The B+ student parents' thread

[Dad II]

That profile was something I saw from another thread some where. Just want some clarification. Nothing more.

Thanks

[Booklady]

and why is that booklady?

Because you said:
"I'm not the typical CC studying machine and have a great social life in High School while developing people skills that will carry on through the rest of my life." That sounds just like my S.

[Queen's Mom]

I have to laugh. Students with scores like those listed by Dad II are not going to have any trouble getting into top ranked schools (aside from the crapshoot that is HYP) and will use my B+ child's "dream school" as a safety. Only on CC can such a child be considered "B+"

[mammall]

I'm following this thread because my D2 is starting hs this year and in middle school she was an A-/B+ student and my sense is that she'll continue in that mode in hs. I'd much rather figure out her range of opportunities performing at that level which for her is, I think, the right balance, than try to push her to becoming a 4.0 student. She has a few very deep intellectual interests that I think would suffer if she chased perfect grades in every subject.

I think JHS's posts on this thread are very insightful - especially the point about kids who don't flourish in hs where they are forced to generalize and find that college fits them better where they can specialize.

[Keilexandra]

^^^ Why is it assumed that excelling academically = no social life? I know a girl with perfect academics, great ECs, AND a "popular" extrovert personality. Conversely, I also know B/B+ students who have no social skills at all.

[MSUDad]

Okay, off to a great start! Thanks everyone.

While some have kindly mentioned colleges to consider, it would be great if everyone could chime in on that score. Where is your 3.4er applying?

I've read Colleges that Change Lives (you've all read it, right?) and love the guidance there, but it's pretty much limited to small (and usually expensive) schools. DD wants a bigger school, but I'm concerned that undergrad educ is rarely a priority at those (it's more a matter of "smarts kids in, smart kids out"); we're looking for a transformative ecuducational experience.

Suggestions welcome nationwide.

Here's where DD is kicking around: Anyplace in England (oy!), Denison ("too small" says DD), UMass,...

To answer scattered questions:

1. DadII, I think you know that 97th%ile and 12 APs are not what this thread is about. I'll stop there.

2. Yes, MSU is Spartans

3. Yep, people who attend any school (or who don't go at all) can be successes in life; my focus here is on maximizing that chance, while completely understanding that DD's roommate draw will have more to do with her happiness than how many Rhodes Scholars are on the faculty, alas.

So, where are your B+ ers applying?

[phishfan0969]

MSU Dad, I've got great schools lined up for this B+ student

U of Vermont
UMass-Amherst
SUNY Binghamton
SUNY Buffalo
U of Colorado Boulder
Ithaca College

Most of these are large science schools that I've been looking at. I'll probably end up at SUNY Binghamton ,though. It's nice and cheap for me.

[missypie]

mammall, I predict that my rising 7th grader will be a B student in high school. She just doesn't care enough. If it were up to her, she'd play volleyball, do gymnastics, take tumbling, cheer, run cross country, dance, swim and rock climb....school? Who has time for that?

.

[fendrock]

Here are some schools I like for the type of student we are discussing:

Eckerd College (St Petersburg, FL)
Oxford College of Emory University (Oxford, GA)
Trinity University (San Antonio, TX)
College of Charleston (Charleston, SC)
University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC)
Champlain College (Burlington, VT)

I second the suggestion of Ithaca College.

In the case of less than optimal stats, I think it is especially important to use Naviance or similar available info to find out the acceptance results from your high school for students with similar GPA and SAT/ACT scores.

[JerseyShoreMom]

D is limited to schools that have hospitality (event) management and on the east coast (Dad does not want her "all the way" on the west coast). She wants a college town or campus feel, definately staying in dorm, and it MUST have a football team. ugh, don't ask :P

University of Central Florida
Florida State University
Temple University
East Carolina University
Penn State - University Park
Montclair State (in-state safety)
Purdue
Michigan State

The last 2 I added within the past few days because we found that they are tops in the Hospitality field (although D may turn them down because the winters get TOO cold).

[missypie]

Son's list:

Austin College
Baylor
Oklahoma City University
St. Edwards
Stephen F. Austin
Southwestern University
Trinity University
University of Tulsa

[thumper1]

Agreed with posts 29 and 30...plenty of other threads on CC for the student Dad II is talking about. This isn't the place.

[ohio_mom]

Ithaca College
Hiram College (small but fabulous LAC in Ohio)
College of Wooster
Ohio University
State Universities of Minnesota, Vermont, Maine (programs differ by campus)
University of Delaware (go blue hens)

[northeastmom]

Ohio_mom, Do you know anything about Wittenberg, and Ohio Wesleyan as a safety for a B+ or match for a B student?

[Queen's Mom]

So what do you guys think about safeties? D has no problem picking reaches and she will apply to our local state school (even though lately that's not a match for B+ students either). Academically challenging safety schools seem to be a problem.