<p>I suggest that Colgate be deleted from the list. It would be a high reach for a “B” student. For CDS for 2012-2013, for enrolled students entering in Fall of 2012, (i) 37% had a GPA of at least 3.75 (out of 4); (ii) 32% had a GPA between 3.5 and 3.75, (iii) 75% had ACT of between 30-36; and (iv) between 42-43% had SAT scores for math and for critical reading of 700 or over. Per the class profile for the class entering Fall 2013 on Colgate’s website, admitted students (which would be higher than enrolled) had average GPA of 3.77 (out of 4), SAT middle 50% scores of 670-760 for math and 650-740 for critical reading, and ACT middle 50% of 31-33. If you want to keep Colgate on the list, maybe instead create a subset of the list for high reaches, then list Colgate on that, along with schools like Emory and Lehigh.</p>
<p>Let me float out an arbitrary cut-off: 25%. </p>
<p>I propose that if a school admits at least 25% of its students
with a GPA of 3.5 or less, we keep that school on the list.</p>
<p>Whaddayathink?</p>
<p>We know that colleges don’t just look at one factor about a student. Some may have a lower GPA and higher test scores (or vice versa), an interesting background or talent.
When looking at some of the stats of the kids discussed here, some are more A- than B, and some have specific learning issues or concerns.
I guess we can consider taking some schools off the list, or leaving them and then letting the individual family decide if they fit or not.</p>
<p>I’m just watching from the sidelines but the definition of a B school has gotten really broad on this thread. So perhaps you might want to keep the schools that are B reaches on the list but label them as such as was done with Bing. Where that cutoff is isn’t a precise point as Pennylane points out.</p>
<p>Just a suggestion.</p>
<p>
'splain please.</p>
<p>Any list is just a starting point. I wouldn’t worry too much about being exact on the list. Every family has to evaluate the schools that interest them against their student’s unique attributes. There is a wide spectrum of “B” students - from those that have a mix of A and B grades with great test scores to those that have mostly B grades and perhaps a few C’s and so-so test scores. All of those students and everyone in between fit this thread. For someone at the high end of the spectrum - particularly applying ED - some of the schools being debated are realistic possibilities. For others - they would be beyond a reach. </p>
<p>I did leave off schools that are a super reach for even a straight A student, as those would not have a place on a B student list.</p>
<p>We are not all going to agree on a list - so let’s not even try! It was just meant to be a summary of colleges we have discussed, that’s all. I’d prefer to leave it at that and stop trying to reach a consensus on which colleges to leave off the list.</p>
<p>Also our children are not exact matches for a certain GPA either. When I joined here my son had a 3.6 GPA and then magically has not seen anything less then an A in a class since the end of sophomore year. He takes all honors and AP classes and now has a much higher GPA (4.3 - 4.6) every quarter, but averaged together with his first 2 years of high school he still falls in the B plus range for overall GPA and therefore belongs here, but also has a good shot at a school like Colgate (waiting to find out on that one). He was accepted at Colorado College which is not on the list either for B students.</p>
<p>I’m sorry, I was actually too lazy to back up a page when I wrote that last post so I did it from memory and I thought Binghamton was listed as an A school, but now that I looked at the list what I had in mind was like what was done for Colgate. But really after following this thread since the beginning I think RVM is right, more info is better than less and everyone defines the B student differently. While I’m writing there are a couple of Texas schools that I could add but haven’t jumped to it because for the most part people on this thread aren’t looking for Texas schools. If you do want to add to the list TCU (Texas Christian University) was previously discussed as having a small but supportive community. UT Austin has been discussed but as I understand it, it would solidly fall into the A category but it does have a very vibrant Jewish community. I think my S’s school Texas A&M could fall into the A-/B+ category. While compared to the size of the school the Jewish population is tiny it does have an active cohesive Jewish community and a beautiful new Hillel building. I really don’t know much about U of Houston which is the one Texas school on the list.</p>
<p>Supportive Jewish community or not, any school with Christian in the name just seems non-kosher.</p>
<p>This is a terrific list, thanks to everyone for contributing to it. My son, a B student with not-so-good SAT scores, got accepted to Tampa, rejected from Temple and deferred from Drexel and Albany. Was invited to interview for Hofstra’s School for University Studies, which is a program for kids with low SATs, which he will do later this month. We haven’t seen Tampa so we’re going down in February to check it out. Looks like they share a Hillel with several other area schools - not sure how that works in practice. Anyone know?</p>
<p>Nycst6, may I suggest contacting Rabbi Ed Rosenthal. He is the Executive Director of Suncoast Hillel and the campus Rabbi at nearby Eckerd College in St. Pete. His enthusiasm is remarkable and he is easy to speak to and I am
certain will answer all of your questions.</p>
<p>Chardo, that topic was discussed, probably at the time that TCU was. I mentioned it only because it had been discussed on this thread. When I first began my College search I also felt that way, but after looking at some schools, while neither of my kids chose a school with a religious name, I learned to look past the name. I know there are others that won’t but some might. Honestly if I lived in the Northeast it would seem that there would be so many other choices that I wouldn’t have a reason to look at this. In the south it might be another story. There are actually 3 schools in Texas with religious names that I seriously would have considered. For each of them the Jewish vibe wasn’t the deal breaker for me, but the small population was a deterrent. I only mentioned TCU because its Jewish environment was specifically previously discussed. Again, I leave it to the list makers to decide what to add and what not to. I just wanted to explain why I mentioned it.</p>
<p>Suggestion for a school to add to the list: St. Mary’s College of Maryland, an often overlooked gem. It’s a public liberal arts college (no religious affiliation, of course) with an undergraduate enrollment of around 1,900 and a gorgeous 360-acre campus. </p>
<p>CDS 2012-2013:
11:1 student/faculty ratio
Median HS GPA: 3.3
Median SAT-CR: 570-670
Median SAT-M: 540-650
Median SAT-W: 540-650
Median ACT: 25-30</p>
<p>Most important, they are looking for applicants!
