Chance me: 3.92 uw, 1560 SAT music major

Demographics

  • Female (LGBT+)
  • Caucasian
  • US citizen
  • Washington State
  • Public arts magnet high school
  • Slight legacy at Northwestern (my great-grandfather was a wide reciever on their champion football team)

Cost Constraints / Budget
*8000-ish SAI

Intended Major(s)
Music Composition
If a double major is required, likely mathematics or poli sci

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: 3.92
  • Weighted HS GPA: School doesn’t use weighted. Only took APs for academics (barring Algebra II and a non-ap Physics course since my school doesn’t have ap physics), but also took 2-3 orchestra classes per year. I’ve plugged it into calculators and I have a 4.25 if you count all classes and a 4.45 if you only count academic classes.
  • Class Rank: 2/95 for weighted, 5/95 for uw
  • ACT/SAT Scores: 1560 SAT (800 reading, 700 math). 1490 PSAT (740 reading, 750 math).

List your HS coursework

  • English: AP Lit (5), AP Lang (tbd), two Honors courses as an underclassman
  • Math: Algebra 2 and Precalc (with college dual credit), AP Calc AB (4), AP Calc BC
  • Science: Biology, environmental science, physics, chemistry at a local community college
  • History and social studies: APUSH (tbd), AP US Gov (5), AP Comp Gov (4), AP Human Geo (5), AP Psych (5)
  • Language other than English: Spanish, 3 years, last year at nearby community college
  • Visual or performing arts: Multiple orchestra classes every year- three rhis year, playing principal cello in all three top-level orchestras Top orchestras are 70 (large) and 40 (chamber) people. Also, 1 year of required dance.
  • Other academic courses: 1 year of Music Theory, independent study AP Music Theory

Awards
Met state cutoff for National Merit Semifinalist (223 in Washington), have yet to hear anything about it. Four-time Honors Orchestra member (including principal in final year). All-State cello selection. Accepted into multiple competitive (top 5% of applicants) composition programs. Won state composition competition for grade division. SkillsUSA state gold in quiz bowl, state silver in job skills (music arranging), and regional gold in technical math.

Extracurriculars
*Five different student composition programs, resulting in my music being played by multiple major symphony orchestras, chamber groups, Juilliard students, and professional musicians. 8-9 professional recordings of my pieces, all 5-10 min in length. Made $3K+ arranging and busking with songs by popular Gen Z pop artists on cello, connecting classical music with the young female singer-songwriters I love. Along with a friend, wrote and fully orchestrated a two-act stage musical being performed at the end of the year. Played as principal twice in community orchestra at summer music festival. Also played cello thrice (once principal, once assistant principal) at Seattle Folklife Festival orchestra. NHS member for three years, fundraising committee president. Tri-M music honors president. Six-time student government rep (two as lead, four as alternate). Thespian Society member.

Schools:
USC
UCLA
NYU
Northwestern
Harvard (double degree with NECM)
UW Seattle
Bard
Occidental
Chapman
CSULB
CSUN

I wouldn’t mind other school suggestions, but they have to be located in blue states, preferably within 30-ish miles of a major city, and have a strong BM in music composition (BA is fine if comp focus is offered, like Occidental has).

I suggest you post in the Music Major Forum. Lots of experienced music posters. Tagging @compmom

I also suggest posting on the music major forum. (I just realized we have communicated in the past…)

With your background, a music supplement will enhance your chances. You may already know about this. A supplement would include a recording/video, music resume and 1-2 music letters of recommendation.

You might also apply to other Ivies and little Ivies that have excellent financial aid and music: Columbia, Princeton, Yale, Amherst, Williams and maybe others.

By the way you don’t necessarily need the double degree (BA/MM) at Harvard/NEC, which can increase costs. You can do a BA or BM and then a doctoral program that includes a funded master’s. By the time you graduate you may even prefer a different school for master’s with an aesthetic fit.

Here’s the op’s previous chance me: Actual acceptance rates vs. "college admissions calculators" [3.93 UW, 1560 SAT, NMSF; music composition, math, political science]

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