How to get into good colleges with a few B's.
If you are starting your senior year and have a transcript that's not ideal, don't freak out: you can still gain admission to an excellent college. Sure, super selective colleges will be a big reach, but there are quality schools that are significantly less selective.
As a B student, you might have trouble getting into schools in the top 50 on the US News and Forbes rankings lists; however, you might have a decent chance of getting into a school in the top 100. Considering there are over 3,000 four-year colleges in the U.S., the #100 college is still better than over 99% of colleges in the US.
GPA matters! 75% of colleges believe that overall GPA and grades in college prep courses are considerably important admission factors. Meanwhile, test scores from the ACT, SAT, etc., are deemed considerably important by only about 46% of colleges surveyed. This indicates that grades are by far one of the most important factors in college admission.
Fortunately, colleges take many factors into account when determining admissions, including grades, classes, SAT, ACT, extracurriculars, recommendations, and the personal statement. If you apply to the right colleges, not even a weak GPA will hold you back!
List of the Best Colleges for B Students
Here are the ranges for GPA and other items on our list:
• Average GPA: 3.33 to 3.90
• Average SAT Score: 1185 to 1340
• Average ACT Score: 25 to 30
Ranking is from US News & World Report
School | Location | Overall Rank | Fall 2022 Acceptance Rate | SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile |
East Lansing, MI | #60 (tie) | 88% | 1100-1340 | |
Milwaukee, WI | #86 (tie) | 87% | 26-31 | |
Tampa, FL | #89 (tie) | 44% | 1140-1330 | |
Iowa City, IA | #93 (tie) | 86% | 22-28 | |
Ames, IA | #115 (tie) | 90% | 21-28 | |
Miami, FL | #124 (tie) | 64% | 1060-1250 | |
Columbia, MO | #124 (tie) | 79% | 23-30 | |
Norman, OK | #124 (tie) | 73% | 23-29 | |
Elon, NC | #133 (tie) | 74% | 1170-1360 | |
Oxford, OH | #133 (tie) | 88% | 24-29 | |
Dayton, OH | #133 (tie) | 74% | 23-30 | |
Houston, TX | #133 (tie) | 66% | 1160-1330 | |
Birmingham, AL | #142 (tie) | 87% | 23-30 | |
Cincinnati, OH | #142 (tie) | 86% | 24-29 | |
Fort Collins, CO | #151 (tie) | 91% | 1070-1290 | |
Chicago, IL | #151 (tie) | 70% | 1070-1300 | |
Houghton, MI | #151 (tie) | 86% | 1130-1350 | |
Lawrence, KS | #151 (tie) | 88% | 21-28 | |
Lexington, KY | #159 (tie) | 95% | 21-28 | |
Lincoln, NE | #159 (tie) | 79% | 22-28 | |
University, MS | #163 (tie) | 97% | 22-29 | |
St. Paul, MN | #163 (tie) | 78% | 21-28 | |
Manhattan, KS | #170 (tie) | 95% | 20-27 | |
Des Moines, IA | #178 (tie) | 67% | 25-30 | |
Athens, OH | #178 (tie) | 87% | 22-27 | |
Fayetteville, AR | #178 (tie) | 79% | 21-29 | |
Charlotte, NC | #178 (tie) | 80% | 20-26 | |
Peoria, IL | #185 (tie) | 75% | 1050-1280 | |
Baton Rouge, LA | #185 (tie) | 76% | 23-28 | |
Stillwater, OK | #185 (tie) | 71% | 20-27 | |
Birmingham, AL | #185 (tie) | 83% | 23-29 | |
Moscow, ID | #185 (tie) | 74% | 990-1250 | |
Tulsa, OK | #195 (tie) | 69% | 21-30 | |
Cincinnati, OH | #201 (tie) | 84% | 23-30 | |
Boca Raton, FL | #209 (tie) | 81% | 1020-1200 | |
Mississippi State, MS | #216 (tie) | 70% | 21-29 | |
Laramie, WY | #216 (tie) | 96% | 20-27 | |
Ft. Lauderdale, FL | #227 (tie) | 76% | 1040-1310 | |
Nashville, TN | #236 (tie) | 96% | 24-30 | |
St. Paul, MN | #236 (tie) | 72% | 20-28 | |
Nashville, TN | #236 (tie) | 71% | 23-30 | |
Grand Forks, ND | #236 (tie) | 83% | 20-26 | |
Cookeville, TN | #249 (tie) | 77% | 21-27 | |
