare to the scholarship offer I had from a state school where I actually received money back each semester because I had so much scholarship money. I chose to go that route and had a fantastic experience. I learned a lot both in and outside of class. State schools have campus leaders as well and often they shoulder the burden of leading a lot more students since they tend to be larger campuses. I knew a lot of completely driven students who aspired to great careers in a variety of fields. There are leaders and motivated students at ALL schools.</p>
<p>to the original poster:
you honestly believe students at uva, ucb and michigan are lazy-ass drunks?</p>
<p>Statistically, that's an easy one - City College of New York (including Baruch).</p>
<p>I'll second the point that state colleges have a full range of student types. For a student with, for example, great research credentials, there may be more opportunity at a large state school than a smaller elite one.</p>
<p>I'm assuming from the premise of the question that the student doesn't have the stellar, or even very good, stats that would be the price of admission to the Ivy-caliber applicant pool. I think the way to approach this would be to examine a range of schools where the student WOULD have a good chance of getting in and see which fits his/her academic preferences and also would support the passion he/she developed in high school. Clearly, some schools are exceptionally supportive of community service and outreach, some make a point to offer undergrad research opportunities, etc.</p>
<p>A school with a more flexible currriculum might be a good choice, too. Perhaps the student didn't excel in high school because the classes were boring or seemed irrelevant. With a mix of more interesting classes, academics might get more attention.</p>
<p>It's not uncommon for smart kids who were average achievers in HS to blossom in college. Whether it was boredom, negative peer pressure, or some other reason that discouraged HS achievement, the college environment can change things quite dramatically.</p>
<p>That was pretty lame to say OP</p>