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My 16 year old son, smart but unmotivated. Can he get into an engineering program in Florida?
968Mom
63 replies23 threads Junior Member
My 16 year old son is very smart but doesn't try particularly hard at anything he is not interested in. He's in 10th Grade. He's a life long tinkerer, is into robotics and competes with FRC and wants to pursue aerospace engineering. At the same time, he makes close to no effort at school, never studies or does homework but still manages to get a 3.4 GPA (3.8 weighted). His test scores are good but not out of this world. My daughter is an engineering student at UF and he wants to go there also but I don't think he will qualify. I'm assuming he's not the only smart but unmotivated and unorganized student out there. What would be a good school to shoot for?
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Replies to: My 16 year old son, smart but unmotivated. Can he get into an engineering program in Florida?
However, "no effort" means that college will be high risk, since college requires more effort, time management, and self motivation than the more supervised and forgiving environment of high school.
My friend had 3 kids who were all in an IB program and who all wanted to go to Colorado School of Mines. The oldest wasn't doing very well in high school, and sounds like your son in that this boy also wasn't doing anything he didn't want to do. When he was a junior she took him over to Mines and they met with an admissions officer. He looked the kid in the face and said "You won't get in here with these grades. You need to take these classes and get X grades." He immediately changed his ways and did go to Mines, as did his brother and sister. His mother couldn't get through to him, but the admissions officer did.
If he can end this year strong, and get mostly A's in 11th grade, he still has a decent shot at UF. He has plenty of time to study and improve his test scores. Don't forget his volunteer hours and EC's.
UCF has a very good Aerospace program, and while they can be more expensive, FIT and especially ERAU also have good programs.
You may apply to a college but it is the college that really chooses who they will admit. The college will want someone with a paper trail of doing good work in ALL subjects. That paper trail is called your GPA. Many colleges are getting away from SAT and ACT test scores as they are just one day tests and GPA is much more telling about how you perform.
College isn't the end game. It is just a stepping stone to your career. You must also perform well (read good GPA) in college to get the job you desire. You will also have to take classes in college that may not always be to your liking, but that is life and you can not change the system.
Learn to play "the game" now or fight the system your whole life. Fighting the system is like banging your head against a wall. It feels good only when you stop.
So, you have choice. Get to work now or be shut out of the better career paths. It's your choice.
He decided to not fight the system and do the work. He found ways to do tasks easier and some other shortcuts. But that is OK as long as you do the work and do get the grades.
There is a book entitled "The Myth of Laziness" that might be helpful.
So much fun parenting teens, isn't it?
Oh yes. On a good day it's almost better than shoveling mud with a tablespoon.
Boys are a strange breed, aren't they?
I would personally take a different approach and I put some of this on the parents. (sorry). First your daughter goes there. I am sure she has some wisdom for him. Have him do a day visiting the college or arrange a stay over if you are local or if you visit her at school. This should help motivate him.
Email all his teachers and let them know his aspirations. So.. What does he need to do to turn those b's into A's or at least more of them? He might not be as far off as you might think. Is he participating in class? Does he turn in assignments on time? Can he do extra credit work to get some grades up. Will the teachers work with him? Can you afford a tutor?
Giving him the choice is not the option if he really wants to go into engineering. He will also need to soon begin prepping for Act /Sat. He needs to get on board now since with the same attitude he will sink with those tests. We always told our kids getting good grades now might make those tests easier later on. Not 100% true but.....
Also he needs to realize if he is getting these grades without really any effort then just think what he can potentially get if he tries.
Pro tip : He most likely doesn't know how to study. Get him help with this. This is more common then you would think.
Get him this :
https://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight-Student-Unconventional/dp/0767922719
It is highly suggested on the CC site especially on the engineering thread. The author makes one for high school etc. It is quick read and has some great methods for studying. Read it also to educate yourself. It works! @968Mom
I think you might have to become involved to teach him what it takes to be organized. Perhaps when he is more organized he will see more success and the success itself will be motivating.
I also have a son (Junior in HS) and he is not as active as his big sister. To get him a little more interested in the whole effort and testing scores, we sat him down and said college is an investment and we are willing to make it only if the effort from him is there. Effort is not the same as results.
He said he needed help with SAT studying and we made a deal that we would invest in the raining for him as long as he took it seriously. So far so good.... we will see after March SAT exam results.