Low GPA/High ACT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We loved the University of Denver and she might be a match for that school

+1 My DC was similarly lopsided and got merit aid there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on ACT:
College of Wooster
Denison
Dickinson
Gettysburg
Lawrence
Muhlenberg
Oberlin
St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Olaf

Her ACT would be on the higher side for:
Agnes Scott
Allegheny
Goucher
Juniata
Kalamazoo
Salisbury
University of the South (Sewanee)

GPA would be more typical and ACT would be very high for:
McDaniel
Hood
Susquehanna

I'd focus on choices in several tiers (e.g like those above) and really show them some love with demonstrated interest. And also put in some higher shots, because you never know!

What's her weighted GPA like?

Thanks for the suggestions. She has a 3.5ish weighted this year - she's taking two APs, will be sitting for the tests at the end of year. She's a better test taker than everyday student so hopefully gets 4 or 5.

She can do better than all of these schools, in case you didn't know. And by "better" I mean those "'A' schools for 'B' students" like Indiana, Rutgers, Delaware, Syracuse, Temple, South Carolina. These are large state schools - and I think most of those I mentioned give some money, except Rutgers. I know of kids with worse stats, including my own, who were accepted at those schools (except they did not apply to Syracuse or USC).

DP. Thanks for this list. Are there any other schools you'd recommend including Privates? DS (Junior) will likely end up in the same ballpark (3.2-3.3 UW and 3.8-3.9 W) and 1500-1540 SAT (based on practice tests and PSAT). FCPS and no hooks. Our budget would be about $50K/yr all in. DS is interested in non-engineering STEM/Arts combo. BC Calc planned for sr. year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on ACT:
College of Wooster
Denison
Dickinson
Gettysburg
Lawrence
Muhlenberg
Oberlin
St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Olaf

Her ACT would be on the higher side for:
Agnes Scott
Allegheny
Goucher
Juniata
Kalamazoo
Salisbury
University of the South (Sewanee)

GPA would be more typical and ACT would be very high for:
McDaniel
Hood
Susquehanna

I'd focus on choices in several tiers (e.g like those above) and really show them some love with demonstrated interest. And also put in some higher shots, because you never know!

What's her weighted GPA like?

Thanks for the suggestions. She has a 3.5ish weighted this year - she's taking two APs, will be sitting for the tests at the end of year. She's a better test taker than everyday student so hopefully gets 4 or 5.

She can do better than all of these schools, in case you didn't know. And by "better" I mean those "'A' schools for 'B' students" like Indiana, Rutgers, Delaware, Syracuse, Temple, South Carolina. These are large state schools - and I think most of those I mentioned give some money, except Rutgers. I know of kids with worse stats, including my own, who were accepted at those schools (except they did not apply to Syracuse or USC).

The list above was predicated on the fact that OP said "She wants to go to a small or mid sized school."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on ACT:
College of Wooster
Denison
Dickinson
Gettysburg
Lawrence
Muhlenberg
Oberlin
St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Olaf

Her ACT would be on the higher side for:
Agnes Scott
Allegheny
Goucher
Juniata
Kalamazoo
Salisbury
University of the South (Sewanee)

GPA would be more typical and ACT would be very high for:
McDaniel
Hood
Susquehanna

I'd focus on choices in several tiers (e.g like those above) and really show them some love with demonstrated interest. And also put in some higher shots, because you never know!

What's her weighted GPA like?

Thanks for the suggestions. She has a 3.5ish weighted this year - she's taking two APs, will be sitting for the tests at the end of year. She's a better test taker than everyday student so hopefully gets 4 or 5.

She can do better than all of these schools, in case you didn't know. And by "better" I mean those "'A' schools for 'B' students" like Indiana, Rutgers, Delaware, Syracuse, Temple, South Carolina. These are large state schools - and I think most of those I mentioned give some money, except Rutgers. I know of kids with worse stats, including my own, who were accepted at those schools (except they did not apply to Syracuse or USC).

DP. Thanks for this list. Are there any other schools you'd recommend including Privates? DS (Junior) will likely end up in the same ballpark (3.2-3.3 UW and 3.8-3.9 W) and 1500-1540 SAT (based on practice tests and PSAT). FCPS and no hooks. Our budget would be about $50K/yr all in. DS is interested in non-engineering STEM/Arts combo. BC Calc planned for sr. year.

