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Vol. 16 No. 5
February 2002
Where Do The "C" Students
Go?
Opportunities For Average Graduates
THEY MAY NOT get into Harvard,
Yale or any of the top name brand colleges. But for college-bound
students with just average grades, there are still many schools
of higher learning that welcome them.
Early this year, COLLEGE BOUND looked at the admissions policies
at several representative colleges and universities around the
country and found that, despite the current competitive atmosphere,
high school students with a 2.0 GPA, SATs of 850 to 1050 or ACTs
of 18 or above still have a variety of educational options open
to them.
While much of the attention in the media focuses on the top
colleges and the status of "A" and "B" students,
"We should care about 'C' students because they're the backbone
of our country," says Claire D. Friedlander, a college consultant
at Bedford Central School District in New York and with Jewish
Family Service in Stamford, Connecticut. She observes that half
the students she counsels are "C" students. "That
means they're average-the guy next door, the gal next door."
WHERE DO THEY GO?
It is important to remind parents that in every region of the
country, that state, city and private four-year colleges and
universities accept "C" students.
Most two-year schools also offer an alternative for the student
with average grades and SATs. Religious colleges and universities
are an option as well, and often have no religious restrictions
on admissions.
Equally important, CB found that numerous affordable colleges
and universities are available to the average student, and that
"C" students needn't be denied the chance to obtain
a higher education because of finances.
What admissions officers know is that average students, if
given the opportunity to attend college, frequently excel academically.
Peggy Richmond, director of admissions, Keene State College in
New Hampshire, notes that these days many students may need to
work while in high school or they become involved in activities,
and they should not be penalized for that. "If students
have worked hard and then had 'C's' across the board, they are
likely to do well in college," she says.
LATE BLOOMERS
Admissions officers also point out that many "C" students
go on to earn postgraduate degrees. Why do so many average students
end up doing well in college? The reasons vary, but experts cite
the following: Mandated academic requirements to remain in school;
an increased student maturity after leaving high school; intensified
motivation; career path motivation; and from the students' point
of view, more interesting classes and more knowledgeable, interesting
and highly motivated faculty. Unlike the high school student,
the college student also has the option to chose classes suited
to his or her personal or career interests.
For students away from home for the first time, there may
be a new sense of independence and responsibility that inspires
a major academic effort. For students on a rural campus, an absence
of distractions, including nightlife and shopping malls, was
cited as a principal reason for a new academic success.
There is also a consensus among admissions officers that student
attitudes often change radically after high school graduation;
many become more studious and more serious about school and life.
Friedlander also notes, "The higher you go, the easier
it gets, because you're beginning to get into the areas that
interest you. When you're in compulsory education...you're taking
what the state says is important to be considered educated at
a minimum level, which is what a high school diploma is."
As students go on with their education, they focus on what they
like, she says, "and what you like is highly correlated
with what you're good at."
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MANY BLOSSOMS
According to Thad Robey, manager of education, College Coach,
a commercial consulting firm based in Newton, Massachusetts,
"There are many schools out there that accept 'C' students.
They're not the top schools, and they're not name brands. But
they can provide an excellent education, good support services
and in most cases financial aid. There's also an emphasis at
these schools on what students at this level need to succeed
academically. Most offer counseling that helps them to fully
develop their fundamental skills."
Also, students who did not perform well academically in high
school have the potential to excel. "Students who haven't
blossomed yet in high school may nevertheless have the potential
and skills to do well and make a contribution," Robey explains.
"Many of these students have gone on to earn advanced degrees,
and some have become physicians, lawyers and other professionals."
When searching for a college where "C" students
are admitted, keep in mind that there's more than 4,000 schools
of higher learning in the country and numerous choices are available,
Robey points out.
SOME EXAMPLES
In New England, Castleton State College, Castleton, Vermont,
admits students with "C" average high school grades
and 1000-level SATs. Founded in 1787, and one of the country's
oldest institutions of higher learning, Castleton has a student
population of about 1,700, 45 percent of which is from out-of-state.
"Students who come in with average grades are a significant
portion of our freshman population," says Bill Allen, dean
of enrollment at Castleton. "Many of them go on to earn
a Phi Beta Kappa. For us, it's a common occurrence." Small
class sizes and a 17-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio are among
the factors which promote academic success at Castleton, according
to Allen. Financial aid is also available for incoming "C"
students, and about 80 percent of these receive some form of
financial assistance.
