<p>Another thought - Berklee College of Music in Boston. Has a Music Business/Management major as well as Music Engineering etc. It doesn’t quite meet your budget constraints, doesn’t have the liberal arts/science majors he might want (how helpful am I :eek:), but might give you some other ideas of type of school for him. I’m again thinking that showing him a school like this (has some really cool alums like Quiincy Jones, Melissa Etheridge…) might be the internal motivator you are looking for.</p>
<p>It is an SAT optional school. For more of these, go to <a href=“http://www.fairtest.org%5B/url%5D”>http://www.fairtest.org</a>. It is not too selective, I don’t believe. But might be a BIT of a stretch for him and, if he sees that, might spark him to perform closer to potential grade-wise.</p>
<p>jmmom,
We also loved Champlain College and my son applied for the game design major and was not allowed in. What we found out after he was accepted to the college was that the game design major was a direct accept major meaning that if you were not accepted as a freshman you could not transfer in later. One could re-apply later but would still be accepted as a freshman. He was told that that particular major was exceptionally competitive. My son had taken three progamming classes and 5 years of math so we thought he had a pretty good shot. </p>
<p>A friend of my son’s is taking classes at a local state college with the single goal of getting into Belmont for the music engineering. He also was not a good student in HS but is doing very well at the state college and planning to transfer asap to Belmont. Great suggestion weenie! My daughter became motivated to excel her last semester of junior and into senior year after visiting a reach school.</p>
<p>Tarleton State in West Texas is a good little school if you want to get him started at a cheap school that may accept him if his scores go up just a little. I know one student who was SAT at 900 and did first 2 years there and then transferred to A&M. Another student got a full ride there who was quite bright and ended up getting full fellowship without work obligation to Rice for a master’s in political science. </p>
<p>Also, with some improvement when he actually takes SAT, you might look at St. Edward’s in Austin. This school is fairly nurturing and works with LD and late blooming kids fairly well.</p>
<p>Hey Kharts…I am 16 as well…so I thought I would offer some advice
I am a highschool junior who accomplished mediocore work from frosh to halfway through Soph year. Quite like your son…I lacked motivation. I was skating by…not even thinking about my future. During my Winter vacationg during sophmore year I started looking up colleges randomly. My family has always been fans of Notre Dame and I knew thats where I wanted to go. So I visited their website and was blown away from the average stats of a freshman. I was saddened and thought that I had just blown away my future from my idiotic behavior for the first year and a half of highschool. That day my mindset, attitude, and therefore grades turned for the better. That very same day I ordered a Notre Dame poster, and it hangs in front of my computer to this day. Everytime I dont want to work hard, do homework I look at that poster… I dream of what could be in a year… That second semester of Soph year i earned a 4.0 unw. and a 4.3 weighted…Im keeping that same thing going Junior year…</p>
<p>I was exactly the same as your son…
I found my motivation
Is there anything you can give as a source of motivation for your ds?
Is there anything that can turn him around?