My DS is at a rigorous private with no APs. He has a 3.0 GPA and 33 ACT and has been accepted to Penn State and Indiana so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on ACT:
College of Wooster
Denison
Dickinson
Gettysburg
Lawrence
Muhlenberg
Oberlin
St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Olaf

Her ACT would be on the higher side for:
Agnes Scott
Allegheny
Goucher
Juniata
Kalamazoo
Salisbury
University of the South (Sewanee)

GPA would be more typical and ACT would be very high for:
McDaniel
Hood
Susquehanna

I'd focus on choices in several tiers (e.g like those above) and really show them some love with demonstrated interest. And also put in some higher shots, because you never know!

What's her weighted GPA like?

Thanks for the suggestions. She has a 3.5ish weighted this year - she's taking two APs, will be sitting for the tests at the end of year. She's a better test taker than everyday student so hopefully gets 4 or 5.

She can do better than all of these schools, in case you didn't know. And by "better" I mean those "'A' schools for 'B' students" like Indiana, Rutgers, Delaware, Syracuse, Temple, South Carolina. These are large state schools - and I think most of those I mentioned give some money, except Rutgers. I know of kids with worse stats, including my own, who were accepted at those schools (except they did not apply to Syracuse or USC).

DP. Thanks for this list. Are there any other schools you'd recommend including Privates? DS (Junior) will likely end up in the same ballpark (3.2-3.3 UW and 3.8-3.9 W) and 1500-1540 SAT (based on practice tests and PSAT). FCPS and no hooks. Our budget would be about $50K/yr all in. DS is interested in non-engineering STEM/Arts combo. BC Calc planned for sr. year.

My DS is at a rigorous private with no APs. He has a 3.0 GPA and 33 ACT and has been accepted to Penn State and Indiana so far.

To OP - in case you aren't aware of this, Penn State has rolling admissions starting usually around August 1. A lot of advisors will tell you to aim for that early on - that forces your child to get the essays done - and if successful, they start out in September or October (I think early October for us but DS got his rolling admission application in late) with a lock on a university. It really helps to lighten the psychological burden of senior year. Then you can focus on ED/EA, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on ACT:
College of Wooster
Denison
Dickinson
Gettysburg
Lawrence
Muhlenberg
Oberlin
St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Olaf

Her ACT would be on the higher side for:
Agnes Scott
Allegheny
Goucher
Juniata
Kalamazoo
Salisbury
University of the South (Sewanee)

GPA would be more typical and ACT would be very high for:
McDaniel
Hood
Susquehanna

I'd focus on choices in several tiers (e.g like those above) and really show them some love with demonstrated interest. And also put in some higher shots, because you never know!

What's her weighted GPA like?

Thanks for the suggestions. She has a 3.5ish weighted this year - she's taking two APs, will be sitting for the tests at the end of year. She's a better test taker than everyday student so hopefully gets 4 or 5.

She can do better than all of these schools, in case you didn't know. And by "better" I mean those "'A' schools for 'B' students" like Indiana, Rutgers, Delaware, Syracuse, Temple, South Carolina. These are large state schools - and I think most of those I mentioned give some money, except Rutgers. I know of kids with worse stats, including my own, who were accepted at those schools (except they did not apply to Syracuse or USC).

DP. Thanks for this list. Are there any other schools you'd recommend including Privates? DS (Junior) will likely end up in the same ballpark (3.2-3.3 UW and 3.8-3.9 W) and 1500-1540 SAT (based on practice tests and PSAT). FCPS and no hooks. Our budget would be about $50K/yr all in. DS is interested in non-engineering STEM/Arts combo. BC Calc planned for sr. year.

I posted that list and I cannot help with lists for your junior. A 1500+ sat and STEM interest was just not how things went down in our house (more like 1300 and Psychology…)
I’d set sights higher than list I proposed and that’s literally all I can say.

[Anonymous]

My son just got into a top 20 with similar grades (private big 3) and SAT score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:31 is not a high score in DMV area. only if you are looking at national percentile.

