Starting my college search -- any school suggestions?

College Search & Selection
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<p>I'm a junior in high school, 3.19 GPA unweighted freshman + sophomore year, this is my first year taking any weighted classes (AP Lang + Euro) so I'm not sure what it will be at the end of this year.</p>

<p>My current GPA is a 3.4 weighted/3.1-ish UW, obviously my grades aren't amazing but AP Lang is a killer course and my lowest grade. The teacher does NOT give pity grades and all the advice I've been given is that my grade will go up as the year progresses. I've gotten this advice from my English teacher last year, students who took the course before, and also my GC, so I'm going to do my best in that class and take their words for it.</p>

<p>Current courses + grades:
Algebra II: B-
AP Lang: C+
Psychology: A-
Concert Choir: A
AP Euro: B
French III: A
Sociology: B+
Chem: B</p>

<p>Obviously I should work on getting my grades up to As next semester. I won't be taking Sociology or Psychology next sem, but I'll be adding Acting Study and Music Theory to my coursework, since my senior year I want to move onto the highest acting class in my school and AP Music Theory.</p>

<p>I'm looking to major in Music, preferably non-performance, I would love to study Musicology or Ethnomusicology but since there are so few undergrad programs that offer that as a Bachelor's, I would be fine majoring in Music with a focus in something else or even perhaps Music Business. I also am considering a double major with Music + Business, Marketing, etc., something practical. Music is my passion, but I don't want to be jobless when I graduate.</p>

<p>I haven't taken the ACTs or SATs yet. Last year when I took the PLAN test my estimated score was in the 29-32 range, I also took a SAT predictor test online a couple weeks ago and got 1860 -- 440 Math, 660 Reading, 760 Writing. I took the PSATs in October so those results should be coming soon.</p>

<p>I'm also planning on taking a more rigorous courseload my senior year. I'll either be taking 3 or 4 AP courses (Gov+Econ, those courses go together at my school; Music Theory; Lit; maybe Stat). However I'll be dropping science after this year so I can manage my classes next year -- I'll be trying out for one of the highest choirs, taking the most advanced acting class, and hopefully continuing on to French IV.</p>

<p>Current ECs: Thespian (by the end of this year I will be part of International Thespian Society), LINK Crew, and Key Club.
I was also planning on being a member of my school's GSA, but it met on the same day as KC so I had to give it up.</p>

<p>Other info:
- I'm biracial, my father is white and my mother is black (1/4 white due to one of her grandparents) but I identify as black whenever asked.
- I'm female
- There is an upwards trend in my grades, but it's not a dramatic one yet. I went through a LOT my freshman year, including moving to the other side of the country mid-semester.
- I'm looking into schools in the West and I would love to go to school in California. If I could go to any school of my choosing, I'd go to Berkeley, but I already know that's a MEGA reach school for me so no need in reminding me of that :)
- I live in Colorado and my top choice for in-state school is CU, but I'd prefer to go out of state.
- I come from a low income family so I will need financial aid.
- Second choice of state to go to school is Oregon
- I must, mustmustmustMUST be an hour or less to a major city. I would not be able to cope without the ability to go to concerts, and I would like to pursue my own music career, and need the opportunity to be near like-minded musicians.</p>

<p>Thanks for reading, sorry for wordiness! Any tips, tricks, concerns? Suggestions for colleges I should consider? Advice for admissions, or what to work on this year, what to do my senior year?
Peace, and sorry if I did anything wrong, I've been lurking CC for a while but this is my first post here!</p>

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<p>Out of state public schools are unlikely to give good need-based financial aid, although some may give good merit scholarships: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-20.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-20.html&lt;/a&gt; and <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-4.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-4.html&lt;/a&gt; .</p>

<p>For need-based financial aid, run the net price calculator on each college’s web site.</p>

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<p>How unlikely? And thanks for the links. I’m just concerned about how much merit-based aid I’d be able to get based on my stats.</p>

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<p>general rule: state schools tend to save their merit dollars for in-state students and bring in OOS students for the full tuition they’ll pay for what the state school offers them. There are important exceptions, but they tend to save their money for the top 1-2% of OOS and in-state students.</p>

<p>At UColorado, Colorado State, even UNC, music is pretty important. In the state itself, music is a really important part of the tourism and recreation industries. Perhaps you could begin by getting to know the resources that are closest at hand, what you like about the closest in-state programs and offerings and what you don’t like. This will be good information to have if you have the chance to visit out OOS schools. Talk to the admissions officers, career officers, students, and profs at these schools about your interests and plans and seek their advice. It’s free, and academics love to talk about what they do.</p>

