Melin, you’re probably aware of this, but a C average is NOT going to get accepted into CalTech. Depending on SAT scores, it likely won’t even get him into the UC. There’s a chart somewhere that lists the minimum SAT score they’ll accept to go with a certain GPA. The lower the GPA is, the higher the SAT score needs to be. I had a 3.4 average in high school and 1200 SATs and made the limit easily. But a 2.5 average probably requires an SAT score of something around 1400 - something I know I could never do. (Standardized tests and me don’t mix all that well.) I’m sure your son’s counselor has this chart, or if you like, I can bring it to Monterey (I work in the admissions office, I have access to all this stuff). But if your son’s more interested in paleontology than geology, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be going to a UC at all.
Speaking of the difficulty of getting into Berkeley (someone mentioned it), I have a horror story: I knew a girl in high school who had a 4.5 GPA (yup, above a 4.0, she had all AP classes), was in the Top Ten of my graduating class, had pretty good SAT scores (1250, I think), and was really active in extra-curricular events, and did not get accepted to Berkeley. I am still mystified how someone who had a 4.5 GPA is not considered qualified to attend a public university.
Thank you, C&W, for seeing the good in my post. To elaborate:
One of the pervasive myths of a college edjukashun is that one “NEEDS” to get into a percieved (or self-promoted) “good” school, else one’s life and future career are for naught. I dunno… maybe for Bidness school this might be true, but NOT for science. True, a more popular name brand gets a little more attention, but after everybody’s through being impressed (two minutes later), it’s time to produce quality research–or wither away. I’ve known many very book-smart people who can make grades, sit in class, read, and absorb secondary knowledge but are unable to conduct research in the pursuit of primary knowledge. The ability to concieve a problem, chart a course towards unravelling that problem, and work doggedly at finishing the project is what gets you far in science.
Melin, I wouldn’t worry. Your son sounds like the kind of guy that–although unable to get into Prestige U.–can do what it really takes to make it in the field. Larger schools have more toys that make research easier, but smaller schools have more of a personal touch that encourages self-starters to get the job done. And fields like Paleontology that don’t require tons of expensive lab equipment are even better suited for the solitary researcher. (Think Jack Horner.)
Question to Pantellerite: What about U. of Texas of the Permian Basin? I’ve seen some fairly good stuff on general geology topics produced by faculty there, but don’t know Equus asinus from a mine adit about the place otherwise.
Polycarp: UTPB has a pretty good program and faculty. Their curriculum and faculty are more oil, paleontology, and structure oriented, as one would expect. We’re more petrology oriented. In fact, we’re gradually entering into a cooperative program with them to share faculty, resources, students, etc. Eg., we’ve got a lab, they don’t; they’ve got a class in vertebrate paleo, we don’t. UTPB sends their students to Sul Ross for field camp.
UTPB, though, only recently became a 4-year program; they were upper-division only. Most of their students tend to be non-resident and non-traditional, which is fine, but a rather daunting environment for a first-year, traditional student. It’s a program more ideal for the Permian Basin-area resident (oil worker or school teacher) that wants to complete their BS or MS in Geology for a better position and/or paycheck. AFAIK, they don’t attract many from beyond the basin!