<p>Hi everyone, I need some help regarding colleges. I am a high school junior planning on majoring in music composition, but want to attend a good LAC instead of a conservatory. I also play the piano at a conservatory level, and have won several large regional competitions. My grades are not particularly good; I have a 3.3 or a 3.4 cumulative unweighted GPA taking the hardest classes offered. My SAT is in the 2100's, and I have not taken the ACT yet. I am currently interested in schools such as: Swarthmore, Rice, Tufts, Etc. (top LAC's with strong music programs.) Normally, this would obviously seem hopeless for someone with a cumulative GPA of 3.4; however, my music is on par to get me into a school like Curtis or Julliard, or other top conservatories. I have recently finished a 25 minute symphony for full orchestra, and have written dozens of pieces. I visited Brown and Tufts, and had long meetings with both of the composition professors there regarding my situation; they both were very interested in having me as a student, and said that I had a possibility of getting in. Do you all know of situations like mine, and how they turned out?</p>
<p>Also, I have a a very large amount of extra-curriculars, including: varsity sports, a lot of volunteer work, starting a music camp for underprivileged kids, a published article in an outdoor magazine, attendance at several summer music festivals/camps, and many others</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about your unique situation and qualifications (but congratulations - that’s awesome!). I DO know that anyone qualified to attend top schools like Rice and Swarthmore NEEDS to have backup schools they can love. Even if you were just as qualified as you are, but had a 4.0 / 2400, there would be no guarantee of acceptance. </p>
<p>Obviously, St Olaf is a good school to consider, but I don’t know any others.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Look at Oberlin College.</p>
<p>St Olaf is a great choice but probably still something of a reach with that GPA. 70% of applicants have a higher GPA. But 57% are accepted there (much higher than Brown and Tufts). Oberlin might work if not trying to get into the Conservatory, but more of a reach than St O.</p>
<p>GeekMom63-- I will undoubtedly have backup schools! I will check out St. Olaf’s; thanks for the suggestion!</p>
<p>jkiwmom-- Oberlin is on my list of schools to look at, and I think that I could get into the conservatory (which is supposedly very good.) My problem with Oberlin’s music program is that the composition seems to focused around electronic music, something that I am not interested in.</p>
<p>A little bit more information: I know this sounds somewhat selfish since my GPA is so low, but I hope to get into a selective school just to be surrounded by very smart people. I am fully capable of working hard and comprehending subjects, but I have just had the misfortune of going to an awful public school with unmotivated teachers and minimal discussion/application within classes (classes consists primarily of lectures, busywork, and unit tests) and I have not applied myself (which I regret now very much.) I am also interested in studying English, and in my free time I have been reading many of the “classics” like Doestevsky, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Maughm, etc. since I have not been exposed to any of them in school.</p>
<p>Northwestern will cut School of Music applicants some slack on their academic stats if they have the musical talent.</p>
<p>Another backup school to consider is Lawrence University (Appleton, WI). Like Oberlin, it is a liberal arts college with a music conservatory.</p>
<p>[School</a> of Music - Ithaca College](<a href=“School of Music, Theatre, and Dance | Ithaca College”>School of Music, Theatre, and Dance | Ithaca College)</p>
<p>Ithaca College (NY)</p>
<p>Go over to the Music Forum, and read thru prior threads… search for composition… check out the Master List of Acceptances for each year, and see where folks were accepted for composition. You’ll get ideas of suitable schools.</p>
<p>[Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>look at Bard too - conservatory, where students are required to also take academics
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/bard-college/[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/bard-college/</a></p>
<p>Lastly, sit down with your parents and find out how much, if anything, they are planning to contribute towards your college education. Make sure you have schools that you can afford, in case you do not get sufficient merit or need-based grants. stay as far from debt as possible</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins owns the Peabody Conservatory now. If you go to the Peabody, you can take classes at JHU also.</p>
<p>
I have no idea of the music programs offered, but you might want to check out St John’s - Great Books school full of smart kids.</p>
<p>I second Oberlin. Lawrence University in Wisconsin is also supposed to have a toch notch music program within the framework of an excellent LAC.</p>