What schools are we missing? Strong Theater and Physics, In Big City, Gives Merit Scholarship, + Decently Prestigious - Unicorn? [4.0 GPA, <$60k]

Looking for school suggestions. For US resident living in mountain west. Public Highschool. JUNIOR this year, so we don’t have all test scores, etc yet.

Interested in Physics and Theater (BA, not BFA) and would like a school strong in both areas, but also where it is possible to do both - i.e. they don’t require conservatory level of commitment. Ideally a top 50 school, but - we are only interested in schools that provide merit aid to bring down the retail price (we will not qualify for any aid) so that cuts out most of top schools. NYU or Northwestern are dream schools, but we aren’t willing to pay their retail price.

Intended Major(s)
Physics/Theater, Spanish (minor)

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 4.0
  • Class Rank: 1 (all 4.0 are tied for 1st)
  • ACT/SAT Scores: TBD, expected 33+ ACT based on practice exams.

Coursework
AP: Will have 5 total, scores for four taken so far are 5s and 4s
IB: Will have IB diploma

Extracurriculars - most are theater-related, but very strong. Lead in musicals since freshman year, state-level awards and recognition, drama council leader, etc.

Our list we have created so far:
UC - San Diego
University of Washington (Seattle)
UC Berkeley (CA)
Davidson (NC)
Macalaster (MN)
Northeastern (MA)
Univ of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Univ of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
University of Wisconsin (Madison)
University of Utah
Drexel University ¶
Lehigh University ¶
Clark University (MA)
Loyola University Chicago
University of Rochester
University of San Diego
San Diego State
University of Connecticut
Case Western Reserve (OH)
Oberlin (OH)
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
CalPoly University-San Luis Obispo
University of Chicago
Lawrence University

What are we missing? Thank you for any suggestions!!

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Adding: Budget ideally is <$60,000 COA out of pocket per year after merit scholarship.

And if there are schools on our current list that are bad fits, please let us know that as well.

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Not sure you will see aid at Berkeley. $72000 a year or so full pay. Is that doable? Actually…this would apply to any UCs as an OOS resident.

Same with Davidson.

What is your price point? You have a number of OOS publics on this list that might or might not be affordable depending on your price point.

You might get some info in this area:

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Drop all UC they do not give merit or FA for OOS.

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Actually…we found out on another thread that the regents scholarships actually can be decent…but of course, they are highly competitive.

@Gumbymom can elaborate on this.

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Muhlenberg

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For strong Physics?

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How much merit are you seeking? What would you like the cost to be?
Ok- I see you answered.

I would not count on merit to UNC or U of Chicago, but I would use the NPC and see if the cost looks reasonable. Same goes for Rochester, Lehigh, Davidson, and Northeastern. Try the NPC and do not count on merit.

Does Pitt have what you are looking for? If yes, I would add it. I also think Muhlenberg is a good one to add.

Many of these schools will not be affordable.

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U of WI Madison will likely not fit finances.
I would take out Lawrence if she wants big city.

And when you say Theater, do you mean Acting or Musical Theater or Theater Design?

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Seems like the vast majority of schools listed here won’t be affordable. I think you need to recalculate costs and cut the list accordingly.

I don’t think anything in your list will be close to Utah in affordability, you’ll get WUE at least (~$30K per year for tuition, room and board) and have a chance at the higher level merit scholarships. You should check that the BA in Theater Studies gives adequate performance opportunities, but if so it’s a great safety.

But don’t dismiss the possibility of applying for the BFA (audition-based) at Utah. My D18 was able to complete a BFA in ballet and a BS Hons in Env Studies in 4 years and quite a few of her classmates also completed a double degree in a variety of majors in the same timeframe, because there are lots of courses including many online that can fit around the required BFA classes.

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4.0.

U of Arizona. Top physics school. Very respected in the arts. $32k automerit. So $25k ish a year all in and they lock tuition prices for four years. It’s a no brainer vs your list - imho

CU Boulder also has a top physics program - not sure about theatre. Will make budget. Barely.

To me Arizona beats most your list. Syracuse if merit and Indiana could be other contenders - but Arizona is cheap, safe, doesn’t factor test or overall rigor into merit (you need to keep UW at 3.9 for big $$) and rates very highly for physics in most rankings.

The honors dorm is great with a dining hall on the bottom and gym and counseling center adjacent.

ASU another if space oriented.

I would not bother with the UCs but maybe USC. Regents unlikely but Santa Cruz strong in Physics. Not sure about theatre. USC is unlikely for merit but more likely than UC.

Good luck.

Ps forget top 50. You have majors. Overall rank doesn’t matter and as we just saw in the new us News last year’s top 40 schools are now 70s. A tufts, Tulane, Rochester, Brandeis, WUSTL, W&L all tanked and schools like UC Merced and other publics rose. They don’t matter. But for major, I agree some schools outperform others in certain specialties. But overall rank - do you think employers care if you went to newly high ranked Rutgers (maybe another to add for your interests) or Rhode Island? In 99% of cases - nope

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Oberlin is not in a big city…

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To get at the merit and strong acting program definitely worth a look. I don’t know about strong physics but don’t all schools have physics programs? Oberlin also. I didn’t think many of these choices would have merit.

They do give some merit to some OOS students in the form of Regents scholarships and various alumni scholarships. However, the regents scholarship is given to very few applicants, and alumni scholarships, while sometimes a bit less competetive, tend to be pretty small. I don’t think it’s a good strategy to apply to the UCs if your only chance of being able to attend is getting one of those scholarships. The odds are too long, even for really solid students.

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Before going further.
Create Excel. Go to website of every school and get total COA as is (if public OOS). Note for most Public Merit and FA goes to instate students. Factor in about 5% cost increase every year. For all private make sure that they give Merit, not FA. After that see what merit is granted. Try to find out how many merits are given vs. how big is the school. Google is your best friend. Also check Common Data Set (Google) for each school, you will see some more useful data.

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Are you talking about UCSC (University of CA Santa Cruz)?

I agree with adding Arizona, especially with a 4.0, though Tucson is not as nice a city as SLC and a mountain west student might find the heat to be challenging, depending on where they live.

Like Utah the BA in Theater Studies gives more limited opportunities for performance. But the BFA is probably a tougher admit than Utah and flexibility for a double degree is likely less.

https://tftv.arizona.edu/prospective-students/theatre-studies/

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I’m saying I’d apply to USC over any UC in hopes of getting money although both are unlikely.

But if I was applying to a UC and if Regents has better odds at a less competitive school (I assume but don’t know to be the case) - I might investigate UC Santa Cruz - as their physics program is strong and admissions easier. OP would have to investigate the 2nd major. But I’d apply to neither.

I’d be on the first plane to Tucson. If OP loves it, I’d say I can save $140k vs budget, have no tuition increases, a top level physics program and strong theatre program.

I’d be done looking for colleges.

Rochester did not give any Merit to my high stats daughter. FA was also quite crappy…

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If student (and parents) search strong Physics, I doubt that every school with good theater will work. Just available Physics will not do it. Small privates have usually quite good Bio/Chem for premed, or humanities for pre-law. They usually have so-so Math. If no Engineering offered at school, Physics is most likely not strong. I bet there are exceptions, but that would be my general thinking.

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