Hi, in my college search, I have found my favorite colleges among the liberal arts colleges. My academic interests, in order of increasing interest, are classics(Greek and Latin), music(Vocal performance), and STEM(Chemistry in particular). I’m looking for a mid-highly selective college with a strong science program where I don’t have to give up my other interests. It is fine if the music opportunities are not necessarily classes.
I am a rising senior from Colorado. I have a 3.92 unweighted GPA with 5 AP classes, 7 honors classes, and 6.5 non-weighted classes(Electives, PE, beginning Latin classes), and am taking another 3 AP classes, 2 honors classes, and 2 non-weighted classes. I have a 35 ACT and a 750 EBRW/800 Math SAT. I have extra-curriculars fitting my interests: Latin club, and my school’s top choir, as well as leadership positions in both.
I am looking for a small-medium private school in and/or near a city.
Try an online article, “15 Best Value Small Colleges for a Chemistry Degree.”
Swarthmore might suit you, particularly with respect to the location factors you indicated.
Hamilton served as the editorial center for The American Journal of Philology at one time, and would be strong for music and STEM, though their location is offset from large cities.
Oberlin is really well known for music and matches your size and setting criteria. Their conservatory might, however, complicate opportunities for non-conservatory students. Worth a close look.
Lawrence and St Olaf would be excellent. Express interest now (fill out request info form, click on messaged they send, ask questions to adcoms, go to talk to them at college fair…) and they become safeties.
My D went to Lafayette College (PA) which is excellent for STEM and has a low-key but nice music program. My D got a BS degree there a couple of years ago – she took some music courses which she loved and played in the orchestra for all four years. She had no issue fitting it all in. Another option to look into is Franklin and Marshall which is also in PA.
Definitely Lawrence U - hits all of your parameters - very music-oriented campus because of the Conservatory, great ease of double-majoring between the LAC and the Con, and very inclusive music opportunities for non-majors. High rate of students continuing on to PhD’s at top grad programs. You’d get merit aid. As MYOS said, show interest early and they will love you back.
U of Rochester has all the resources of Eastman, and lots of non-major involvement in performing arts, plus extremely strong sciences and a Classics major.
Vanderbilt/Blair is excellent in all of your interest areas too. And Johns Hopkins/Peabody. (Rice/Shepherd too, but music opportunities for non-majors are “meh” and double-majoring in music is difficult.) Also Northwestern and USC, but those are larger than you’re looking for.
Consider consortia like the Claremonts and the 5-College Consortium in MA, where the opportunities at excellent small schools are further broadened by shared resources.
You’d be a candidate for great merit at St Olaf and Lawrence as others have mentioned. My D got both and academic and music scholarship at St Olaf and an academic only at Lawrence. We didn’t visit Lawrence so can’t speak too much about their music but St Olaf has an amazing program and excellent facilities.
Check out Furman University in Greenville, SC. It fits all your search parameters. Has Classics, a phenomenal music program and a well-known and rigorous Chemistry department. Greenville receives accolades constantly for being one of the best small cities in the country. The campus is consistently listed as one of the most beautiful. With your stats, you would qualify for significant merit money.
