My junior D wants to major in graphic design and minor in contemporary worship music. She is a practicing Catholic, yet attends a Lutheran high school, non demon bible study groups and leads worship in various denominations.
We are having a hard time finding a fit for her at colleges that have her major and minor. Last summer we visited Biola and she loved it immediately. We met with a representative in the Honors College and he made an anti-Catholic comment in our interview. We also read a blog written by a Catholic student that expressed her unhappiness and perceived persecution by several of her professors. During a meeting with the admissions staff, I asked if they would be willing to put us in touch with a Catholic student who could talk to my daughter about where to attend mass, worship opportunities, etc. they were unable/unwilling to do that.
Next we visited LMU. As a Catholic university, it should have been a slam dunk. Unfortunately, other than the chapel in the middle of the campus, we didn’t see much of anything Christian on campus. When we went to the book store, they had Cosmo, but not a single bible. The book store manager told me “they don’t sell well.”
She also visited Cedarville in Ohio for worship band camp. While there she took a tour through the admissions office. The tour guide indicated that there are no Catholic students there and that she thought it would “uncomfortable” for them there.
So we are still looking at schools to add to her list. 4.0 unweighted,her ACT is 29, she takes the most rigorous classes her school offers, has tons of EC and work experience. Schools that we have researched that have her major and minor and she is looking at include:
Azusa
Concordia Irvine
George Fox
NW Nazarene
Point Loma Nazarene
Seattle Pacific
Whitworth
Grand Canyon
William Jessup
Some of these schools have not great stats. In a perfect world I would like her to find a college that has her programs that is welcoming and ecumenical and academically respected and rigorous. Is there such school? Thank you in advance!
She might want to look at Valparaiso. It’s Lutheran, has a pretty good sized Catholic presence (the associate dean of the Honors college I spoke with was Catholic), and has students who are very active and involved and committed to social justice. Many are actively religious, but some admitted to not being religious and yet feeling included. They don’t seem to offer a minor specifically in worship music, but they do offer it as a major, so a general music minor could perhaps be tailored towards church music. They offer a major in Digital Media arts, which includes graphic design. I was very impressed with both the school and the students at Valpo.
Boston College is one of the top Catholic schools in the country. It’s a Jesuit school so religion is very much intertwined with academics. It’s also very accepting of other religions which I appreciate as a Catholic. I’m not sure about their graphic design program though.
I would also second the recommendation to look at some of the Lutheran colleges. I know Concordia (Moorhead) best–has a graphic design pre-professional concentration within the art major, active contemp worship music group for its Wednesday night Tabernacle services, Faith & Leadership track w/in the religion major, and an active Catholics @Cord/Cobber Catholics group.
Thank you so much @caitlynn09, @bekp2018, and @InigoMontoya We will look at those schools next!
She may also want to look at Seattle Pacific. It’s not a Catholic school, but it does have a more liberal Christian bent, and I can imagine, would be more accepting and inclusive of Catholics.
I dont personally know much about this college and it’s policies/atmosphere, however, it looks cool and fun: Colorado Christian College. It doesnt have my daughter’s intended major; but otherwise i would have encouraged looking there.
We know a girl who went to catholic high school and is attending John Brown University and really liking that school too. We know some kids at grand canyon who love it; and i second @massmomm’s Seattle Pacific as well. (my Sister went there and liked it.)
My daughter will most likely be attending Judson University outside of the windy city – they have a good graphic arts program. It’s pretty small, and i’m thinking its pretty conservative. but my daughter LOVED the vibe there on her over-nights and the metro area resources are great.
You can look around at colleges too on myblueprintstory dot com.
Thank you for your reply! You are right that some schools consider Catholics as non-Christians. I had never before heard that in my life, but unfortunately, it is true of some of the schools. At Biola, a representative of the honors college made an anti-Catholic comment in our interview with him. 
Several of these schools have my daughter’s intended major/minor so I will look at them, thank you! We recently visited Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego, and Concordia Irvine. They both have her major and minor and both seemed fairly Catholic-friendly. In fact, Concordia, although a Lutheran school has a higher percentage of Catholics on campus (29%) than Lutherans.
Perhaps look at Regis University or Samford. Both good schools with graphic design and music and Christian.
I would agree with Mount Olaf. The choral music may be among the very best in the country, and the vibe between Lutherans and Catholics is going to be compatible.
For Catholic music and liturgy, Georgetown, Notre Dame and Saint Louis University are all identified as “liturgical institutes” in the US. The great composer John Foley, who has written a number of songs you almost certainly have heard at Mass, teaches at Saint Louis University.
We have a friend whose daughter is a junior at Saint Louis. She likes it there and also got a lot of merit aid. They have a lot of professional programs. We have not visited so I can’t speak to that. We visited Notre Dame and many things made us feel a Catholic presence; also, the book store had many BIbles and other sacred books to choose from. Georgetown we did not make it to their bookstore; the guide we had was most involved in Catholic social justice. While all three schools are great, it is obviously very difficult to get into Notre Dame or Georgetown.
No one has mentioned Catholic University in Washington DC. They also have great choral music. Also note that the university is next door to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which is a good place to sing for its acoustics. We have visited and it’s a pleasant campus, not in the best part of Washington DC, but doesn’t appear bad either.
I encourage you to go on Youtube and enter the college name and “concert” and often times you will find some examples of their performances.