<p>I have a smart kid. He passed the Mensa Test. BUT, he has been lazy and has low GPA 2.88. His ACT is a 32 and SAT is 1990. He got the “Mustang Award” from his swim team, but has done nothing else…He wants to be an engineer. What are some Southern Cal schools that would take a kid like this in an engineering program? I feel overwhelmed with all the competition…I’m thinking he will only get into the Jr. College my husband thinks he will do better. What say you?</p>
<p>I say you’re asking the wrong question. Most kids don’t go from lazy to interested just because they’re now attending college. If you are paying the bills, I think you should send him to JC deliberately and let him prove that he wants to be an engineer.</p>
<p>Good point!</p>
<p>the problem I have with the JC though is that they never seem to leave the JC… Getting classes and transferable classes to an unknown school at a later date is complex.</p>
<p>My take is different than Wasatch’s. You need to show you believe in your kid, but realistically. Help research appropriate programs, encourage applications.</p>
<p>BUT, also communicate your expectations. What worked for mine was this: We will pay for college, almost anywhere. You are obligated to take out the basic unsubsidized Stafford loan. You must make continuous progress toward your degree, and if you stop that progress (except for serious illness) you will owe us our investment to date!
All 3 graduated on time and found gainful employment within 3 months of graduation; including the one we did not yank with a 1.1 GPA one semester, since the school had a probation plan. It worked.</p>
<p>Solid advice Mominva. Thank you.</p>
<p>[Welcome</a> to ASSIST](<a href=“http://www.assist.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.assist.org) will help a California community college student know which courses to take to transfer to a target major at a target UC or CSU.</p>
<p>In any case, he may be able to get into some less-impacted CSUs as a frosh (probably CSUN and CSULA, possibly CSUFULL and CPP), possibly UCM or UCR if his UC/CSU weighted GPA is 3.0 or higher. But if he continues to be lazy with school work, college (particularly engineering, whether at a four year school or a community college) may be a risky proposition for him.</p>
<p>Note that the less selective schools do not have high four year graduation rates, although some (e.g. CPP) do have four year graduation pledge programs. But students who are lazy with school work may not be able to meet the requirements, such as not needing remedial course work and taking full course loads following their majors’ course plans.</p>
<p>Are you sure there isn’t something else going on? </p>
<p>Usually, kids with Mensa level IQs do very well on the SATs.</p>
<p>If I were you…I’d have him tested for learning disabilities and have his vision checked. …just in case.</p>
<p>He’ll get in somewhere and he might have to travel out of SoCal unless junior college is on the table. Is that 2.88 unweighted? In addition to the California system, you might want to include some WUE universities with engineering. He may not “stick” with engineering but it’s easier to switch majors at the same uni rather than looking for another school to jump INTO engineering.</p>
<p>Getting accepted to a college is only part of the challenge. I’d have concerns about a lazy kid surviving the rigors of engineering academics. </p>
<p>Is this a kid that does well on tests… but not so well handing in homework and projects? If yes, beware.</p>