You're just trying to find one place that suits you. One college is all you need. But to find the one you like, you're going to have to do some exploring.

Not every student can be in the top 10% academically. It's a mathematical reality. But it shouldn't be cause for alarm. If you're one of many students with SAT scores in the 1500s or 1600s and with a mix of As and Bs in regular classes, you have plenty of choices. To prove it to you, I've put together a list of 30 colleges you might consider.

No, this is not a list of obscure schools you've never heard of before. It's a list of schools that students from Palos Verdes to Palo Alto actually apply to and attend. It's a list of schools worth exploring.

30 Colleges for the B Student (or for the A Student Who Doesn't Test Well)

  1. Arizona State University. Tempe, AZ. Large, 4-year, public university.
  2. Auburn University. Auburn, AL. Large, 4-year, public university.
  3. California State University: Chico. Chico, CA. Large, 4-year, public university.
  4. California State University: Long Beach. Long Beach, CA. Large, 4-year, public university.
  5. California State University: Northridge. Northridge, CA. Large, 4-year, public university.
  6. Cuesta College. San Luis Obispo, CA. Medium-sized, 2-year, public community college.
  7. DePaul University. Chicago, IL. Large, 4-year, private Catholic university.
  8. Gonzaga University. Spokane, WA. Medium-sized, 4-year, private Jesuit university.
  9. Loyola University Chicago. Chicago, IL. Medium-sized, 4-year, private Jesuit university.
  10. Michigan State University. East Lansing, MI. Large, 4-year, public university.
  11. Northern Arizona University. Flagstaff, AZ. Large, 4-year, public university.
  12. Oregon State University. Corvallis, OR. Large, 4-year, public university.
  13. University of Redlands. Redlands, CA. Medium-sized, 4-year, private university.
  14. Santa Barbara City College. Santa Barbara, CA. Medium-sized, 2-year, public community college.
  15. Santa Monica College. Santa Monica, CA. Large, 2-year, public community college.
  16. Seattle University. Seattle, WA. Medium-sized, 4-year, private Jesuit university.
  17. Sonoma State University. Rohnert Park, CA. Medium-sized, 4-year, public university.
  18. St. Mary's College of California. Moraga, CA. Medium-sized, 4-year, private Catholic college.
  19. Texas Christian University. Fort Worth, TX. Medium-sized, 4-year, private university.
  20. University of Alabama. Tuscaloosa, AL. Large, 4-year, public university.
  21. University of Arizona. Tucson, AZ. Large, 4-year, public university.
  22. University of Colorado at Boulder. Boulder, CO. Large, 4-year, public university.
  23. University of Denver. Denver, CO. Medium-sized, 4-year, private university.
  24. University of Oregon. Eugene, OR. Large, 4-year, public university.
  25. University of Portland. Portland, OR. Medium-sized, 4-year, private Catholic university.
  26. University of San Diego. San Diego, CA. Medium-sized, 4-year, private Catholic university.
  27. University of San Francisco. San Francisco, CA. Medium-sized, 4-year, private Jesuit university.
  28. University of Utah. Salt Lake City, UT. Large, 4-year, public university.
  29. Washington State University. Pullman, WA. Large, 4-year, public university.
  30. Whittier College. Whittier, CA. Small, 4-year, private college.

Good luck!

Jon

Jon Perkins holds a B.A. in English from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He helps students with their college, law school, and medical school applications.