Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 23:07     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would look south west. where the jobs are. eg Arizona State and U Arizona, U Georgia, Clemson. VCU is great for med and arts.

My kid is also a mid-3.5 GPA. Already admitted to Oregon State, Penn State and U Pitt (SAT is high - zero EC's).

Not a fan of JMU and Longwood. Both are not the best for outcomes - eg Roanoke is in the middle of nowhere.

If the University is 'average' then atleast it must be in a location where jobs are..


Have you seen the recent EA stats for UGA in-state? UGA is reaching UVA level stats for out of state. It won’t be an option for an average student.


You have to be careful using GPA because many schools list unweighted and you don't know the rigor of the students. We visited a school (already mentioned on this thread) that on paper seemed like a reach for our kid's low GPA due to their published GPA average. I brought it up with their AD and asked how realistic, and she was incredulous that we thought the school was a reach due to GPA. She said someting like, your kid has 11 AP courses, most of our applicants have zero to 3. Your kid's GPA is irrelevant to us. That's when I realized our college counseors were clueless and causing many students to aim too low.


Where is this?


How is taking a very heavy load of AP courses only to get poor grades seen as a good thing by admissions officers?
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 18:16     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Anonymous wrote:William and Mary is a good option


Difficult entry for actually average kids.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 18:14     Subject: Schools for the average kid

William and Mary is a good option
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 18:12     Subject: Re:Schools for the average kid

My son has average grades. Most of these suggestions won’t work. Clemson, Georgia are for high stats kids.

Average kids go to schools like Kentucky or UNC Charlotte. Or they go to regional schools like Loyola or Saint Joes.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 15:29     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would look south west. where the jobs are. eg Arizona State and U Arizona, U Georgia, Clemson. VCU is great for med and arts.

My kid is also a mid-3.5 GPA. Already admitted to Oregon State, Penn State and U Pitt (SAT is high - zero EC's).

Not a fan of JMU and Longwood. Both are not the best for outcomes - eg Roanoke is in the middle of nowhere.

If the University is 'average' then atleast it must be in a location where jobs are..


Have you seen the recent EA stats for UGA in-state? UGA is reaching UVA level stats for out of state. It won’t be an option for an average student.


You have to be careful using GPA because many schools list unweighted and you don't know the rigor of the students. We visited a school (already mentioned on this thread) that on paper seemed like a reach for our kid's low GPA due to their published GPA average. I brought it up with their AD and asked how realistic, and she was incredulous that we thought the school was a reach due to GPA. She said someting like, your kid has 11 AP courses, most of our applicants have zero to 3. Your kid's GPA is irrelevant to us. That's when I realized our college counseors were clueless and causing many students to aim too low.


Where is this?
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 15:26     Subject: Schools for the average kid

I'd look at the list in the book, Dream School. A nice mix of public and private schools with good outcomes, which for my senior matters most for me
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 15:25     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The problem with DCUM now is that it’s been taken over by so many interlopers from outside the DMV that forums like this one have become useless. You can no longer offer suggestions from our region that makes sense because the OP will just say “we’re from Timbuktu not the DMV.”

Why can’t you people find your own websites?


Go away.
Jeff told you it’s a national site. Get a life.


+1


The more national it becomes the less helpful it is.


You sound like someone who would have enjoyed apartheid.


That’s quite a leap. What a truly stupid comment.
DP
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 15:24     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Anonymous wrote:Longwood

Not sure why a poster said it wasn't good.


I don’t think anyone said that?
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 15:23     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would look south west. where the jobs are. eg Arizona State and U Arizona, U Georgia, Clemson. VCU is great for med and arts.

My kid is also a mid-3.5 GPA. Already admitted to Oregon State, Penn State and U Pitt (SAT is high - zero EC's).

Not a fan of JMU and Longwood. Both are not the best for outcomes - eg Roanoke is in the middle of nowhere.

If the University is 'average' then atleast it must be in a location where jobs are..


NP. I’ve had two kids graduate from JMU. Both have had excellent outcomes - internships and early career placement. Their peers from JMU have had similar success. If you don’t have kids of your own at these schools, then you really don’t know what you’re talking about.

And FYI, neither JMU nor Longwood are in Roanoke… and Roanoke isn’t “in the middle of nowhere”.


Lol! Yes, JMU is in Harrisonburg. Longwood is in Farmville. The only VA public in Roanoke is Virginia Western Community College.

And PP doesn't understand how job applications/hiring works in the era of the internet.


+100
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 15:20     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The problem with DCUM now is that it’s been taken over by so many interlopers from outside the DMV that forums like this one have become useless. You can no longer offer suggestions from our region that makes sense because the OP will just say “we’re from Timbuktu not the DMV.”

Why can’t you people find your own websites?


Go away.
Jeff told you it’s a national site. Get a life.


+1


The more national it becomes the less helpful it is.


You sound like someone who would have enjoyed apartheid.


what a stupid nonsensical response
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 15:18     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The problem with DCUM now is that it’s been taken over by so many interlopers from outside the DMV that forums like this one have become useless. You can no longer offer suggestions from our region that makes sense because the OP will just say “we’re from Timbuktu not the DMV.”

Why can’t you people find your own websites?


Go away.
Jeff told you it’s a national site. Get a life.


+1


The more national it becomes the less helpful it is.


You sound like someone who would have enjoyed apartheid.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 12:21     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Maybe Loyola Maryland? It’s been a great fit for our friend’s son, who sounds a lot like your DC. Nice, likeable kid.

No Greek life at the school but still social. Funds the academics to ge a good fit. And apparently they do well with job-placement?

Also, I think they give lots of merit money, even for kids who fall in their average range. (Our friend’s son went test optional and received some.) So if you consider it, don’t assume the sticker price will be the final cost for your family.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 12:08     Subject: Schools for the average kid

My kid wanted certain programs and small classes. In at Randolph-Macon (VA), Elizabethtown (PA), and looked at several other promising ones - Ohio Wesleyan, Muhlenberg. Looking at some in-state VA ones. Just sign up for emails from the SATs and he will get millions of emails. Do the research on the programs and financial stability of each school.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 12:02     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Holy cross


Holy cross is pretty competitive for the “average” stats kid.

It really isn't. It looks like it has a low acceptance rate, but few people apply and the place is small. In reality, anyone with a pulse and above average SAT can get in.
Anonymous
Post 11/29/2025 11:52     Subject: Schools for the average kid

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would look south west. where the jobs are. eg Arizona State and U Arizona, U Georgia, Clemson. VCU is great for med and arts.

My kid is also a mid-3.5 GPA. Already admitted to Oregon State, Penn State and U Pitt (SAT is high - zero EC's).

Not a fan of JMU and Longwood. Both are not the best for outcomes - eg Roanoke is in the middle of nowhere.

If the University is 'average' then atleast it must be in a location where jobs are..


Have you seen the recent EA stats for UGA in-state? UGA is reaching UVA level stats for out of state. It won’t be an option for an average student.


You have to be careful using GPA because many schools list unweighted and you don't know the rigor of the students. We visited a school (already mentioned on this thread) that on paper seemed like a reach for our kid's low GPA due to their published GPA average. I brought it up with their AD and asked how realistic, and she was incredulous that we thought the school was a reach due to GPA. She said someting like, your kid has 11 AP courses, most of our applicants have zero to 3. Your kid's GPA is irrelevant to us. That's when I realized our college counseors were clueless and causing many students to aim too low.