Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 14:19     Subject: Where do average students land?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Truly average students. 3.0-3.5 UW GPA, 1200-1300 SAT, regular EC like casual sports or a job. Motivated but not a striver. What 4 yr colleges do these type of kids attend and find success after attending dmv catholic hs?


The average students at our median GPA and the SAT you listed at the privates in our area land at JMU, clemson, UTK, Auburn, and VT if not going for a stem major.


I doubt getting into Clemson or Tennessee out of state. Not sure about Auburn, but would doubt it, too.


My daughter’s friend went to Clemson. No APs, no ECs, I don’t know about GPA.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2026 12:10     Subject: Where do average students land?
As a U Albany alum (who admittedly did coast in HS and college), I think Albany has a number of programs that would interest folks from the DMV. Specifically, I was thinking about the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs as well as the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security & Cybersecurity. Just a shoutout from a former "average student"
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 20:01     Subject: Re:Where do average students land?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sounds like my DS. Ended up at Loyola MD with great merit aid. He also got into these schools- Duquesne, St Mary’s of MD, UMBC, St Joe’s, La Salle, Seton Hall, Manhattan, Drexel, Scranton.


NP here. Is your son currently at Loyola now? Heading to the admitted students' day soon with my child, who also got great merit. How does your son like it?


Yes. He’s a junior. He likes everything about it other than there is no football team. He thinks it’s missing that big school football scene. I’m an alum too and I had an equally great experience there.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 19:15     Subject: Re:Where do average students land?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sounds like my DS. Ended up at Loyola MD with great merit aid. He also got into these schools- Duquesne, St Mary’s of MD, UMBC, St Joe’s, La Salle, Seton Hall, Manhattan, Drexel, Scranton.


NP here. Is your son currently at Loyola now? Heading to the admitted students' day soon with my child, who also got great merit. How does your son like it?


NP here--i don't have a kid at Loyola MD but I see it coming up a lot here and just have to put in a plug, since I work with a lot of Loyola grads. Their president is great--smart guy, down to earth. The people I know who went there are very service oriented and just as intelligent and able as anyone I work with from T20 universities. And their alumni network is really strong and they look out for one another. I'm sort of surprised it hasn't come up more on this board that WSJ ranks it in the top 20. And that's because of their super strong job placement among graduates.
https://www.wsj.com/rankings/college-rankings/best-colleges-2026?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqdYJ3RY3pq1STKleh8UVHoAffuPSWaktft-3vPztusvxpWNgNbkF0q2&gaa_ts=6972c056&gaa_sig=5n9ct6979vy5Tcq3PmGeJIYFRgxzfakHZ6vTl6FZt5awc6NpzYJSbDv6gVm23CyReXjFDXaKp_MqMvuqN3ldrQ%3D%3D
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 19:12     Subject: Where do average students land?
Anonymous wrote:Truly average students. 3.0-3.5 UW GPA, 1200-1300 SAT, regular EC like casual sports or a job. Motivated but not a striver. What 4 yr colleges do these type of kids attend and find success after attending dmv catholic hs?


First there is a huge difference between a 3.0 and a 3.5 UW in HS.

My 1240/3.5UW/no AP kid landed at a school ranked in the 80s. Had merit there (and another very similar school) that gave us 35% of tuition each year. Same kid got into all the big State U (mostly OOS) that were similarly ranked as well (in the 60-100 range).

But a kid who can only manage a 3.0UW in HS (unless they are taking mostly all APs) might want to look at schools in the 80-140+ range. Because even at the 80 schools, my kid was about 50th percentile. So a 3.0 would put them in the 20-30%, so most kids will be "more academic" than them.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 19:06     Subject: Where do average students land?
At our school, many go to less selective glagships:

Michigan State
Delaware
Ohio State

Or some of the Catholic private schools that offer merit money (to all?)

