GPA/ACT Mismatch. Any merit w/TO? Tuition Exchange poss?

Applying to College
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I have posted elsewhere. Typical teen stuff, added with pandemic, throw in some new diagnosis adhd, and lastly lots of split family drama.
Kid has a 3.4 GPA right now. Hoping to keep it there. But in the end he could get between a 3.3-3.5.
Yet got a 35 on ACT. (Math, Reading, English all 34. Science 36).

We will submit scores to any schools who will take them. However, with his low gpa, is there any hope of merit?

He has interest in music major possibly and will submit a supplement. We are aware some schools do give music scholarships.

Finances will be a huge factor in our decision so I’m looking at all angles.

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Use the weakest part of his application to craft your list. If you are targeting schools where a 3.4 is the median GPA, that ACT score will shine and he’ll be more apt to get merit. (At least that was the experience of D’s friends).

And congrats to your son!

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3.5 is probably a fairly common GPA threshold (may be in combination with ACT/SAT) in stats-based merit at not that selective colleges.

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Alabama will give him $8K. UAH will give most his tuition back - $15,500.

Murray State 20% off. Miss State - $18k off.

I’m sure privates like Hofstra will be large.

So I would not say you can’t get - and if he gets a 3.5, you’ll get more.

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U. of Louisiana at Lafayette would give him in an OOS tuition waiver, room & board, $1300/semester toward in-state tuition costs, and an on-campus job. Incoming Freshmen Scholarships - Fall 2023 | Office of Scholarships

ETA: I wouldn’t be surprised if the university ended up making this a total full ride. For in-state students who qualify for this scholarship they would have received a scholarship for tuition from the state, so the additional moneys of this scholarship is likely for fees and room and board and a job for spending money. If this was going to OOS students, I think someone might be able to press to get the in-state tuition covered as well, if the university didn’t offer it from the get-go.

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U. of Mississippi (Ole Miss) is another one. Looks like your son would get full OOS tuition. https://finaid.olemiss.edu/scholarships/#8

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(shared from another post for anyone who read this one. for more info).

I had been focusing on TE/Fachex schools. I am not naive to think that a 35 on the ACT somehow means that my son is some brilliant scholar because he isn’t. I am still very realistic about his chances of getting into a school that is both a fit for him and a fit for our wallet.

I know my sons application is going to look different than others. He is strong musically. Vocal bass, takes private voice lessons, 8 years of musicals, good at flute but not tippy top, taught himself some basic guitar, voice teacher has thrown in some piano. He’s in 2 ec choirs outside of school as well.

He was academically pushed ahead in math 2 years and hit a wall in precalc and struggled. Hes taken only a few honors (what our school calls accelerated) and only 1 AP class. He won’t have the high rigor of course selection as I have let him take band and choir as electives and there wasnt much else that fits around those. For example, Im letting him take a study hall this year and he’s chosen Autos as an elective next year because hes genuinely interested in learning more about how cars work.

He is athletic, a multi sport player. Hes good and dependable. He will choose music over playing D2 or D3 football. However, a school that has good school spirit and intramural options may be important to him. Esports, I guess hes decently ranked in some games. Hes had about a million views on social media for the gaming videos he has created.

Right now my kids potential college choices are a bit all over the place. But the recent ACT score was unexpected and throws a bit different options out there perhaps. College app season is coming up and its all so confusing!
,

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There are colleges for every kid - including yours.

As you bring budget into it, the list may just not be as expected.

If you give us more size, environment type desired and the rest, we could find some for you to look at.

Otherwise, you get the big names - which is fine.

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Edited title to show TE in the mix as well. We have to consider Jesuit schools (FACHEX) and those in the Tuition Exchange (TE) as he could be eligible for discounted tuition. For those you are unaware, www.tuitionexchange.org is a benefit for staff/faculty of certain colleges. It is highly competitive. My kids are not guaranteed acceptance to the colleges listed nor guaranteed this tuition award. (He has a younger sibling class of 25).

