Are you a B student and worried that your score won’t get you into a top-tier college? Firstly, I’d like for you to stop worrying because there are great colleges for you and I have curated them in this blog post. Let’s dive in.
So, you’re a high school senior or a high school graduate and wondering which college will pick you because you are a B student. You’re probably worried that B isn’t enough to get you into one of the top colleges like say one of the Ivy Leagues. But the truth of the matter is that B is a great score and there are hundreds of great colleges that are ready to accept you.
Still not sure whether B is a great score, well, let me briefly break it down for you.
There are B+ and B-, B+ equals to 3.5 CGPA or 87-89 percentile while B- equals 2.7 CGPA or 82 percentile. Now, the minimum GPA required by most colleges is 2.5 while for top colleges like Stanford and Harvard, it is between 3.5 and 4.2 GPA.
From the short breakdown above it is now clear to you that you have a wide choice of college options because, as I mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of colleges ready to accept you and these aren’t just any colleges but top ones at that.
Possessing excellent academic achievement is one of the major admission requirements for every college application, however, it is but one of the many requirements. There are also other requirements like an essay, statement of purpose, recommendation letters, standardized test scores, extracurriculars, etc. that further determine your entry into college.
And if you focus on building a competitive college application along with your B CGPA, there’s no way you won’t get accepted by a good school.
But just in case, there are a few colleges that do not require essays, you could consider applying to them. However, I’d urge you not to apply for super selective colleges or colleges with low acceptance rates as this would limit your chances and put you in fierce competition with straight-A students, trust me, you don’t want that.
As a B student, you want to put your options around colleges with a 40-60% acceptance rate or go for colleges with 100% acceptance rate if you are not the competitive type. All in all, there are good colleges for B students, and without any further ado, let’s dive into them.
Best Colleges For B Students
There are still some high school seniors under the impression that they must be straight-A students to get into a top-tier college and having a few Bs on their transcript will not get them into a good school. This is a false impression that you should terminate from your head because there are great colleges that accept B students and I have listed and discussed them here.
The compiled list of best colleges for B students here includes various ranking lists from US News and World Report and Forbes but there are more of the latter because of their authority at college rankings.
The following is the list of best colleges for B students:
- Indiana University, Bloomington
- Pepperdine University
- Florida State University (FSU)
- Loyola Marymount University (LMU)
- The University of Colorado, Boulder
- Michigan State University (MSU)
- Purdue University – West Lafayette
- The University of Oregon
- The University of Iowa
- The University of Delaware
1. Indiana University, Bloomington
Indiana University is a leading research university in the US with campuses and medical centers across the state. It is a large institution with over 30,000 students pursuing academic programs in bachelor, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
The US News and World Report rank Indiana University at #72 in Best Colleges in National Universities, this makes it one of the best colleges for B students. It has an acceptance rate of 85% and tuition for in-state is $11,447 while out-of-state is $39,120. International students are equally welcome into the institution.
2. Pepperdine University
This is another great school for B students and a competitive one too as its acceptance rate sits just at 35.7% so it is very selective. If you are a B student who likes to compete and want a reputable Christian school then add Pepperdine University to your list.
Pepperdine is a private school located in Malibu, California, and is committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values. The school ranks #55 in national universities in the US and is also known for is top-ranked graduate and undergraduate programs.
3. Florida State University (FSU)
FSU is among the best academic institutions in the US, ranked #55 in national universities by the US News & World Report. With an acceptance rate of 37% admissions is more selective but B students can easily get in along with a strong application as the minimum GPA for this college is 3.0.
Florida State University is a public institution, therefore, offers a wide range of academic programs and has a large student body. The in-state tuition of FSU is $6,517 while the out-of-state tuition is $21,683 per year.
4. Loyola Marymount University (LMU)
Loyola Marymount is another prestigious catholic university located in Los Angeles, California, USA. It is a selective university with an acceptance rate of 46% and an early acceptance rate of 67.1% so, there is a higher chance of getting accepted if you apply early.
LMU is ranked #77 out of 443 national universities by the US News & World Report, this puts it on the list of one of the best universities for B students.
5. The University of Colorado, Boulder
UC, Boulder is a top-ranking research university in the US known for offering innovative programs and home to 5 Nobel laureates in physics and chemistry. The university is ranked at #103 of the best universities by Forbes and #97 out of 443 national universities by US News.
The acceptance rate of UC, Boulder is 79.6% with a minimum GPA requirement of 2.7, if you are a B student, this is a university you should consider applying to here.
6. Michigan State University (MSU)
Michigan State University is a leading research university recognized as a premier land-grant university in the US. The institution is ranked in many categories including #31 in top public schools, #9 in service learning, #39 in nursing, and many others. It is ranked #77 out of 443 national universities by US News.
MSU is a large institution with over 38,000 students. The acceptance rate is 76%.
7. Purdue University – West Lafayette
This is another reputable public research university known for its advanced discoveries in science, technology, engineering, and math. Purdue University is one of the top aviation colleges in the world and ranks #51 for best colleges in national universities.
Purdue University is a large institution with over 35,000 students enrolled in a wide range of programs spanning business, engineering, and science. The acceptance rate of Purdue University is 68.8% and requires a minimum of 3.0 GPA or higher.
8. The University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a member of the Association of American Universities, a group of 65 leading public and private research institutions in the US and Canada. This shows that the University of Oregon is a leading research institution. It houses 9 schools and colleges collectively offering over 300 academic programs leading to bachelor, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
The acceptance rate of the University of Oregon is 93.4% therefore competition is less and the acceptance rate is high.
9. The University of Iowa
The University of Iowa ranks #83 among national universities by US News & World Report. It is a tier-1 public research university with over 200 programs and is also a member of the Association of American Universities and Big Ten Conference.
If you are a B student, looking for a prestigious higher institution with a high acceptance rate then consider adding the University of Iowa to your list.
10. The University of Delaware
Last but not least is the University of Delaware, a public land-grant university in Newark, Delaware. The institution houses 8 colleges that offer a wide range of academic programs in associate, bachelor, master’s, and doctoral degrees. There are over 20,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs at this school.
The University of Delaware ranked #89 among the best national universities by US News and has an acceptance rate of 70%.
5 Best Colleges For B Students In The South
The following are the best colleges for B students in regional universities south according to US News & World Report:
- Florida Southern College
- Rollins College
- Stetson University
- Christopher Newport University
- Appalachian State University
1. Florida Southern College
This is a private college in central Florida that B students in the south can consider applying for. It is known for its quality liberal arts and professional programs. The school is competitive with a 61% acceptance rate and ranks at #8.
2. Rollins College
Rollins College ranks #1 for best regional universities south and is also reputable for being one of the top 10 value schools in the south. This college is a great place for B students who want to attend a small liberal institution. There are about 30 undergraduate majors and several graduate programs.
3. Stetson University
On the third list of best colleges for B students in the south is Stetson University, a private non-profit higher institution with a reputation for its outstanding leadership in reducing energy and water consumption. Stetson ranks #4 out of 136 regional universities south. The acceptance rate is 91.6%
4. Christopher Newport University
This is a public liberal arts and sciences university known for its great teaching and small class sizes. Christopher Newport University is a great school for B students who prefer a small study environment. The acceptance rate is 89% and an early acceptance rate of 93.6%.
5. Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a public 4-year higher institution located in Boone, North Carolina. If you are a B student, then add this school to your list it is not so competitive as the acceptance rate is 85%.