A+ Options for B Students
Don't despair if your grades aren't the best. There's a great college for you, too
Jackie Franklin, 19, finished her freshman year at the University of Arizona with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5. "I'm actively involved, and I talk in class," she says. "I'm geared toward learning." But with a 3.3 GPA at her Houston-area high school and trouble on standardized tests, Franklin once worried about getting into a good college.
It's a common fear. "The A students are worried, so you know the B students are, too," says Jim Conroy, chair of post-high school counseling at New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Ill. One problem: the crushing misperception that there are only a handful of strong options. "We're blessed with so many great schools," Conroy says. "It's not like there are 20 of them."
Indeed, there are terrific colleges with lesser-known names but excellent reputations. For the third year, U.S. News has screened the schools it ranks to identify those where B students have a decent shot at being accepted. "B students have lots of great choices, and they will do well at many great schools," says Robin Brown, vice president for enrollment and access at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. How to get in? Here are five strategies:
Challenge yourself. It may seem like a good idea to take easier courses in high school to rack up A's, but colleges look for students who are academically prepared. If your school offers advanced classes, sign up. "I think we'd rather see a B in a very rigorous course than an A in an easy course," says Brown.
Depth over breadth. Colleges seek well-rounded students, and being involved in extracurriculars helps make that case. Find a few you enjoy, and be active. "It isn't as interesting to us if students have done a whole lot of stuff as them choosing something that means something to them and fulfilling that commitment," says Laura Trombley, president of Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif.
Promote your strengths. All students need to sell themselves, and for B students, it comes down to communicating this message, says Liz Zucker, an independent college admissions consultant in Cambridge, Mass.: "I may not be the star, but here's where I can really contribute to your community." Some possibilities: internships in an area of interest, such as medicine or wildlife biology, time spent on a political campaign, or entrepreneurial success.
Self-advocate. Admission officers are looking for students who have learned about themselves and recognize their difficulties—like writing students who know that Pulitzer is going to take hard work. You can offer explanations or clarifications in your application or during interviews.
Believe. Apply to some reach schools. "Sometimes people see potential that you don't necessarily see yourself," says Delores Curry, a high school counselor at Bloomington High School in Bloomington, Calif. "Don't close your own doors."
U.S. News lists about 300 A-plus schools for B students, updated for the 2008 edition of America's Best Colleges. Getting in isn't necessarily easy, but all of these colleges accept a meaningful percentage of applicants with a desire to achieve but less-than-stellar grades. You can find a school that's right for you at usnews.com/aplus.