<p>For music programs and perspectives of the campus and info bout them :)</p>
<p>If you’re considering WCC, you’re thinking about a conservatory-style education. Harvard has outstanding music programs all across campus, but they’re extracurricular. You’ll want to decide first if you’re going for the full college experience or the pre-professional music education.</p>
<p>I’m going to Illinois Wesleyan this fall- do you have some specific questions about that college? Have you applied/are you a senior now, or are you simply looking into these schools? Btw, I’m going to IWU as a music major- piano performance!!!</p>
<p>I’m actually a sophomore looking into colleges haha and I was actually hoping when I apply I would apply in piano performance also or voice performance! 
Btw what were your stats that helped you get in? Like classes, extracurriculars etc.</p>
<p>Hey, piano also! That’s awesome! I know they would definitely welcome a few more piano majors- it’s not the largest department in the School of Music, which can be good and bad but, anyways…</p>
<p>30 composite ACT, 32 best combined ACT, 1970 SAT, SAT II Math 2- 730, SAT II US History- 740, UW GPA=3.936, Weighted GPA=idk because my school doesn’t weight grades at all but probably around a 4.3+ based on estimates on random online calculators, 7 AP classes, 7 Honors classes, honor roll every semester, nominated to attend various national/international conferences (idk why someone picked me for it, but…), community service although not a huge amount of it, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Pep Band, various other music things, MN Music Listening Contest, summer piano camps, studying music theory, music composition (self-taught, no formal classes), national honor society, good references I think.</p>
<p>Piano: good repertoire list (variety of composers, and lots of it), good audition (had 5 comments in the weeks following the audition by email, phone, and mail from them), about 20 piano competitions, several recitals, high-end scores on theory exams and piano exams, played for the school musical freshman year (which had 3-6 hours rehearsals every day for several weeks).</p>
<p>If you’re also looking into Harvard, I’m assuming you have spectacular grades- better than mine.</p>
<p>I started looking at colleges as a sophomore too- it’s good to start early for music majors, no matter how crazy your non-music friends say you are. I visited IWU for the first time after sophomore year- have visited 3 times now.</p>
<p>Other random stuff- IWU seems to like out-of-state people since 80% of the students are from Illinois, so I think being out-of-state helped me too!</p>
<p>I also looked into St. Olaf as you are, but decided not to apply there. They have a great music program too.</p>
<p>Are you planning on visiting IWU? Or those other schools in the near future? You can usually do visits in the summer, if you want to get started on it. The first time I visited IWU was in the summer.</p>
<p>You will find lots of good information about different music departments at [Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums) </p>
<p>The other thing that you need to do, is sit your parents down and have them run some of the financial aid calculators. There is a good one at [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and Financial Aid](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Calculator - Finaid) They need to know now what their FAFSA EFC is likely to be. That is almost certainly the minimum amount the colleges and universities will expect your family to pay. If your family can afford your EFC, you need to know how much more they can pay. If you can’t afford your EFC, you need to know what it is that they can afford. In the end, it will come down to money. The sooner you know your limits, the sooner you can start creating a realistic list.</p>
<p>Point your parents to the Financial Aid and Parents Forums here. They will get lots of useful information there.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I would agree with happymomof1- financial talks with parents have to happen when it comes to college stuff, and sophomore year is not too early to figure out what your family can do financially.</p>