My daughter is a junior who will start applying to top schools this far. She has a 4.3 GPA and 2200 SAT. Extracurriculars are average. She definitely has passions that will come through on the essays and recommendations. She has her heart set on a top school. Her top choices are Cornell, Penn, Georgetown and Brown. But she had a discipline issue (aught with prescription medication) that resulted in a suspension early on in high school. Is this a deal breaker? Should we start thinking safety schools before we begin? If so, which ones?
ALWAYS think safety schools. It should be one she will definitely be accepted to, you can definitely afford, and she would be HAPPY to attend. As to whether this is a deal breaker that will be on a school by school basis.
Thanks, @“Erin’s Dad”. Are there any safety schools you would recommend? I am thinking of William and Mary but not sure it’s a safety.
How much of an effect the suspension will have on her chances will depend on how she is able to explain the medication. “I forgot to turn my allergy medication in to the school nurse” is very different from “I got caught with my friend’s Adderall.”
A local state school and anywhere where you could get a good scholarship (maybe even a full ride?) generally are good choices for safeties. A discipline issue could affect-- the less recent it was the less it probably affects. It could maybe make a good essay or might be something to make a brief statement about in an additional comments section just to explain the nature of the issue to colleges in the best light. Colleges tend to be most understanding when your upfront with them on a issue than completely avoiding it because they will see it in a application report regardless of if a personal statement is made about it or not.
Whose Rx? How much earlier? You don’t have to offer us details, but obviously it makes some difference.
Adcoms know that many hs move straight to stiff penalties, without a warning.The Common App will ask if she had a disciplinary action and then ask for an explanation. (Google for a look, if you haven’t yet.) How adcoms react depends on the details and how she explains. The GC is also asked. Some hs don’t report infractions. You really need to start by speaking with the GC about how this will/won’t be disclosed.
But make sure you understand what that list of colleges looks for. It is simply not all about stats. You can look at Brown’s admissions chart (Quick Facts?) for an eye-opening view of how top stats kids fare. You have to know the various attributes the tippy tops want. Despite the focus on “passions” on CC, it depends on what they are, the responsibilities they entail and how how they stretched her. Not simply “passion.”
If she’s a junior, she can use the time between now and applying wisely.
Offhand, I wouldn’t say W&M is a safety for anyone.
Regardless of the discipline problem, you need safeties.
The incident occurred at the beginning of 10th grade and the details are closer to “taking my friend’s Adderall” unfortunately. However, she was bullied into it, etc. and will definitely make a good essay out of it. Unfortunately, our state school is very hard to get into – harder than W&M. The GC won’t have to disclose it, as we ended up pulling her out of that school and she now goes to another school. However, we will be checking the box on the common app and plan on explaining the situation. Maybe VA Tech is a good safety?
Is the 4.3 unweighted or weighted? Also, what are your cost constraints?
What does “top” mean to her? Ivy? Top 20 on US News Rankings? Top in a specific major?
4.3 is weighted. The unweighted is 3.9. To her, top is Cornell, Penn, Brown, Georgetown, Northwestern, Williams. Basically a school with a good name. But we know that HYPSM are out of reach. We are also considering Berkeley, as rumor has it that their application doesn’t ask the discipline question. I need to look into that …
Was it an “in school” suspension?
do you have a budget limit? if not, there are a number of choices, likely.
Would you pay $53k per year for Berkeley? If so, apply, but it won’t be a safety…it’s a reach for all.
What does the current GC say can be a safety?
Some of that can depend on her major. (And yes, what you can afford.)
If you are going to disclose, pay attention to which teachers will be her rec writers. You want letters that show her positive attributes, maturity, growth, good will, etc, as well as the academics.
Also- sorry, but you haven’t said how she has had a turnaround. Maybe you meant to. Please be sure she and you choose the right college environment for her. That;s not always the highest academic ratings.
I haven’t spoken to the GC yet. She loves politics and government affairs. So major will probably be along the lines of economics/poli sci. I’m not as worried about the financial aspect. We will get loans to cover it, no matter where she gets accepted.
So, what about American or GW?
You need to run NPCs (Net Price Calculators, on the colleges’ finaid web pages. You may get serious sticker shock.) We generally advise against parents taking loans that add up to unmanageable numbers . Paying them off is a long term misery. Maybe she needs to find schools that offer merit aid.
That’s a good point, lookingforward. Thank you for that. American and GW are good safety school choices, but you’re right. Why pay such a high price for mediocre schools? Her father went to Univ. of Wisconsin, so that might be a safer, more economical route for safety, if they give consideration for legacy.
Why on earth would you want to take out loans when she could get a fine education using merit scholarships at known state universities? She might have to south (University of Alabama) or west/midwest, but there are a lot of schools out there. Some private universities give good merit aid too, I hear.
What academic area is she interested in?
Good point, @albert69. The only thing is that culturally, I’m not sure the South fits our profile. I’m thinking Wisconsin (data went there) or California (grandfather went there) or Michigan, if our own state school rejects.
Yeah, I just don’t know that you should go into the process planning to take out loans. What could you afford without loans?
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I’m not as worried about the financial aspect. We will get loans to cover it, no matter where she gets accepted.
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oh my…for undergrad??? Are you seriously thinking of borrowing $200k+ for UNDERGRAD in gov’t affairs or poly sci??? Why???
are you going to borrow for grad school, too? law school?
This is so not necessary and so risky!!!
do you have any other children to put thru college?
Thanks for the reality check, @mom2collegekids! I have another child to put through 3 years later. I keep forgetting how different job prospects are for humanities majors. I was an engineer and got a good job right out of school. And yes, there is law school in the future, which we won’t be funding …