Polar prospects... estimates needed!

Chance Me / Match Me
1

<p>So, I have a mixture of good and bad, and I really hope it doesn’t average out to… average. </p>

<p>I have no specific colleges in mind, if I could just get a general idea and/or examples that’d be great.</p>

<p>Currently I am in my senior year and I have a wonderfully inconvenient GPA of 2.7. A combination of an initial low interest in grades and teachers that were quite difficult toward me has made that happen. Now, I hope to raise it to at least a 3.0 by the end of the year… but I have to start applying before then.</p>

<p>More negatives. No extracurriculars. Really this was not by choice, I have some inhibiting and substandard parents that make it nigh impossible to be in an extracurricular, but it’s happened and I know colleges won’t be busying themselves over the reason. I also made the decision of attending a vocational school for my second half of high school. I attend a career tech program for fine arts and, the school has a reputation, but it’s designed to make possible at least a basic job in the field of choice immediately after what is actually high school graduation.
It was likely a bad choice; just this year I’ve realized that field is not really my ideal, and the school does not provide AP classes so… I’m missing out there also.</p>

<p>I’m confident in my potential for standardized test scores. I have yet to take an ACT or SAT, but I have taken the PLAN (mock ACT) and received a predicted 30+. This was also my sophomore year, so of course my knowledge has increased and hopefully my range as well.
Essays, personal statement and the like should be a strong point, I’m sure I can procure something compelling. I’d like to think that letters of recommendation will do me good, too.</p>

<p>I have these questions in mind:

  1. Should I first go to a community college to raise my GPA?
  2. Is the absence of extracurriculars going to make a considerable dent in my prospects, what with the other positives?
  3. What is the “best” college, or caliber of college I stand at least an okay chance of being accepted into?
  4. I’m still not really decided on a major, but I’m interested in both Anthropology (cultural/linguistics) and Zoology. Are certain majors more lenient towards applicants’ statistics than others, and are those among them?</p>

<p>On another note, I’d really like to go out of Ohio. I’m itching to leave this place behind, but if I must stay within the state, I will. A sincere thank you to anyone who reads and replies, it’s really very appreciated :)</p>

2

<p>I don’t know where else to ask, even a little answer would be appreciated
Edit: Forgot to add a question:
I’m really interested in overseas study programs, specifically Asia. Are these available in most colleges or will that narrow things down a lot?</p>

3

<p>So… you want a college with a good “study-abroad” program outside Ohio and accessible for one with a 3.0 GPA and a 30+ on the ACT?</p>

4

<p>Yes, basically. Within Ohio is okay too, I’d just rather it be a larger one than the ones around here. I live by UT and BGSU, but I’d like something a little better than that. Just the best I can get with my standings.</p>

5

<p>Being realistic, that’s a tall order especially since you have no ECs, but I don’t think you will have to go to a community college. Right now, I think the best school for you is a state school in Ohio. Continue to show interest in your academics, get a good gpa, and maybe after a year you can transfer to a school you think is better. Even a good ACT cannot salvage a poor gpa.</p>

6

<p>Arcadia University might be a place for you (if you can afford it; in a Philadelphia suburb). It has one of the best study-abroad programs for people with your kind of files.</p>

7

<p>Thanks for your input. That’s what I was going to focus on. I live very close to the Michigan border. I think out-of-state tuition is waived with the proximity, so those schools are a possibility as well. I’m okay with staying around another year if I can get somewhere better later.
As for Arcadia, I’ve put my majors into the College Search program on here and it looks as though they have none of them… the selection isn’t very big at all actually, is there more to it?</p>

8

<p>If I were you, I would take a look at bigger state schools (outside of Ohio, if you prefer). In my experience, public universities typically offer a wider selection of courses and probably would have study abroad programs in Asia. Have you looked at Indiana U in Bloomington?</p>

9

<p>Also, could you chance me?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1401307-i-made-list-please-check-twice.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1401307-i-made-list-please-check-twice.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>Now I have a good idea of which schools I can expect to get in. I just need examples of those schools. Ha… thanks guys.</p>

11

<p>What are the majors you might want?</p>