His GPA alone made him have a lower chance of getting FACHEX or TE. Now I wonder if they would consider ACT score and look at him more holistically. So I was totally lowballing the percentages, now uncertain if I should have him consider a few others.

He wants a fun, chill, collaborative environment. He would love to get out of the Midwest but knows money will talk. He skis and loves the ocean or any body of water. He does not want rural but is undecided about how urban he wants to be.

The goal is to visit Lawrence, U Wi-Madison, and Depaul and see his pros and cons of each environment. Many on “the list” of possible tuition award may feel too small for him.

To further complicate admissions, he is highly interested in music as a major. Either vocal performance (he is a bass), music education, or music industry studies, or just music and a possible double major. Likely a BM preferred but open to a BA. If he doesnt do music as a major, he would like to continue with an acapella group or something (He’s in 3 vocal groups/choirs now).
He has an interest in learning more about esports and wants opportunities to stay active as he is a multisport athlete who loves to lift weights and such as well.

So for FACHEX, he may love the location of Regis, Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara, or Gonzaga, but none of those are super well known for music.

FACHEX likely to stay on the list for certain reasons:
Loyola New Orleans
Xavier
Gonzaga

TE schools on the list:
Shenandoah
Stetson
Jacksonville U
U of North Florida
U of Redlands
U of the Pacific
U of Puget Sound
Syracuse (not sure if he would get enough merit to make it affordable)
College of Wooster
Gustavus Adolphus
Baldwin Wallace

Colleges not on FACHEX/TE that we wonder if he should consider. Some were recommended by his voice teacher who feels he could get some merit for talent.:
U of Cincinnati
CU-Boulder
Indiana University
U of Minn-Twin Cities
Ithaca
Northern Arizona U (he has family in AZ)
U of Arizona

Thanks for letting me write my novel. It helps me to get it out and to find it later when I wonder, what was I thinking? :slight_smile:

Im open to thoughts, critiques, or other recommendations.

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Some of these won’t give a lot of merit aid.

What is your annual out of pocket budget?

@tsbna44 wouldn’t this kid get auto merit at University of Arizona?

Remember, for music merit awards, his award will be based on the strength of his audition relative to others auditioning on the same instrument (voice included).

What is your instate flagship? For music education, best to get the degree from the state in which you plan to teach. That way, all the required courses will be included. Usually the praxis tests for that state are required of education majors.

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You listed the other complicating factors. :slight_smile:

He wants to get out of wi so the politics surrounding education in certain states would be a consideration if he chose music ed.

Total budget difficult to say as his father has not communicated how much he intends on helping out. Dad gave $0 to our oldest but there has been a fund in the kids names for years. So I keep thinking in my head if we could stay under 25k for tuition it might be manageable.

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I’m sorry that it’s such a difficult situation with so many factors outside of your control. It sounds like when you’re building your list that each category should be based on 1) the likelihood for admission, and 2) the likelihood of getting the price under $25k.

I know that Tuition Exchange gives some indication as to how competitive each university’s scholarships are. Does FACHEX do the same?

Your son wants to get out of Wisconsin for college; does he also want to move away permanently? Are there parts of the country he would like to live in permanently, or avoid living in? Being able to name those would also help in the search.

How many applications do you think your son is realistically up for? 1) Essay-required schools, and 2) audition-required schools? I think it’s more important to have high quality applications than extremely numerous applications, particularly if you think your son may not feel like applying to 20 separate colleges and writing their “why us” prompts.

I have more thoughts, but I’ll come back later.

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Need a 3.75 for decent. 3.9 for great.

Did not run Ms State but worth a look.

Once we know desires we could comb the schools. I don’t want to say lesser. But lesser known. Directional

So Illinois has no OOS tuition. Another to look at.

Wyoming and W Carolina are just…cheap.

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I do have a feel for likely for admission vs a likely for being affordable list. And there is not much overlap. I have been watching the TE lists and will review the schools that pop up with still having TE openings next month for fall 22 admits. I have an idea of a few schools that tend to historically accept more TE awards. They wouldnt be at the top of his lists but he doesnt want huge debt either. Hes smart that way.

