Chance Me/Match Me: Prospective communications student in the state of GA, aiming for middle-of-the-road southeast schools (4.2 unweighted GPA, 1410 SAT)

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • US citizen
  • State/Location of residency: Georgia
  • Type of high school (or current college for transfers): Public charter online high school (6k+ students, state school)
  • Other special factors: n/a

Cost Constraints / Budget
As of right now, this seems to not be an serious issue. We are in the process of running net price calcs, but parents have seem to indicated we have enough on hand for the schools I’m seriously considering.

Intended Major(s)
Journalism, communications, public comm/PR

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 4.2
  • Weighted HS GPA: 4.0 (all As throughout high school)
  • Class Rank: 49/1273 (as of July 2025)
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1410 SAT (3rd attempt)

List your HS coursework

  • English: Honors 9A/9B, Honors 10A/10B, Honors American Lit, English Comp 1 (dual enrollment), Journalism 1 and 2 (elective), Mass Comm (dual enrollment)
  • Math: Honors Algebra 1, Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra 2, and Honors Precalc
  • Science: Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics
  • History and social studies: American Government, World History, US History, Econ, Media and Society (dual enrollment)
  • Language other than English: (including highest level completed): Spanish 1-2 (11th, 12th)
  • Visual or performing arts: n/a (my school really doesn’t offer those)
  • Other academic courses: Intro to Software Tech, Computer Science Principles, AP CSA, Psych (dual enrollment), STEAM Advisement/Capstone

Awards
Beta Club state US History test (4th place out of all test-takers in state of Georgia, 11th grade)
Best Overall Project in my school’s science fair (11th grade)
Principal’s List (based on high GPAs in the 4.0 range, 9th grade-11th grade)

Extracurriculars

Part-time job from fall semester of 11th grade-present day at local movie theater chain

Leadership roles (all vice president): NEHS, NTHS (only 11th grade), TSA (only 12th grade)

Membership: Beta Club, National Honor Society, Student Council, STEAM Academy

The Tiger Tribune - school paper, wrote articles from 10th-12th grade

Instagram - Run a film review account that has just under 2K followers, started it in 2020

Local filmmaking camp (summer before 11th grade), UA Multicultural Journalism Workshop (summer before 12th grade)

Essays/LORs/Other
Wrote an essay on the power of persistence and how it has shaped my outlook and viewpoints on life as a high-functioning person on the spectrum, would say it’s a good 7-8

Just asked for letters of rec, but they’re from teachers who know me well and my counselor (advisement/STEAM teacher, math teacher, journalism teacher/head)

Schools

  • Safety: Georgia Southern, Kennesaw State (both in-state)
  • Target: UGA (in-state), Elon, USC
  • Toss-up: Auburn (legacy admit)
  • Reach: Ga Tech (in-state), Clemson, UT Knoxville
  • Low Probability: UF, UNC Chapel Hill

Would appreciate suggestions/recs for schools I haven’t considered yet, mostly looking for mid-range schools in the southeast (trying to avoid SEC schools for the most part, but I’m open to anything doable in my range TBH)

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Seems like 4.0 would be the unweighted GPA if you have all A grades. A weighted GPA could be higher, but not too meaningful without knowing the weighting system.

University of Georgia, University of Florida, University of South Carolina, University of Tennessee, and Auburn University are SEC schools on your list.

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You are asking for suggestions so you need a budget.

If a UF is in consideration, I’ll assume you have $50K a year at least.

Apply early to Auburn - but it’s SEC. But it makes no sense given the major whereas Bama is strong in all your areas - and is much cheaper. You’ll get into both though, especially if you apply to Auburn early. But yes, you have SEC schools on your list and I would choose U of SC over Clemson for your interests - but yes, it’s SEC.

Frankly, for your interests, a lot of your list doesn’t make sense.

I’d look at Oklahoma, Missouri, Ohio U, Indiana, Michigan State, Kansas, ASU, Michigan State as far as in-budget publics. If you have need then Syracuse, SMU, U Miami.

