Match Me! Rising Senior Looking For Good Business/Music Programs

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Demographics
State/Location of residency: Ohio
Type of high school: Small, Private, Co-ed (300 students, K-12)
Gender/Race/Ethnicity: White

Intended Major(s) : Minimum business major with music minor, if not double major

Unweighted HS GPA: 4.0
Weighted HS GPA (incl. weighting system): 4.35 on weighted 4.0 scale (possible 5.0 scale)
Class Rank: 2/23
*ACT/SAT Scores: 31 on ACT first time, plan to take at least twice more; not planning to take SAT

Coursework
Bible: Bible I, II, III, IV
English: English I, H English II, College Credit English 1111, 1112
Foreign Language: Spanish I, II, III, IV
Math: Algebra I, H Geometry, H Algebra II, H Precalc, AP Calculus
Science: Physical Science, H Biology, H Chemistry, AP Physics, Health
Social Studies: College Credit US History, World History, American Government, Geography, Economics
Fine Arts: Band (1 yr), H Band (3 yrs), Art, Music Theory
Other: TA for math teacher 3 yrs, one year for band director, one year for choir director

Awards
Top Ratings at State Solo and Ensemble Events
Probable Salutatorian
Various Honor Bands
National Honor Society

Extracurriculars
Varsity soccer (2 yrs until injury made me quit), now I do stats
Pep band/ concert band
Small group leader
Class president (4 yrs)
Chess club
Weekly involvement in worship team at school and church
Principal Tubist in local college band
Piano Lessons, accompanying student performers
Summer Leadership Development Program (2 yrs)
Various mission trips to Nashville, West Virginia, Kenya, Amsterdam
Summer Job doing administrative work at my church of 2000, also was main event planner for a 500 person leadership event

Essays/LORs/Other
Not available, but my essay should be at least average if not better

Cost Constraints / Budget
Income: 150+k, only constraint is having three siblings in college at the same time

Schools

  • Safety *
    Liberty University
    Belmont University

  • Likely*
    SMU

  • Match
    William and Mary (possible reach)
    Furman University

  • Reach
    Georgetown University

Looking for any school, safety, match, or reach. Open to any suggestions. Thanks all!

2

JMU has a strong business program, plus the music department has a major in Music Industry.

3

Since you are considering Christian schools and willing to look at schools in Texas (SMU), have you thought about Baylor? It seems like a better fit than SMU - both are strong in business and music, but SMU has a wealthier and less-religious student body, whereas Baylor has lots of students with backgrounds just like yours. It would be a low-match/likely, depending on admission round. Finances might be an issue, as need-based aid there is modest and merit aid is very unpredictable, but they do have large scholarships available to strong students through an invitation-only competitive process. Worth a look.

4

Some colleges cost more than $80k/year nowadays. Also, the FAFSA will be changing policies soon whereby having more than one student in college at the same time does not split the expected family contribution. For instance, before, there might be an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $50k. If there were 2 kids in college it would then be $25k/student. Starting in SY24-25 (i.e. your first year), it will be $50k/student. It’s unclear how schools that use the CSS will calculate the EFC for families with multiple kids in college, but it will probably vary based on the individual institution. Find out from family what they would be able to afford/year for YOUR college expenses. Then we can try and find schools that could be a good fit for you.

Another student was looking for conservative colleges similar to William & Mary that offered business programs. Here are some schools that I suggested (and the thread that has other suggestions):

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Have your family run the Net Price Calculators (NPCs) to see what the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is from each university you’re interested in (and they can vary widely, school-to-school). If the EFC is something your family can afford, then terrific! If not (and the answer is not for many families), then you will need merit aid to help bridge the difference.

These are some schools that you may want to take a closer look at. They’re all religiously-affiliated schools (with some more conservative than others) that offer the majors you’re interested in and that produce larger numbers of doctoral recipients than might be expected based on their size & type of college (source). I am using that as a rough proxy to estimate whether it might have a more intellectual climate than other schools where that may not be the case. As others like to say, correlation is not necessarily causation, but it is a hunch on my part.

  • Asbury (KY): About 1500 undergrads

  • Calvin (MI): About 3100 undergrads

  • Campbell (NC): About 3300 undergrads

  • Cedarville (OH): About 4200 undergrads

  • Harding (AR): About 3700 undergrads

  • Hillsdale (MI): About 1500 undergrads

  • Hope (MI): About 3100 undergrads

  • Illinois Wesleyan: About 1700 undergrads

  • Lipscomb (TN): About 3k undergrads

  • Loyola New Orleans (LA): About 3400 undergrads

  • Mississippi College: About 2500 undergrads

  • North Central (IL): About 2400 undergrads

  • Olivet Nazarene (IL): About 2600 undergrads

  • Samford (AL): About 3600 undergrads

  • Wheaton (IL): About 2300 undergrads

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6

Gordon College in Wenham MA is a fit for religious environment and excellent music. St. Olaf?

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Belmont is excellent for your interests. Usually the caveat is “but is it too religious for you?” but clearly in your case it isn’t. It should be in the running (if affordable) even if you have options that are more competitive.

Is the west coast too far? If not, look at Pepperdine, Chapman, Seattle Pacific. Maybe U of Puget Sound which is very good for music + business but might be too progressive/secular for you. None of these guarantee full-need-met aid, but run the Net Price Calculators and see how they look.

Non-religious but good for music + business: U of Denver, U of Miami, Syracuse. Also U of Richmond. Run NPC’s for these - they all meet full need except for Denver, which could potentially fill the gap with merit.

Lots of strength among your in-state schools. Ohio State - good business, good music, and a relatively flexible music program in terms of offering a performance minor as well as a double-major-friendly music BA in addition to the BFA. MiamiOH has potential too.

Even if you can get into W&M, it’s pricey OOS. MiamiOH is your affordable W&M alternative… or Richmond if you qualify for aid, but that’s reachy.

Re: suggestions above, I don’t think St. Olaf is business-y enough. Gordon could work, though. Among more competitive LAC’s, Gettysburg could be worth a look. Rollins might be another to look at.

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I think Hope would be a great safety. Their merit is amazing and they have both a great business program and a strong music program. Agree with Baylor too, although the merit did not come to much for my child, your stats are higher.

I think (just going by your post) that Georgetown may not be what you’re looking for in a reach. Maybe Notre Dame instead?

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