IN THE SOUTH
The University of West Alabama, Livingston, has an open door
admission policy for average students, according to Miles Hester,
director of admissions.
"Basic requirements are a minimum ACT of 18, and/or an
870 minimum SAT, and a 2.0 GPA," says Hester. "Students
will also be admitted if they submit proof of high school graduation,
and if their grades are below requirements, they'll be admitted
on a probationary basis." Financial aid is available on
a per-need basis, and additional in-house scholarship programs
are also offered.
About half of the student population of nearly 2,000 are in
the average high school category, according to Hester. But many
do well in college and some go on to post-graduate degrees, Hester
says. Average class size is about 25, and the student-to-faculty
ratio is about 18-to-1. Approximately 30 percent of the student
body is from out-of- state.
MIDWEST OPTIONS
In the heart of the Midwest is Chadron State College, Chadron,
Nebraska, a school with a very hospitable admission policy. "We
have no SAT requirements, no grade requirements," says Tena
Gould, director of admissions. "We're open admissions, as
long as the applicant has graduated from high school. But some
students will be required to take remedial courses in English
and mathematics before they can take regular college courses."
Roughly half of the student population of 2,600 came in as average
students, according to Gould.
Chadron State College is part of a three-college Nebraska
state system which also includes Peru State College and Wayne
State College, both of which have the same admissions policy.
"Average students do very well at Chadron," Gould
says. "We're in a small rural community so there's no nightlife,
no malls and no distractions. Students get a lot of personal
attention from faculty and from local residents in a host-parent
program. And students can get involved right away in all student
activities. They don't have to wait to join clubs, run for office
or participate in other programs."
Financial aid on a per-need basis is available to all students.
About 21 percent of the student population is from out-of-state,
mainly from the surrounding states of South Dakota, Kansas, Colorado
and Iowa.
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WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL
DIVIDE
Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, is another institution
where the average student is welcomed.
"We get a lot of students out of high school who want
to do something more with their education, and we tell them we
have a lot to offer," says Steph Loughney, an admissions
officer at Rocky Mountain College.
Admission requirements are a 2.5 GPA, a SAT score of at least
800 and an ACT minimum of 18. "All students get a lot of
one-on-one attention from their professors, so they can grow
academically, emotionally and spiritually," says Loughney.
Financial aid is available and about 95 percent of the roughly
800 students receive it in some form.
In the Far West, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, Oregon,
has no minimum SAT requirement, but requires a 2.75 GPA for admission,
although the application of a 2.5 student will also be considered.
Admission will be granted the 2.5 GPA student if there are extenuating
circumstances, explains Christian Steinmetz, director of admissions.
"If the 2.5 student had family issues, moved a lot or even
worked part time, he or she could still be admitted."
With a low class size, a student-to-faculty ratio of 14-to-1
and free tutoring, average students can and do excel academically,
Steinmetz points out.
Of the 2,000 students, about 70 percent are Oregon residents.
But there's no additional out-of-state tuition charges and so
students are drawn here from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii.
CITY COLLEGES
Average students who live in or near large or medium size cities
should also consider attending a city college. Many have hospitable
admission policies. In New York City, for example, Kingsborough
Community College of the City University of New York, a two-year
college, will accept anyone with a high school diploma or a general
equivalency diploma, and average grades. Financial aid is available,
and tuition costs are reasonable for both residents of New York
State and out-of-state residents. Full-time New York resident
students with 12 or more credit hours pay $1,300, full-time out-of-state
students pay $1,588, exclusive of all required fees.
Located in the Brooklyn community of Manhattan Beach, Kingsborough
Community College has a student enrollment of about 15,000. The
school offers 28 degrees and two certificates. Among the degrees
offered are, biology, business, nursing, computer science, exercise
science, physical therapy and tourism and hospitality.
"Unless they have a [passing] level on SATs, incoming
students are given placement tests in reading, writing and mathematics
to determine if they need remedial courses," says Robert
Ingenito, director of recruitment and development. "We give
all these students an opportunity to move forward in their academic
life. We have a free tutoring laboratory, a bilingual program
for Spanish-speaking students and an office which helps students
with learning disabilities... We also have an eight-story research
library. And every student... has an academic advisor."
With this full range of student services, including no-cost
tutoring, Kingsborough has one of the highest graduation rates
among city colleges of New York, says Ingenito. "Any student
who graduates from Kingsborough is guaranteed admission to a
four-year school within the City University of New York system."
