College Counseling: Great Liberal Arts Colleges with Music Conservatories

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Saturday, September 27, 2014

Emily Standish, GoLocalPDX College Admission Coach

There are many ways for student musicians to continue their music study in college without following a strict path toward becoming a professional musician. Liberal arts colleges with adjacent music conservatories – preparatory programs for professional musicians – offer the best of both worlds. Students may take music and voice lessons with professors or upper-level students and the campus is infused with musical performances by students and guest artists.

Here are five colleges, each with a world-class music conservatory accessible to students across all disciplines.

Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA   

• Steeped in history in a world-famous town; most popular programs are English, History, Psychology, Business, and Political Science, BAs in Music, Music Education, and Performance
• Undergraduate music degrees offered in Composition, Jazz Studies, Music, Music Performance, Music Education, Sound Recording Technology, Theory, and combined music & academic majors
• By the numbers:  42% admit rate; Mid-range SAT scores: CR 600-680, M 600-690. Note that Gettysburg is test-optional; average GPA of incoming students have a high school GPA of 3.4.

 

Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY  

• Mid-size college of 6,000 students, with strong programs in music, physical therapy, communications, science; cross-registration at Cornell University and Wells College
• Ithaca’s Park School of Communication offers an internship-based semester in Los Angeles to juniors and senior  communications majors to intern in film-related industries
• By the numbers: 67% admit rate; Mid-range SAT scores: CR 540-620, M540-640.Note that Ithaca College is test-optional.

 

Lawrence University, Appleton, WI  

• 1,500 students on a picturesque campus overlooking the Fox River, strong programs in Business,  Econ, Psych, Politics, Biology. 
• Cooperative degree programs include a 3-2 Engineering program (with Columbia, RPI, and Wash U in St. Louis), Forestry and Environmental Studies (with Duke University), Occupational Therapy (with Wash U in St. Louis), and a five-year double degree in liberal arts and music.
• By the numbers:  73% admit rate; Mid-range SAT scores: CR 560-700, M580-710. Note that Lawrence University is test-optional; incoming students have an average high school GPA of 3.7.

 

Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH   

• A liberal, politically active and socially conscious campus of 2,900 students, 600 of whom are Conservatory students who live and learn alongside students in the College of Arts & Sciences
• Oberlin’s housing options include the large student-run Co-op housing and dining system offers students the chance to share in meal preparation and running of the nine co-op households
• By the numbers: 30% admit rate; Mid-range SAT scores: CR 650-740, M 620-715; Mid-range ACT scores 28-32.

 

Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA  

• Shenandoah’s Women In Mathematical Studies Institute is a program that encourages and supports undergraduate women through mentoring and scholarships
• Degree programs within the Conservatory include Composition, Church Music, Musical Theatre Accompaniment, Music Therapy, Jazz Studies, Music Recording Technology…and twelve more
• By the numbers: 77% admit rate; Mid-range SAT scores: CR 420-540, M 430-550, Mid-range ACT scores 18-24.

 

Want a big university with a big music presence? Try your state flagship university, and University of Oregon, University of Michigan, Tulane University (LA), University of the Pacific (CA), Indiana University, DePaul University (IL), University of North Texas, and University of Idaho.

Emily Standish is a partner in Portland, Oregon-based College Admission Coach LLC (www.collegeadmissioncoach.com) which helps students identify and gain admission to right-fit schools where they will thrive academically and personally. Contact me at [email protected].

Banner Photo Credit: Elvert Barnes via Compfight cc

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