<p>Okay - the big question - where should I go to college? Right now I plan on starting out pursuing a double degree in Chemistry and French horn performance. I pretty much love every subject, so I want to go somewhere where I can keep all of my options open for a while. I am thinking grad school afterwards, for horn, chem, engineering, or something like that, but I am not really sure at this point. I have a 4.0 gpa, 36 on the ACT, and I'm a National Merit Semifinalist, so I probably have a pretty good chance of getting into schools. However, I have no idea where to start looking. Any suggestions as to where I can find an amazing science program and music program? Any advice would preferable to this vast, uncharted sea of possibilities that I am looking at right now.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Hmmm We can’t answer the question for you. It’s very personal. Do you like big school or smaller school? Loction preference? Education affordability? The list can go forever</p></li>
<li><p>The notion of National merit Semifinalist - hmmm maybe. But the notion of “getting into any school” is quite arrogant IMO. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>If you want to keep your option open, you should consider urban campuses, where you can explore the world while studying.</p>
<p>Again, you should look through the first answer and search on.</p>
<p>Okay, I probably shouldn’t apologize, but I feel bad. I really didn’t mean to sound arrogant - you’re probably right - I guess I don’t really have any idea what I’m talking about. I was trying to be concise and lay all of my cards on the table, and I guess I thought that I could get away with taking on a more arrogant personality in internet-world, but I guess I thought wrong, considering it bothered me enough to make me write out this lengthy apology.</p>
<p>So anyway, moving on - I don’t really know what my preferences are for colleges - I don’t know what big schools and small schools feel like. Affordability is an issue, but I am doing my best to apply for every scholarship that comes my way. Location - I guess the closer to the midwest, the better. I think that my real problem is that I don’t know what I want, which makes it really difficult to narrow down my choices.</p>
<p>Is there any way that I can figure out what situations I might prefer without actually attending college to find out?</p>
<p>“I have a 4.0 gpa, 36 on the ACT, and I’m a National Merit Semifinalist, so I probably have a pretty good chance of getting into schools.”</p>
<p>Hobogirl, I don’t see your post as being arrogant at all. You didn’t say that you could get into ANY school. You just said that you have a pretty good chance of getting into schools, which is true and realistic, given your qualifications.</p>
<p>Given your interests in two demanding majors, one consideration will be to find a school that allows you to do a double major in them. As you seem to have professional-level interests in music, it not always possible to combine that interest at all schools. Another consideration is to find schools that offer music at a sufficently professional level. In general, I think it’s probably easier to do a double major across two widely different areas at a smaller school.</p>
<p>After you consider what type of school best fits you (size, location, etc.), if you decide that you are interested in smaller liberal arts colleges, three to consider include Lawrence University (WI), Oberlin College (OH), and St. Olaf College (MN). All of them allow you to double major. Oberlin and Lawrence have music conservatories; St. Olaf has a very strong music program. All of them have strong science programs. (BTW, none of these are not in major urban areas, which is definitely not a necessity for exploring the world. With the exception of Lawrence, they are within about 50 miles from a major city. </p>
<p>[Degrees</a> and Majors - Oberlin College](<a href=“http://new.oberlin.edu/conservatory/degrees-and-majors/]Degrees”>http://new.oberlin.edu/conservatory/degrees-and-majors/)
[Sciences</a> at Oberlin - Oberlin College](<a href=“http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/sciences-at-oberlin/]Sciences”>http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/sciences-at-oberlin/)
[Overview</a> - Oberlin College](<a href=“http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry/]Overview”>http://new.oberlin.edu/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry/)</p>
<p>[Bachelor</a> of Arts/Bachelor of Music Double-Degree Program - Lawrence University](<a href=“http://www.lawrence.edu/academics/gen/5year.shtml]Bachelor”>http://www.lawrence.edu/academics/gen/5year.shtml)
[Chemistry</a> - Lawrence University](<a href=“http://www.lawrence.edu/academics/chem/]Chemistry”>http://www.lawrence.edu/academics/chem/)
[Conservatory</a> of Music - Lawrence University](<a href=“http://www.lawrence.edu/conservatory/]Conservatory”>Lawrence University Conservatory of Music | Lawrence University)</p>
<p>[Chemistry[/url</a>]
[url=<a href=“http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/music/]St”>http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/music/]St</a>. Olaf College | Northfield, Minnesota, USA](<a href=“Chemistry – St. Olaf College”>Chemistry – St. Olaf College)</p>
<p>Since you have a good shot at being named a NM Finalist, you might consider some of the schools that give substantial financial aid to NM Finalists. The best of these is USC which will give 1/2 tuition. With your stated qualifications, you might qualify for significant merit aid at a number of other schools as well.</p>
<p>Although I hate to admit it, zapfino, I did sort of say something about getting into any school, but immediately edited it after realizing how terrible it sounded, thank you to jwxie. But thank you for the affirmation that what I have now is acceptable. : ) Anyway, thank you for the tip about smaller colleges possibly providing an easier time double majoring - I never thought about that. I will definitely look into that.</p>
<p>^ The reason I said it might be easier to double major in those particular fields at a smaller school is that often at a larger school it is harder for students to major in that fields that are situated in two different colleges of a university. For example, music might be situated in the school of music whereas chemistry is situated in the college of arts & sciences. </p>
<p>Although it often is a problem to major across two different schools within a larger school, there are exceptions. For example, Northwestern is pretty good about it. Nonetheless, it is an issue that you should check out for any schools that interest you.</p>
<p>Although two of the colleges I suggested have separate music conservatories, they explicitly address the question of double majors.</p>
<p>One of my good friends in undergrad dual degreed in both Materials Science & Engineering and Music Performance (on french horn). It was a ton of work, but he was able to get through it with only an extra semester. We were both at Carnegie Mellon.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1015508-aspiring-music-performance-chemistry-double-degree.html?highlight=northwestern[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1015508-aspiring-music-performance-chemistry-double-degree.html?highlight=northwestern</a></p>