TWO-YEAR ROUTE
Private two-year schools which offer associate degrees and professional
training programs are another option. Argosy University, for
example, now has 12 main campuses in nine states: Arizona, California,
Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Virginia and Washington.
Admission requirements at Argosy University/Twin Cities in
the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, for example, do not exclude students
with average grades, SATs and ACTs.
"High school grades are not always the best indicators
of a student's future level of success," says Jeanne Stoneking,
director of admissions of Argosy University/Twin Cities.
"Many students who have not done well in high school
have gone on to take certain courses and find a career path that
they truly desire and...many times these students turn out to
be the best students."
The eight two-year undergraduate allied health care programs
offered at Argosy/Twin Cities are dental hygiene, diagnostic
medical, medical assisting, medical laboratory technology, histotechnology,
radiology technology, radiation therapy and veterinarian technician.
"We have a high pass rate on professional state exams,
and a hire rate of 90 to 100 percent, depending on the associate
degree," says Stoneking. A significant percentage of these
students came to Argosy University/ Twin Cities as average students,
she notes.
Finally, it is worth remembering that Albert Einstein dropped
out of high school with poor grades in history, geography and
languages. Later, he resumed his education, earned a four-year
degree in physics, and eventually was recognized as one of the
most creative intellects in human history.
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Guide Book Lists
100 Colleges
A variety of guides are also available for an efficient nationwide
search for colleges and universities where average students are
welcome. Among them: 100 Colleges Where Average Students Can
Excel, by Joe anne Adler, published by Arco, an imprint of
Peterson's.
The majority of American high school students are in the middle
tier of SAT scores," says Michael H. Fleischner, vice president,
business development and marketing for Peterson's. "That's
why we created this guide - because the majority of students
are at this level."
100 Colleges Where Average Students Can Excel, lists
schools around the country where an average student can not only
gain admission, but can attain a high level of academic achievement.
Comprehensive data is given on degrees offered, student population
size, faculty-to-student ratio and class size. Each entry also
describes the history of the college, the campus and community,
students and student life, activities and admission requirements.
The guide is available for $14.95, paperback. It is also obtainable
at a 20 percent discount, plus a shipping and handling charge,
at Peterson's website, www.Petersons.com; ISBN/ISSN 0-02-861044-X.
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Web References
For more info see the web sites for:
Argosy U.: www.Argosyu.edu
Castleton State C.: www.Castleton.edu
Chadron State C: www.Csc.edu
Eastern Oregon U.: www.Eou.edu
Kingsborough Community C.: www. Kbcc.cuny.edu
Peru State C.: www.Peru.edu
Rocky Mountain C.: www.Rocky.edu
U. of West Alabama: www.Uwa.edu
Wayne State C.: www.Wsc.edu
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THE COUNSELOR'S CORNER
Inside Admissions Offices
AS THEIR ADMISSIONS DATA for
the freshman class of 2001 becomes official, admissions officers
continue to submit their responses to CB's annual National
Survey of College Admissions Trends. Below are some highlights
from those surveys.
Amherst C. noted that it offers students an open-curriculum
with no core classes or distribution requirements and is part
of a five-college consortium. Its first-year class in 2001 had
430 students, selected from 5,175 applications, and was the result
of a 44 percent yield. While the number of its applications was
the same in 2001 as 2000, its yield was higher. Average test
scores for the 2001 class: 1400 combined SAT and 30 ACT. English,
history, economics and biology are its most popular majors. Amherst
is 100 percent need-blind and need-based.
At Bard C., on the Hudson River in New York State,
358 students made up the first-year class, selected from 2,970
students. Bard had more applications than in 2000, but accepted
fewer students. It wait listed 125 students, and had a 30 percent
yield, higher than the previous year. Compared to 2000, it received
more early decision/early action applications, 329 students,
but admitted fewer, 214. Bard does not require SATs or ACT scores.
Its tuition for 2001-02 is $25,620, with 60 percent of its students
receiving financial aid.
The Eastman School of Music of the U. of Rochester
stated it looks for "smart musicians" and the school's
most popular majors are classical performance, music education,
jazz studies and contemporary media. In 2001, it had an increase
in minority applications and a higher yield than in 2000. Overall,
it attracted fewer applications, and also accepted fewer students
in 2001. Its first-year class has 111 students.
