And are the GPAs listed on the college websites always unweighted? Do they take into account a very competitive school?
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<p>Not always, and no. That’s the problem with colleges that say 95% of their students had 3.75 GPA or higher in high school, or whatever. You have no idea where those kids went to school and whether 3.75 was exceptional or mediocre at their respective schools. It makes me wonder sometimes if the data isn’t there just to obscure a high degree of randomness in the actual admissions process, which we’re supposed to believe is logical and fair.</p>
<p>^^ Then CC->flagship or a 4-year with intention to stay is probably your only realistic financial option, for a safety. She only needs one that she’s *willing<a href=“preferably%20happy”>/i</a> to attend; then she can reach for the stars.</p>
<p>Some of the uni’s with generous national merit awards also give something for semifinalist - Arizona State U Barrett Honors College used to have a pretty nice award for SF’s. I’m not positive she would be admitted to the Honors College (certainly to ASU generally), but it would be worth a look. Also, try googling “merit scholarship” “calculator or chart” and semi-finalist - you might find a place that values high test scores.</p>
<p>A couple of C’s in the context of a sub-3.5 GPA seem to be enough to torpedo an application for NM Finalist, so I’m not sure I’d push your D to do the application. Plus, the school has to write a recommendation for her, so you might consider whether the GC is supportive.</p>
<p>Someone bumped this old thread that I was the OP for, so I thought I would give an update. </p>
<p>S had a good junior year, and ended up in the Top 10% of his class, with about an unweighted 3.5. He applied ED to WashU in St. Louis and was accepted! I think that 35 ACT helped a lot. He sent SAT subject test scores (USH 780, Math2 750), but not SAT scores (2200).</p>
<p>He had a great senior year in HS, with his best grades ever with a very challenging schedule, which I was both happy and just a little bit irritated about. (Glad to see him maturing and living up to his potential, but wishing that he could have done it when it counted for college admissions.) But I can’t complain - he got into a great college, which seems to be a great fit for him. </p>
<p>He flew to St. Louis 2 weeks ago - so far so good.</p>