If you like small like Elon, you can add Hofstra, Butler, and Marquette. U Denver would be - not as good a choice but a choice. All will be good in cost relative to Elon.

You have a lot of choices out there - but in the Southeast, UF and UGA are great but given your varied interests, including PR, Bama is as good.

At the same time, kids can excel in these fields from any school because - everyone has an iphone today and can practice!! That came from the speech a Syracuse alum gave.

Good luck.

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FSU. Their Communications school is excellent. The Digital Media Program is housed in the Communications school if you want to dabble in video.

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If you want to add more schools comparable in size to Elon, you can add Coastal Carolina which is a bit easier to get into and more affordable than Elon, although I think Elon has the edge in communication and journalism.

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I think OP is in at Elon pretty easily. And likely at UGA But lacks rigor which might be the shortfall. Ga Tech I don’t get at all being on the list.

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Yeah, you’re right. 4.2 is the weighted, 4.0 is the unweighted (mixed the two up in the process of calculation)

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My parents are pushing me to apply to Ga Tech (the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts) since we’re in-state and it’s nearby. I like the campus, but it’s not high up there in ranking for me. I agree with the part about rigor, feel like I probably should’ve taken more of the AP classes my school offered, but I didn’t start seriously considering that aspect till partway through junior year. I’m hoping dual enrollment this year can offset some of that, but it might be too much of a longshot at this point.

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Bama was where I went this past summer for a journalism workshop they offered, and I found the campus itself to be too sorority/fraternity focused in my opinion. Partying is not my priority, and I wouldn’t mind going to a SEC school if it’s less of a big deal. Henceforth, I’ve heard stories about Florida’s State partying culture, otherwise it would probably be on this list.

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You might consider Christopher Newport in VA, St. Mary’s of MD, or Rhodes College.

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Too much of a long shot for what?

What’s your top choice.

If you say UGA - i’d ask - then why are you saying you are trying to avoid the SEC.

In my mind, if you are interested in not just journalism, but advertising and PR, then Bama should be right up there with UGA. Cost wise - you’ll get $24K off but if you can get your SAT up 10 points, $28K off. Worst case though, you are upper 20s all in.

After Bama, I’d say OU.

Both are SEC though - as is UGA.

That’s just an overall - if you had journalism, PR, advertising - it doesn’t mean you can’t make it happen from anywhere else because you can - from everywhere else.

But those schools have the reputations in all three categories - but reputation isn’t really a huge driver there.

I listed others that could work.

btw - i’m not sure there’s a huge difference between say - Clemson and an SEC school.

Elon, of course, a very different type of school - also great.

I don’t know if you get into UGA/UF but you’ll get into a lot of great schools.

And your schools were fine - they’re just not known for the areas you brought up vs. others I mentioned.

Whatever you do, make sure you double major…communications grads have it tough. I went to Syracuse and maybe it’s different today, but easily 80%+ of kids had to pivot in life to something else.

As for Bama, my engineering kid went. He tried to party once - and that didn’t work out for him :slight_smile: You can make any school as you want- and again, all the schools have your majors - maybe just not the breadth of offerings or successful alums. Most at Bama are not in Greek life btw - so like many schools, you are far from alone if you’re not. In fact, you’re in the majority. But - that said, yes, the houses are gargantuan and that makes an impression on many.

I’m not sure Ga Southern is different btw. And UTK definitely isn’t different.

For more chill SEC, you can look at MS State but I think advertising and journalism are housed in separate schools there.

Truth is, a lot of your top J / PR / Advertising schools are the big flagships - and in many ways, they’re similar. UGA/UF/Bama/UTK are interchangeable for what you don’t like about Bama. Auburn and MS State maybe a tad less but then a lot less “ranking” wise in areas you desire. Maybe OU is that in between but more like UF/UGA/Bama. A Syracuse/Miami will likely be over budget. Hofstra is suitcase but will price greatly.

Maybe Elon or Butler are that type you are looking for.