Emory U. noticed that it had a more competitive, early
decision pool in 2001 than in years past. It attracted 775 ED/EA
applications, but admitted fewer-494. Emory also had more applications
in 2001 than in 2000, 9,607. But it accepted fewer students,
4,096. It admitted more Asian American, African-American and
Hispanic students, and the same number of Native American students.
It also admitted more international students, 192. The average
test scores for Emory: 1300-1430 combined SAT and 29-32 ACT.
Emory stated that it wants prospective students to know about
its research and internship opportunities and its top faculty.
Business, psychology, economics and political science are its
most popular majors on campus.
Fordham U. stated that it looks for students with involvement
in community service and reminds applicants that senior year
counts! For fall 2001, it had more applications and accepted
more students. It wait listed 970 students. Its yield was lower
than in 2000, but the net result was a freshman class with 38
more students. It, too, had more ED/EA applications and it admitted
more students ED/EA. The combined SAT scores were 1200, ACT 26.
Tuition is $22,000, but 80 percent of Fordham students receive
financial aid; average package is $15,000.
New York U. received a whopping 30,500 applications
for fall 2001 for a class size of 3,750 students. It accepted
fewer students compared to 2000, but posted a higher yield, 39
percent. Six hundred students were placed on the wait list in
2001. Tuition is $25,380, but 73 percent receive financial aid
and the average aid package is $16,400. Biology, business, film,
communications and psychology are its most popular majors. "Students
who thrive at NYU enjoy New York City and use its resources as
part of their unique college experience," said Richard Avitabile,
assistant vice president for enrollment.
Northwestern U. accepted more international students
and more African American and Native American students in 2001
for its first-year class of 1,952, larger than in 2000. While
it had fewer applications in 2001 over 2000, it accepted more
students and had a higher yield; 41 percent. It also admitted
more students ED/EA, 421 students, and wait listed 300, fewer
compared to 2000. According to Mark Hill, assistant director
of admissions, Northwestern has "an unusual number of academic
offerings for our size" and students have "flexibility
in choosing among many academic options." Most popular majors:
economics, psychology, history, biological sciences, journalism,
communication studies.
Swarthmore C. admitted fewer students last year, but
had a higher yield. Its first-year class size was 385 students,
larger than in 2000. It placed 299 students on its wait list
and admitted more Asian-American students, more African-American
students, fewer Hispanic students. It also had more students
applying ED/EA and it admitted more students ED/EA-143. Sally
Nam, admissions counselor, noted that, "Juniors are starting
the college process sooner and thus narrowing their college lists
sooner as well." What special skills will Swarthmore be
looking for in its 2002 applicants? "Passion in academic
or extracurricular areas, social awareness and intellectual curiosity,"
she said. The average combined SAT score in the 2001 class: 1450.
In September, Yale U. announced that it was augmenting
its undergraduate financial aid by reducing students' expected
contributions by $13,780 over four years. These changes, effective
for the 2002-03 school year, will cut the student share of a
Yale education from $7,820 to $5,500 for freshmen. "These
steps ensure that Yale will remain affordable to all qualified
students regardless of their financial circumstances," said
President Richard C. Levin. Yale is committed to meeting 100
percent of financial need, and last year, nearly 39 percent of
students received financial aid packages. Tuition was $26,300.
Its first-year class size was 1,297, fewer students than in 2000.
However, it had more applications (14,809), accepted more students
(2,038) and wait listed more students (1,079) than in 2000. While
it received more ED/EA applications, it admitted fewer students
than in 2000 ED/EA. The median ACT score: 31.
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BOOKSHELF
Three new books from Greenes' Guides to Educational Planning,
by Howard R. Greene and Matthew W. Greene, are available from
HarperCollins: The Public Ivies: America's Flagship Public
Universities ($15); Presenting Yourself Successfully to
Colleges: How to Market Your Strengths and Make Your Application
Stand Out ($14); and Making It Into a Top Graduate School:
10 Steps to Successful Graduate School Admission ($15). For
more info, link to Greenes' web site from www.collegeboundnews.com.
Financial Aid Financer: Expert Answers to College Financing
Questions, Joseph M. Re, Octameron Associates, PO Box 2748,
Alexandria, VA 22301-2748; 13th edition, $6; ask for catalogue
of other college guides such as Financial Aid Officers: What
they do-to you and for you; Loans and Grants: From Uncle Sam;
and The A's & B's of Academic Scholarships.
Embracing the Monster: Overcoming the Challenges of Hidden
Disabilities by Veronica Crawford (2002) available from Paul
H. Brooks Publishing Co., P.O. Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624,
www.brookespublishing.com; $21.95.
