Where are your average kids top picks?

[Anonymous]

add iowa and oregon state. great stem programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Using an example outline from above for mine:
FCPS kid, 3.8w with 1300 SAT (mostly TO on applications), these are some applied to:
UVA
Pitt
Penn state
UDel
UMD
WVU
UNCG
College of Charleston
Bama
Auburn
UCF
Still may do other applications for VCU, Old Dominion, Randolph Macon, or Marymount, if needed.

Goal is to be under $30k after merit aid. I don't want to spend this even, but more merit or needs based grants are probably unlikely and this is a 4 year max I think we can live through on both pay as we go and repayment loan.

DCUM: Where are your average-stat kids applying to? Let's hear some suggestions for students who don't have a 3.8

Also DCUM: Here are the competitive schools my kid with a 3.8 is considering.

Right?! I thought this was a post for B (3.0) students.

If weighted, wouldn't 3.0 be below average? By definition, 50% of students are below average.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:add iowa and oregon state. great stem programs

I don't understand sending an average student thousands of miles away to go to an average out of state school. Though I guess if someone in one of those states is reading the this board, there you go

[Anonymous]

And what's considered "average" depends on the high school and the college entry stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are average kids? DCUM usually means something absurdly high, as in, a 1420 and a 3.85 with "only" 8 APs.

This. And honestly I'm really struggling with this. I feel like my kid is 'below average" because of his for real B average GPA (will be lucky to graduate with a 3.4UW), but SATs are in the 99th percentile, has taken 11 APs, and is an AP Scholar with Distinction. No one seems to know what to do with a kid like this.

a B is a 3.0.

[Anonymous]

I’m the OP, I used average and B as a guide, it’s impossible to cover all the various factors. My own is at a rigorous private (not dcum), has a B average, all honors and AP classes, 98% SAT test score, but is bottom half of rank. She’s applying to average schools, not interested in reaches, does better in a less intense environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP, I used average and B as a guide, it’s impossible to cover all the various factors. My own is at a rigorous private (not dcum), has a B average, all honors and AP classes, 98% SAT test score, but is bottom half of rank. She’s applying to average schools, not interested in reaches, does better in a less intense environment.

DD graduated a couple years ago in the middle of her prestigious private and also had high test scores that didn’t match her GPA.
We were told that colleges would look at her and see a “lazy” kid who can do the work (based on test scores) but chose not to. In actuality, she has ADHD - just couldn’t seem to get her stuff turned in on time. By the time we figured it all out, it was too late to fix her GPA. She also wanted a low-pressure environment. She ended up applying to a few Colleges that Change Lives schools as well as other SLACs with a 30-40% acceptance rate. She got into many with merit aid. We’re thinking the test score was helpful for the merit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP, I used average and B as a guide, it’s impossible to cover all the various factors. My own is at a rigorous private (not dcum), has a B average, all honors and AP classes, 98% SAT test score, but is bottom half of rank. She’s applying to average schools, not interested in reaches, does better in a less intense environment.

DD graduated a couple years ago in the middle of her prestigious private and also had high test scores that didn’t match her GPA.
We were told that colleges would look at her and see a “lazy” kid who can do the work (based on test scores) but chose not to. In actuality, she has ADHD - just couldn’t seem to get her stuff turned in on time. By the time we figured it all out, it was too late to fix her GPA. She also wanted a low-pressure environment. She ended up applying to a few Colleges that Change Lives schools as well as other SLACs with a 30-40% acceptance rate. She got into many with merit aid. We’re thinking the test score was helpful for the merit.

Same, diagnosed in high school. Still working on executive function skills and learning how to study. We think a school with more experiential learning focus will be better for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for doing this thread. I tried last year and it ended up developing into a thread for kids with high stats.

Would love if this thread can keep at a ceiling of 3.5W and 1200 SAT ish. Would be helpful for so many.

Highly recommend joining the “College Admission Advice for Awesomely Average Kids” group on FB. Great insight and hope for many students! They have parameters for GPA and test scores as to what’s considered average (so posts about high performing kids can’t overtake the page, unlike here on DCUM).

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/MDSBjkvyv7ntf7aU/?mibextid=K35XfP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP, I used average and B as a guide, it’s impossible to cover all the various factors. My own is at a rigorous private (not dcum), has a B average, all honors and AP classes, 98% SAT test score, but is bottom half of rank. She’s applying to average schools, not interested in reaches, does better in a less intense environment.

DD graduated a couple years ago in the middle of her prestigious private and also had high test scores that didn’t match her GPA.
We were told that colleges would look at her and see a “lazy” kid who can do the work (based on test scores) but chose not to. In actuality, she has ADHD - just couldn’t seem to get her stuff turned in on time. By the time we figured it all out, it was too late to fix her GPA. She also wanted a low-pressure environment. She ended up applying to a few Colleges that Change Lives schools as well as other SLACs with a 30-40% acceptance rate. She got into many with merit aid. We’re thinking the test score was helpful for the merit.

Same, diagnosed in high school. Still working on executive function skills and learning how to study. We think a school with more experiential learning focus will be better for her.

Same with my DD. Ended up at a LAC ranked in the 80s, very hands on program for her major. Good supports for her EF challenges. Happy with her school and doing well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child is mostly interested in liberal arts colleges for writing, languages, and music.

Reaches (Vassar, Oberlin, Dickinson)

Targets (Sarah Lawrence, Muhlenberg, Emerson)

Safeties (Ithaca College, Loyola Maryland, VCU—for in-state option)

May add Elon and Marist, still finalizing.

Great list! Also look at:
College of Wooster
UVM
Clark (MA)
Skidmore

[Anonymous]

At my kids Public in PA, most of the average kids, or even slightly, above apply to Pitt and Penn State. Frankly, there are about 20-30 schools that most kids apply to. Smarter average kids apply to MD and Ohio State. Middle kids apply to Miami of Ohio, Syracuse, Indiana and Delaware. The rest apply to WVU, Ohio Univ, Dayton and Kentucky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP, I used average and B as a guide, it’s impossible to cover all the various factors. My own is at a rigorous private (not dcum), has a B average, all honors and AP classes, 98% SAT test score, but is bottom half of rank. She’s applying to average schools, not interested in reaches, does better in a less intense environment.

DD graduated a couple years ago in the middle of her prestigious private and also had high test scores that didn’t match her GPA.
We were told that colleges would look at her and see a “lazy” kid who can do the work (based on test scores) but chose not to. In actuality, she has ADHD - just couldn’t seem to get her stuff turned in on time. By the time we figured it all out, it was too late to fix her GPA. She also wanted a low-pressure environment. She ended up applying to a few Colleges that Change Lives schools as well as other SLACs with a 30-40% acceptance rate. She got into many with merit aid. We’re thinking the test score was helpful for the merit.

Same, diagnosed in high school. Still working on executive function skills and learning how to study. We think a school with more experiential learning focus will be better for her.

Same with my DD. Ended up at a LAC ranked in the 80s, very hands on program for her major. Good supports for her EF challenges. Happy with her school and doing well.

Sounds like my DD. May ask the school name?

[Anonymous]

3.6 UW/3.9 W, FCPS, 1290

Applying in-state:
VCU (guaranteed admit, but wants VCU Arts so who knows)
GMU (likely)
UMW (likely)
JMU (target I think? maybe a slight reach)
W&M (reach, will apply TO, has sibling there)
UVA (even TO I think it's impossible, especially RD)

[Anonymous]

MCPS, I would say top third of their class. Top choices are Pitt, VirginiaTech, Wisconsin-Madison.