<p>Any thoughts about how to approach the admissions process for a kid with a glaring deficit? The transcript will show As in English, history, math and religion, Bs in science, As in very high level music, good extracurriculars, but straight, GPA sucking Cs in foreign language. This means that for schools where his test scores will probably be fine, the overall GPA will be waaaaaay too low. Is that a deal breaker? Cast a wide net?</p>
<p>The only low grades are in foreign language? That should not make his GPA below 3.0. My guess is there are plenty of colleges where he can gain acceptance. He isn’t the first…or last kid who had difficulty with foreign language and the rest of the grades were fine.</p>
<p>I’m don’t see this as a serious deficit unless he is applying to Yale or the like. He just isn’t strong in foreign languages. </p>
<p>The gpa comes down to just below 3 with the language factored in and the music and religion pulled out. He could possibly bring it up a little this year, but who knows? The other grades are fine to good, but he is a solid 70 in language. I’m wondering if being that low is disqualifying. Definitely not Yale. SUNYs and some LACs and some less selective schools I think. </p>
<p>Has he taken the SAT or ACT yet? What are those numbers like? </p>
<p>There is a college out there for most every student. </p>
<p>Worse comes to worse…he could start at a community college. Most have open admissions. His GPA in HS won’t matter at all. He would need to do,well,at the CC, and then could complete his bachelors at a four year school.</p>
<p>But really…my guess is he will have four year college choices. Talk to your school counselor. If you really feel,that won’t work, this might be a time to look for a private college counselor.</p>
<p>I’m always a fan of checking the common data set to get a ballpark feel. Test scores C9. GPA C11. Does he have an idea what he wants to do, Zoosermom? He has quite a few areas where he’s done well thus far, and it sounds like there won’t be requirements he’s missing. Run with the strengths.</p>
<p>I’ve checked with the CDS and the gpa is low for even less selective places. It’s hard to tell if everything else is at or above the average whether one glaring problem could be excused.</p>
<p>I don’t know how New York specifically operates, but sometimes state schools are particular about the requirements being met (e.g. x number of credits in such and such subject). Sounds like he’s doing what needs to done in that regard, and some of the state colleges are large and admit many students, so a small percentage isn’t always such a small number of students accepted in a given range. The private schools may have more leeway with regard to requirements and be happy to accept a pointy student in their effort to create a rounded student body. You mentioned omitting a couple of subjects in coming up with the GPA. Perhaps you’re thinking state? Those subjects may be included in the GPA at other schools. </p>
<p>Run with strengths.</p>
<p>What may be his major?
See if the GC is willing to mention the GPA without language grades (up top, not embedded deep into the rec.). Don’t note a probable major that does expect some foreign language strengths. I’m also a fan of looking for the college personality beyond academics, seeing what’s a match in that respect. Other programs or opportunities, activities the school values, etc. I’m sure that that part of the match was a tip for both of mine. Find schools that will value his music experience and his interest in continuing in groups- regardless of whether he plans to major. That sort of strategy. Play to his strengths.
Best wishes.</p>
<p>Look at the Colleges That Change Lives. You might find a fit there. </p>
<p>I was going to mention the Colleges that Change Lives also. My older son attends Hampshire, a CTCL college. He’s very bright, very creative but didn’t do well in sciences (and actually hated sciences). His GPA in HS was a 3.4 - I can’t remember his standardized test scores at all. And he’s thriving at Hampshire. Clark U in Worcester is another CTCL school that my younger S was accepted to and really liked. I think Clark looks at the whole person re: admissions and we all liked its “vibe”. I truly believe there’s someplace for everyone. </p>
<p>There are LOTS of music- focused schools that have admission stats that arent off the charts. No worries.</p>
<p>zoosermom, sounds alot like my youngest. He had A+ grades in music (though he wasn’t actually a great musician), mostly A-'s, but a B- in Chemistry, some B’s in math courses and the B-'s he got in Latin were gifts. He had a very high CR score and actually a suprisingly good math score on the SAT (690). He did surprisingly well. I think colleges are much more likely to forgive poor grades in languages and for a kid with other talents you aren’t necessarily expected to be good at everything anyway. I am sure there are good colleges for him, what the range will be will depend on what his SAT scores are. Did he take the PSAT yet? How does he generally do on standardized tests?</p>
<p>You should definitely check the B student thread.</p>
<p>Some top schools look at the whole kid. Has he been evaluated to figure out why language is so tough for him?</p>
<p>Many students major in music. I cannot understand why music grades would be omitted.</p>
<p>Is he interested in a conservatory?</p>
<p>I would look into Bennington, Lewis and Clark, Marlboro, Goucher, Clark U. and yest CTCL (book by Loren Pope, website and fairs).</p>
<p>He may be able to shoot higher than you think. Even Harvard says on their admissions site that their office is next to Howard Gardners’s (proponent of multiple intelligences).</p>
<p>There seems to be a very specific difficulty here that doesn’t affect the whole kid. It might be good to do some music extracurriculars and as others have said, played to that str.ength</p>
<p>There are many great colleges that a kid like your son could get into. You should look at the “Parents of kids with 3.0-3.33 GPA threads”–you might find some good suggestions.</p>
<p>Is he dyslexic?
Schools will waive the language requirement with documentation.</p>
<p>Or for any “disability” found in a neuropsych. evaluation that would affect his functioning in foreign language study. Since he does well in other subjects, it sounds like it would be worth pursuing the waiver that emeraldkity4 mentions.</p>
<p>I PM’ed you.</p>
<p>Seems like he’ll be competitive for many terrific schools. As noted, the guidance counselor can mention the language issue and the GPA without language. Did you know that in May many great schools have yet to fill their rosters. Except for a very small group of colleges, they are not nearly as difficult to get into as people think-and as many of the colleges themselves try to convey. In truth, the pool of applicants, particularly those from the US are dwindling. I bet your son has many choices-especially if he is full pay. According to an article titled "Why colleges are stressed about filling their seats, “The 2013 annual survey of college admission directors revealed that 56% of private colleges and universities and 61% of public institutions hadn’t met their enrollment goals by May 1, 2013, which is the traditional day that high school seniors must submit their deposits.” And while you might imagine they are talking about schools nobody has heard of or would want to attend, the list included: Sarah Lawrence, Ohio Wesleyan, Baylor, Xavier, and the University of Vermont and state schools such as Arizona State, Colorado State, Illinois State, Southern Connecticut State, SUNY Binghamton, the University of Iowa among a total of 250 schools. The schools are hyping the competition while being unable to attract enough students to fill their rosters. </p>
<p>This kid is getting A’s in high school in most subjects. B’s in sciences. The only lower area is his foreign language. I doubt that he has a disability. And I seriously doubt that he will get a waiver for this course. You don’t get waivers because one course is a lower grade.</p>
<p>You know…some people just don’t have an ear for learning foreign languages. I took ten years of french…two in college…and I can barely say hello. It’s just not my thing.</p>
<p>I disagree. It is worth looking into for a kid doing well with everything else. Just to make sure. It’s good information going forward. </p>
<p>If the kid isn’t doing the work or hates the class, that is a different matter. </p>
<p>Regardless of cause, weakness in one area can be noted by the guidance counselor and shouldn’t be as much of an obstacle as the parent thinks.</p>
<p>Is music his career focus? Would he be interested in a music school like Berklee in Boston. Auditions/interviews are more important than grades. I know two kids who’ve gone there and have loved it-- one kid spent a year there before going to medical school.</p>