3.2 GPA, late bloomer, HIGH SAT score, top university? - Page 4

CountingDown · 10-31-2009, 01:07 AM

Protagonist,
I have a 3.76 UW, 4.56 W, 2380 single sitting son who was rejected from Cornell. He attended a nationally known math/science program, NMF, got 5s on 9 APs, took 13 post-APs, and had three major national research/Olympiad awards in his field.

The Naviance data I have for S2's school (also a nationally known selective admit IB program) indicates that the average accepted GPA at UVA over the past three admission cycles has been a 3.7 UW and a 2126. This is recent OOS applicant data. In 2009, 39 students applied, 9 were accepted. My younger son with a 2290 and a 3.56 UW/4.24 W (who will have 13 APs and 6 IBs) falls into the waitlist black hole of the Naviance graph.

There are a number of students on this forum who have had troubled lives and have overcome challenges, and some of them have gotten into stellar schools. They did not get into them by complaining about their tough lives and acting entitled. Your attitude is what will hold you back, not just in the college application process, but in life.

Sorry you don't like what you're hearing, but we're not all stupid and uninformed here.

ROTCherewego · 10-31-2009, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Oh yes, lets crucify someone for not having the good grammar shall we?

Also being rude? Not really, I asked and listed my situation but everyone kept bugging on the 3.2 GPA ("IT DOESN'T MATTER, A 3.2 IS A 3.2 NO MATTER WHAT, YOU WILL NEVER MAKE IT ANYWHERE").

Get your forks and spoons ready for some humble pie then, I may not be a valedictorian but I lived a rough life as an Asian American in a deep south town. I am applying and even if I don't get in, at least I had guts to try out and not for fall your "expert" advices.

What an unpleasant twit!!! Why are we wasting time on this immature, rude, and clueless teenager? If this were my kid, I would be so embarrassed: what would this reflect on me as a parent?

OP: if you don't want to listen what other people say honestly about your chance, don't post. If you only want to hear sugary stuff, go to a $1 psychic. You may not like what you are hearing, but I find the CC parents here extremely knowledgeable and right on the mark. Based on all the research I have done for my own kids from a variety of sources, their input is right on - and collectively their advice reflects years and years of experience in all kinds of schools and their admission practices. This group knows that top 50% ranking with a GPA of 3.2 regardless of how tough a magnet school it is from, coupled with below 2000 SAT or even 2200 is simply not enough for most selective schools to be a comfortable match unless you are a URM, athlete, legacy, or a development case.

By the way, if this is the kind of attitude you are carrying with yourself, your future is not so bright: worldly success depends on creating a network of people who are willing to advise you and help you. You are smacking people over their head for giving you their honest feedback. Soon, you will be left with no one willing to help you and advise you.

CountingDown · 10-31-2009, 02:48 AM

That said, we know students from magnet programs with ~3.2 UW and 2100-ish scores to get some VERY good merit money at non-flagship state schools.

Depending on your major, you might also consider South Carolina, Clemson, UDel, Penn State, NC State, VA Tech. Take a look at your school's HS profile (available from your GC) to see how they "sell" your school's program and its difficulty.

mom2collegekids · 10-31-2009, 07:30 AM

^^^

But, currently, his score is 1920. The chance of him raising it above 2000 are iffy. Typically a kid might raise in one section, but go down in another, netting just 20-50 points overall if lucky.

To have a "scholarship worthy" score, many merit granting colleges only take up to Nov scores for scholarship consideration. So, it's not like this is Feb of Junior year and he has many chances to increase his scores.

Plus, I track merit scholarships all the time, and there are so few that won't require at least a 3.5 GPA along with top scores for scholarship consideration. I think I've only seen a small handful that take less, and those scholarships have been quite small.

I can't remember if the OP needs F/A, but if he does, OOS publics will probably not be able to meet need.

The OP is terribly naive, and he'll likely only learn from experience. Sadly, if he doesn't at least apply to a few financial safeties, he may find himself with no acceptances in the spring. But, then again, the realities of being stubborn can be a real life lesson.

Protagonist111 · 10-31-2009, 09:45 AM

"if he doesn't at least apply to a few financial safeties, he may find himself with no acceptances in the spring."

and I said I already applied to safeties, we know you failed the reading section on the SAT

Chelsea0011 · 10-31-2009, 09:51 AM

OP

My S had almost the same GPA and test scores and applied to NYU and was accepted to the LSP.

mom2collegekids · 10-31-2009, 10:16 AM

"if he doesn't at least apply to a few financial safeties, he may find himself with no acceptances in the spring."

Quote:

and I said I already applied to safeties, we know you failed the reading section on the SAT

I must have missed where you posted that you've applied to financial safeties. I only saw where you said that you applied to safeties.

Protagonist111 · 10-31-2009, 10:27 AM

two local colleges which are less than 5k per year for tuition, yup financial safeties for sure

also, already got my application for Boston College, I was just filling it out, need a break though V_V

As for the me never getting my scores up, w/e, doesn't mean that I will sissy out just because someone on the intrawebs is calling me a twit and giving me some "great advice". I am really willing to put forth the effort for it.

Now to request my application for Cornell (which I will probably do next week).

