@LadyArwyn really how rude. It’s better to smile and nod right? I would be hard pressed to do so after the first time. Truly people are clueless so often aren’t they? HS GPA’s are pretty much impossible to compare.
My kid ended up going to a school she never would have looked at if she studied or somehow could get her test scores up a bit higher! Yay! Things happen for a reason I believe and whether or not that is true who cares in the end it works for me to look at it that way.
I came to this thread a long time ago-not due to the GPA as much as the test scores. She did end up scoring well-in non CC land very well but in the end she applied to no reaches. It was kind of easy not to since her major is strong at schools that may overall be lower ranked or not prestigious. She ended up like many of your children with admission results that exceeded the numbers-she felt very good in the end with her choices and very good about herself.
I don’t mean to be secretive but I am not comfortable giving the schools due to privacy. I am pretty sure if I did it would confirm who I am which I don’t care about but I know she would so that’s why.
In the end she chose one of the lower ranked/prestigious schools due to fit, location, strength of program and strong liberal arts in addition to her major which I value more this time around than I did with the first kid. He is at the much higher ranked/reputation school. It’s a great school and he loves it but I have never felt the way about his school that I already do about hers. I like this less prestigious atmosphere so much better!
I am proud of the kids here and you parents-you done good people!
@LadyArwyn - I’m coming to this late. Don’t let anyone put your child down. Colleges admit students they believe will succeed at and contribute to their schools. No college admits students to fail. So it doesn’t matter what any other parent or student says. Negative comments say more about their foibles and insecurities than your daughter’s abilities.
FWIW, I graduated from college with a 2.9x but I went on to get my master’s degree and later got into two of the top three doctoral programs for my field in the US. From what everyone has told me, it’s not the numbers attached to your name that pushes you to success, it’s drive, effort and hard work (“fire in the belly” one prof told me). So have your daughter embrace her 2.95 proudly. It was hard earned. It sounds like she pushed herself instead of playing it safe. I’d rather my child try something new or challenging and fall a tad short than play the GPA game.
@SlackerMomMD this is absolutely right!!! It says nothing about your daughter but everything about these people smile and nod!
How can you compare a GPA anyway? The admins job is to figure out who they believe will do well at the school and they wouldn’t admit people unless they felt they were qualified.
I agree I rather my kids take the classes that will actually make them better at something-whatever the subject. In the real world it’s going to be more important that you can actually write than if you had a certain GPA.
Mine is leaving August 15. Hard to believe, especially as a single mom of one kid. On the upside, I got a call from her high school today (never thought I’d see that number on my phone again) saying that after final grades were calculated she graduated with honors (some amalgam of a 3.2 average or above and certain classes, so I think she just squeaked into that category) and needs to pick up her certificate, so that was nice.
I didn’t even know some schools don’t start until the end of September.
A lot of Northwest schools start late and end late because of our weather. It rains October through June, and summer doesn’t really warm up until July. Our best weather (the only time it really gets warmer than 70F regularly) is August and early September. So no one wants to be in the classroom.
I finally did the GPA calculator thing. It didn’t have the + and - options, but according to the calculator her weighted grade was 3.47, and the school said she graduated 90th of 278, so that’s not too bad.
When you are in high school, you drop Middle school achievements from your resume because you have entered a new chapter in your life. She is now in college and on a equal level with the other freshman. It is now time for her to write the next chapter in her life.
That is extremely late - September 30th? Wow. You said Northwest, but where up there does it not get above 70 degrees? I thought Seattle got much warmer than that in the summer and early fall.
We have one drop off on 8/19 and the other on 8/29. Thank God they are 10 days apart. This double trouble is killing us. We just dropped of our Wisconsin kid up in Stevens Point for his wilderness excursion which lasts 5 days. They go to the Porcupine Mountains along Lake Superior, hike each day, cook over the fire, etc. A dream for him. He is probably having the time of his life. It’s hard to have completely dark communications for a few days knowing he’s among bears and bobcats up there. He comes back on 8/7 and has three weeks at home before heading up for good.
My son starts at community college on Aug.24. Although I had mixed feelings about his choice to stay home rather than go away to school, I must admit that he seems much happier now. He is thrilled about having his first car, which he wouldn’t have had if he had gone away to school, and he will receive over $1000 back for the year after tuition, fees, and books are subtracted from his financial aid (Pell and state grants). He recently said, “So they are paying for me to go to school.” He will also be able to continue his job flipping burgers at McDonald’s, which he really enjoys.
@kmanshouse , Seattle rarely gets much above 70. This year there have been 10 days over 90 - which absolutely shattered records. Even 80 degrees is usually rare, maybe a dozen or so such days per year.
This year is shattering records daily. It’s the hottest summer in the recorded history of Seattle, going back about 150 years, A typical summer around here is high 60s most days, the occasional 70s, and a heat wave with 80 degree temperatures once or twice a year.
@kmanshouse October is a transition month in Seattle — very unpredictable. It could still be hot and dry, or pouring wet and cool. In the same day. You can pretty much count on it not being truly cold - no winter coats needed. Raincoats and layering is the common clothing that month. Tank/tee/cami under a long-sleeve midweight shirt, with a raincoat. It prepares you for pretty much the whole range of possibilities.
