<p>Back in my day (when dinosaurs walked the earth) a C average could still get you into a halfway decent (though not outstanding) school. Nowadays it seems like community college is the best such a student can expect. Does anyone have any recent experience to the contrary?</p>
<p>This came up in conversation with a friend this week and I thought I would ask here.</p>
<p>Yes, there are plenty of good state schools that will accept C students. But do you mean a 2.0? or a 2.5? </p>
<p>What kind of test scores?</p>
<p>BTW…a trick is…apply to a state school with rolling admissions and apply EARLY. Many of these schools are more lenient early in the admission season.</p>
<p>Well In my state, NY we have SUNY schools and they range from very high schools such as Binghamton where you need from a 3.7-4 GPA to get in and then you have UBuff and cortland where average GPA is like a 2.3. The programs ate still decent though I know a few people who attended all of those I said.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure a 2.5 will still get you into some of the Calif. State Us.</p>
<p>Lots of options:</p>
<p>[Top</a> 100 - Highest Acceptance Rates | Rankings | US News](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/highest-acceptance-rate]Top”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/highest-acceptance-rate)</p>
<p>For California State Universities, the minimum eligibility is shown here:</p>
<p>[CSUMentor</a> - Plan for College - High School Students - Eligibility Index - California Residents](<a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>GPA Calculator | CSU)
[CSUMentor</a> - Plan for College - High School Students - Eligibility Index - Nonresidents Residents](<a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU)</p>
<p>For example, a 2.5 GPA and 900 SAT CR+M or 20 ACT barely makes the cut for a California resident.</p>
<p>However, impacted campuses and majors (which is a lot of them, especially given the capacity reductions under budget cuts) have higher standards.</p>
<p>[CSUMentor</a> - Plan for College - High School Students - Campuses That Have Higher Standards](<a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU)
[CSUMentor</a> - Plan for College - High School Students - Majors That Have Higher Standards](<a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU)</p>
<p>Community college and then transferring as a junior after doing well at community college is often a way to “upgrade” one’s choices of four year universities.</p>
<p>I don’t have any experience directly, but some of the directional colleges in our state take kids that have lower GPAs and college ready ACT scores. There is one public that takes kids with a 2.25 – with below that and a low ACT of 19 they can be admitted but it is a probationary program. These are perfectly decent colleges and definitely an opportunity for kids with a spotty high school record who feel strongly about college.</p>
<p>For argument’s sake, I mean a 2.0 average with commensurate SAT scores. I honestly don’t even know what that would be, but since this is a bit hypothetical.</p>
<p>I know this may come off as rude, but if a student has a C average, are they ready for college?</p>
<p>I agree with TheEllister2007. Unless they have made a dramatic improvement their senior year, I think any student with a C average should go to community college first to see if they’re ready. Lots of “A students” don’t even end up graduating from college.</p>
<p>I got horrendous grades in my junior year due to some personal issues and received a measly score of 29 on the ACT’s. I know my issues are no excuse for my poor grades, but so far, I managed to gain admission to Penn State, Drexel, and Hunter College. They are by no means top tier schools, but they are decent alternatives to community colleges.</p>
<p>Community college is likely the best choice for most 2.0 GPA students, since most of them will need significant remedial course work before taking truly college level course work – better to do that at an inexpensive community college than at a more expensive four year college. Doing the remedial course work at community college also means that the student is not on the “must declare major in two years” or “must graduate in four/five/six years” clock for both institutional and financial reasons; taking an extra semester or few at community college is less of a big deal than at a four year school.</p>
<p>If s/he does well at community college, the student’s selection of four year schools to which s/he can transfer two is likely to be much greater than what s/he could have gotten into as a freshman (and note that many of the least selective four year schools that may take a low high school GPA student are likely to have a limited selection of majors).</p>
<p>It is possible, but not entirely plausible, for C students to gain admission to the state flagship campus.</p>
<p>Ohio State’s four branch campuses (Marion, Mansfield, Newark, and Lima) are open admissions for Ohio high school graduates. If you earn a 2.0 freshman year, you can register for classes at OSU’s flagship campus after that. </p>
<p>This is a great option for students who want to go to OSU but weren’t admitted as freshmen. 3 of the 4 branch campuses have on campus housing; all have sports and activities, etc., beyond community college (and offer four-year degrees if you want to stay for four years); all offer the same classes that are offered at OSU, so you aren’t really “transferring” credits - you take the same courses other students are taking in Columbus.</p>
<p>Umm, Rain202, a “measely” ACT score of 29? Are you aware that’s the 93rd percentile?</p>
<p>I work at a public university that is not selective. However, there are minimum GPA/test scores not to be mean, but because we want students to succeed. Students with lower GPAs/test scores can be admitted but can’t take more than 12 hours their first semester, and must take a class where they work with advisors to help them navigate their college experience.</p>
<p>We have lots of success stories. We have several who can’t handle it. </p>
<p>We also have straight-A in HS students who don’t make the transition well and crash and burn. Plus those who get straight As in college.</p>
<p>Our oldest was a 2.5 in high school but got a 28 first sitting, no prep on his ACT, got in everywhere he applied (state schools and one smaller LAC). Got offered a couple scholarships for his ACT score. He is through college and gainfully employed in a job he loves and is up for his first promotion. He got good grades in the classes that interested him in high school, other classes, not so much. That same trend continued in college but the uninteresting (to him) classes were fewer so he managed to graduate with a descent GPA.</p>
<p>I did a quick look on Naviance at some of the lower-ranked schools that kids from our hs have applied to and kids with 2.0 (or very close) have been accepted at Longwood, Old Dominion, and Hampden-Sydney. SATs sometimes 1000 or below. I’m sure there are lots of others out there.</p>
<p>There are any number of private and public schools that take C students and average or below test scores (and I mean true average, not College Confidential average). Getting money is a whole other issue since merit aid is not going to be available for such students. </p>
<p>Actually, here in NY, it could be more difficult to get into a state school, SUNY or CUNY with those stats than a slew of privates. The only numbers and letters some of those colleges want to see are those on a check to pay the cost.</p>
<p>I would argue that a plumbing vocational school is the best bet for a C student for whom an academic environment really doesn’t agree with. Construction and carpentry might be next. </p>
<p>Plumbers make more than many physicians and there is a real shortage of good ones! My plumber is a great trustworthy guy, is always in demand, but when he works for me he always does a great job. He costs a fortune though, and he’s worth it. </p>
<p>This is by no means an insult, just a recognition that there are many successful people for whom an academic environment is not the best choice to help them reach their potential.</p>
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<p>While you may have had a horrendous junior year (and perhaps a C average junior year), you did not get into Hunter or any of your other school by having an overall C average (which is the question that OP is posing).</p>
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<p>Your B~85 average and your ACT/SAT scores put you in the range for all of the schools that you applied to.</p>