3.5, sub 1k SAT: where can he get in?
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Anonymous
I didn't take it in the 90s, ACT instead and made a 28, I think, if that's a score. Anyway, went to a non-name-brand uni, made a 1400-ish on the GRE, got a free ride to doctoral school and now have a PhD and work in an intellectually challenging field and am thriving! I think a lot of college success has to do with what you put into it. For example, because I wanted to go to grad school,I did a lot of lab work in undergrad. |
Anonymous
You wouldn’t be concerned about how they would do at these schools? |
Anonymous
| Wells College? |
Anonymous
No not at all |
Anonymous
| I got a 990 on SAT and got into a great college. Turns out they let in some folks like me to round out things. |
Anonymous
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DD19 MCPS
sat 980 gpa 3.56 above average EC- lots of BBYO positions, 200 volunteer hours at City of Rockville, SGA senior year. Education major accepted: Towson Salisbury U of Arizona College of Charleston rejected: Penn State Indiana Delaware UMBC FYI, she had very weak rigor, no honors, no AP, Algebra 2 senior year. Always a below average student. She is in third year of Towson and thriving as Elementary Ed major. It was the right school for her. Course rigor is important. |
Anonymous
FYI, not saying it never happens, but I have worked for multiple members of Congress and Senators, and none of them wrote recommendation letters for things like this. It’s just impossible — if they do one, they’d have to do an almost unlimited number. |
Anonymous
Ah they do it if you have a connection (intern etc) |
Anonymous
I love that! No doubt those of us who got lower scores on SATs are a lot more fun to be around. 
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Anonymous
The members I worked for did not (I hired an oversaw lots of interns). You can list your internship, which makes the connection clear, but no recommendation letter. Some may do it, but it’s not common. |
Anonymous
| I think the Congressional letters of rec were much more common when we parents were in HS. |
Anonymous
| Syracuse and Gonzaga (both test optional) |
Anonymous
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One of the more successful people I went to college with (SLAC, but women's college, so won't help OP) got an 850 on the SAT in the 1990s. I mean, you got 400 points if you just wrote your name at the top and didn't answer anything. OP, your kid can get into almost any college in the US except for the handful of very selective ones.
If he's open to starting at a community college, some have articulation agreements with very selective 4-year schools that provide a guaranteed transfer option. But that's not necessary if he's open to going to a big state school in the Midwest or South, or a less selective SLAC. Definitely apply to places that have more women than men enrolled. That will give him a big boost. |
Anonymous
| What about taking a gap year to up the SAT or doing the community college route then transferring. |
Anonymous
I probably know less about how congressional/senate offices work than many, but I have a buddy who used to joke about the over the top recommendation that he got from the speaker of the house when he applied to grad school. He had worked in that member's office for a couple of years between college and grad school, and said that he was shown the letter, and it was extremely generous. I don't recall getting recommendation letters when I applied to grad school, so maybe the story was BS, but definitely recall him telling the story. |