Just ran into my guidance counselor this morning (at a local grocery store of all places) and asked her about this site. I may not be able to quote her word for word but her advice sounded a lot like this

"Waste of time, I have read some of the most egregious material on that site and usually its from parents and students attempting to discourage kids from applying to a lot of the prestigious universities so they can have an advantage by having less competition. The college admissions process is not that scary, you will be okay but just stay away from that site, most of the information there is not verified and people usually skew it. If anything email the dean of your reach school and ask him or her, don't use that site because it is indeed full of errors and message boards are not a reliable source of information. Best of luck getting into your dream college"

So yea, this discussion is pretty much worthless. I am an amiable guy and I love to work with people, I have had great things said about me by my classmates and real life people (not e-thugs). I am going to apply to Cornell and Boston College, maybe even Brown anyways so I don't see a point to this discussion.

Peace!

ThatMom · 10-31-2009, 10:30 AM

The OP has not really given us a context for his 3.2. He has implied that he is at a top magnet program, but has only said he was in the top 50% of his class. What is his rank? How many APs? How many offered at his school? etc, etc. There has been no discussion of the rigor of his classes, which is what is really important to the most selective colleges.

Protagonist111 · 10-31-2009, 10:32 AM

"My S had almost the same GPA and test scores and applied to NYU and was accepted to the LSP."

He did!?
I bet you are lying!!!
LIAR!

*notices something*

wait did this happen in the real world or the college confidential world?

real world you say?

Oh he probably did because if he wanted to get into NYU (in the college confidential world) he would have probably not made it since NYU is for students with perfect SAT scores and 4.0 GPAs, also they need to have some good ECs, like be the kid who goes over to Africa to find a cure for aids, then he MAY have had a shot.

(I hope you see that I am being sardonic).

Congrats to your son, I hope he is doing the best there.

Protagonist111 · 10-31-2009, 10:37 AM

"The OP has not really given us a context for his 3.2. He has implied that he is at a top magnet program, but has only said he was in the top 50% of his class. What is his rank? How many APs? How many offered at his school? etc, etc. There has been no discussion of the rigor of his classes, which is what is really important to the most selective colleges."

do you think that is going to do anything? I could take 12 AP classes but a 3.2 unweighted is a 3.2 unweighted regardless and we all know the "pros" on this site think that it is not good enough to get into a good college.

Plus its not like I found a way to cure world hunger yet so I think according to everyone on this site I have no shot at getting into a good college unless I do that.

marite · 10-31-2009, 10:46 AM

I really think the OP is wasting his time here on CC. His GC thinks that CC is full of egregious information used by parents and students to discourage others from applying to that they or their children will have a better shot (many here have children who have already graduated or are already attending the colleges of their choice, but never mind).
The OP is not willing to heed advice that runs contrary to what he wants to hear. Those who proffer that advice are being called e-thugs by the OP who does not believe that he is being rude.
The OP will apply to top schools. He will know on April 1 whether he will be admitted or not. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I think this thread should be allowed to die.

Protagonist111 · 10-31-2009, 11:16 AM

ugh

okay, I know I was being a prick to some of the people on this thread, problem is that I have a hard time accepting my situation. I have had to live through being beat up for no reason other than the fact that I am Asian in the deep South and many other things. With those difficulties my freshman year of high school was hard for me. I eventually decided to fit in and now I am doing great as a senior. I had a rough life, a lot of things were not available to me as they were to the other kids.

If I was being a prick then this is my apology. Will I get into Brown or Cornell? (I have a .11111111 percent chance of making it) probably not but I think that applying will do a lot for my confidence......

Rough situations in my life made me get that 3.2 GPA at a difficult school. My family used to live in up in Pennsylvania but ever since a certain event happened, the animosity between Asian Indians grew thick and I remember at one instance our neighbor offered to do our shopping for us. Now things there have got better, last time I went to Massachusetts no one cared.

That is my apology, hope you guys are aware of my situation.

I need to go back to filling out my application for Boston College. If you guys truly want to prove me wrong, be amiable instead of lashing out at me for getting a 3.2 GPA and telling me that I do not have a chance of getting in anywhere for college.....

I won't be surprised at all if most of the posters on this thread just use this statement to give me more flak.

mom2collegekids · 10-31-2009, 11:23 AM

^^^

No one said that you have no chance of "getting in anywhere for college". I think most people here think you have a great chance at many wonderful match schools and to virtually any safety.

I realize that you've applied to some local state schools as financial safeties, but there is a wide gap between those schools and your reach schools. Unless you'll be tickled pink to attend those safeties, I think you should also apply to some schools that would be matches. However, if you'll be super happy to go to your safeties, then good luck.

thumper1 · 10-31-2009, 11:23 AM

Protagonist...it's time to look FORWARD not backwards. You can't do anything about the past anyway. What's done is done. It sounds like you have made the best of your high school situation. Now is the time to move forward and look for colleges where you can make the best of your future.

I think folks here just want you to be realistic. If you have safety and match schools on your list, then you are fine. You have indicated that is the case. If finances are an issue, you need safety schools where the cost will align with what your family can contribute. It sounds like you have those things.

Yes...apply to a couple of reach schools. BUT most important...make sure that EVERY school on your list is one that you would be happy to attend if you get accepted....including those safety schools.

Good luck to you. And thank you for the apology.