The B+ student parents' thread

[abasket]

MSU DAD -(is that Michigan State? My husband was/is a Spartan!)

I would just like to recommend that one of the best ways to get "support" and input into (using your words) your B+ student is to not be afraid to post threads here on CC that pertain to your needs/questions.

Once you post your thoughts (as in this thread) you will be helping many in similar positions and will get LOTS of advice - from all kinds!

I have learned over the past 1 1/2 years on CC that while at first I was maybe a little put off or felt like I couldn't "fit in" with some of those here, the more I read and participated and posted, the more I did find a place.

And no kidding - B+ average is something to celebrate!!!

[phishfan0969]

and why is that booklady?

[thumper1]

OK...my DD had the GPA and class rank, and terrific ECs, but her combined CR/Math SAT score was 1230. However, happily, she applied to five schools and got accepted at four of them. She matriculated at her number one choice college and will be entering her junior year in a month. She didn't receive massive merit aid, but she is at a school where she is getting a fine education (and had the pleasure of meeting Mootmom!!).

DS graduated from a school ranked about 60. He had a weighted GPA of about 3.3, and his CR/Math combined was 1320...but his CR score was 730...and he was a music major too with his audition factoring considerably into his acceptance. And he did get a nice music performance merit award.

[murmur]

Well at least I know there are some of us B+ parents on CC. For a while when I first found CC, I found that I really needed to keep it all in perspective for my son's sake. He truly knows what he wants from a college - less that 5,000, athletic program optional. , strong psychology program with the chance to do arious types of research. Using the LAC guides was a huge help and the summer college visits were fun for both of us. This B+ thread will be more relative to what we need than some of the others. Thanks!

[JHS]

As this thread shows, there is an awfully wide range of "B+" students out there, a few of whom may be heading for Harvard or Columbia, most of whom won't be. I could claim my older child as one, but it would violate the premises of this thread somewhat, since her GPA was more an average of Brilliant! and Who Gives A Crap? than a reflection of solid but unflashy intelligence.

I see two really promising outcomes for B-range kids in the world: (1) Nurturing, somewhat less selective LACs that do a great job of creating a learning environment and engaging their students. Kalamazoo, St. Olaf's, Ursinus, Lawrence, Beloit, Connecticut College, Hamilton, Kenyon, Franklin & Marshall, Bryn Mawr, Smith, Elon, Colby, Bates, Lafayette, Pitzer . . . all places where children of friends or children's friends have really thrived in recent years. Some of those are more selective than others, of course, but none of them is a super-reach for a fundamentally good student. And that isn't supposed to be an exhaustive list, either -- just places where I could think of a good story. I'm sure there are others.

The second pattern is a kid who knows what he/she wants, and is good at self-motivation. Often such kids were oppressed by the broad spectrum generality of high school, and can be completely turned on by the opportunity to focus and drill down in college (or perhaps to be unfocused in more focused ways). Kids like that can be just great at large public institutions, which can offer every opportunity in the world but won't necessarily hold your hand while you are looking for it. Literally hundreds of my kids' classmates are at Temple -- a place few of you would probably look upon with favor -- and many of them are just on top of the world. (And some of them aren't, that's the rub.) In the past week, I have heard three glowing testimonials to Temple from parents of current students or recent grads, two of them not even from Philadelphia. Which is not to say that a college like Temple is right for everyone, but rather that it can be absolutely great for a surprising number of people. Pitt, too, on the other side of this state. And I've seen it happen at UMass, Kent State, Toronto, SUNY Buffalo . . . All of those places have real riches just waiting for someone to ask for a taste.

[Momneedsadvice]

Ah, hello people who live on planet earth and not in the rarified air of the stratosphere!

JHS, I agree with almost everything you said, except many of your LACs are not realistic for what I consider to be "B students". Colby, Bates, and Hamilton are hovering in the 30% acceptance range, and Lafayette & Connecticut College aren't really B student places either (unless it's B's in honors/AP classes). When we toured Colby with my older child, the adcom spoke of AP History as if it were a basic course that everyone would take.

My current hs D takes a mix of honors and college prep classes. She generally gets As or A- in college prep classes, and B or B- in honors classes. I doubt she will take any AP's. She has great EC's though (varsity sport, class officer, dance team, peer guide, CCD teacher) and a great personality. She doesn't enjoy reading, she's more of a hands-on learner. I guess I'll know more about where to look after the PSAT this fall, especially since our hs won't give class ranks until Oct of Senior year. I'm thinking we will need to look at schools like Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Providence, Villa Nova, Clemson, and our state flagship.