<p>Other CC people can better tell you what OOS schools can best help you with music programs.</p>

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<p>Except for University of Virginia and University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, public universities won’t give much or any need-based financial aid to out-of-state students. You’ll be looking for merit scholarships, but many of them have less merit money for out-of-state students, unless the school is trying to attract high end students from anywhere.</p>

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<p>jkeil911 - I agree. I’ve toured CU and CSU and I definitely had better vibes from CU, I could really see myself, but I’m not sure that it’s ideal. But is finding my ideal school really a possibility within the circumstances? I’m intending on applying to CU and I’m almost positive that I could get in, so it’s definitely possible that I’ll attend.
Thanks. I appreciate the advice. I just worry that I’d have difficulty getting merit at a good school.
(Sorry, I couldn’t respond to your PM since I have less than 15 posts)</p>

<p>ucbalumnus - Understandable, thanks for the advice.</p>

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<p>Look into Muhlenberg (-> Philadelphia) and St Olaf (->Twin cities) for out of state private schools that involve music, meet need, and might be reachable with your current grades. Both have management-type majors, too. For music + business, Belmont (TN) is in the city, has merit aid, and is well-respected in the profession. </p>

<p>I agree CU is your best bet though.</p>

<p>NO merit money for UC’s you must be able to afford the $50,000 price tag (- $5,500 federal loan).</p>

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<p>Maybe it’s a sign that a school that meets all of my needs is so close to home :)</p>

<p>Although I believe my brother’s top choice of school to transfer to for fall of 2014 is CU…that wouldn’t be strange considering we run in different circles anyways (he’s looking into Engineering or Comp Sci, IIRC). </p>

<p>I’ll keep looking and I’m still open to suggestions, but CU is definitely a very prominent choice in my mind right now…</p>

<p>Thanks for advice, guys.</p>

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<p>OP, you can apply to CU and STILL look at other schools and go to one of them if accepted. You also don’t have to go to college next year. Or you can go to one school next year with the option to transfer after a year of good grades (transferring may limit your options for merit aid, however). No need to rush to commitment. I don’t believe in signs, so I’ll urge you to try to make good decisions based on facts, reason and a smidgen of gut.</p>

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<p>jkeil911 - Of course, I’m keeping my options open. I just like having those options early, I haven’t decided on anything yet!</p>

<p>Question for anyone about CU Boulder. All of their majors within the school of Music require an audition beforehand. I don’t play any instruments, I do sing, but have not had any long term formal training. I’ve just started with a teacher who actually attended CU and seems like a great fit for me, but I was wondering - how good do you have to be at singing to get accepted into a program at a place like CU? I don’t even want to major in vocal performance or anything, I was actually looking for a non performance major but they don’t seem to offer any – even to study Music Education, Theory, or Musicology you have to provide some kind of audition.</p>

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<p>OP, I didn’t know that about Boulder, so I ran “college search,” putting in only for major “music management” and “musicology and ethnomusicology,” and a 3.2GPA and 31ACT. You have to take their suggestions with a grain of salt, but they came up with some interesting choices. I mention only the urban-ish ones: UC Denver, DePaul, UArizona, UMass Lowell, CapitalU in ColumbusOH, et al. Take a look for yourself. Even to study Music Education you’ll probably have to have some vocal or instrumental skills since school music teachers have to be able to play an instrument or accompany their singing. Music Theory may also require or expect some familiarity with an instrument of some kind. Others will know better than I, however.</p>

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<p>Look if instead of a BM you could do a BA in Music through the College of Arts and Sciences?</p>

<p>But it makes sense you’d have to audition. Formal knowledge, 2 instruments at above basic level, and voice would be expected for music education.</p>

<p>Look at all the schools mentioned on this page, their websites + in Fiske Guide or Insider’s Guide or Princeton Review’s best colleges (your HS library must have them).</p>

<p>Typically, students should apply to 2 safeties (schools they like, are sure they can get into, and can afford), 2-5 matches (schools you’re reasonably certain you can get into, can afford, and like), then as many reaches as they wish or can afford.
:slight_smile:
You now have enough info to start on that list!</p>

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<p>jkeil911 - Thanks for the suggestions, I did a quick search on all of the schools you mentioned and I’m sure I can tour Denver soon, so I’ll look into their music programs…thank you! I’m willing to learn how to play instruments, I just fear I haven’t had enough time to practice to actually get into a school with my level of knowledge.</p>

<p>MYOS1634 - It seems as though CU doesn’t offer any Music majors in the College of A&S, only Theatre and Dance.
Thanks for the advice :)</p>