Hi! I’m currently a senior, and trying to finalize my college app plans for this year.
My only predicament is that I have a low GPA (2.5) with a somewhat decent ACT (27). I do plan on taking again in Sep/Oct/Dec to try and Superscore the 4 tests…
My GPA freshman/sophomore year was pitiful, Junior year was a 3.3, and Senior year will be a 4.0 (I already took 3/5 of my credits)
I don’t have any ECs through my school, because I’ve been in a virtual learning program since 8th grade, BUT, I do have something really interesting that might could help with my application? I started a business earlier this year in the Real Estate sector, and it’s going to gross about $600,000 this year, and we’re projecting close to $2,000,000 next year. I did this completely on my own.
Ideally, I’d like to go to a flagship school in the Southeast (think UT, UNC, etc), but I realize how much of a long shot that is with my GPA. Business school is my intended track…
Would prefer a large city, in the Southeast, not really into Sports but the idea of it being an SEC school or something sounds fun.
Other stats
White gay Male
First Gen College Student
Lives in Alabama
Parents income around 400k, but I live alone and support myself financially
Do not intend on applying for Financial Aid, not really worried about tuition costs
I can’t imagine how you could ever get into UNC with those scores. I don’t think an in-state student would ever get in UNC with that. So apply if you want, but know your chances are more than slim.
When you say UT are you talking Tennessee or Texas? I’m in NC so I think Tennessee, but not sure what someone from Alabama means. Tenn is more within the realm of possibility, but still uphill. University of Texas Austin is unlikely.
You definitely have amazing accomplishments for you application! Congratulations on your very successful business.
However, your GPA will be a problem, especially at public flagships since they often weigh stats more heavily (at least for the initial “weedout” pass if it is one with holistic admissions). I suggest looking at the class profiles. Here is a link to UGA as an example… very good business school but obviously not as selective as a UNC… Admission Statistics - UGA Undergraduate Admissions… check out the GPAs. The UGA admissions blog is very transparent about their process and state that the initial pass is based on GPA (which they weigh most heavily). Of course, that is only one school but a good example of how many operate.
I am not experienced in college admissions so take this with a grain of salt. But I would suggest researching less selective small privates with holistic admissions and work to develop a rapport with the regional AO so your whole application is on their radar. It would be a pity to not have it read because the GPA did not meet a minimum threshold.
You need to find schools like Southern Miss, Alabama State etc. or a Miles College or Talladega College - but I agree with @Bill_Marsh -like an NBA player who takes millions up front, seems like your focus should be on your business. That can be your education.
Congratulations on your accomplishments. Quick question. Does it matter where you live in terms of running your business? How much time do you have to dedicate to your classes while running your business?
One thing I thought of that no one has mentioned yet is going somewhere with an easier admit rate and doing really well and then transferring to UNC or UT. If you get great first and second year grades in college and have a thriving business then that less than great high school GPA and middlin’ ACT score will melt away. UNC is going to want to see them still but the weight is going to be on your college GPA not what you got in 9th grade.
(And for the record I think a 27 ACT is fine. My D22 got a 28 and has a 3.8 weighted GPA and we are in-state for UNC. She has no chance of getting in there, though.)
It’s just that UGA 25th percentile for GPA - so low end is a 4.0 weighted. 31 ACT at the low end although you would apply without a test there.
With stats like the OPs, it’d have to be a small, accept nearly everyone school or a local/regional college.
The business is awesome and many will learn from the OP - and he will blow everyone away!!
Just was saying - UGA -not going to happen.
Community College would seem smartest - but there are 4 year schools that would work with you.
My question then would be - will that environment be strong enough to help you grow - as you’re clearly punching in life above your weight. Or will the students at the colleges you could get into keep you down.
Here’s a link that might help the OP. There are others.
Consider Auburn University, University of Tennessee, LSU, Alabama, and ASU (Arizona State University) in the Phoenix, Arizona area.
College of Charleston might be of interest to you.
The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) may offer a major in real estate. FSU (Florida State University) & UCF (University of Central Florida) are others to consider for the study of real estate.
Georgia State in downtown Atlanta might be a good option as well.
For a small school option in the South, consider Flagler College (2,600 students) in St. Augustine or country club like Rollins College near Orlando, Florida.
In Tampa, Florida, consider USF (Univ. of South Florida) or Univ. of Tampa. (Although I know very little about the Univ. of Tampa.)
Loyola University in New Orleans.
OP: Check out the University of Kansas & Kansas State University. Both offer very solid business majors. In fact, these may be great options for you.
P.S. @OP: Posts below indicate that Florida state schools FSU, UCF, & USF are unlikely reaches based on your GPA.
Oh, I wasn’t implying you were! Sorry if my text came across that way.
Off topic for the OP but for others… GA publics are no longer test optional. So GPA and test scores will count.
@mbr18 Back to the OP, @Sweetgum had a great suggestion about starting somewhere with an easier admit, knocking it out of the park with a strong GPA then transferring if a prestigious business school is important to you long term. The colleges @tsbna44 mentioned may work well for that.
Seems like if you have that successful a business, do you really need to go to college now?
Does “Southeast” include Alabama and Mississippi? The public universities in those states (even the flagships) are not that difficult to get admitted to. University of Mississippi would auto-admit Mississippi residents with your GPA and ACT (https://admissions.olemiss.edu/apply/freshman/ says that 2.50 / 16 or 2.00 / 18 is enough for Mississippi residents), although it may have unspecified higher standards for non-Mississippi residents.
Grossing $600,000 is usually a lot different than making $600,000. Maybe OP is referring to total sales which pay a commission of just 6% ($36,000) that is typically split by 2 to 4 payees.
Look at some of the directionals like UNCC (UNC Charlotte), great campus in a booming/thriving city with a great tech and financial sector and a vibrant nightlife, food and art scene. They’re a more diverse large state school with a football team; even if you’re not into sports, it adds to the overall feel/atmosphere that you may be looking for from a southern flagship. It would still be a reach, but give it a shot. You could also look at doing community college to directional path; for UNCC it would be CPCC which is close to uptown.
Being OOS unfortunately his GPA is a killer for almost all the public schools you mentioned even ones where his test scores are within the 25-75 percentile.
A couple Florida schools were mentioned I don’t think most are realistic with his GPA, here is the admissions matrix for last year at Florida Public Universities
Florida Publics recalculate core classes and add .5 for honors and 1.0 for AP/IP/DE/AICE for a core GPA listed in SUS
Rollins ranked #1 National regional University in the South and they use an unweighted GPA, 2.5 highly unlikely
Flagler College the best chance in Florida of the ones mentioned.
Both SE flagship schools and being in-state full pay with a solid ACT, upward trending GPA, and diverse application ECs + 1st gen etc would give you a reasonable chance at both.
2.5gpa will not get him into UNCC, AppState, or UNCW. He has a better chance at ECU and UNCG.
My guess is the 2.5 will eliminate most state flagships and 2nd flagships, like Delaware, UMAmherst, UF, some UTs, all UCs, probably most CalStates, etc.
There remain an incredible number of good universities within reach of his stats, but he’s going to likely have to change his target from flagships to 2 or 3 or 5 schools removed from flagships.
Agree that UNC-Charlotte is not likely. I’d shoot for in-state in Alabama and then if you want to, transfer, but you might end up liking your in-state option.
