Chances for weird student

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>Hmmm… I am looking to make some college suggestions to son, but have very little understanding of where he might get admitted to. He has a combination of great test scores, lopsided ecs good but not great grades. He is not a urm, but will be first generation from Kentucky. He is attending a mediocre, underfunded public school that nonetheless has the only IB program in any public school in the area:</p>

<p>His stats:
National Merit Semifinalist
National AP scholar (school offers 2 ap courses, the rest were on line or self studied–Stats 5, MacroEcon 5, English comp 5- , US His- 5, World Hist- 5, US gov&pol-5, Physics 4- Chem-4)
He is a full IB diploma candidate
SATs- ? taking in November, probably between 2340-2380
SAt IIs, Chemistry 740, US History 800, Math2 800
NHS
Peace essay winner
TASP participant (2008)
Selected for Governors Scholar (declined to attend TASP)
Social Studies medalist</p>

<p>EC’s–
Has been actively involved with local homeless organization for 6 years, started a group with students from several different schools to raise awareness and funds. Has successfully recruited many volunteers for annual fundraiser, organized dinners to raise money for homeless, helped organize education forums on homelessness, etc.</p>

<p>Only member under 50 in local Alexander Hamilton history society.</p>

<p>ACLU youth organizer</p>

<p>Published monthly in local newspaper as part of youth roundtable</p>

<p>Various minor school stuff like Quick Recall and Mock Trial</p>

<p>Grades/Courseload:
9th grade 4.0
10th grade 3.9
11th grade 3.1 (6 IB courses, 3 AP courses through Ky online school. constant tech issues with the school’s computer meant many online assignments had to be done multiple times to be accepted, two self studied APs, great test scores in all classes, lazy with getting homework in on time)
12? – 6 Ib classes and one health/pe class that is required for graduation</p>

<p>He is interested in a medium sized school in a city-- ideally something like the University of Pennsylvania. Does he have any chance at that his 11th grade gpa?</p>

2

<p>well, lot of views, but no posts, so I must not be asking the right questions…</p>

<p>Is the University of Pennsylvania a realistic goal for a student with my son’s high scores, great writing talent but poor (comparitively speaking) 11 grade gpa? Does stretching far beyond what the high school offers help enough to offset the mostly B grades from that year?</p>

3

<p>UPenn is a reach for everyone, given how selective they are. That said, your son has a quirky combination of unique factors that I think could make him very very attractive to lots of schools. I do think that “stretching far beyond what the high school offers helps enough to offset the mostly B grades from that year.”</p>

<p>His involvement in those particular ECS, for so long and with what I assume is some passion, is terrific.</p>

<p>You said a medium-sized school in a city – how about Columbia, or Univ of Chicago? Both of those are extraordinarily competitive too, of course. Wash U in St Louis, maybe. </p>

<p>Going down a tier, there’s Trinity College in Hartford, CT, although that’s smaller. There’s Tufts, right outside of Boston. Vassar, in Poughkeepsie. George Washington and American in DC. </p>

<p>Search on CollegeBoard.com for his criteria.</p>

<p>Does he have a decent Guidance Counselor to help him?</p>

4

<p>The biggest drawback to his attending a public school in Kentucky is that there is no college counseling from the school whatsoever. None. His “counselor” counsels 300 students, most of which will attend a two year school or go straight to work. They love his test scores, are proud of his accomplishments, but are way overworked and under experienced with kids like him. </p>

<p>He gets tons of mail from WUSTL and has visited, but it seems to “straight and narrow” to me for him-- I think he would do best in an enviroment with more quirkiness and less preppiness. Also, he has trouble narrowing down his interests enough to decide what he might want to major in.</p>

5

<p>Let me guess, your son is quirky, sociable, and doesn’t put up with crap from people? I think UPenn would be an excellent fit for your son, and while VeryHappy is right, it’s never a safety, your son has excellent stats and I think he could be very happy there. I’ve been in the college search in one way or another for the past nine years because I have a couple of older sisters and I’m just a curious person. He’s putting this off a little last minute, if you ask me. That’s okay, about the counselors, mine do nothing either. They don’t know anything about me except I wreck havoc on the scheduling systems. If they don’t get him, get used to it, not a lot of people will.</p>

<p>Here’s a little tip: EVERYONE get’s mail from WUSTL at some point, and if they show any interest or have good test scores, that trickle of mail becomes an avalanche. It’s one of those schools that practically shovels propaganda into people’s mail boxes, but I happen to love it. I had crossed it off my list several years ago, but I’ve grown up, met people from different parts of the world and country (including people from your area, actually, and I thought one in particular was great) and I know more what I want, and it made it’s way back on my list. If your son doesn’t like it, than he should go, and if you have a serious concern and he’s wanting to apply, I’d say let him apply, but if he gets in and wants to go, you may want to sit down and outline your concerns. Don’t try to tell him what he should do, but just tell him what you’re thinking. You could save him from making a big mistake. Who knows, maybe there are people applying/attending he would fit in with. I don’t think it’d be a terrible fit, from what I’ve read, but then again, I’m not his mother.</p>

6

<p>What about University of Chicago? It has the quirky reputation, and is certainly not preppy. (And they give good merit aid.) Boston University, Northeastern, Georgetown, or George Washington are possibilities.</p>

<p>Is his GPA weighted or unweighted? What is his class rank- his GPA might be considered in that context. A downward trend can be problematic so the essays need to sparkle.</p>

7

<p>Your son should consider some large state universities, such as the Univ. of Wisconsin & the Univ. of Michigan, which accommodate all sorts of quirkiness while granting substantial course credit & course waivers/advanced placement for his considerable AP accomplishments. Many state schools will give your son course credit for each AP test taken with a score of 4 or 5. Your son could start university with sophomore standing & finish in just three years while avoiding the large introductory lecture courses.
Schools to consider:
Univ. of Michigan
Univ. of Wisconsin
Columbia University
Univ. of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
Northwestern University–an elite private school, will grant course credit for the APs with scores of 5, as will Harvard University & most other privates.
State schools are, typically, the most generous with awarding course credit & course waivers/advanced standing for various scores on AP tests.
P.S. Declining to attend TASP may not have been a wise decision.
P.P.S. Laziness will not enable your son to succeed at elite private schools like Northwestern, Columbia, Harvard or Chicago. If that is a trait that you have identified in your son (as posted above) it is best to avoid the four listed private schools no matter how smart he may be.</p>

8

<p>A very late thank you to all of you! Many of these schools did make his final list and he is waiting to hear back.
(clarification-- he declined governor’s school in order to attend TASP, not vice versa).</p>