where should I apply?!? PLEASE HELP

College Search & Selection
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<p>I'm going to be a senior next year, and I'm completely lost on where I should apply to college. When I say that, I think I mean what a good target range of schools for me to apply to would be. What kinds of schools would I have a realistic shot of being accepted to? My guidance department in my school is awful, so I come here in my time of need...and I really hope some kind people take pity on me and offer up their time to respond and put my ailing mind at ease...</p>

<p>I'm an average middle class white guy from New Jersey. All my grades from freshman, sophomore and junior year averaged together come out to an 86...but there are a few catches. </p>

<p>FIRST, I take the hardest schedule possible in my school (all Honors courses and APS in there as well, im taking four next year, already took two). So weighted wise, while that GPA doesn't look too stellar on paper, it puts me in the top 10% of my class. Also I did not factor in my gym and health grades, because it would be pointless grade padding as I don't think I've gotten anything lower than a 99 in those classes. </p>

<p>SECOND, within that GPA, I have three unfortunate hiccups. I have received two high C's in my honors math courses soph and junior year, and yeah get ready for it college confidential...a high D for the year in my honors physics class. I know I'm a freaking failure. Not to make a sob story out of the deal, but I was involved in a three year long massively ugly divorice, during which two years of it I was (and still currently am) being treated for depression. I'm doing a lot better now thankfully, but school definitely took a hit, with math and physics being the worst because they do not come naturally to me at all. The only reason why I added the part about my stupid sob story was I could incorporate it in essays, right? But in any event, HAVE THESE GRADES COMPLETELY DOOMED MY CHANCES FOR A REPUTABLE HIGHER EDUCATION?!?!</p>

<p>My SATs are decent, 2090 total composite sitting. 670 math 690 CR and 730 writing. My EC's are also decent. Varsity athletics all four years, team captain position, National Honors Society Member, also attended American Legion Jersey Boys State as a delegate (which I hope may help offset my less than stellar hiccups?)</p>

<p>But anyway, I have no idea where I fit in this crazy college puzzle here. I know I'm not even close to what the regular posters here are, but I'm a regular guy that has been stressing so much about where I can go to college its becoming unhealthy. If anyone at all even took the time to read my neurotic venting I commend you, and if you decide to help me out I would really really really appreciate it!!!!</p>

<p>Thanks guys!!!!!</p>

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<p>bump anyone?</p>

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<p>Your own guidance counselor can tell you where students with test scores, grades, and class rank like yours have been admitted in recent years. Send that person an email and ask.</p>

<p>More importantly, you need to find out if this long ugly messy divorce has left either of your parents in any shape to help you pay for your education. Until you know what both of them are ready, willing, and able to pay each year (and for how many years), you won’t even know where to start in the college search.</p>

<p>As for the math and physics, do consider the possibility that you were over-accelerated and should have been in on-level classes rather than honors. That would be something else to discuss with your guidance counselor when finalizing next year’s class schedule. Math is a subject where a strong base makes all the difference.</p>

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<p>You need to provide more info about what you are looking for (majors, locations, urban/rural, size, sports, Greek life etc) and what your family can afford in order for people to give you any suggestions.
There are 2774 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and the vast majority of them would be happy to have you.
Get a Fisk or Princeton Review guide from the library and do some reading on how to select schools. Use college search engines to help you. The one here on CC lets you use your test scores and GPA, College Navigator is also good. [College</a> Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics](<a href=“http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/]College”>College Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics)</p>

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<p>I’m thinking mid-larger schools as far south as north carolina, as far north as maine. I’m really into the top LACs as well. All I’m really looking for is for people to throw out names so I can get some kind of target base and some kind of concept of where I should be looking. Essentially, I’m not asking for you guys to find me a college, but more so find me an acceptable college tier.</p>

