<p>I had extremely similar stats as this girl, albeit different interests.</p>
<p>Here are some schools that might interest her:
Oxford College of Emory (yes, I know she said no South, but it’s an excellent and unique school. The nurturing environment is probably the reason I didn’t drop out)
Knox College
University of Puget Sound
St. Olaf College
Rhodes College (reach, I was waitlisted, perhaps she’ll be accepted)
Hobart & William Smith (no idea about their music programs)
Beloit College
Kalamazoo College
Illinois Wesleyan
Denison
University of Montana
Lewis & Clark College</p>
<p>If she wants to do music performance, her audition may matter significantly more than her GPA. Is she aware that she will have to submit pre-screen auditions at certain places? You might post over on the music majors forum.</p>
<p>You have to buy in to the St. Johns curriculum - believe me I would hate it! For math they go back and start with Euclid. For the person who is certain they won’t go on in math or science and who has a reasonable AP or equivalent background in high school I think it’s a viable choice. (I hate to think some kids might have no college level or at least close to college level science at all!)</p>
<p>That really wasn’t necessary. There were extenuating medical circumstances that happened during her first ACT try that I don’t really feel the need to disclose.</p>
<p>I have known her since birth. She is very intelligent. </p>
<p>Could you say more about Pacific University? My daughter is similar to OP’s friend (but I swear, I’m not controlling) except she has slightly different interests. I came upon Pacific U when scrolling through scholarships available via FIRST robotics. </p>
<p>As for OP, a couple of colleges I tagged for my daughter:
College of the Atlantic
Hampshire (my nephew went there)
New College of Florida
St. Mary’s College of Maryland (we’re Maryland residents and as a university employee, I get tuition remission, so this would be the financial and academic safety - she really liked it when we visited)</p>
<p>Understand that she wants to get out of Ohio. I do think it is unrealistic for an Ohio resident with a 3.2 and a 28 ACT (even higher) to have much of a chance at either Kenyon or Oberlin. They both want diversity and have tons of apps from Ohio. I think the GPA is a little low for Denison also. </p>
<p>S had a classmate very interested in creative writing. He was very happy at Kalamazoo. My nephew got in with a lower ACT but higher GPA.</p>
<p>Just one thing, even though she is very bright and might do better on her next ACT, a 28 is what you have to work with right now. The science can derail even some very bright but non-science kids. D took the ACT once with the flu, she scored the same as she did when she was well. Not being discouraging, I just think it’s hard to assume that her ACT will rise because sometimes it stubbornly stays the same. But the low GPA is something she will have to deal with too, a high ACT only counteracts the low GPA somewhat. That’s doesn’t mean she isn’t bright or capable. My S graduated in the top 40% percent of his class. He did very well in college. He was a low GPA/high ACT kid.</p>
<p>I was going to say College of Wooster then I realized she really wants to get out of Ohio.</p>
<p>Sarah Lawrence might be fine for her – it’s a good school (expensive, but that’s not a problem for her).</p>
<p>I’m not familiar with music schools, but their interests can change once they’re in college, so better to go for the broad based school up front.</p>
<p>Here’s a few more that at least fit the small LAC in the area of the country she likes – Champlain College (VT); Clark (MA); Union Clg (NY).</p>
<p>Even if she does want to get out of Ohio, it may be a good idea for her to include as many nearby colleges as possible on her list as well. There are a few from the CTCL list and probably more. One thing that may happen as leaving becomes more of a reality is that her parents may get more uncomfortable with her being far away. They do seem controlling, but they also have a reason- her health- and may be worried about not being able to help her if she needed them. If mom is an MD, then she is probably familiar with the people taking care of her daughter. I hope this young lady stays healthy, but it could also be a good thing for her to have family nearby in case she needs help. It could still be a few hours by car from home and give her the space she needs, but a long plane ride might be harder to manage.</p>
<p>Bard might be a possibility - they admit holistically and are great for both creative writing and music. It’s a ways from Ohio, but most classes are 10-15 people, so she would definitely not get lost in the shuffle.</p>
<p>Sorry, I’m running around right now but to address something: her parents (mainly mom) has been controlling her whole life. It’s unrelated to the illness. She was diagnosed when she was about 7 or 8 but the issues started before then. </p>
<p>She has family in Michigan and Pennsylvania as well that she’s close to. Her family is not staying in Ohio for very long but they don’t know where they’re going. To avoid being political, there was a bill passed recently in Ohio that affects doctors that was her mom’s last straw. This family moves every few years so staying in Ohio does not mean she’ll be close to her family.</p>
<p>I believe they’ll end up somewhere along the northeast coast or a complete change and go to Washington.</p>
<p>I sometimes sound like a broken record because I’m always pointing someone to the Claremont Colleges, but Scripps would be a great fit for her. They have a music major— a program combined with the other Claremont schools (which many of their programs are, so the “single sex” thing isn’t really all that real at Scripps) and a wonderful writing program where you can design your own writing major. It’s a liberal campus, the weather is fabulous and Los Angeles would be a fun, cultural change from Ohio.
