<p>Final GPA: 2.7-2.8 (assuming)
Last 60 Hours GPA: 3.0-3.2 (assuming)
Due to graduate May 2012</p>
<p>I would like to go to UCONN, BU, Brandeis, or Northwestern. </p>
<p>Back story: </p>
<p>I am attending a state university on full-scholarship; I am majoring in piano performance. In my Sophomore year, the piano program was to be cut. It took a lot of political action, but the program was salvaged. It was then I started asking myself if performance was really something I wanted to do. After deciding that it wasn't anything I wanted to continue in - with the help of the school psychologists (performing was the only thing I knew how to do), my grades slipped, I became disinterested in the program. I wanted to switch my efforts to music history/ musicology instead — which the small state school didn't offer. So, for two summers, I spent time and money overseas (Italy and London) studying the subject. I was able to convince the dept. head to let me write a thesis instead of performing a senior recital. I am currently writing the thesis. </p>
<p>Here are the options I have come up with:</p>
<ol>
<li>Go ahead and apply to grad. schools with the graduating status as it is. </li>
<li>Stay one extra semester to retake courses. I can do the calculations to see if my cumulative GPA would be higher than 3.0 upon retaking the courses. </li>
<li>Take the GRE? </li>
</ol>
<p>What are my other options? I could simply give up on the dream of a big name school and attend a southern states school with low academic admission standards (I saw one with 2.75 in last 60 hours, but that's not what I want). </p>
<p>Any help / advice is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks! </p>
<p>The music program here is on its last leg and students just don't have advocates anymore.</p>