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."
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 policies.
"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.
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 are 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.
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.
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.