<p>About the poster with my guidance department. The thing is, they really drop the ball time and time again. They make absolutely no suggestions, and really put it entirely on the student to find a college. Pretty much the only thing they do is send all of the paper work necessary once a student both finds and applies to a school. Moreover, they are not at all used to dealing with higher level students. Only about 44% of the last graduating class is going to a four year school, and the massive majority are crappy state schools, or just Rutgers. Everyone I know that got into a better school than that did it all on their own, and I just really need some help establishing a target range, not picking a school.</p>

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<p>bump…</p>

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<p>I believe you about the guidance department. Ours is the same way.</p>

<p>However, you need to answer the money question. Have you talked to your parents about college costs? Can they pay $60K per year for you to go to college? If not, how much money will they contribute each year to college? You need to know this before you start your list.</p>

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<p>My Father has said time and time again not to worry about price initially. I know that sounds stupid but I’m just going to go with the flow for now.</p>

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<p>Are you basically asking for schools that will forgive a few bad grades from an otherwise smart and hardworking kid? </p>

<p>Mid-sized eastern schools in any price range, that have good academics. It’s still so broad.</p>

<p>If you are going to be a senior next year, the time is now. You really must have a talk with your father about finances. Does he understand that full-pay privates can be as much as $60k a year? You don’t want to get into a trap of looking into schools and finding some that you like and then realizing that you can’t pay for them. It is best to have these guidelines up front, truly.</p>

<p>Just answer some questions, state or private? Do you need merit aid? If you do, you must rule out a number of schools off the bat. Liberal, conservative, or in-between? Traditional or quirky?</p>

<p>Are you more College of Wooster or University of Wisconsin?</p>

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<p>Yes I am basically asking for schools that will forgive a few bad grades from an otherwise smart kid. 100%.</p>

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<p>anyone else have any sort of help for me? I know I was super broad on this post, but anything will help (especially directed towards colleges looking over one bad grade).</p>

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<p>First of all, you are not a failure at all. You’ve had some hard times and it showed in your grades but you are not doomed in any way, shape, or form. </p>

<p>When you write your essay, you can make it about overcoming the difficulty of your parents’ divorce. Colleges will understand low grades, and are most forgiving when they are not in your major. It sounds like you are okay in that regard.</p>

<p>I have a suggestion. Get the book “Colleges that Change Lives” and read it. Please do this. There are some excellent colleges in there that will give you a fine education and almost certainly be match/safeties for you, though they attract a wide range of students. </p>

<p>Best wishes, OP. You will do fine.</p>

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<p>English, definitely.</p>

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<p>Thanks so much for that kind post! I will most certainly check out that book!</p>

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<p>I know if you go out of your area, to a school where not many students from NJ apply, you will have better chances at a better school, and scholarships. I know of someone with your stats, but lower grades, that got half ride scholarship offers to nice schools in the midwest. If you are willing to get out of the NE, you might find a lot more opportunity. There are probably a lot of good schools there too that will like you. Your SAT score is great and your ECs look fine. Your grades are your only real draw back, but since you took all AP and such, that helps.</p>

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<p>thanks, Ill keep that in mind for sure</p>

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<p>bumppppppppp</p>

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<p>A good starting place is the Fiske Guide. Borrow a copy from the library and start browsing. It will help you generate some ideas.
Another place to start generating ideas is the college search engine here on CC. You can enter your unweighted GPA, test scores, locations, majors etc. and it tries to find schools that “match”. Be sure to expand the number of results (at the top). Schools like Fairfield, Gettysburg, Clark, Quinnipiac, Bryant etc. If you keep scrolling down you can see how close you fit to others such as Syracuse. When you click on the “why” it shows you where your stats are not as well matched.
It is probably not as accurate for students who have a mismatch between test scores and GPA, since it is hard to predict whether a school will be more forgiving of a lower GPA if the test scores are good…</p>

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<p>thanks! bump also!</p>

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<p>[Computer</a> Science - Math | Majors & Career Tracks | Florida Southern College](<a href=“http://www.flsouthern.edu/KCMS/Academics/majors/Computer-Science-Mathematics.aspx#cd]Computer”>http://www.flsouthern.edu/KCMS/Academics/majors/Computer-Science-Mathematics.aspx#cd)</p>