Getting out of the SE at big publics, you could look at Indiana (maybe above budget) or Minnesota. Ohio U would be another that could do well for you but if you choose advertising or PR has only a minor. But it’s well known for journalism.

Staying in the SE, in addition to Ms State (well known for weather journalism), maybe UCF and to a lesser extent USF could work for you.

Really - you can go anywhere and be a journalist or get into advertising/PR. Two of the top sportscasters today are SU alums from my era. But then the next two - if there’s a big 4 went to Beloit and William Paterson…that’s sports because I know it…but if you look at the bios of newscasters, they come from literally everywhere.

A school like UT Chatt might suit you - but I’m not sure you get the “breadth” you want access to - especially if you don’t know your area of focus. That’s where the big flagship might help…but ostensibly, reputation aside, if Bama bugged you, I don’t see how UTK, UGA or UF are any better.

@Bill_Marsh brought up schools you wouldn’t normally think about for journalism per se - but again, you can go anywhere - so maybe you should think about the type of school you do want. What was suggested are more liberal arts types and smaller. You listed a bunch of big ones + Elon…but maybe you saw them on a ranking. But have you thought what you’d actually like / want in a school?

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All of those are good points. I’d probably be open to anywhere, it’s just that no school has really spoken to me yet. All of the ones I’ve toured so far (including Alabama, Southern, UGA) would be fine, I just want to make sure I keep all options on the table for right now. So I guess I just need to look some more.

“Too much of a long shot” is referring to me using Dual Enrollment in my senior year to pump up my rigor for some reach schools.

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Think about - not what’s fine - go check out Ogelthorpe (Assuming you are in Atlanta). Go check out UTC

Check out small, mid size - is my point.

Go to a UAH - mid size suburban. Go to Berry or Sewanee - small, in the middle of nowhere.

Get a sense of what you like.

Colllege of Charleston is very urban, as an example.

In other words, find the environment and size you like - vs. just - well everyone goes to UGA or Georgia Southern thanks to the money we get for staying in state.

You said you like the Ga Tech campus…what about it? The size? Access to downtown/midtown?

UGA is ENORMOUS…whereas a Ga Tech isn’t, as an example. Does one work vs. the other?

Bama is enormous - from what I’ve seen of Auburn, not quite as big. Then again, my Bama kid only used one part of campus…

Does weather matter, etc?

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I think GT is a smart application. You have a top university for a low, low price. Plus Atlanta for opportunities. Not saying you should or shouldn’t attend, but not a wasted app. You can always decline if accepted. S20 is a GT grad.

You can party at FSU if you want, just like any other school. That said, FSU has upped its game the past few years. It’s a tough admit, especially OOS. They’re attracting higher caliber students. S21 graduated from FSU. Loved it.

Good luck.

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You’re saying that you’re looking for a middle-of-the-road school. Would that rule out Tulane, which would be very good for what you’re targeting, and would include 4 years in New Orleans in the package? What about the college of Charleston?

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If you are looking for a quieter school in the south, how about Furman? Or maybe UNC-Charlotte, right outside the city.

Missouri is a recent addition to the SEC and should have a different vibe. Highly regarded journalism school. Maryland also has a good program, close to DC.

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EDIT - Was an AI post saying to go TO. Looks like it’s been removed. Good thing as many on the list are test required.

Delete.

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Drove through Milledgeville for the first time today. Georgia State College and University is divide d by the Main Street in town. Nice brick campus.

Why does everyone look at Ga Southern as a safety.

Take a look at this school - has a Mass Comm major.

It’s definitely not SEC.

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Yes, this is a SEC school, but I’d take a look at Mizzou. It’s well known for Communications and has a top 5 J school. They give out good merit for OOS. Columbia, Mo is a fun town with lots of stuff to do besides Greek life.

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If you want journalism, if you can bring up those scores a bit, UGA is the right “target” to aim for, for instate. Not GT. Look at Ga College and State in Milledgeville. Very cute hidden gem.

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