Where did your average (3.25-ish) student go to college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My average kid goes to school in Arlington. 2.9 GPA, some Ds that were brought up to Bs in summer school, gradual improvement over the four years but never stellar.

Took three APs junior year, got two 3s and a 4, 33 composite ACT. No meaningful extracurriculars (no leadership roles, etc). Took a class at NOVA last summer and got a B, which counted (weighted) in his GPA and shows as dual enrollment on his transcript.

Has gotten into Longwood and Allegheny. Waiting to hear from Mary Washington and ODU.

Is likely to defer a year from 4-year residential (but put down a deposit, so won’t have to reapply) and stay home/take classes at NOVA/work, and basically get another year to mature.

A 33 on the ACT is way above "average" though. Does your child do bare minimum and not turn assignments in?

Colleges won’t like that GPA and ACT gap. It looks like a smart but lazy person.

[Anonymous]

This was back in the latte 90s, so probably very low relevance to today, but I went to UMD, on academic scholarship, likely because my SATs were above the 99th percentile. High school was so boring!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was back in the latte 90s, so probably very low relevance to today, but I went to UMD, on academic scholarship, likely because my SATs were above the 99th percentile. High school was so boring!

My DC is 99th percentile SAT but B+ GPA with all honors and 10 APs. UMD was not even on the list the counselor suggested. Gut punch. Apparently, if you don't have nearly all As, you are toast.

[Anonymous]

One admissions counsellor said kids with high test scores and low grades make them very cautious, because whatever is causing the kid not to do well is likely to continue in college
At least the hard worker, despite low test scores seems to have figured out how to achieve despite possible shortcomings.

[Anonymous]

What really is the difference between an A- and a B+? One more wrong on a test.

[Anonymous]

My DC has 3.2 and looking in the DMV. DC was admitted to McDaniel, Goucher, Stevenson, Hood College, Marymount U, Catholic U, Roanoke College. DC received merit money from all of those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What really is the difference between an A- and a B+? One more wrong on a test.

No it’s many things wrong ... over three or four years of classes. A clear pattern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC has 3.2 and looking in the DMV. DC was admitted to McDaniel, Goucher, Stevenson, Hood College, Marymount U, Catholic U, Roanoke College. DC received merit money from all of those.

Wow, congrats to your child! I’m sure it’s a relief to have so many options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My average kid goes to school in Arlington. 2.9 GPA, some Ds that were brought up to Bs in summer school, gradual improvement over the four years but never stellar.

Took three APs junior year, got two 3s and a 4, 33 composite ACT. No meaningful extracurriculars (no leadership roles, etc). Took a class at NOVA last summer and got a B, which counted (weighted) in his GPA and shows as dual enrollment on his transcript.

Has gotten into Longwood and Allegheny. Waiting to hear from Mary Washington and ODU.

Is likely to defer a year from 4-year residential (but put down a deposit, so won’t have to reapply) and stay home/take classes at NOVA/work, and basically get another year to mature.

A 33 on the ACT is way above "average" though. Does your child do bare minimum and not turn assignments in?

Colleges won’t like that GPA and ACT gap. It looks like a smart but lazy person.

Kid has ADHD and an IEP. Grades improved over the four years of high school even as difficulty of classes increased, showing a willingness to work hard. Worst grades were redone/made up in summer school, showing a willingness to try to do better. Guidance counselor addressed learning differences, affect on high school grades, and what that meant for college performance in her recommendation; I assume teacher did as well as she knows him well. ACT score and good grade in dual enrollment college course taken last summer show ability to intellectually handle college level work.

Also in his favor -- he's a boy and the colleges he applied to all have pretty skewed male/female ratios, we are full pay, and this is a messed-up year. We know he was not a shoo-in at any school. And we are supporting/encouraging a gap year where he will take courses at NOVA to adjust to a college schedule/major step down in academic support before he moves to a residential college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was back in the latte 90s, so probably very low relevance to today, but I went to UMD, on academic scholarship, likely because my SATs were above the 99th percentile. High school was so boring!

My DC is 99th percentile SAT but B+ GPA with all honors and 10 APs. UMD was not even on the list the counselor suggested. Gut punch. Apparently, if you don't have nearly all As, you are toast.

What do the diagrams in Naviance show about applicants and admits? I think counselors have an experience and that experience is given outsize weight against other evidence. If a kid with your kid's stats from your kid's school looks like they have a good chance of getting in based on the Naviance scattergram or whatever that thing is called, then ignore the counselor. (I think with those stats, they should be able to get into any state flagship!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What really is the difference between an A- and a B+? One more wrong on a test.

No it’s many things wrong ... over three or four years of classes. A clear pattern.

What? Sometimes it’s just one question on one test. Happens all the time. Need an 86 on the final to get the A and the kid gets an 85. It’s certainly happened to my kids from time to time. My out of college daughter will still talk about the 89.4 she got in middle school that came down the the last question she missed on the last test for her only B until college. She’s laughs but she’s still annoyed. Granted the ACT/SAT is bigger stakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What really is the difference between an A- and a B+? One more wrong on a test.

No it’s many things wrong ... over three or four years of classes. A clear pattern.

What? Sometimes it’s just one question on one test. Happens all the time. Need an 86 on the final to get the A and the kid gets an 85. It’s certainly happened to my kids from time to time. My out of college daughter will still talk about the 89.4 she got in middle school that came down the the last question she missed on the last test for her only B until college. She’s laughs but she’s still annoyed. Granted the ACT/SAT is bigger stakes.

Yes, my kid got a C on the first exam of a 1 semester course. Never missed another point in the class, but no chance of an A.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What really is the difference between an A- and a B+? One more wrong on a test.

No it’s many things wrong ... over three or four years of classes. A clear pattern.

What? Sometimes it’s just one question on one test. Happens all the time. Need an 86 on the final to get the A and the kid gets an 85. It’s certainly happened to my kids from time to time. My out of college daughter will still talk about the 89.4 she got in middle school that came down the the last question she missed on the last test for her only B until college. She’s laughs but she’s still annoyed. Granted the ACT/SAT is bigger stakes.

Yes, my kid got a C on the first exam of a 1 semester course. Never missed another point in the class, but no chance of an A.

That would be a non-relevant example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One admissions counsellor said kids with high test scores and low grades make them very cautious, because whatever is causing the kid not to do well is likely to continue in college
At least the hard worker, despite low test scores seems to have figured out how to achieve despite possible shortcomings.

Yes, this is my biggest fear about DC in college. DC has always been like this (very capable, but minimal effort), so I'm afraid this won't change much in college. Going to have to choose very carefully.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One admissions counsellor said kids with high test scores and low grades make them very cautious, because whatever is causing the kid not to do well is likely to continue in college
At least the hard worker, despite low test scores seems to have figured out how to achieve despite possible shortcomings.

Yes, this is my biggest fear about DC in college. DC has always been like this (very capable, but minimal effort), so I'm afraid this won't change much in college. Going to have to choose very carefully.

I think the solution is for your son to go to a fun, nonselective school where he can have some kind of academic/organizational coach and belong to a great fraternity.

The world is mostly by C+ college students who knew how to organize a great kegger.