High School GPA

[YesNoMaybe]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

What year are you? "Intro to Communications" =/= "Communication Theory"

I'm in the "Upper Level Classes" which is more of the academic research/theory based classes. I'm a sophomore, but taking classes that juniors take. Our program isn't noted for being one of the best at my school, or a top communication studies program, but I notice people seem to pick it when they "didn't know what major to pick so I just picked one" around their junior year.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by YesNoMaybe

I'm in the "Upper Level Classes" which is more of the academic research/theory based classes. I'm a sophomore, but taking classes that juniors take. Our program isn't noted for being one of the best at my school, or a top communication studies program, but I notice people seem to pick it when they "didn't know what major to pick so I just picked one" around their junior year.

That's a reflection of your school, not that major.

The Communications programs at schools like UT are not cakewalks, so encouraging people to use them as an "easy way out" is not a good idea.

[AGDee]

I skated through high school, college and now grad school because I'm just that smart and it is just that easy for me. I can skate and get a good GPA too. I'm lucky that way. I am awesomeness

[wareagle93]

Originally Posted by als463

Seriously? I didn't know such incredible schools like Mizzou and Ole Miss would take people with such low scores. Am I missing something?

I got into UT-Austin (a Public Ivy) with a 3.42GPA and a 29ACT.

[als463]

Originally Posted by wareagle93

I got into UT-Austin (a Public Ivy) with a 3.42GPA and a 29ACT.

Ummm....Correct me if I'm wrong but, a 3.42 is MUCH DIFFERENT than the OP's 2.5 GPA...right?

[wareagle93]

No, you're correct. I was just saying that it's not impossible to be accepted into schools with low scores (whether it be on your part, or applying to a school with a challenging curriculum-like UT-Austin has).

[33girl]

Aren't pretty much all the big flagship state schools called "public ivies" now?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by wareagle93

No, you're correct. I was just saying that it's not impossible to be accepted into schools with low scores (whether it be on your part, or applying to a school with a challenging curriculum-like UT-Austin has).

Were you Top 10%? Texas is a bit of a different animal.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by wareagle93

I got into UT-Austin (a Public Ivy) with a 3.42GPA and a 29ACT.

How did you do this? I had a former student with close to a 4.0, probably over a 4.0 weighted with APs, and much higher scores who didn't even get wait listed. Congrats, though. How did you end up picking Auburn?

And I'm backing DeltaBetaBaby that some majors are pretty easy, especially relative to other majors. I have no idea how anyone in this thread will do, but there are probably a couple of in-state private high schools in Mississippi at which having a 2.3 might predict doing alright at Ole Miss, especially if one picks a less rigorous major. And the on-campus data is probably out there to allow a student to assess which classes, professors, and majors are likely to be less rigorous although it would be incredibly stupid to make your academic decisions primarily on that data. (ETA: It creeps me out, but I think there are websites that provide average grade distributions by course and professor, as well as others with student evaluations and commentary. I don't think this is a positive development overall for higher education, but it's available, and as far as the grades awarded data, I think it comes from the college itself. We can all tell kids not to use this information to choose coursework, but the information does exist.)

Neither one of us is trying to say that the point of college is to pick an easy major, skate through your academics, and join a frat, and I think those of you advising that the lower GPAs guys focus on academics first are correct.

ETA: I see this little lightbulb-ish icon at the top of this post. Where did that come from and what does it mean? Did I hit some keys I didn't mean to?

[wareagle93]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Were you Top 10%? Texas is a bit of a different animal.

No. I was top 20%. I am not from Texas, I went to a Private school with a very challenging curriculum that routinely sends off atleast 10 members of each graduating class to various ivy league schools.

I only played sports my freshman year, but had a long line of extracurricular activities, and I had strong marks (3.42GPA) and great comments from my teachers (extremely hard worker, goes above and beyond, etc.). Top that off with the fact that I was very blessed and fortunate enough to have had a phenomenal guidance counselor/academic adviser that wrote me a wonderful letter of recommendation.

To be honest, i was a bit surprised that I was admitted. But I was very fortunate and blessed to be.

[wareagle93]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

How did you do this? I had a former student with close to a 4.0, probably over a 4.0 weighted with APs, and much higher scores who didn't even get wait listed. Congrats, though. How did you end up picking Auburn?

And I'm backing DeltaBetaBaby that some majors are pretty easy, especially relative to other majors. I have no idea how anyone in this thread will do, but there are probably a couple of in-state private high schools in Mississippi at which having a 2.3 might predict doing alright at Ole Miss, especially if one picks a less rigorous major. And the on-campus data is probably out there to allow a student to assess which classes, professors, and majors are likely to be less rigorous although it would be incredibly stupid to make your academic decisions primarily on that data. (ETA: It creeps me out, but I think there are websites that provide average grade distributions by course and professor, as well as others with student evaluations and commentary. I don't think this is a positive development overall for higher education, but it's available, and as far as the grades awarded data, I think it comes from the college itself. We can all tell kids not to use this information to choose coursework, but the information does exist.)

Neither one of us is trying to say that the point of college is to pick an easy major, skate through your academics, and join a frat, and I think those of you advising that the lower GPAs guys focus on academics first are correct.

ETA: I see this little lightbulb-ish icon at the top of this post. Where did that come from and what does it mean? Did I hit some keys I didn't mean to?

Thank you so much for the kind words and congratulations. I really appreciate it. I chose Auburn for a variety of reasons:

1.) I've wanted to attend Auburn since I was in the 6th grade.
2.) I wanted to go down south for college (I'm from above the Mason-Dixon Line), and this might sound foolish/stupid, but I just wanted to be around nicer people (I have family that lives in Georgia and visit them every so often, and I liked the atmosphere and the people better).
3.) They gave me a good amount of financial aid.
4.) I want to meet new people and go to college far away from where I live (you can't stay cooped up in your town/state forever, right?)

UGAalum94, in fact, I have two cousins (one is going to be a sophomore, and the other is set to be a senior in high school who will have a great shot of getting in). I applied to UGA, got in, but did not receive a very flattering financial aid package, same goes for UT-Austin. I also got accepted to Georgia Southern and Georgia State.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I did not recommend it. I simply said it was possible. There is a difference between "you can do X" and "you should do X".

Every thread about grades turns into "OMG COLLEGE IS SO SCARY YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO MAKE IT!!!" Yes, you should get your act together if you were a C student in high school. Yes, you should think twice about pledging your first semester (and orgs should think twice about pledging you!) if don't have good time management skills. But the fact of the matter is that most students who did okay in high school will also do okay in college.

A lot of lazy students will get by, too. Universities/professors/departments are under too much pressure to keep students happy, and to keep them from failing out. It's unfortunate, definitely, but it does not change the facts.

Yep. I am familiar with quite a few marginal high school students who did fine in college. I certainly wouldn't claim it's the normal trend AND I think it's important to note that the quality of your high school and the level of your college play a huge role. If your high school typically prepares kids to succeed at highly selective universities, and you go to a less selective state school (what's the way to describe public schools that are a couple of steps down from the flagships?) , it might be a little easier to do as well or better as you did in high school.

But of course, your goal shouldn't be to just break even or come out ahead of your high school GPA. Your goal should be to actually learn.

http://www.olemiss.edu/admissions/fap.html
if you want to see what Ole Miss is looking at in its freshman class and where the dude with the 2.3 and 29 is in the data. ETA: whoops. He actually said 21 ACT, which is quite different. Dude, you should just plan to study all the time, maybe not even get the meal plan because you'll just eat out of the vending machines at the library where you should be studying whenever you aren't in class or sleeping.