Unweighted GPA 3.3 in MCPS magnet program, weighted 3.9, 7 APs, SATs 2100 - help id'ing schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If he is interested in politics and film, I'd suggest staying near a city. A lot of kids like to work on political campaigns, and they tend to have offices in cities.

Tufts, UNC, Michigan, Occidental in LA, UC San Diego, Pitzer in LA, University of Washington in Seattle might all fit the bill.

University of Toronto and McGill might also be good fits. Toronto has that great film festival., so a lot of creative energy there.

I'd say Tufts and Michigan are reaches for this kid.

[Anonymous]

University of Utah. Dirt cheap and lots of exposure to both film (Sundance) and politics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His stats are not high enough to get significant or any merit aid. I'd focus IS schools - UMBC, St. Mary's, Towson... UMCP will be tough. What is sub-scores for his SAT?

OP, this person has no idea what she is talking about.

Those stats are absolutely high enough for significant merit aid at many "second tier" schools. If money is a factor, look outside the top ~30 USNWR colleges/universities for many schools that would give him merit aid. Some to consider:

Larger schools: Tulane, Wisconsin, Pitt, American, UVM, UConn, Marquette, Clemson, Fordham. If his SAT M+CR = 1400, with that weighted GPA he could get a full tuition scholarship at Alabama; with SAT M+CR = 1330-1390, he qualifies for two-thirds off tuition there.

Smaller schools: Denver, Clark, Richmond, Lafayette, Skidmore, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Rhodes, Denison, Lawrence, Wooster, Kalamazoo, Wheaton (MA), Muhlenberg, Puget Sound, Willamette, Whitman. If you are interested in smaller schools, read the book Colleges that Change Lives--lots of good suggestions.

Ouch! I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about... My three kids came out MCPS magnet just like OP's DC. We have recently gone thru the college process 3 times including some of the schools on your post. I'd like to think my data points are pretty good and pretty up to date but whatever... Good luck OP.

My DS graduated from a non-magnet in NoVa. Weighted GPA = 4.0, unweighted 3.6, SAT M+CR = 1400. 8 AP classes, decent ECs but nothing special. Received merit aid offers between $20k-$30k from several of the colleges/universities listed above.

If you are in FCPS, it uses a different wt system than MCPS. wGPA of 4.0 is probably like wGPA of 4.2/4.3 in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His stats are not high enough to get significant or any merit aid. I'd focus IS schools - UMBC, St. Mary's, Towson... UMCP will be tough. What is sub-scores for his SAT?

OP, this person has no idea what she is talking about.

Those stats are absolutely high enough for significant merit aid at many "second tier" schools. If money is a factor, look outside the top ~30 USNWR colleges/universities for many schools that would give him merit aid. Some to consider:

Larger schools: Tulane, Wisconsin, Pitt, American, UVM, UConn, Marquette, Clemson, Fordham. If his SAT M+CR = 1400, with that weighted GPA he could get a full tuition scholarship at Alabama; with SAT M+CR = 1330-1390, he qualifies for two-thirds off tuition there.

Smaller schools: Denver, Clark, Richmond, Lafayette, Skidmore, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Rhodes, Denison, Lawrence, Wooster, Kalamazoo, Wheaton (MA), Muhlenberg, Puget Sound, Willamette, Whitman. If you are interested in smaller schools, read the book Colleges that Change Lives--lots of good suggestions.

Ouch! I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about... My three kids came out MCPS magnet just like OP's DC. We have recently gone thru the college process 3 times including some of the schools on your post. I'd like to think my data points are pretty good and pretty up to date but whatever... Good luck OP.

My DS graduated from a non-magnet in NoVa. Weighted GPA = 4.0, unweighted 3.6, SAT M+CR = 1400. 8 AP classes, decent ECs but nothing special. Received merit aid offers between $20k-$30k from several of the colleges/universities listed above.

If you are in FCPS, it uses a different wt system than MCPS. wGPA of 4.0 is probably like wGPA of 4.2/4.3 in MCPS.

Not FCPS. But still interested in how the weighting differs across school systems?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His stats are not high enough to get significant or any merit aid. I'd focus IS schools - UMBC, St. Mary's, Towson... UMCP will be tough. What is sub-scores for his SAT?

OP, this person has no idea what she is talking about.