[Scripps</a> College : Music Department](<a href=“http://www.scrippscollege.edu/academics/department/music/index.php]Scripps”>http://www.scrippscollege.edu/academics/department/music/index.php)</p>
<p>I think the school evaluates holistically, and I don’t think her grades or tests scores would eliminate her from consideration. They are looking for intelligent, talented young women, and it sounds like she fits the bill.</p>
<p>@deb- Right. I don’t think anywhere that is going to accept her with a low-ish GPA is going to care about the difference between a 28 and a low-30s ACT. She’s just like a little sister to me so I get defensive sometimes. My apologies if I came off as too snippy :(</p>
<p>I believe she’ll be able to display her intelligence and passion quite well in her essays and I’m hoping colleges can look beyond her GPA and see her potential :)</p>
<p>Sarah Lawrence gave substantial merit aid to my daughter (3.77 unweighted, 4.15 weighted, 2120 SAT, but they definitely evaluate holistically). We didn’t qualify for need based aid, though in metro Jersey are certainly not rich, so the $21,000 off the price tag was very helpful.</p>
<p>Romani- you weren’t being snippy at all. I know that everyone takes the ACT the first time and you always think it’s going to improve. But in my experience, it may go up a point or two but so many times that stinking ACT stays the same. But in the end it’s just a test you take on a day. There are tons of schools out there and once she is out of the house, She can do well at any school she goes to. </p>
<p>But don’t discount some larger schools. It’s not that easy to find a school with an orchestra that has a good English department which isn’t super selective. And I really hate to say it but when you get to selective schools you find tons of girls who want to major in the humanities who have high GPAs. It’s a fact, girls tend to be better at playing the whole high school grade thing and she will be up against that. I am sure she can be successful, but I think she is going to cast her net wide and be sure to have some safeties that she will love. And if music is a must, it makes it even harder. Because it has to be an orchestra and not every school will have one. </p>
<p>Good luck, your friend is lucky to have you.</p>
<p>Yes yes! That’s what I’m really trying to find for her. Due to her situation, I really just don’t want her to be left in May with few/no options. I want her to have some dream schools, but I also want her to have a solid option as a fall back (even if it’s in Ohio). </p>
<p>It’s a tricky line I’m walking. Her parents don’t realize how competitive admissions have become. I went to the same college that her parents did and they seem to be under the impression that admissions are the same as they were when they went 30-ish years ago! I am going to see her tomorrow and I want to sit down with her mom and her to show her realistic figures (average GPA, tuition, etc) of several colleges.</p>
<p>She is the stereotype LAC young woman (and I know that’ll make it harder for her)- white, upper middle/upper class, highly educated parents. </p>
<p>I was looking at some of the colleges above and it seems like not a lot of students were coming from outside of the NE region. Maybe she can at least bring some geographic diversity.</p>
<p>@My3- She really, really loved Sarah Lawrence when she visited a few weeks ago.</p>