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ADMISSIONS WATCH
Early Admissions Controversy. The president of
Yale U., Richard C. Levin, has called for an end to Early Admissions
programs. In a December 13, 2001, New York Times article,
he argued, "It pushes the pressure of thinking about college
back into the junior year of high school, and the only one who
benefits is the admissions officers." He said, however,
Yale would not change its policy unless all the other Ivy League
colleges agreed.
But the Times cited three other Ivy League leaders
who disagreed. "I just don't get the argument that it is
terrible and exploitive of students," said Columbia's president,
George Rupp.
Meanwhile, schools such as the U. of Chicago attracted 35
percent more early applications for fall, 2,435. Barnard had
an increase and Columbia saw a 7 percent increase in its ED applications;
Georgetown attracted 7 percent more ED applications; but NYU
experienced a 5 percent decline, perhaps as a result of the turmoil
surrounding the events of September 11.
Harvard accepted 1,174 students early action for next fall,
rejected 191, and sent 4,677 backy´into the regular admissions
pool for Spring decision. And although it sent the news to expectant
students via regular mail, more than 6,000 of its e-mail notifications
never arrived because some of its students' Internet providers
dumped the messages as "junk mail," The Chronicle
of Higher Education reported.
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ODDS AND ENDS
New B.A. in "Aging." Indiana University
just announced that its Kokomo campus received approval from
the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to offer a new bachelor
of arts degree in health and aging beginning fall 2002. For more
details: http://www.iuk.edu/campus_news.
Computer Access Disparity.
According to a U.S. Commerce Department, African-American and
Hispanic children are far less likely to have a computer at home
than white children. Seventy-seven percent of white children
have a computer at home, 72 percent of Asian and Pacific Islander
children do. Only 43 percent of African-American children and
37 percent of Hispanic children have a computer at home. For
more info on the study, see http://www.doc.gov .
Home Schooling Increases.
A new report from the U.S. Department of Education notes that
about 850,000 children in the U.S. are being home-schooled, about
1.7 percent of the 50 million U.S. children. Most are being taught
by parents who are well educated and live in cities, the report
says.
Arabic Expertise Needed.
According to a recent issue of The International Educator,
only 6 percent of American college and university students were
enrolled in foreign language courses in 1998, and last year,
only nine students graduated from all U.S. colleges who majored
in Arabic.
Tuition Outstripping Inflation.
The College Board figures for this year note that students attending
public institutions faced a 7.7 percent increase in average fees
for room, board and tuition. Private college students saw a 5.5
percent increase. This was the largest increase since 1993. The
average cost for room, board and tuition was $9,000 for students
attending public institutions; $23,578 for private colleges.
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Upcoming Deadlines
For many colleges, the application season is far from
over. Here are but a few colleges with deadlines still pending.
(See December/January CB for more openings.)
January 31: U.S. Naval Academy
February 1: Fordham
February 15: Muhlenberg
May 1: U. of Utah
June 1: U. of Oklahoma
August 1: Western Kentucky U., U. of Idaho
August 15: Valparaiso U.
Rolling: Norfolk State, Northeastern.
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COLLEGE BOUND's Publisher/Editor: R. Craig
Sautter, DePaul University; Chief Operating Officer: Sally
Reed; Contributor: Marc Davis; Circulation: Irma
Gonzalez-Hider; Illustration: Louis Coronel; Board
of Advisors: Rosita Fernandez-Rojo, Choate-Rosemary Hall;
Claire D. Friedlander, Bedford (NY) Central School District;
Howard Greene, author, The Greenes' Guides to Educational
Planning Series; Frank C. Leana, Ph.D., educational
counselor; Virginia Vogel, Educational Guidance Services;
M. Fredric Volkmann, Washington University in St. Louis,
Mary Ann Willis, Bayside Academy (Daphne, Ala.).
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In This Issue
Feature Article
Opportunities For
Average Graduates
-Guide
Book Lists 100 Colleges
-Web References
THE COUNSELOR'S
CORNER
Inside
Admissions Offices
BOOKSHELF
Three
new books from
Greenes' Guides to
Educational Planning
ADMISSIONS WATCH
Early
Admissions Controversy
ODDS AND ENDS
New
B.A. in "Aging."
Computer
Access Disparity
Home Schooling
Increases
Arabic Expertise
Needed
Tuition
Outstripping Inflation
-Upcoming
Deadlines
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