You are off. In our experience with DS, high ACT like 31 trumps GPA. Anywhere outside of top 40 nationals plus top slacs in play.

[Anonymous]

Better than the other way around

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Better than the other way around

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:31 is not a high score in DMV area. only if you are looking at national percentile.

You are off. In our experience with DS, high ACT like 31 trumps GPA. Anywhere outside of top 40 nationals plus top slacs in play.

This year, my DC with similar stats (but a higher ACT) has not had any luck with schools in the 50-100 range. All defers and outright rejections. A few admits in the USNWR 150-175 range. SLACs are not of interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son just got into a top 20 with similar grades (private big 3) and SAT score.

Such as? Need some ideas for DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:31 is not a high score in DMV area. only if you are looking at national percentile.

You are off. In our experience with DS, high ACT like 31 trumps GPA. Anywhere outside of top 40 nationals plus top slacs in play.

This year, my DC with similar stats (but a higher ACT) has not had any luck with schools in the 50-100 range. All defers and outright rejections. A few admits in the USNWR 150-175 range. SLACs are not of interest.

I don't even get this. My kid with 3.4 GPA and 1270 SAT last year was admitted to Penn state, Indiana, Delaware, Miami Ohio, Rutgers, JMU, Pitt. From moco public, couple of AP and all honors (not in a school that has “honors for all.”) Those are all 50-100, right?
Friends kid this year got an 820 (on sat, yes, abysmal) who was admitted to Penn state and Delaware. Product of mcps grade inflation. All honors, no APs, Algebra II senior year. (“honors for all” is at their school.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Based on ACT:
College of Wooster
Denison
Dickinson
Gettysburg
Lawrence
Muhlenberg
Oberlin
St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Olaf

Her ACT would be on the higher side for:
Agnes Scott
Allegheny
Goucher
Juniata
Kalamazoo
Salisbury
University of the South (Sewanee)

GPA would be more typical and ACT would be very high for:
McDaniel
Hood
Susquehanna

I'd focus on choices in several tiers (e.g like those above) and really show them some love with demonstrated interest. And also put in some higher shots, because you never know!

What's her weighted GPA like?

Thanks for the suggestions. She has a 3.5ish weighted this year - she's taking two APs, will be sitting for the tests at the end of year. She's a better test taker than everyday student so hopefully gets 4 or 5.

She can do better than all of these schools, in case you didn't know. And by "better" I mean those "'A' schools for 'B' students" like Indiana, Rutgers, Delaware, Syracuse, Temple, South Carolina. These are large state schools - and I think most of those I mentioned give some money, except Rutgers. I know of kids with worse stats, including my own, who were accepted at those schools (except they did not apply to Syracuse or USC).

DP. Thanks for this list. Are there any other schools you'd recommend including Privates? DS (Junior) will likely end up in the same ballpark (3.2-3.3 UW and 3.8-3.9 W) and 1500-1540 SAT (based on practice tests and PSAT). FCPS and no hooks. Our budget would be about $50K/yr all in. DS is interested in non-engineering STEM/Arts combo. BC Calc planned for sr. year.

I posted that list and I cannot help with lists for your junior. A 1500+ sat and STEM interest was just not how things went down in our house (more like 1300 and Psychology…)
I’d set sights higher than list I proposed and that’s literally all I can say.

Thanks for taking the time to respond!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:31 is not a high score in DMV area. only if you are looking at national percentile.

You are off. In our experience with DS, high ACT like 31 trumps GPA. Anywhere outside of top 40 nationals plus top slacs in play.

This year, my DC with similar stats (but a higher ACT) has not had any luck with schools in the 50-100 range. All defers and outright rejections. A few admits in the USNWR 150-175 range. SLACs are not of interest.

I don't even get this. My kid with 3.4 GPA and 1270 SAT last year was admitted to Penn state, Indiana, Delaware, Miami Ohio, Rutgers, JMU, Pitt. From moco public, couple of AP and all honors (not in a school that has “honors for all.”) Those are all 50-100, right?
Friends kid this year got an 820 (on sat, yes, abysmal) who was admitted to Penn state and Delaware. Product of mcps grade inflation. All honors, no APs, Algebra II senior year. (“honors for all” is at their school.)

URMs? First generation? Otherwise hooked?