Those stats are absolutely high enough for significant merit aid at many "second tier" schools. If money is a factor, look outside the top ~30 USNWR colleges/universities for many schools that would give him merit aid. Some to consider:

Larger schools: Tulane, Wisconsin, Pitt, American, UVM, UConn, Marquette, Clemson, Fordham. If his SAT M+CR = 1400, with that weighted GPA he could get a full tuition scholarship at Alabama; with SAT M+CR = 1330-1390, he qualifies for two-thirds off tuition there.

Smaller schools: Denver, Clark, Richmond, Lafayette, Skidmore, Dickinson, Gettysburg, Rhodes, Denison, Lawrence, Wooster, Kalamazoo, Wheaton (MA), Muhlenberg, Puget Sound, Willamette, Whitman. If you are interested in smaller schools, read the book Colleges that Change Lives--lots of good suggestions.

Ouch! I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about... My three kids came out MCPS magnet just like OP's DC. We have recently gone thru the college process 3 times including some of the schools on your post. I'd like to think my data points are pretty good and pretty up to date but whatever... Good luck OP.

My DS graduated from a non-magnet in NoVa. Weighted GPA = 4.0, unweighted 3.6, SAT M+CR = 1400. 8 AP classes, decent ECs but nothing special. Received merit aid offers between $20k-$30k from several of the colleges/universities listed above.

If you are in FCPS, it uses a different wt system than MCPS. wGPA of 4.0 is probably like wGPA of 4.2/4.3 in MCPS.

Not FCPS. But still interested in how the weighting differs across school systems?

There is no 4.5 in MCPS. Regular courses are 4.0 based, honors, AP, IB are 5.0 based.

[Anonymous]

You would get merit at U of South Carolina too

[Anonymous]

Also consider Northwestern U.

[Anonymous]

^ Northwestern? Really??

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. So the plan is to apply to:

2 MD state schools (UMCP plus one other)

3 out of state public schools, one a reach like UNC and a couple of easier reaches like U of South Carolina and Colorado

3 privates, 1 a reach and 2 second-tier SLACs/privates.

Does this appear to be a reasonable mix and number of applications to ensure admission in 2 - 3 choices and a possiblity of merit aid in at least one?

Does this sound like enough? As mentioned before, merit aid would be great but we can make it happen without it.

[Anonymous]

How does MCPS report GPA on transcripts?

FCPS only provides the students' weighted GPA and we found that several schools (OOS publics) just used that number for admissions and merit aid. Naviance was useful for this purpose - a lot of schools have counselor notes that specifically state whether the college uses the FCPS weighted GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone. So the plan is to apply to:

2 MD state schools (UMCP plus one other)

3 out of state public schools, one a reach like UNC and a couple of easier reaches like U of South Carolina and Colorado

3 privates, 1 a reach and 2 second-tier SLACs/privates.

Does this appear to be a reasonable mix and number of applications to ensure admission in 2 - 3 choices and a possiblity of merit aid in at least one?

Does this sound like enough? As mentioned before, merit aid would be great but we can make it happen without it.

Given you don't need FA or merit aid, I think it looks fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone. So the plan is to apply to:

2 MD state schools (UMCP plus one other)

3 out of state public schools, one a reach like UNC and a couple of easier reaches like U of South Carolina and Colorado

3 privates, 1 a reach and 2 second-tier SLACs/privates.

Does this appear to be a reasonable mix and number of applications to ensure admission in 2 - 3 choices and a possiblity of merit aid in at least one?

Does this sound like enough? As mentioned before, merit aid would be great but we can make it happen without it.

Money no object, add a few more schools. At least 14.... - look at more privates though, forget OOS publics - they're cheap!!

[Anonymous]

I didn't realize a 3.3 could get you to so many schools. The weighted/unweighted thing is very confusing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't realize a 3.3 could get you to so many schools. The weighted/unweighted thing is very confusing.

You can apply to as many schools as you want with any GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does MCPS report GPA on transcripts?

FCPS only provides the students' weighted GPA and we found that several schools (OOS publics) just used that number for admissions and merit aid. Naviance was useful for this purpose - a lot of schools have counselor notes that specifically state whether the college uses the FCPS weighted GPA.

Both unweighted and weighted are reported for MCPS. Many selective schools recalc GPAs for core classes only, no weighting.