Could I Get Accepted to Regent University?

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>I know they aren’t extremely selective but I have a thing or two that I’m slightly worried about. They’re my first choice and I want to get in so badly!!
I’ve been emailing and admissions counselor a lot throughout the past year or two, and what I’ve gathered about admissions is that they look at grades, extracurriculars, ACT/SAT composites, and an essay.
I’m homeschooled and not into sports, so my extracurriculars aren’t great. There isn’t much in my area for homeschoolers other than sports teams. I mean, I’m involved in several things but they’re nothing impressive.
My grades are my strong point. I love school and I make mostly A’s, and a few B’s (My weighted GPA is 3.9 and I think I can raise it by the time I apply), so I’m not worried about this, except in relation to my potential ACT scores. I’m great on almost all subjects but I’m terrible at serious tests where I only have a minute or less to answer each question. Surely admissions officers are aware of some kids being this way? I think I can get it somewhere around 20. I’m great in English, on the practice tests I’ve taken I’ve gotten like 90% correct… math could be a problem though.
Not too worried about the essay, cause I like to write and I think I can answer the question pretty easily (“How will Regent help you to accomplish your goals and become a leader”, that sort of thing). </p>

<p>I don’t have too many options since I want to get an online degree, preferably from a Christian college, and there aren’t too many that are appealing to me. I really want to be able to get in. Anyone think I have a shot?</p>

2

<p>Do you mean will you be allowed to enroll at an online diploma mill with pretty much no academic standards?
Should not be a problem. </p>

3

<p>Try some test-optional colleges as well: Brandeis, American, Sarah Lawrence, Mt. Holyoke…</p>

4

<p>He wants an online degree from a Christian college.
None of those fit the bill. </p>

5

<p>Actually, Regent is ranked as one of the best online bachelor’s degrees out there by US News and World Report. They’re online program is just as hard to get into as their campus program. Also, I’ve looked up tons of reviews and everyone says their academics are plenty rigorous. Do your research before you choose to over-generalize everything. Thanks for the recommendations Catria, I’ll look into some test-optional universities!</p>

6

<p>Well, let’s put it this way in terms of “doing my research.”
I hire dozens of people a year and if you had an online degree such as this one on your resume, I’d consider it the same as having “no degree.”</p>

<p>But, by all means, good luck with that. </p>

7

<p>Don’t go for an online degree for undergrad. No one will take you seriously.
Online degrees are valid when they are for professionals, adults already in the workplace, who want to boost or change their credentials. They’re not meant for students right out of high school, who should receive on-campus, direct instruction and benefit from peer interaction. Doing your degree online means you didn’t get that thus didn’t go through the same process as your peers and are likely to be lacking compared to them, not to mention that, well, you chose an option that professionals/employers don’t think is serious for high school students. </p>

<p>Why did you want to do your degree online? </p>

<p>There are lots of good Christian colleges that you could get into even without stellar test scores: John Brown, Hope, Houghton, Azusa Pacific. With a 3.9W and low test scores, Calvin and Wheaton would be reaches though.</p>

8

<p>1) Its cheaper. I understand it isn’t AS GOOD as on campus. I don’t have my parent’s help, I’m having a hard time getting a job, and I don’t want to go in debt with a huge student loan. My ACT scores are going to kill me when it comes to getting a decent scholarship.
2) I’ve learned online my entire high school career and for the first time I’ve understood my coursework, have been interested in school, etc.
3) Classrooms distract me. Teachers irritate me. They have one “type” of outgoing, opinionated student that they’re looking for and I’m not that type. I’m not good at answering questions immediately when unexpectedly called on. If I get confused I cant just run back and study it again as needed. The list goes on. I was in normal, classroom-oriented school for 6 years and did terrible.</p>

<p>I don’t have many options here. I’m going this alone. I don’t have help from a guidance counselor, or family, or anyone who I can ask questions except for random admissions counselors, and its making it hard to be confident about my prospects in places like that.</p>

9

<p>Jessicaayn: what we’re saying is that even if it’s cheaper, it’ll be wasted money, because no one will hire an undergrad who only went to online school.
If you’ve learned online your entire high school career, that’s even worse. As I said, employers aren’t as focused on the actual classes you took but rather the set of skills you developed, and those need to be developed in actual classrooms, with actual people with whom you learn how to interact and negociate. Your work life will consist in your interacting with others, you will never be on your own, even if your job itself is on your own in front of a computer. Some jobs limit people contact (perhaps accountancy, IT?) and may appeal more to quiet people, but there won’t be a single job where you won’t have to deal with other people, including some that are irritating, distracting, unfocused, outgoing, or opinionated. Learning how to deal with them is one of the reason why employers will not hire someone who’s taken all their classes online.</p>

<p>Since you don’t have help from your family or a guidance counselor, you came to the right place. People on CollegeConfidential know what they’re talking about. Now that you’ve asked for advice, you have to listen to it, even if it doesn’t match with what you expected.
College is not high school. The students are older and don’t behave the same, especially if you go to a selective school, whether the applicants are self selected (Christian college) or academically selected (vs. community college or local state college which may feel like “13th grade” depending on the state). You probably won’t be called on even if you’re at a smaller, close-knit school, and if you are in a large lecture hall with 300 people you absolutely won’t be - the professor won’t even know you’re there.</p>

<p>Some colleges are test optional: instead of submitting test scores, you submit research papers.
<a href=“20 Great Colleges for Students with Low SAT Scores”>http://collegeapps.about.com/od/choosingacollege/tp/great-schools-low-sat-scores.htm&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“Test-Optional Colleges that Don't Require SATs”>http://collegeapps.about.com/od/standardizedtests/a/optionalscores.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Some Christian colleges for you to look into: Houghton, Gordon, Calvin, Wheaton (IL), Hope, Azusa pacific, Point Loma Nazarene, Carroll of Montana, Eastern, Moravian, Messiah, Siena, Regis, Samford, Belmont, John Brown.
Fill out the “request information” form on their website as you may get a fee waiver out of it and you’ll get brochures in the mail that you can read in peace, at home, figuring out whether what they present sounds interesting. If it does, come back to College Confidential, the Christian College forum will be able to compare them for you.</p>

10

<p>If a brick-and-mortar school offers some online courses, that’s OK, and, by all means, take them once enrolled in that college, but there is a reason why you should look at brick-and-mortar schools first. Apply to Regent brick-and-mortar as well…</p>

11

<p>Regent is too far away to go to campus school there. I’m looking into Mars Hill university 30 minutes from my house. Not sure Ill be accepted though… might wait an extra year to apply so I can get a better ACT scorr</p>

12

<p>And I’m not mad or anything that everyone is saying no to the online degree, I’m just stressed cause now I have to start over completely when by now I should have solid plans.</p>

13

<p>Mars Hill is completely doable with a 20…</p>

14

<p>Some students only start now. Don’t freak out.
There’s a list of universities above, and if you provide more details we can help with more possibilities. There are all the “test optional” schools. Finally for some universities an ACT20 will be okay.
Can you live in the dorms (or nearby) if you can’t commute?
That would give you more choices.</p>