That page on ND’s website did it for me…so just think of something…
Its not too late</p>
<p>Good for you, Chillin! What a great post–I think that many of us have had that “aha” moment when we got it. All is not lost for anyone, is it? It is a matter of readiness.</p>
<p>You are right on to hang up the poster. I have read many stories and bios of famous/successful people who all comment that their key to success was a tangible goal. They also stated that they had some sort of daily visual to remind them of their goal. </p>
<p>Keep up the good work! You have encouraged so many parents and students. Thanks for sharing.</p>
<p>I used to read CC alot but got depressed because it seemed all the threads were about kids w/high GPA & SAT scores and that didn’t apply to my dd who is now a senior. She takes honors and ap classes but doesn’t get great grades; she’s a slow maturer intellectually. We live in the northeast and I would love to get any recs you can think of for colleges that she will get accepted into! I used to think that her work at Habitat (two years now on a regular basis) and steady commitment to ballet would matter for something but at this point, she doesn’t make the cut gpa wise (she’s a 2.8 w/low SATs). Also, she’s sort of a college snob in a way–she really wants to go to a good school that will give her good opps in internships. I just don’t know where she should apply!</p>
<p>This is not an unusual story. About 40% of high schools students, and a higher percentage of boys, are “unfocused”: disengaged from school and seeing no relationship of high school to “life after high school.” </p>
<p>Transfer opportunities are a great way to bridge over to a more traditional college setting, particularly if there are articulation agreements between community and in-state public colleges. The big advantage is huge cost savings and the transfer applicant is often reviewed as part of a separate admissions pool; not needing to compete with regular applicants. Often, only a few classes at community college are required to be considered for transfer status, so his high school record could be a non-issue, if he performs acceptably at a community college. </p>
<p>Also, job projections suggests that 6 out of 10 of the “best jobs” (fastest growing, largest number) do not require a college degree. A good resource book for career-technical philosophy, as an alternative to traditional college, is Kenneth Gray’s “Other Ways to Win.” </p>
<p>It’s wonderful that your son is thinking about college, in spite of his seeming lack of motivation in high school. You might find that he rises to the occasion in higher education much more than you could ever imagine.</p>
<p>I posted earlier re my daughter (honors classes gets low b/high c & low SATs but has high college expectations)… One of the schools we were directed to is a junior women’s college called Cottey College in Missouri. We live in Maine so obviously this is far, but if it’s worth it, we’ll look at it. Has anyone out there heard of this school? The thing we like is its record of transfer to good institutions. I just don’t know if my daughter will be okay witht he distance.</p>
<p>Donna, would Northeastern be a possibility for your daughter? The part about the internships kind of leapt out at me, because of Northeastern’s strong co-op program.</p>
<p>Since you’re in Texas, and he wants to go OOS, how about Kansas State University? It’s ranked by U.S. News as a first tier national university (albeit in the bottom of the first tier). is large (but not gigantic) and, thanks to the Kansas legislature, has an open, non-competitive admissions policy (with some minor restrictions). K-State meets his requirements, is close enough for you to keep an eye on him, and, once he becomes motivated, has plenty to keep him interested. It’s also one of the least expensive national universities for OOS students. Here’s a link to the admissions office: <a href=“Admissions at Kansas State University”>Admissions at Kansas State University;
<p>Donna - I, too, would like to hear a little more about your D’s interests - possible majors, where she would like to consider geographically, size and type of school. The “snob” thing is probably something she will need to get over, perhaps by getting excited about some realistic school choices for her, as she is not a candidate for many, if any, “brand name” schools. </p>
<p>Since you are in Maine, most everyone I know at UM-Orono is happy there, even though many treat is around here as a safety only. Similarly, the many grads I know are happy and accomplished. </p>
<p>Might she be a candidate for Roger Williams in Rhode Island. There is a thread on that school here in the Parent Forum which you can search.</p>
<p>I also know of an admit to Sacred Heart in Conn. with your D’s type of stats.