Loyola Maryland
Duquesne
Marquette
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 15:43     Subject: Where do average students land?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Penn State, Towson, Miami of OH


Not Penn State anymore! I was surprised my student did not get admitted to main campus with a 3.7 GPA and plenty of honors and 4 AP. Oh well. They have plenty of other good options and PS was not a top choice but still was surprised.


This all comes down to which major/college they chose and whether they were open to a summer start. My 3.4 GPA (w/no APs until Sr year), TO kid was accepted OOS to PSU w/ a summer start.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 10:27     Subject: Where do average students land?
Anonymous wrote:Univ of Pittsburgh


Average Pitt GPA for Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences (so not engineering, etc) is a weighted 4.05. And remember most school districts don’t weight as heavily as MCPS.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 09:31     Subject: Where do average students land?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Penn State, Towson, Miami of OH


Not Penn State anymore! I was surprised my student did not get admitted to main campus with a 3.7 GPA and plenty of honors and 4 AP. Oh well. They have plenty of other good options and PS was not a top choice but still was surprised.


Depends on major. The big ones to avoid are nursing, business or DUS. Go for less popular majors, education or something in the agricultural college. And apply straight to Summer. Don't even ask to be considered for a Fall start.

I think Penn State cares about unweighted GPA. They want a 3.5.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 09:25     Subject: Where do average students land?
Anonymous wrote:My public school student with a 3.7 W (so prob a 3.5 UW?) and 1300 SAT, applying for non STEM is in at:
FAU
Auburn
CU Boulder (no to Business school, gave her undecided in A&S)
Colorado State
Ball State
Michigan State
San Diego State
Depaul
Dayton
Univ Cincinnati (business school)

This is awesome! Congratulations!

Lots of great choices!
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 07:40     Subject: Where do average students land?
For Maryland public schools,
UMBC, Towson, SMCM, Salisbury St., community colleges, etc.

https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/edhigh.html#public

There are so many more options if you consider OOS and private schools.

Most students are average, and several million students enter college every year.

This forum skews heavily towards the highest perfoming HS students.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 07:27     Subject: Where do average students land?
My public school student with a 3.7 W (so prob a 3.5 UW?) and 1300 SAT, applying for non STEM is in at:
FAU
Auburn
CU Boulder (no to Business school, gave her undecided in A&S)
Colorado State
Ball State
Michigan State
San Diego State
Depaul
Dayton
Univ Cincinnati (business school)

Lots of great choices!
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 23:41     Subject: Where do average students land?
Univ of Pittsburgh
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 22:49     Subject: Where do average students land?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Truly average students. 3.0-3.5 UW GPA, 1200-1300 SAT, regular EC like casual sports or a job. Motivated but not a striver. What 4 yr colleges do these type of kids attend and find success after attending dmv catholic hs?


Depends on if you want/need aid. If aid is needed then you are looking at regional publics and less competitive privates. If aid isn't needed then it is possible to get into some OOS publics, like Penn State.


I'd add that an SAT score of 1300 helps a lot. Most average kids don't have one that they are submitting which limits their choices because some merit requires an SAT score.

Also, 8 AP classes is pretty good.



+1 Remember that there are kids with no honors or AP classes with the same GPAuw, and your kid is in a league above that due to the rigor of the class schedule. You can't go by GPA alone.


Are kids who aren't in any honors classes even applying to colleges though?


You can't be serious...
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2026 20:18     Subject: Where do average students land?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My 3.5, TO DC is accepted at Michigan state, u Mary Washington, Indiana, and Loyola Md with merit aid.

Delaware and Pitt have asked for 1st semester grades before deciding. Deferred at SC and TN. 2+2 option at Penn State.

Waiting on 1-2 more but, some great options in there.


Is the 3.5 weighted or unweighted? Asking because junior DS loved Delaware and Pitt and I’m wondering if he’ll be in a similar situation next year (3.6 UW/4.3 W, 1240 SAT the first time/will take again/may end up TO).


Weighted in FCPS. Has taken 8 APs though. Had a rough sophomore year, grade-wise, but now there’s an upward trend.