Can you match very different twins who want to stay close to each other?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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My sophomore boy/girl twins are adamant that they want to be close to each other, which we’ll define as able to get from one to another within 1.5 hours using a bike or public transportation, or within an hour’s driving distance and one school allows freshmen to have cars on campus.

And yes, I know that they might feel differently in 2 years, or that they might decide to stay close and then get caught up on their individual campuses and never actually visit each other. Both of those outcomes are fine. But since they are so adamant about this now, I think looking at schools where it would be possible will keep them engaged in the college search.

Examples of pairings I’ve thought about: Tulane (her) and Loyola NO (him), or CMU or Pitt (her) and Slippery Rock or Duquesne (him)

I’d love some suggestions on pairs of schools to visit, or areas that might have more than 2 schools. I’d particularly like options that might be matches or safeties, since the advice to start with safeties resonates with me.

Both: Biracial (AA/White) sophomore US citizens coming from an urban environment. Girl has a preference for city/suburbs, and prefers a mid sized or larger school. Boy says he’s not picky about environment, his priorities are music therapy, jazz, and his sister.

Girl: Neurotypical. PreMed with an undecided major. Maybe something to do with ecology/environmental science. Academic high flyer coming from a bilingual IB magnet. PSAT over 1400, 4.0 unweighted GPA (as of end of sophomore year). As much rigor as her high school allows. Decent extracurriculars (2 sports, music theater, church choir, clubs related to the environment)

Boy: LD/ADHD inattentive, LD’s that impact science and math. He wants a Music Therapy major, in a program with a strong jazz program. 2 years of comprehensive public high school, and probably 2 years of homeschooling with a mix of dual enrollment at a CC with a strong music program and math/science at home. 3.4 unweighted GPA (as of end of sophomore year) without much rigor. Strong extracurriculars related to his career interest: Lots of music and music theater, lots of paid and volunteer experience working with children with disabilities.

We know our instate options, looking for ideas out of state.

Financially, they have the resources to go anywhere, but we would love to look for merit aid for my daughter as she’s hoping for medical school and they don’t have enough resources for 8 years.

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Brandeis, Wellesley, for the D, a range of options in Boston for your son. You’d need to explore based on actual stats vs. your projected stats. Simmons, Wheelock, BU, BC, Northeastern… then North of the city Endicott, Stonehill… lots to think about.

Any of the colleges in the U Mass/Amherst/Smith corridor for your D, with options as far South as Hartford for your son, or as far East as Lowell/Framingham/Worcester?

In the Providence metro area lots of options ranging from Brown (super rejective) to Providence College, Johnson and Wales, URI, Wheaton, Salve Regina.

New Haven/New London CT- Conn College, Quinnipiac, Southern CT State, U New Haven, Yale (not a safety or a match, but it’s smack dab in the middle of New Haven). A branch of U Conn in Stamford which now has dorms-- it’s walking distance to the train station which has trains running frequently to New Haven in one direction and NYC in the other so it opens up a LOT of paired options ranging from Columbia/NYU/Fordham/Hunter/Baruch in NYC (lots more) to SUNY Purchase which is halfway between Stamford and NYC (fantastic for music although I don’t know specifically about music therapy), Sarah Lawrence, Manhattanville.

Vermont- UVM in Burlington which is about half an hour up Route 7 from Middlebury (there are buses).

DC/Baltimore corridor- lots of options. American, GW, Georgetown, U Maryland, Goucher, Towson?

Is this helpful or are you looking for more specific information about the majors and programs?

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Perhaps make a search for each student with that student’s constraints, then put the results on a map to see which results for each student are geographically near results for the other student.

Be sure that they apply to a pair of safeties that match all constraints.

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Chicagoland area would be worth looking at - Northwestern, Loyola, DePaul, plus a number of smaller LACs (Wheaton, Lake Forest)are in the area

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The biggest constraint is the music therapy. Most of the schools listed here don’t have it. For example, there aren’t any programs in the Chicago area at all.

I’m also not sure that there are safeties for auditioned programs.

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I missed music THERAPY- Sorry!

How about the Cleveland area - Baldwin Wallace has music therapy and Case Western is great for pre-meds.

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That sounds like a great pairing!

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I am not sure what you mean by actual stats. Obviously their stats will change and it might mean that schools we thought were realistic turn out not to be.

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The city of Kalamazoo is much nicer than most people realize, and could be a good destination. Kalamazoo College is strong in the premed sciences and would likely give your daughter generous merit. Right nearby, Western Michigan U. has well-regarded programs in both Music Therapy and Jazz Studies. (They also appear to have robust disability services, including a summer transition program for students with autism and other disabilities - he may not need this level of support but it’s encouraging that they have it.) The two campuses are only half a mile apart. This could likely be considered a dual safety, but potentially an attractive one.

The MA 5-college Consortium might not be as urban as your daughter wants, but there’s a lot going on there and she could likely get merit from Smith or Mt. Holyoke. About 25 miles away, Westfield State could work for your son. (Music Therapy program, and a Jazz Studies concentration in the music department.)

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I immediately thought of UT-Dallas and Univ of North Texas, about 30-40 minutes apart by car. UT-Dallas is known for strong STEM programs, and students who receive any amount of merit scholarship are also granted in-state tuition status (around 32-34k COA). UNT has a widely-celebrated jazz studies program - I believe a few CCers have kids who are students and/or alums - and tons of music opportunities generally. No specific major is listed for music therapy, but there is a music education major that might work for the intended career path.

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Thank you! Those options sound great!

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Augsburg in Minneapolis has music therapy as well as lots of supports for learning differences. Nearby is Macalester which is great for pre-med. Both also belong to a consortium that also includes St. Catherines, St. Thomas and Hamline. Also nearby is UMN (which has both music therapy and good pre-med.)

Seattle Pacific has music therapy, and could be paired with UW Seattle or Seattle University for premed.

Maybe Lesley University for music therapy paired with something else in the Boston area.

Molloy on Long Island for music therapy paired with NYU, Fordham, Columbia, Barnard, Hofstra etc.

Anna Maria for music therapy paired with Holy Cross for premed?

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What about Philly? I think Temple might be a good fit for him. What are good options for her there?

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@Twofer in Houston, Rice/University of Houston/University of St. Thomas are all very close to each other.

In the Dallas Metroplex, SMU & University of North Texas would be close enough-by car. UNT has a great music school, and a Music Therapy program.
Or TCU & UNT.

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Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, U Penn in Philly…

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Temple isn’t too far from Bryn Mawr, Penn, Haverford etc.

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Agree with the Kalamazoo area schools. A friend of mine has a kid who is doing Jazz studies and Music Ed at Western Michigan and having a terrific experience.

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IIRC, Duquesne has the oldest masters in music therapy program in the country. To be a music therapist, I believe you need a masters now. But check that…everyone I know who has done this has a masters.

I think you need to search for music therapy schools that are realistic acceptances for your son…and then work backwards to find a college for your daughter. She can meet the requirements to apply to medical school from just about any four year college (arts conservatories excluded).

It seems like finding those sure things for your some could be more challenging. So start there!

What about Ohio State and one of the smaller LACs in Ohio.

Pitt or CMU, and Duquesne could work.

ETA…is this kid looking for a strong music program? I am not sure that is the case. I think he wants music therapy…a different animal.

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What state are you in?

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I’d rather not say, because I feel like we’re already pretty identifiable from what I have posted, but it’s a state without a music therapy program in the state.

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