Jackson, TN | #249 (tie) | 53% | 23-30 | |
La Crosse, WI | #249 (tie) | 82% | 21-26 | |
St. Louis, MO | #260 (tie) | 51% | 20-26 | |
Melbourne, FL | #269 (tie) | 64% | 1120-1320 | |
Kansas City, MO | #269 (tie) | 69% | 21-30 | |
Bowling Green, OH | #280 (tie) | 79% | 20-25 | |
San Marcos, TX | #280 (tie) | 88% | 980-1180 | |
San Antonio, TX | #280 (tie) | 87% | 1010-1220 | |
Toledo, OH | #280 (tie) | 92% | 21-28 | |
Fort Myers, FL | #304 (tie) | 74% | 1040-1200 | |
Searcy, AR | #304 (tie) | 45% | 20-28 | |
Ruston, LA | #304 (tie) | 82% | 22-28 | |
Kalamazoo, MI | #304 (tie) | 85% | 990-1220 | |
Abilene, TX | #320 (tie) | 66% | 1030-1250 | |
Findlay, OH | #332 (tie) | 86% | 20-26 | |
Brookville, NY | #369 (tie) | 93% | 1100-1330 | |
Berea, KY | #30 (tie) | 25% | 23-27 | |
Crawfordsville, IN | #59 (tie) | 61% | 1122-1320 | |
Decatur, GA | #63 (tie) | 67% | 1130-1350 | |
St. Joseph, MN | #73 (tie) | 88% | 20-27 | |
Notre Dame, IN | #82 (tie) | 84% | 1030-1270 | |
Washington, PA | #89 (tie) | 88% | 1010-1250 | |
Sherman, TX | #93 (tie) | 55% | 1130-1360 | |
De Pere, WI | #93 (tie) | 84% | 21-27 | |
Rock Island, IL | #100 (tie) | 61% | 1020-1250 | |
Richmond, IN | #100 (tie) | 73% | 1130-1380 | |
Ashland, VA | #107 (tie) | 85% | 1020-1220 | |
Selinsgrove, PA | #107 (tie) | 88% | 1088-1280 | |
Mount Vernon, IA | #116 (tie) | 79% | 23-30 | |
Lexington, KY | #121 (tie) | 91% | 23-29 | |
Latrobe, PA | #124 (tie) | 73% | 1030-1250 | |
Cedar Rapids, IA | #130 (tie) | 72% | 22-28 | |
Birmingham, AL | #135 (tie) | 57% | 22-29 | |
Waverly, IA | #156 (tie) | 97% | 19-25 | |
Mankato, MN | #159 (tie) | 58% | 20-25 | |
Arkadelphia, AR | #178 (tie) | 72% | 21-29 | |
Indianapolis, IN | 82% | 1110-1320 | ||
Bloomington, IL | 42% | 1120-1330 | ||
Providence, RI | #1 (tie) | 53% | 1260-1420 | |
Winter Park, FL | 50% | 1120-1340 | ||
Boone, NC | 83% | 21-27 | ||
Helena, MT | 78% | 13-29 | ||
Point Lookout, MO | #3 (tie) | 21% | 20-25 | |
Upland, IN | #3 (tie) | 75% | 1090-1310 | |
Ewing, NJ | #4 (tie) | 64% | 1140-1350 | |
Kirksville, MO | 45% | 23-29 | ||
Berea, OH | #6 (tie) | 77% | 20-27 | |
Daytona Beach, FL | 65% | 1140-1340 | ||
Liberty, MO | #8 (tie) | 41% | 20-26 | |
Lakeland, FL | #11 (tie) | 57% | 1160-1330 | |
Cedar Falls, IA | #11 (tie) | 95% | 20-26 | |
Marion, IN | #13 (tie) | 87% | 1000-1190 | |
Siloam Springs, AR | #13 (tie) | 58% | 21-28 | |
Evansville, IN | #13 (tie) | 76% | 1045-1300 | |
Angola, IN | 92% | 1020-1250 | ||
Milligan, TN | 67% | 21-26 | ||
Sioux Falls, SD | #17 (tie) | 66% | 21-28 | |
St. Bonaventure, NY | #17 (tie) | 81% | 1050-1220 | |
Westerville, OH | 84% | 20-27 | ||
Cedarville, OH | #21 (tie) | 65% | 23-29 | |
Duluth, MN | #21 (tie) | 81% | 22-28 | |
Eau Claire, WI | #21 (tie) | 85% | 21-27 | |
Wilmore, KY | #24 (tie) | 96% | 20-27 | |
Naperville, IL | #24 (tie) | 61% | 1020-1240 | |
Springfield, MO | #26 (tie) | 63% | 22-28 | |
Rapid City, SD | #26 (tie) | 83% | 23-29 | |
Loretto, PA | #30 (tie) | 73% | 1030-1240 | |
Kenosha, WI | #32 (tie) | 82% | 20-26 | |
St. Louis, MO | #32 (tie) | 56% | 20-27 | |
Mechanicsburg, PA | #33 (tie) | 79% | 1090-1340 | |
Socorro, NM | #34 (tie) | 74% | 1110-1320 | |
Lincoln, NE | #38 (tie) | 81% | 22-27 | |
Greensburg, PA | #39 (tie) | 78% | 1040-1240 | |
Dahlonega, GA | #41 (tie) | 69% | 1010-1200 | |
Orange City, IA | #43 (tie) | 88% | 20-25 | |
St. Paul, MN | 93% | 21-28 | ||
Nampa, ID | #50 (tie) | 88% | 1000-1240 | |
Grand Rapids, MI | #60 (tie) | 82% | 980-1230 | |
Willimantic, CT | #69 (tie) | 74% | 980-1190 | |
La Crosse, WI | #74 (tie) | 72% | 22-27 |