[momkaes]

Hold on to your hats, I have a D who graduated with a C average and was probably in the 40% range for SATs She never tested well even in elementary school. Didn't get into any 4 year state school so started at a two year and graduated with honors. She then got accepted to five or six 4 year state schools graduated and now has her masters. With a job she loves, a nice income, and beautiful family I couldn't ask for more as a Mom. I would like to say this wasn't a case of learning disabilities or slacking off, she always did her homework and studied for tests but it just was difficult for her. Sometimes it makes me sad when I hear kids say I worked so hard for my 4.0 and I only got into Cornell. B and C students work their hardest also, but it sometimes feels to me like they aren't respected for their effort but seen as slackers. I have a brilliant but disinterested son, he attends our top, very selective state school and will get his degree. He may even get into a good grad school because he aces all his classes in his major but could care less about most required courses. So take heart parents of B and even C students they can be successful. I personally don't know anyone who went to an Ivy, but I know many happy people who live in nice homes and seem very content with their lives. I have never believed that its either Top 100 school or janitor, but maybe I'm naive. OP thank=you for this thread its nice to acknowlege our pride in all our kids.

[Momneedsadvice]

"Are you worried that the schools your DD/DS will get in to won't provide a quality education?"

Not really. There are many quality schools for solid students who are willing to work hard, and who finally get to focus on what they enjoy/are good at when they get to college. I am a bit skeptical about the public colleges in my state, simply because they are cash-starved. But I think there is a good education to be had at many other state's schools, and many mid-level schools, small and large. I think the secret is finding the school that is the right fit for your child. Easier said than done!

[Neonzeus]

I have a D with a 3.4-3.5, who works diligently for those grades. Instead of AP classes (too much pressure), she's taking classes at our community college. By the time she graduates, she'll have 17 credits of Community College work which she finds to be at about the same level of her high school's demanding program. With these credits, I'm hoping she can take a little lighter load through college and avoid those 18+ credit semesters that might overwhelm her.

Unfortunately, a 3.3 puts kids in our high school into the bottom half of the class and we learned from a S's experience that bottom half is a cut-off for many colleges trying to keep up their stats. D wants to wait for her PSAT to narrow down her list, and wants to get an idea of how she'll do in high school physics this year before picking a major. In the meantime, I'm anxious to get going with her college search (LAST KID! HURRAY!).

First S was a 3.3 student in high school, who had a slow start at a large public university. Once he got into the right major, it was clear sailing and his grades jumped. He'll be graduating this year with honors, as Pres of his university's Mortar Board Honor Society (looking at law schools). He got a fine education at a large public university.

I'm a little biased towards those large public universities....I graduated from a state university 30+ years ago (they claimed to be cash starved back then, when room, board & tuition was $800 a semester), and went to a professional school. There are a lot more of "us" than "them" out there. I work right next to a grad of Harvard, doing the same job for the same money. He graduated 30+ years ago too. I've been in meetings where people have actually rolled their eyes when he brings up Harvard.

My middle kid says it doesn't matter who "wins" in high school...he wants to "win" at life. Based on every school's list of prominent alumni, I think all of our kids have very good chances to be as successful as the 4.0 HYP student.

[JHS]

Momneeds: I don't dispute what you are saying, but pretty much all of the kids I have known going to those colleges in recent years have been legitimate B students. Sure, most of them were B students at very good private schools, because that's generally who applies to LACs, some were B students in the honors track at a public high school, and most (not all) did not need extensive financial aid. Not a single one of them ever heard anyone say "You should be going to Harvard." That's not to say that any of those colleges is a sure thing for such students, but I thnk if you poke around you'll fine a lot of great B students at those schools. (I should have also given shout-outs to Trinity College in Hartford and University of Rochester, which seems fairly LAC-ish.)

[Dad II]

I did notice that OP started the thread about "B+" students. Does that include someone with the profile of:

UW GPA ~3.8
Ranking ~top 5%
SAT and/or ACT ~97%tile
AP taken ~12, all 4 and 5
Average E/C sports, music, ~200 hours of CS

[JHS]

^Not in my book it doesn't. That student is an "A" student. Sorry.

[woody]

^^^ No, I don't think so.

[MidwestMom2Kids_]

Hi, Dad II. The profile you posted is really more of an "A student" profile. High ranking, few B's in proportion to A's, and all of those 4 and 5 scores on AP tests makes flags this as an outstanding student in the real world and a fairly typical CC student.

A "B+ student" profile would have equal numbers of B's and A's, or a few more B's than A's, or a few C's in the mix. The unweighted GPA would be 3.1 to 3.5 or 3.6.

In my opinion.

[O2B@C]

DAD II
Play nice - no bragging about "A" students allowed on this thread. : )
We "B+" parents need our own playground.
Maybe you can start a "Proud Parent of a College Freshman" thread instead.