NM qualifications and program recommendations for music

Paying for College National Merit Aid
1

Hi:

We live in Wisconsin and our son seems to be putting together the scores necessary for NM consideration. He’ll be a 2016 graduate:

PSAT: 226
SAT: 2250 (using the CR + M + (W(mc)*10) formula)
GPA: 3.9 unweighted, 4+ weighted
highly competitive high school (very highly ranked in the state by US News)

From what I’ve been able to find online, these all seem like they make the grade for qualification. Anything I’m missing?

Also, of the schools that offer significant National Merit Semifinalist or Finalist scholarships, do any have music programs of note? Our son is interested in doing something with engineering or physics and music. (He’s been very active in band and orchestra.) Maybe a dual degree, maybe something with acoustics. Music education is a possibility, too.

Thanks!

2

“Our son is interested in doing something with engineering or physics and music. (He’s been very active in band and orchestra.Maybe a dual degree, maybe something with acoustics. Music education is a possibility, too.”

USC has all that he wants- the fantastic Thorton School of Music, Vertibi- a great Engineering school, and a top Physics program in the college of letters and sciences. Plus the well respected USC marching band!

Plus USC’s Renaissance Scholars Program encourages top students to double major or minor in diverse areas- such as music and engineering, for instance.

http://academics.usc.edu/

http://www.usc.edu/programs/ugprograms/renaissance/

3

USC is the best school for both disciplines. Some other schools that have ranked music programs and respected engineering programs are Arizona State and University of Cincinnati. AS offers full tuition and UC offers $20,000+. Another school that has a good music program, especially jazz, is University of North Texas which offers a full ride.

4

Thanks for the information. We’ll give USC, AS, and Cincinnati a closer look. University of North Texas was already on our radar, specifically because of the jazz program’s history.

5

Forgot to mention that IF accepted by USC, he will receive a 1/2 tuition National Merit scholarship, IF he indicates that USC is his first choice by the National Merit notification deadline of May 1 [ i.e after he has decided where he is going to college]

6

Another vote for University of North Texas. It is a very popular choice for National Merit music majors.

7

What do you want your net costs to be? @JLowder

Alabama has a very good School of Music and as a NMF and engineering major, he’d get practically a free ride

http://music.ua.edu/

tuition for 5 years
housing for one year
3500 per year stipend
2000 study abroad
iPad or laptop choices

plus
$2500 per year from engineering

With the $6k per year stipend added to the free tuition (plus housing for year 1), there’s not much that’s not covered.

Your cost the first year would be nothing. The cost the 2nd - 4th year would be less than $5k per year.

Also…the UA Million Dollar Band is awesome

8

A couple of others to consider would be Houston and Pacific Union.

9

@mom2collegekids. We don’t have any set value in mind for net costs just yet. I suppose our baseline for comparisons will be in-state costs for UW-Madison. Good school, but not known for being particularly generous with aid. UW tuition is also likely to jump significantly in two years, given recent budget politics.