If you substitute biology and trumpet with math and saxaphone you would have my son. Right down to the stats and wanting to be a college professor.
Here are some random thoughts from our experience two years ago:
Your son is in a place where most schools that are “matches” for his stats are reaches in terms of admissions numbers. It will not be unheard of if he ends up with a list that is all safeties and reaches.
Be sure you get two or three safeties so that your son has as many choices as possible. Even if he’s comfortable with the one safety he already knows, it will just feel better to have more options.
As others have said DEMONSTRATE INTEREST in the LACs.
Regarding specific schools mentioned:
Carleton is a great school but it is need aware for admissions. As such, it becomes much more of a reach even for students who need significant aid.
St Olaf is a gem.
Grinnell does seem to tick many of his boxes: terrific biology program; intellectual but friendly student body; free private music lessons are open to all students. My son is there and loves the music program.
Oberlin’s renowned music conservatory can limit the opportunities for non-music majors to perform at the highest levels in orchestras and ensembles. There are non-major ensembles I think but not sure if that would be a turn off for your son or not.
Assuming his interviews go well and his essays and recommendations are good, your son will get offers of admissions at selective colleges if he applies to enough of them. Swat, UChicago, and Brown are the “super reachy” of his reaches but I think Reed and Macalester are likely to hit. Pull in a bunch of similar schools and he’ll be in good shape. If you’ll need a good amount of aid, assume Carleton is in the “super reachy” category.
Lawrence, like Oberlin, has a music conservatory, but unlike Oberlin it is very accessible to non-majors and very amenable to double-majors. Lawrence produces a lot of science PhD’s (although I think its strongest department is physics if I remember correctly?) and gives some nice merit aid. Very nice Great Books-ish Freshman Studies program, which gives all first-years a common reading list. Nice intellectual+music vibe. Like St. Olaf, it could be a nice safety. (But I think St. Olaf has better need-based aid.)
I also second URochester, and possibly Case Western which collaborates with Cleveland Institute of Music.
Rice is an obvious suggestion if he’s willing to brave the heat and humidity. Very strong in the sciences, good for music, intellectual, small (~4000 undergrads), college/house system, no Greek life, etc.
Adding my fourth - or fifth - or whatever the count is up to now for U Rochester. It’s not an LAC, but it is a research U where the bulk of students (close to 80%) participate in research. My research-loving lad fell in love on a visit when he stayed with students and for once they all talked about their research rather than how good a school’s sports teams (or similar non academic things) were. They did this while attending a singing club. Music and research tend to go hand in hand with many students there.
For many they are very good with need based financial aid. You could run their NPC to see if that’s true for your situation.
For any school that comes up, have him look at what professors are researching to see if their particular interest(s) match his. For many students that can be a deciding factor when it comes to where they attend (after admissions and finances come through). There’s no reason not to do it prior to applying though. It can help add or cut schools applied to - especially with smaller LACs.
@otterma suggested St. Olaf, which I was thinking of as I read your post as a perfect place for music and a safety. I know two truly amazing kids that chose it last year. One is very musical, science-oriented, and turned down U Chicago for it.
I also thought of Carleton,& Haverford for your son.
If he loves Swarthmore, ED. Run your numbers but ED is your best bet.
Agree. Right now he’s planning ED to Swat, EA to maybe U Chicago, and early applications to instate safety universities. If the ED and EA don’t get him anywhere then he’ll crank out applications for LAC’s and a broader array of others. Appreciate all the suggestions and encouragement. Very helpful.
@MyrtleD , I believe your son will be a strong candidate for Swarthmore. I wouldn’t agree that a rejection from Swarthmore necessarily means a rejection from other similarly selective LACs. Their applicant pools are highly self selecting which means that it’s difficult to predict why candidates with similar profiles experience different outcomes.
How many reaches really depends on the strength and reliability of your son’s matches and safeties. If he’s comfortable with your in-state public or his other less selectives, then he can expand the top end. An ED/EA rejection or deferral can allows time to recalibrate in the RD round, adding more matches and safeties.
