College Choices for Average Student?

hysteron_proteron
Thu, 03 May 2007 18:09:01 +0000

Perhaps going to an out-of-state school, even one that is relatively noncompetitive, would “do the trick,” so to speak, and motivate your son to put forth some effort.

A personal anecdote:
A good friend of mine from high school was extraordinarily intelligent and scored a 1590 on the SAT, which is the highest score ever achieved by a student from our school. His GPA, however, was around a 2.5 by the time we graduated, and his parents decided that he needed to stay in-state. He went to a small Christian college (probably the worst fit ever), but withdrew a few weeks in to first semester.
Another friend was in pretty much the exact same situation (nearly identical transcript and GPA), albeit with a lower SAT. He ended up at an out-of-state public school. Going out of state really helped - it wasn’t as easy to give up/become complacent, and he didn’t feel like he was being punished for his dismal high school effort. I think there’s also something to be said for going to a school where you don’t know anyone. If you don’t see people from high school in all of your college classes, you don’t feel like you need to make excuses for why you ended up at a “no-name” college or keep up appearances by continuing not to try. It is, in every sense, a new start.

I don’t mean to sound preachy. I’m sorry that things are so difficult for you and your family. Best of luck - I hope you’re able to make a decision that’s right for everyone.