p.s. Not that the Roll Tide person's child is average, btw. I just meant Alabama gives good merit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these weighted or unweighted GPAs being discussed? I'm new to the process so just trying to figure it all out.

Unweighted for my kid. About the same GPA. Also wondering for my kid who is pretty average. I don’t anticipate getting any merit aid but I’ve heard southern schools are more generous to average kids.

True for some (where's our ROLL TIDE friend?! ), but not UF, UGA, Chapel Hill, Ga Tech, Clemson engineering. Yes for LSU, Ole Miss, South Caroline, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid has an 88% average in 10th grade at a Catholic HS. That's right at the 50th percentile. Not all high schools inflate grades. He has to work his butt off for those grades. Hours of work every night and he only takes one honors course. Next year, he will probably take two honors courses. He will most likely apply to a mix of Catholic colleges as well as in-state schools like SMCM. He isn't CP material but that's fine. Huge schools aren't really appealing. So context is important when asking the OP's question. Where is the student in school currently?

PP yes if you’re talking about “small” catholic then I find they will take nearly everyone. As opposed to “big” catholic (ND, etc).

Most colleges take nearly everybody. What's your point?

Doesn’t seem to be the case according to people here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virginia Tech.

You are behind the times. You can’t even get into Va tech with a 1500 SAT and 4.3.

Yes when I graduated in 1997 it seemed anyone could get in!! Lol

Not really.

Kids on Naviance at my kids school are solidly in the green with a 3.3.

My kid graduated from an M school in fcps in 2019. Almost everyone she knew who went to tech had a 3.5-3.75. Most went into the business school, some to arts and sciences. The published stats are heavily skewed by the engineering school.

When I graduated in 1998, it was widely known as the party school where the very average students went. JMU was harder to get into back then.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Does it make any difference at all (positively or negatively) if my 3.15ish DC is coming from a big 3? 1480 SAT.

Yes it makes a difference. Use your school counselor or Naviance to guide you, not the anonymous public.

Yes, OP. Don't be discouraged by what you read in this forum. Some people here think a 3.0 student can never be successful in college. Perhaps it's grade inflation in some counties, especially Montgomery County? It also depends on how rigorous the coursework was. My 3.3/3.4 student with somewhat rigorous coursework (1400 SAT) has done well with his college acceptances. My niece with an identical GPA and no test scores got similar acceptances with some merit aid.

You have gotten good advice from some - Jesuit schools will give merit aid and a great education. If you are in Maryland, Towson, Salisbury, UMBC, and SMCM might all be good options depending on what your child is looking for. The college application process is so up uncertain right now. Do not be discouraged.

Anonymous wrote:NP. Does it make any difference at all (positively or negatively) if my 3.15ish DC is coming from a big 3? 1480 SAT.

Yes it makes a difference. Use your school counselor or Naviance to guide you, not the anonymous public.

Anonymous wrote:Are these weighted or unweighted GPAs being discussed? I'm new to the process so just trying to figure it all out.

+1 Discussing GPAs without identifying weighted/unweighted, rigor of schedule, rigor of school, is absolutely meaningless.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid has an 88% average in 10th grade at a Catholic HS. That's right at the 50th percentile. Not all high schools inflate grades. He has to work his butt off for those grades. Hours of work every night and he only takes one honors course. Next year, he will probably take two honors courses. He will most likely apply to a mix of Catholic colleges as well as in-state schools like SMCM. He isn't CP material but that's fine. Huge schools aren't really appealing. So context is important when asking the OP's question. Where is the student in school currently?

PP yes if you’re talking about “small” catholic then I find they will take nearly everyone. As opposed to “big” catholic (ND, etc).

Most colleges take nearly everybody. What's your point?

NP. Does it make any difference at all (positively or negatively) if my 3.15ish DC is coming from a big 3? 1480 SAT.

Anonymous wrote:Fordham too.

I thought Fordham was harder to get into than the other Jesuit schools listed.

Anonymous wrote:My kid has an 88% average in 10th grade at a Catholic HS. That's right at the 50th percentile. Not all high schools inflate grades. He has to work his butt off for those grades. Hours of work every night and he only takes one honors course. Next year, he will probably take two honors courses. He will most likely apply to a mix of Catholic colleges as well as in-state schools like SMCM. He isn't CP material but that's fine. Huge schools aren't really appealing. So context is important when asking the OP's question. Where is the student in school currently?

PP yes if you’re talking about “small” catholic then I find they will take nearly everyone. As opposed to “big” catholic (ND, etc).

Anonymous wrote:My kid has an 88% average in 10th grade at a Catholic HS. That's right at the 50th percentile. Not all high schools inflate grades. He has to work his butt off for those grades. Hours of work every night and he only takes one honors course. Next year, he will probably take two honors courses. He will most likely apply to a mix of Catholic colleges as well as in-state schools like SMCM. He isn't CP material but that's fine. Huge schools aren't really appealing. So context is important when asking the OP's question. Where is the student in school currently?

I think most hardworking students will do fine in college and that level of difficulty of HS classes is not necessarily the determining factor. I'd be more concerned about students like my DC. While DC may take all AP classes, DC doesn't work hard, does bare minimum, doesn't turn stuff in on time, and doesn't care much about grades or GPA.

OP, does your DC have standardized test scores?

Anonymous wrote:Oldest son had a 3.3 or 3.4. Went to Indiana University. Failed out.

No light switch goes off at college. You know how you ride him now for the 3.3? Well, you can't at college, he can do literally anything he wants at college. And will. The 3.3 tells me your son hates school.

If we could do it over again we would have encouraged him to go into the military for a few years. He was smart but way too immature, zero discipline, and didn't appreciate anything.

PP, how is your son doing now?

My kid has an 88% average in 10th grade at a Catholic HS. That's right at the 50th percentile. Not all high schools inflate grades. He has to work his butt off for those grades. Hours of work every night and he only takes one honors course. Next year, he will probably take two honors courses. He will most likely apply to a mix of Catholic colleges as well as in-state schools like SMCM. He isn't CP material but that's fine. Huge schools aren't really appealing. So context is important when asking the OP's question. Where is the student in school currently?

Anonymous wrote:Are these weighted or unweighted GPAs being discussed? I'm new to the process so just trying to figure it all out.

Unweighted for my kid. About the same GPA. Also wondering for my kid who is pretty average. I don’t anticipate getting any merit aid but I’ve heard southern schools are more generous to average kids.