So true. Just being able to play. It’s in her soul…can’t breathe without it.
Every school has different rules, for my d continuing on her instrument without majoring in it was a major factor. Not only that, she had to “fit” with the music teacher teacher. We did the sample lessons that music majors do and really researched how involved she could be with her instrument as a non-major. Thankfully she found a school that as long as she auditioned and was accepted into the school of music she could take classes without majoring. She really hit it off with principal instructor her instrument and she really wanted D to join her studio.
My daughter found a college where non-majors were welcomed into the orchestra. As long as she played onnthe orchestra, she got a 45 minute private lesson per week. She also got a small $750 performance scholarship as long as she continued to play in the orchestra.
She really liked her private instrument teacher…also did sample lessons prior to applying.
It all worked out…but really…it was THE hardest criteria for us to fulfill.
3scoutmom where did she end up if you don’t mind me asking?
At Alabama, non-music majors can play in orchestras, ensembles, symphonies, etc.
@“Erin’s Dad” @suzy100
The perfect score may not matter for admissions but it might for competitive merit. If you are watching this year’s Pitt admissions/scholarship threads - it looks like the perfect scorers are getting bigger merit.
OP, I can understand where DD is now as a junior may change in what school really is a good fit for her as she sees various options. Sometimes a smallish school is OK for the first year but then is too small; same with a school in a smaller community.
-----She is open to most parts of the country except for the South. She plans to minor in music and major in the sciences (not specific yet but leaning towards biology). She toured a flagship state school and felt it was too big and chaotic. I think she would do well at a smaller liberal arts type school. She is very bookish and would feel comfortable in a very academic environment.-----
I agree many flagship state schools can seem too big and be chaotic. I hear from a lot of various school visits that the attitude is that they really don’t have to court a student because having enough students coming in is not an issue, so they really don’t develop a relationship with a particular individual student with various gifts and aspirations.
From another comment, she may also become National Merit?
A music minor is actually quite a time consuming endeavor. Both my DDs were all state music/orchestra; DD2 currently a junior engineering student at Univ of AL was All State starting as a 6th grader on her band instrument. DD1 had 12 years of piano and 8 years of piano guild (top talent on the last 7 years); DD2 had 10 years of piano (until schedule just didn’t allow enough rehearsal time).
When DD1 went to UABirmingham for nursing, we met with a music professor about a music minor, and it clearly was too much to chew - she had a music scholarship for two years (marching band and orchestral groups) but those courses wouldn’t work towards a music minor - and then junior/senior years were consumed with nursing requirements. DD1 still had a private french horn lesson all four years and was in a french horn ensemble.
One can keep up an instrument some with various orchestral groups. For example, DD2 signs up for concert band when her schedule doesn’t have a conflict - and there are several levels of musical groupings, so the most serious are in the top group.
Major in the sciences - does she plan to continue on to medical school or professional school?
With more OOS entering freshman at UA (Tuscaloosa) than in-state, the student body is very diversified. UA is a very unique campus, and unique for a flagship. Many opportunities within Honors College for programs like getting into research as a freshman (Emerging Scholars program), STEM MBA, and regular Honors which are the larger honors programs; then there are smaller highly selective - Computer Based Honors Program, and University Fellows.
As you research and visit various campuses, and DD sorts out what is important on opportunities while also keeping costs in check…
If DD is even considering CS or an engineering field (CS is in college of eng), there is a one week summer program for HS rising juniors and seniors, the UA SITE program (Student Introduction to Engineering) - the University offers three sessions, but space is so limited UA doesn’t really advertise this program as it always fills up. DD did this before her HS senior year and it helped her decide on an engineering field. Some other programs across the country offer this type of program. It is a way to get on campus and explore career options.
My guess is med school at this time. She just got offered a research assistant position at a hospital for the summer working in the autism field (her sibling is on the spectrum)… She is pretty excited abut it. On one recent college tour she mentioned neurology then on others just more generically sciences.
We will have an idea about National Merit in December. Her sophomore score would have qualified her in our state had she been a junior. You never know though. We are going to tour the Honors program at our flagship state school to see if that is more palatable for her then the regular program. It may feel smaller. Frankly it would be a very good fit academically if she is serious about the sciences. I do think though she would really shine socially in a small LAC.
@nw2this are there any examples of a student on the Pitt threads having the same record except a 1600 vs 1570 in the SAT where the 1600 got better merit aid? I believe I saw at least one case where a student had a 36 ACT and got a lower scholarship than a 2350 SAT. This would be the time for the student to strengthen their app in another area.
I’m a senior with a 36 ACT and 4.0 who qualifies for no financial aid, similar to your daughter. I am also interested in some schools that offer little or no merit aid, so I decided to look into private scholarships. After all, no matter where I end up going- merit aid or not- private scholarships can only help, and are definitely impressive during the application process! I believe @CourtneyThurston has some really good threads about private scholarships, but since she graduated HS a few years ago several new scholarships have popped up.
I promise each of these are legit as I have received them or have had friends that have 
United States Senate Youth Program (selected, received $10,000 scholarship)
Coolidge Scholarship (only 3 people out of 2300 applicants got the full-ride scholarship. I was a “Senator”, one of the top 40 applicants, so I got a trip to Washington DC to meet the other Senators. No scholarship at the end of the day, but definitely worth it!)
Bryan Cameron Scholarship (1800ish completed applications. 70 chosen for interviews. I was not chosen, but have two friends who interviewed.)
Coca-Cola Scholarship (applied, waiting to hear back)
Burger King Scholarship (applied, waiting to hear back)
AXA Scholarship
Elks Scholarship (possible financial need component)
Reagan Scholarship (financial need one of the things considered)
NHS Scholarship, if she’s part of NHS
Note: Bryan Cameron and Coolidge are only for juniors, so she should really look into them asap.
Of course, if your daughter is a URM or has other unique hooks, there may be scholarships specially designed for students like her. Best of luck!
Have you considered any U.K. Universities? Only 3 years of tuition, and with the favorable exchange rate might be cheaper than some US colleges.
We have talked a few times with the US rep for Trinity in Dublin. St Andrews as well but it closer to 40K/year. We are also considering McGill in Canada. Trinity seems to have the best music options of the 3.