I would suggest that your son consider Williams. Not only does Williams excel in math, sciences and overall academics, but it also has an excellent music program with multiple performance opportunities for non-majors. https://music.williams.edu/category/ensembles/
Williams doesn’t have minors, but double majoring is common and encouraged. No matter what his intended major he should submit a music supplement. I believe your son’s involvement in music would be a substantial boost in admissions at Williams, possibly moreso than at other LACs of similar selectivity.
He is seriously mistaken. Of the many students I know/have known at even tippy top schools (HYPSM+), almost all of them were turned down by at least one other school at that level (ie, turned down by Stanford, but accepted at Princeton, etc.).
Esp at LACs, it’s not just (as students say too often on CC) whether student A is “good enough”, or whether student A is “better” than student B. It’s also about how the student profiles add up together to make a class, as well as institutional priorities that change from time to time. (from developing a profile as a powerhouse in subject X, to building a credible team in sport Y, to needing that tuba player, etc., etc.) and more. Swat does a useful exercise at the visit days*, where they invite parents to play AdComm with (anonymous!) profiles from real (former) applicants.The idea is to make tangible some of the many variables - including ones exogenous to the individual student- that are considered in the decision process.
Has he visited any of these schools / spent any meaningful time at them? imo, Swat & Brown are so different that I wouldn’t see any given kid being equally ‘at home’ at both. UChic and Swat might seem similar in some dimensions, but (imo) they feel really different (and not just b/c of the urban/suburban aspect). Being specific about the ‘why’ for each place may help with the focus. As for how many, ymmv but I have found that my lot had maybe 6-8 good ‘why’ essays in them, and the rest were kind of forced. For the highly competitive LACs, that essay matters.
*several schools do this- the Tufts version in their road show was a particularly good one
Tufts sounds like it could be a great fit for what he’s looking for. (Butvyes, there is a language requirement.) While any of the more rural LACS will likely offer what he wants, they don’t sound like the vibe he’s looking for (with Vassar as the possible exception).
He has the stats for all these schools, btw, so it’s more a matter of him conveying who he is as a person and that he’s a fit for the school.
You’re getting outstanding advice here. I second most of the school recommendations. (Syracuse sounds like a ringer, but I honestly don’t know it that well.) A couple of thoughts:
He should apply ED if he is CONFIDENT a school is his first choice. Although there's certainly some sort of boost for ED, the scope of that boost is significantly distorted by the fact that a lot of ED accepted applicants are hooked -- athletes, legacies, etc. If a school is not actually a first choice and he's just going ED for the theoretical boost, I'd think twice. He may be better served by having choices later (tastes change).
Don't wait until AFTER the decision date to work on additional applications. An ED rejection can be a real ego blow (especially if there are no EA or rolling acceptances in the bag), plus it's a busy, stressful time of year. Even if applying ED, have drafts of supplemental essays for other schools ready BEFORE decision day.
While not in the north, he might want to look at Washington and Lee. Many science research opportunities. Strong academic vibe. He would be a potential candidate for their Johnson Scholarship, which is a full ride. But very different from Chicago and Swat. Might be worth a look.
Washington & Lee has strong academics of course, but to my mind, is not one that has a particularly strong intellectual vibe, which is what the poster is looking for
Kenyon, with its collaborative, intellectual atmosphere, seems potentially suitable for a student with professorial ambitions and an interest in music.
Looking at a list of notable grads it seems like Washington and lee has a long history of producing accomplished lawyers, noted politicians and writers/artists. A few world class sailors it appears as well. An astronaut and business leaders as well. Seems like a good place for those types of ambitions.
Agee. My son’s idea of partying is hanging out with friends to play cards or see a movie or just talk. Would much rather play sports with friends than be on a competitive team. Likes playing trumpet in a small ensemble better than competing for a solo in a large one. Likes helping other students understand concepts better than competing for the best grade. I’m thinking a place like Swarthmore would be a great fit. Just hope that Swarthmore agrees.