Gilligan wrote:jonesthecurl wrote:that was being nice. He's bright, and can get an "A" just about anytime he wants, but usually doesn't bother and ends up with C or less in most subjects most of the time. He inherits a lazy streak from me - though I've learnt over the years to give myself a kick up the bum. He hasn't got the hang of that yet.
Sounds like me. In high school my grades were similar. I ended up going to a community college for two years to find out what I wanted to do and to get my GPA up a bit. While mildly successful, I ended up with I think a 3.1 after 5 semesters...and I just got into Northeastern University, where the averages are higher than that. Grades don't mean EVERYTHING, but it really helps. I spent a lot of time on the essays and whathaveyou on the applications, to show that I really was interested in going there and not just applying for the sake of applying.
Yeah, grades are not everything, I had average grades, but aced the SAT (99% for college bound seniors at the time in math, lower 90's for english).
However, I don't know if all states really have true community colleges. PA really doesn't. Even to go to a small adjunct means paying over $500 a CREDIT.. not a class, but a credit! It is cheaper to pay out of state tuition in many other states and attend there.
Don't forget private schools.
Private schools tend to be pricier, but often offer better scholarships, particularly for kids who are not quite average. Having lived in the UK can easily be one of those "not average" points.
University of the Phoenix and a few other online programs might work, but tend to require the student be motivated. Something tells me that does not meet the description of the child in question. They are really for people who either want or need to work and still want to attend school with a flexible schedule.
ONe thng, it tends to be easier to study things that are interesting. Having an interest is key.