@classicalsaxmom you are correct that it could be more challenging at Ithaca. It is tough to say. They state there is a non major jazz band (as well as a concert band). Neither appear to be audition based and are mostly non majors or majors playing a second instrument. We would need to confirm on the jazz but it definitely sounds like he could play at a relatively low commitment level.
There are also audition based ensembles and all are open to non majors but I suspect the chances there are much lower. You never really know though. I was quite surprised at UPS, where all are audition based. They made it very very clear they are in need of his instrument (trombone) and that his chances of playing were very good, as were his chances of possible scholarship money even as a non music major.
@MidwestDad3 yes, all of Ohio. Sigh. Really not sure why and have tried many times to open his mind to it. That said, sadly, Wooster doesn’t offer environmental science at all or I’d likely be pushing harder as otherwise it seems perfect (and is stalking him with a LOT of mail lol). I think he’s being ridiculous and would like Columbus and should consider Wes. It would be affordable if their NPC is accurate. Upper end but doable. However, the “Wesleyan” part of it is an issue for him, he will not considered any religiously affiliated schools. And while I realize that it’s loose at best at Wes, the “battling bishop” mascot doesn’t make it an easy sell lol!
Ohio University was in play for a bit as they have a nice new energy program but it was vetoed.
@mamaedefamilia Hi! Sorry if I was not clear. No need based aid here as a general rule. At some of the privates it will kick in as their COA is so high to bring it down to our FAFSA EFC or either own calculated EFC, both of which are far higher than we can pay. Unfortunately even if you are paying for your stepkids to go to college, they don’t get counted in the financial picture and it looks like we can afford a lot more than we really can. Which in many cases does not make a difference but at a lot of these target LAC’s, it would. Oh well. Dickinson is one of those, they show a 10K grant which puts COA still at 57k. Far over budget. Sadly. There are LOT of lovely schools that would work for him out there in the reach category, Dickinson being one of them but as to your point, he will be in the 25th quartile…they aren’t throwing money at him either. I’ve looked at Dickinson a ton ot times hoping to make it work but at best I suspect he would get a $7,500 - 10K scholarship on top of the grant. COA still 47-50k, a no go.
With his GPA I just don’t see how test optional helps him. If it was out of line with the test scores maybe, but it’s really not. A lot of his schools are test optional but that generally requires an extra essay and my school of thought has been that if his current score has him in the middle 50, which it does at all the schools on his list, then I am hard pressed to see the advantage of not sending them. I could be wrong although if so, it’s too late on the 5 schools they’ve already been sent to plus I can’t see him agreeing to extra essays!
Allegheny is barely hanging on, and it’s really due to location. He can’t get his arms around the cities nearby and where he could get to if he wanted to. But they are very strong in ENVS, he made a nice connection with them at a CTCL fair, and so for the moment, it’s still a maybe.