Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:50     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. He's very much influenced by his peers who all seem certain they'll get into Ivies or Top 20s. At his private, they ALL seem to go far and wide with no one attending college nearby. I suspect he cares more about prestige of the school over the best engineering program for him (sigh). His school does not particpate in AP classes but it is known to be a rigorous school. I could have pushed him for better grades but he has extensive after school commitments, wouldn't get home until after 9pm and having a happy son was also important to me. He also hopes to play at college, so maybe a recruitment will break his way, but that also feels like a long shot to me. I just figured he'll goto a Top 50 if he's lucky and was not expecting this level of delusion from him. Maybe this is part of the process and once he's really in it this fall he'll realize he needs to cast a wider net.


You have not answered if he takes hard classes. If he does then yes he can look at top schools. If he doesn’t then yes you may have an issue.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:46     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Anonymous wrote:What high school?


This. Your high school matters.

But, even so, probably not OP.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:44     Subject: Re:Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Would he consider Elon?
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:34     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
My two cents:

My kid got into super-reach/an Ivy in RD with a 3.8 private high school gpa (not stem/uncommon major w/niche interests and awards):

That Ivy app was labored over for 2-3+ months….applied lots of other places (18 schools) but continued to fine tune that one application for all of November and December.

A good pulled together private T20 application takes practice, time and a ton of research. You can help with the last piece.

It was luck + the effort and energy that went into the app. I learned a lot here - and started lurking here around last year this time.

GL.
Ask lots of questions.
A private HS can help pull you up a bit but it’s important to see who kid is competing against from the school. Forge a strong relationship (and gave your kid to it) with school’s college counseling office….
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:26     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Anonymous wrote:Focus on finding targets and a safety that are acceptable. Do these applications first.

As long as application fees are not an issue let him apply to whatever reaches he desires during RD. The essays will slow him way down.


This is great advice, thank you!
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:20     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
3.6 engineering from our DC private would be

Rochester
RPI
Syracuse
Lafayette
Lehigh
Clemson
Maybe Case
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:20     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Unweighted, Private and plays two sports, but only one at a high level/year round.


what is his weighted? Did he take higher level classes?
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:14     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Do you have access to Scoir or naviance? That might help you on the GPA front (figuring out which schools make sense)

Test scores needed if engineering regardless of where applying….

I backup all the folks here on knowing which schools track demonstrated interest - it does make a big difference, esp with multiple kids applying from same school.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:14     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Anonymous wrote:OP I have a very similar child. Please keep us posted, I hope your son lands somewhere where he is happy! My son is amazing but sometimes his aspirations outweigh his efforts. Sigh.


+1
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:11     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is his intended major?


Engineering. Particular interest in Robotics


He should check out Lehigh, Lafayette, WPI, Stevens, Union, Rose Hulman. Some of these might even be a little reachy. U Rochester/Case for reach.

Clarkson for safety. Or LACs with engineering-- York, Manhattan, Elizabethtown.

He won't get into UMD engr with 3.6. UMBC would be best hope in state.


Same poster. Also VT if out of state.

Sports recruitment might help, but it sounds like he'd be more of a DIII recruit than DI?
Recruitment could help with Tufts, NYU, Rochester, Bucknell, Lafayette or Lehigh.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 11:02     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is his intended major?


Engineering. Particular interest in Robotics


That’s going to be tough. Any softer interests? Double major in something non-stem?

Test scores?

NO, it's not automatically "going to be tough." That's ridiculous.

Missing pieces of info:
--What level of academic rigor? A 3.6 in highest academic level is different than a 3.6 in mid-level and below.
--ACT/SAT scores?
--School Profile -- Is it a 3.6 at a school known to be challenging?

DC had around this GPA and got into every engineering program applied to, with merit at all and one engineering-specific scholarship.


For T20/50 in the last 2 years?
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 10:56     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is his intended major?


Engineering. Particular interest in Robotics


Case Western
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 10:50     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. He's very much influenced by his peers who all seem certain they'll get into Ivies or Top 20s. At his private, they ALL seem to go far and wide with no one attending college nearby. I suspect he cares more about prestige of the school over the best engineering program for him (sigh). His school does not particpate in AP classes but it is known to be a rigorous school. I could have pushed him for better grades but he has extensive after school commitments, wouldn't get home until after 9pm and having a happy son was also important to me. He also hopes to play at college, so maybe a recruitment will break his way, but that also feels like a long shot to me. I just figured he'll goto a Top 50 if he's lucky and was not expecting this level of delusion from him. Maybe this is part of the process and once he's really in it this fall he'll realize he needs to cast a wider net.


You should be able to see from your schools, Naviance? What the range of GPA are.

Demonstrated interest matters for
Wake
Tulane
Case
Lehigh

Visit/online tour all
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 10:45     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
OP here. He's very much influenced by his peers who all seem certain they'll get into Ivies or Top 20s. At his private, they ALL seem to go far and wide with no one attending college nearby. I suspect he cares more about prestige of the school over the best engineering program for him (sigh). His school does not particpate in AP classes but it is known to be a rigorous school. I could have pushed him for better grades but he has extensive after school commitments, wouldn't get home until after 9pm and having a happy son was also important to me. He also hopes to play at college, so maybe a recruitment will break his way, but that also feels like a long shot to me. I just figured he'll goto a Top 50 if he's lucky and was not expecting this level of delusion from him. Maybe this is part of the process and once he's really in it this fall he'll realize he needs to cast a wider net.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2024 10:32     Subject: Where did your 3.6 GPA child get in?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is his intended major?


Engineering. Particular interest in Robotics


Lehigh
Case
U-Miami