[St</a>. Mary?s College of Maryland joins troubling trend: Too many empty freshman seats - The Washington Post](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/st-marys-college-of-maryland-joins-troubling-trend-too-many-empty-freshman-seats/2013/11/22/2fd1f8c0-489a-11e3-b6f8-3782ff6cb769_story.html]St”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/st-marys-college-of-maryland-joins-troubling-trend-too-many-empty-freshman-seats/2013/11/22/2fd1f8c0-489a-11e3-b6f8-3782ff6cb769_story.html)</p>
<p>NYCST6–be careful with Hofstra Universal studies program…DD was in the same boat when applying a year and a half ago…Universal studies program requires the students to be in remedial classes and pay more for that privledge…DD also low SAT buy solid B student with a lot of xtra credit…Anyway offered admit to Hofstra through that program but DD is not a remedial student just did not test well on SAT/ACT…got the feeling from Hofstra that they wanted my money but did not want to count DD in with their stats…students in that program do not have their SAT reported when the school lists its stats…anyway DD ended up at University at Buffalo ( not Buff state) and was accepted through the ACE program, which is also for solid students that did not do well on SAT. She is not in rememdial classes but is required to meet with her ACE advisor twice a semester and go to two workshops during the year. She is only required to remain in the ACE program for two years and it is not costing more for her to receive this extra attention as it would have at Hofstra and she is not in remedial classes… She is a sophomore and is doing very well, made dean’s list with high honors…</p>
<p>
Want to add that St. Mary’s College is located in St. Mary’s County, Maryland hence the name. </p>
<p>You couldn’t have kept this school a secret? I’m afraid if more people knew about it, admission will become harder.</p>
<p>
Agreed. SMCM is, I think, a wonderful school. Bargain for the MD folk; pricey otherwise. Still, I hope that expatSon is offered admission. </p>
<p>That said, SMCM is very isolated and, corresponding with them this past year, I got the impression that Jewish life there is minimal. Certainly, no critical Jewish mass in the surrounding 'hood, as far as I can tell. On that score, I think expatSon would be better off at SusqU or OWU, which are hardly hotbeds of Judaism.</p>
<p>I reached out to St. Mary’s last spring - after they failed to make their freshman class and asked about info on Jewish life and Jewish enrollment. The response I rcvd was not very enthusiastic or helpful. I would say Jewish life is fairly minimal. Kind of a shame that given the Jewish population in MD and surrounding states they don’t see the value in pursuing this demographic.</p>
<p>I saw a much greater interest in pursuing Jewish students and diversity in general at Susquehanna, by way of comparison.</p>
<p>A little bit of Jewish life:</p>
<p><a href=“Sign in - Google Accounts”>Sign in - Google Accounts;
<p>
</p>
<p>Interesting information about U of Buffalo ACE program. How does one get accepted into it? Is it a separate admission or by invitation through regular admission?</p>
<p>Looks like admission is by invitation, tho’ the criteria aren’t made clear:</p>
<p>“ACE is a student support program designed for freshmen who show great potential for academic success but who lack strength in one or more of the standard admissions criteria, identified during the admissions process. Upon committee review, a limited number of students will be offered admission as participants in the ACE Program.”</p>
<p>The [program</a> web page](<a href=“http://cpmc.buffalo.edu/ace/"]program”>http://cpmc.buffalo.edu/ace/) has a contact email.</p>