Also how about Western New England College in Mass. 49% of students had GPA’s of 2-3.0.</p>
<p>Thanks Calmom. Northeastern is great, but probably not in her range admissions-wise. Also, its size may be a bit intimidating for her. She has mentioned it, but I looked at the stats and it looks like reach, reach to me!</p>
<p>Donna, jmmom has some good suggestions. You might want to look at Quinnipiac, Hofstra, LeMoyne, Franklin Pierce, Rider, Keene State (NH), Susquehanna, McDaniel, LaSalle as well. I would also add Champlain to that list for your D. I am sure that there are many more, including those that jmmom mentioned. These are some others that come to mind.</p>
<p>If you do a search on my posts you will see that I too am the mom of average high school students. My oldest is now in Japan studying at Kanasia Gaidai University. (home in May yeah!) The kid who was average in high school seems to have found his element in college. My youngest is just starting his college search.</p>
<p>Oldest DS applied to 5 different schools his senior year and was accepted at all of them. He chose the state school over schools like Bellermine and Wittenberg when he realized he could graduate loan free for his undergrad, thus only financing his Master later. His decision, we agreed.</p>
<p>I cannot help with the list of schools (will leave that to the pro’s here) but, there are many schools out there that would LOVE to have your daughter, and that your daughter would love. Good luck!</p>
<p>Stand up to the mother - she is enabling a kid who has not hit the real world, and needs to. If he continues with a 2.3 grade point despite being bright and going to an elite private school, let him know community college is the only option you will pay for. Sure, the mother might complain, might even take you to court, but this is one kid that needs to grow up - stand your ground. A tough job would be a great thing. The notion of 18 year old kids who think they have a “right” to go to college irks me. It is not a right - it is a privilege, and with those privileged enough to go, they ought to be able to meet the terms of a reasonable contract between them and their parents. This is actually an easy call.</p>
<p>If I were on the outside looking in, I’d challenge the question, too. But, it would take too much time to explain that we’ve decided that it’s in everyone’s best interest to give college a chance. He lives in a toxic environment, much of his own making but not all. Our goal is to get him intact through high school and then give him the opportunity to be out of that environment and see if he can’t flourish. Spending any time in litigation doesn’t further that goal. </p>
<p>If he then squanders that opportunity, we can regroup and revisit whether to make returning to school via community college part of the plan. </p>
<p>It is entirely clear to me that this kid has no sense of purpose in the world (not uncommon), so he has no motivation to get there. I’m doubtful that applying more pressure will get the grades up. Heck, if you don’t know where you are going, going faster won’t get you there any sooner.</p>
<p>Some suggestions as to what to do after high school…</p>
<p>A college with a co-op program would be great if he knew what kind of work he wants to do. I don’t know of any with work in the music managment area off hand. I saw Northeastern mentioned (it is the very model of co-op ed), but it is not an options with his grades.</p>
<p>The Peace Corps. Notice I didn’t say Army. Nothing political here, but somehow I don’t think the drill sargeant will make him realize what he wants to do in life. However, sometimes you must get lost in something to realize what life is about. And I dare a judge to challenge a volunteer stint in the Peace Corps.</p>
<p>If you really think it is a matter of time until he wakes up, you could consider a PG year at a prep school to delay the situation.</p>
<p>I thought I saw mention that you were talking about Nashville and thinking University of Tennessee. Uh, the university of Tennessee is in Knoxville 185 miles east of Nashville. Perhaps you were thinking MTSU? And his grades wouldn’t make the cut for the University of Tennessee. </p>
<p>If it makes you feel any better I have a boy in the same boat. Incredibly bright, with even a lower GPA than yours. He is an Aspergers autistic and is overwhelmed by the world. No sense of how to fit in. Seems to be most comfortable with his part time job bagging groceries, a simple job where he feels in control of his life. Realizes on some level that bagging is not the future, but cannot bring himself out of the funk.</p>
I just want to applaud your approach and philosophy. None of us can know the whole situation and we launch our suggestions into cyberspace in the hopes they might help and fit the need. But I have felt, from your first post, a loving desire to help this kid along with a realistic recognition that he has cooked his own goose somewhat, but had a tough situation to face. Add to that your recognition of the beginnings of possible forward movement, while realizing that there could well be two steps back for every one step forward…</p>
<p>All in all, a great combination and kudos to you.</p>
<p>kharts, do you think that a few hours of work during this school year, and a full time job (that he gets for himself) will make him see a need to improve his grades? It did motivate my own son. He really got tired of his minimum wage jobs, and I just kept telling him that this is why an education is so important. He really worked very hard last summer for a job that was a few $s/hr. over min. wage. He got his jobs by himself, and he was proud of his paychecks, but also understood that he could never support himself (nevermind a family) on that money. He kept asking me how his peers at his place of employment were keeping a roof over their heads. Also, last summer he knocked on 12 doors before he was even hired! Apparently, many employers in our area are not interested in training anyone for just the summer. He only landed his last job b/c he told them that he could work over the Christmas season if they wanted him to do that.</p>