I’m currently a junior in high school and my grades from last year suck and I know my grades this year will suck too. With all the craziness going on in my personal life I lost track of my motivation do good in school. My gpa is okay (it’s currently a 3.6 weighted and 3.0 uw) but my grades on my transcript won’t be pretty. I really want to get into a 4 college, mainly because want to move out of my house and live out on my own and also because it’s expected of me to. I’m in a program that’s focused on sending kids to 4 year schools and I don’t want to be the only one who ends up in community college 
Are there any schools in the east coast that are pretty easy to get into or with high acceptance rates? I also have a lot a ECs so I’m not a total lost cause lol
Pump your stats and interests into SuperMatch and see what it presents to you. You can narrow by region of the country, even eliminate states within a region. Very helpful and a good place to start thinking about a list. Next up is money. How’re you going to pay for college and what will it cost? Come back after you’ve had a look at SuperMatch, found in the column on the left side of this page.
Okay, thanks for the advice!
What’s in-state for you and what’s your parents’ budget?
Have you run Supermatch yet? What have you found out?
Have you taken the SATs and/or ACTs? When you say “East Coast,” do you mean Northeast, or entire eastern region? Your budget is critical, because there are many non-selective colleges, but they are not all generous with scholarships and grants.
I live in New Jersey and my parent’s made it very clear they’ll be no help with the costs of college. One parent hasn’t been to work in almost year (long story) the other one is unemployed and on disability, so I’m pretty much on my own
I’m scheduled to take the SAT and ACT in June. I’m aiming for a 1600 or better for the SAT (not good compared to others on here but it’s a big reach for me) and a 24 or better on the ACT. I’m looking to stay in the mid east coast, so NJ, PA, NY, MD, DE, and maybe VA. I don’t want to go too far from NJ
^^ @woogzmama @MYOS1634 @jkeil911
Is your efc zero? You may have to commute or go to community college unless you get a state grant in addition to federal loans and Pell. With a 3.0 uw, 3.6w, and 24act/1600 sat you can try for Rowan, perhaps tcnj if your score is good for your school. Do you go to a low performing school? Do you know their average sat score? Are you African American, Native American, or Hispanic/Latina ? Would you be okay with a woman’s college - what if there are young men around(like a partner school or a college in a city .) Do you have family anywhere that might be willing to house you - very far from ideal but it’d increase the places you can commute from…
I haven’t filled out the FAFSA yet, but I do expect my efc to be 0. I think community college would be the best for me, but I really want to leave where I’m living now and dorm on campus. TCNJ is actually a bit hard to get into (at least with my scores) so I’m not even going to bother applying there. I was looking into Rowan though. I’m African American and I actually go to a pretty good school. I think it’s a top rated school in my area. I have not a clue of the average sat score. I rather not go to a women’s college but I would consider it. @MYOS1634
Ask what the average standardized test scores for your entire school are.
Have you taken honors classes?
Are you first gen ( that means neither of your parents graduated from a 4year college. )
being urm is a " hook", being first gen can be. That means adcoms take it into account and it helps you.
When you go to college your parents will receive a tax credit/refund to go toward your college expenses: will they take it and not use it for your college or wills they give it to you?
Are you on free/ reduced lunch? If so , you qualify for fee waivers for the sat, sat subjects, and the act , as well as for college application fees.
What subjects are out very good at?
Are you interested in HBCUs?
Yes I was thinking along the same lines Silicon valley Mom - that Spelman and Howard might be possible and if op gets a 24, maintains that gpa, has course rigor, and applies in October/ea those may be doable financially.
I’ve been in level 1 (accelerated) classes since freshman year, so no APs or honors classes. My sister has taken college classes at our local cc and devry, but she never finished to get her associates so I’m not sure if I’m really a first gen. Any tax refunds my parents get will most likely go to themselves. The only thing I can see them giving me money for is dorm stuff and food. I do receive reduced lunch. I don’t stand out in any subjects. I’m terrible in math and science. I’m okay in history and English, though I could/should be doing a lot better.I do have a strong interest in psychology, but my school only offers a psych class as a semester long elective (which I plan on taking next year) I have looked into HBCUs. I’m more for diversity, but I wouldn’t have a problem going to an HBCU. @MYOS1634 @siliconvalleymom
Centenary, Rider, Arcadia, Georgian Court . . . Drew or Pace would be stretches, but they might offer aid for a qualified, underrepresented minority, and I think they’re both test-optional. Otherwise, Rutgers-Camden, Rowan, or begin at a CC with a good transfer agreement. I think that Delaware State is an HBCU, but I don’t know how generous they are to non-residents.
I haven’t researched most of those schools but I definitely will now! Thanks for the suggestions @woogzmama
“First gen” means that you are part of the first generation in your family to attend college. Your sister’s college attendance does not impact whether you are first gen, just whether you are “the first in your family” to go to college.
Ohh, okay. Thank you for explaining that. @siliconvalleymom