All I have for FACHEX possibilities is word of mouth of colleagues who have gone through it. But as we know, every year changes things a bit.

At 17, he isnt sure where he wants to live. If he chooses education, states such as Indiana and Florida may be out (along with Texas but dont have any TX schools on the list right now).

As for how many schools he will apply to, we shall see. His voice teacher has talked to him about auditions a bit so he is prepared. The good news is that with the pandemic, many are still virtual right now. The essays, that will be a bridge to cross if and when we get to it.

I appreciate the thoughts though!

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From you’re other thread you’ve heard my opinion about Loyola New Orleans (positive). For Indiana University, I think it’s a fabulous university and has SO many music options. I know it used to have multiple a cappella groups (Straight No Chaser started at IU). I don’t know if the music scholarships would be enough to get the price down into your budget. That’s something I would check with the music & admissions department about. Do you think your son would qualify for any need-based aid, or just the tuition/FACHEX options and merit?

Look forward to hearing what your son thinks about the closer school options in terms of university size, type of city, and his impressions about other aspects, including the feel of the campuses. That might help focus the list as well.

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Likely no need-based aid.

IU/Boulder/CCM-U of Cin were ones recommended by his voice teacher. I too am uncertain if those would get close to affordable.

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I think he’d get a lot of money from U of Denver, both music money and just general merit (they give housing scholarships as part of the package). They do not have football but do have top D1 teams in hockey, skiing, lax, gymnastics (women) and decent teams in basketball, swimming/diving, soccer. The music school is a hidden gem.

I see you have Regis on the list and from your description I think he’d like it.

And of course the new Jesuit favorite - St. Peter’s!

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All in the midwest…but St. Olaf is a great music school. So is Lawrence. Concordia Moorhead. Worth a look for possible music merit.

I had friends years ago who really enjoyed Shenandoah (VA) as a music/arts school.

Maybe instead of looking at UW Madison, check out UW Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts. Easier entry, really strong on the arts.

Good luck!

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You’re probably not really looking to add schools for consideration. But…these are some schools with rugby programs that either seem as though your son would have a decent shot for TE or for sufficient merit aid to get the cost under $25k and none in the midwest!

Wagner (NY): TE set rate, 11-40% receive; cost with TE set rate would fall below $25k. Offers majors in music ed, fine and studio arts management, and music performance. About 1600 undergrads. On Staten Island so close proximity to New York City and water.

Marywood (PA ): TE full tuition, 11-40% receive. Offers majors in music performance, music ed, music therapy, and fine & studio arts management. About 1700 undergrads. Many outdoor opportunities available.

Salve Regina (RI): TE set rate, 11-40% receive; cost with TE set rate would fall below $25k. Offers majors in music and music ed. About 2100 undergrads and has a well-reputed sailing program.

U. of New Hampshire: Offers majors in music ed, performance, composition (and can do B.A. or B.M.). The net price calculator asks for GPA & test scores, so you should get an excellent idea of what type of merit aid would come. Has 11k undergrads. Near a bay and within a half hour of the Atlantic Ocean.

West Chester (PA ): Offers majors in music ed, performance, or music therapy and there is a minor in music production as well as jazz studies. 14k undergrads. Price is just under $30k before any merit aid, and I definitely think he’d have a shot at merit here. In close proximity to Philadelphia.

Nazareth (NY): TE full tuition, 11-40% receive. Offers majors in music history/literature/theory, music management, music performance, music ed, music theory & composition, and music therapy. About 2k undergrads. It’s in close proximity to both the Great Lakes and the Finger Lakes.

As a school that’s extremely likely to be affordable, there is Molloy (NY). It’s classified as a commuter campus, though, and only about ¼ of freshmen live on campus. This would personally give me pause, but it’s a TE full tuition school that grants TE to 91-100% of candidates. It offers majors in music, music ed, and music therapy and there are about 3200 undergrads. It’s on Long Island so it also has close proximity to New York City as well as water.

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Thank you again!

Salve was on his list. Looking at the others!

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