America's Best Colleges for B Students - Tamra B. Orr

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can't go to college. I'll just forget it!” If you are among these, realize this: You, yes YOU, are the reason for this book. It is designed to give you two things: help with what it takes to get into many colleges (and an overview of what happens after you do) and leads on which colleges are eagerly awaiting your application.

      For starters, get rid of the myths/assumptions you might have about choosing a college. If you believe any of the following, take them from the “The Earth is Round” list (truth) and put them in the “Santa Claus/Tooth Fairy” list (fantasies). Here we go:

       You need a perfect GPA or SAT to get into a good college.

       The best way to pick a college is by reading the rankings in a magazine article/taking your best friend's recommendation/choosing the names you recognize the most.

       Traditional four-year colleges are the only ones employers will accept.

       Only the large colleges are worth attending.

       Your college should have more students than your high school does.

       Small colleges offer inferior classes, faculty and degrees.

      None of the above statements is true.

       A perfect score or transcript is not required at most colleges, as you will see as you read this book.

       The best way to select a college is to not accept someone else's opinion as absolute truth and to do your homework (yes, MORE homework) and find out which colleges best suit you and your preferences.

       While four-year colleges are the norm, there are many two-year programs and other options that are just as appealing to future employers.

       Small colleges often offer the conditions and student/teacher ratio that will ensure a high-quality, successful education. In no way are their classes, faculty or degrees inferior to those of the larger universities.

      One of the biggest myths of all about college, of course, is that even if you find one that you like and will accept you, you will not be able to afford it. We will dispel that myth as well in Chapter Six.

      You, standing right there in the middle of the library or bookstore (or at home scanning the intro because your parents told you, “READ THIS!”), you with the 2.9 or 3.1 GPA or the 1560 SAT score or 19 composite ACT, can go to a college or university. You can find yourself at a wonderful institution where you will make friends, have fun, grow up and yeah, learn a lot of stuff and get a degree. These colleges are not runners-up to the “good” places; they are wonderful schools that are willing to look beyond the numbers to the person standing behind them. They have admissions departments that give your scores some thought, and then put them down and search for the human being on the other side of the digits. And really, isn't that what you would want them to do anyway? You are certainly more than any group of numbers could possibly represent.

      This book was written to guide you to lots of helpful information about 100 colleges and universities that want you to be a part of their student population. It will also show you how to:

       Make the best use of the time you still have left in high school

       Make a great impression on the college admissions department through both the essay and interview

       Explain those less-than-stellar numbers and let your strengths shine through

       Survive in college once you get there

      Belonging is one of the strongest natural drives inside each and every person. You want to find a college where you are happy, comfortable and accepted. The administrations of these colleges want students who feel like they have found a new home. Let this book be your guide to that relationship.

SECTION ONE

      CHAPTER ONE

      WHERE TO FIND COLLEGES THAT WELCOME B STUDENTS

      Why would a college want you, the B STUDENT, instead of Ms. Straight A's or Mr. Perfect SAT Score? Easy! Colleges want diversity. They want all kinds of students and that means you too. You are so much more than your GPA or your ACT scores and most colleges realize that. They want you because you are curious, enthusiastic and interesting!

      You want the chance to shine, and there are colleges that want to help you do it. Think about it for a moment. There are more than 3,400 four-year, accredited colleges and universities in this country. That's a lot of places to learn! You can be sure that there are many schools for everyone and there certainly are many choices for B students. Your statistics may make the search a little longer and a bit challenging but no less rewarding.

      Nothing is as important to your educational success as finding a college where you feel comfortable. A key to success is being flexible and prepared to give the avenues open to you a fair chance. You have to be willing to look a little deeper and explore options, some of which you may not have thought of before. For instance, “Keep an open mind about going out of state,” encourages Lynda McGee, college counselor at Downtown Magnets High School in Los Angeles. It is McGee's personal goal to find schools for all students. “Some students fear leaving the area, especially those in sunny California,” she explains.

      Judi Robinovitz, an educational consultant for more than 25 years, suggests that students be open to exploring colleges they may not already know about. “You have to dispel the notion that just because you have not heard of a college, it's a bad college,” she says.

      “Community colleges are stepping stones to four-year universities, and they cost less, build skills and develop maturity. Students in the community college system gradually get into the college culture but with the security of home and familiar circumstances.”

      —Patrick O’Brien, former admission officer and consultant-ambassador for the ACT

      “There are no bad colleges,” explains Patrick O’Brien, former admissions officer and consultant-ambassador for the ACT. “Remember, the ‘best’ school is the one that is best for you, not necessarily the ones that are highlighted in the books,” says O’Brien.

      But, why would a college be willing to take a chance on a student who doesn't have the kind of scores and grades thought to be required by a majority of colleges? It's simple: They have common sense.

      First, a number of universities want a diverse student body roaming around their campuses. To achieve this, they have to broaden their ideas of what kind of student they will accept. Just as colleges accept people from all kinds of financial, ethnic, religious and racial backgrounds, they often will accept those with various levels of academic achievement.

      Second, admissions officers often realize that while students may not have the most perfect numbers, they can still add greatly to the student body. They may be tremendous leaders, facilitators, speakers or organizers. They may exhibit strength in a variety of skills that can't be pinpointed with the average test score. For example, while a student may not perform well in math, he or she may excel in the humanities. These students can enrich the campus community in untold ways.

      Last, colleges know that some students are genuinely working toward starting over, to changing their priorities and standards. Often this can be seen in school transcripts. Grades are improving with time; a new leaf has been turned over. Colleges recognize that some students really do go through difficult times such as the severe illness or death of a family member. Because of this, they are frequently willing to overlook some weak numbers and support that new dedication by accepting you into their college and giving you another way to continue your trend.

      So the college that you assumed was out of reach because of your grades or test scores may actually be entirely possible if you can give them a reason for why you deserve to be there.

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