Match my kid: Psychology & Music, top student with NCP CSS concerns [NC resident, 4.0 GPA, 36 ACT, <$45k, no FA if NCP finances are used]

Chance Me / Match Me
21

For perspective, UNC-CH accepts ~40% of in-state applicants. With a 4.0 & a 36, especially with high involvement in extracurriculars, that starts to look more like a safety school. I may have misunderstood what was “likely” (acceptance vs application). He will certainly apply to UNC-CH and will likely attend there since it is a great school, is affordable, and will probably accept him.

He’ll apply to out of state schools as backups in hopes there will be some FA, but they aren’t top considerations. He’ll apply to a regional or two in case also.

Reach schools are everything else listed, but we can’t afford anything but Vandy (assuming FA) without NCP waiver. I hear that Oberlin and NYU are more liberal with the NCP waivers; looking for input regarding that issue.

I’m also looking for other options that I may not have considered or known about.

Thanks to everyone for giving me their time to consider this!

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Good info here and an audition not required - except for scholarship - if I’m reading right.

UNC is in budget. I won’t fathom a guess as to whether it’s a safety or match - but I would suggest you have a few more in the back pocket just in case. For some uber safeties, you can apply even after a UNC decision is made - but not all.

So you might have a back up just in case it turns out not to be. It doesn’t have to be a regional school - i.e. maybe he’d be more comfortable at a Binghamton or U Kansas vs. say a UNC Charlotte or W Carolina, etc.

Best of luck.

How to Apply - Department of Music (unc.edu)

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Have him apply early action to UNC CH. Any other schools with EA…get those done too. Then have him send any RD applications by the deadlines for merit aid consideration. UNC EA decisions typically are released by Feb 1. If he doesn’t get accepted, there will still be time to send applications to other sure thing schools.

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@mamasupport will your son be a National Merit Finalist?

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Probably, but I don’t know yet

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We’re thinking the backup might be Indiana, but it’s still pricey…

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If your son becomes a NMF, that opens the doors to some scholarship opportunities at some great colleges.

Oh…another college you might consider…Miami University in Oxford Ohio. We know a musician who auditioned there, but double majored. She received a sizable music award but had to keep that music major to keep the award. It might be worth contacting that school to see what’s possible there.

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See - another school - that - you are picking subs - but subs that are highly unlikely to hit price.

He snickers at Alabama (he’s wrong - if he wasn’t 1500 kids from Illinois, 2K from the NY/NY/CT area, 2K from Texas, over 1K from CA - wouldn’t be going there. They go because they are “bought” and you have a student who has the chance to be bought.

Now - IU is known to have a great music school - and for psych, your kid is an easy in - but at $45K - hmmmm - no - not an easy in. And don’t forget travel costs, etc.

Go back to my list above - what you need to work on is - who will absolutely hit $45K (and don’t forget travel, ubers, spring break, greek life, etc) - that is a 100% absolute admission.

That’s not IU - could it get there - long shot - and it’s certainly not Wisconsin.

Now if you said Michigan State as a sub - better odds but not assured. Miami of Ohio - better odds - but not assured. Even OSU as possible.

But these are not definite.

Now - Florida State, Mississippi State, Nebraska, K State, Bama, UAH, UT Chattanooga - these types are highly likely to hit price.

When you seek an absolute max price - you have to disconnect pedigree.

Again, if you say - well worst case he’d be ok at UNCW or UNCC - then you can forget the entire thing - but if he would not be - that’s where you need to have him lose, for lack of a better word, the pedigree silver spoon and follow the $$ like so many do.

But I’d also be checking the music requirements to ensure he can study music (some may / will require an audition).

There are, btw, some LACs - a Depauw, Allegheny, Kalamazoo, Beolit, Rhodes, some in upstate NY like a Clarkson that could realistically come in at budget. …they need to buy kids in to have a class.

Or publics like New Paltz, Geneseo, Truman State, CNU and many more (including UNCA) that will certainly make budget.

It’s hard for a stud kid to say - I see myself there at a school that isn’t high in the US News publication.

But that’s where you have to be firm now and say - I know IU is a fine school (for music) but I can only afford this - and there are other costs and while it’s likely you’ll be in at UNC, what if you aren’t? What is the affordable plan - and here are some schools to look at.

You don’t want to be the family - he really loves IU and it has a great music program - but I can’t swing $55K and he sort of bends you into it.

And sorry - he’s majoring in psych - i’m not sure UNC is necessarily any better than any other state university - they’ll all have strong faculty and research opportunities.

But this is the time where mom/dad need to plant a flag - if it’s true that $45K is max - and you can’t spend a penny over. If you’re flexible, that’s different.

Trust me, you’ll be happier later that you did.

Good luck.

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Lol you sold me on Bama as a sub

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Not at a well endowed college that provides generous need based aid. And in this case…a college that doesn’t use non-custodial parent information. As noted, Vanderbilt is one of those schools. There are others.

@Mwfan1921 do you have the link to profile schools that don’t require the NCP info?

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If your son becomes a NMF and finances really are a huge issue, he should look at University of Tulsa. I do not know anything about opportunities for music there, but that is an email to the music department chair to ask.

Here is what their NMF award is…:crossed_fingers:t2:your son gets NMF status:

Award

  • Full tuition (excluding summers) for five years or until an undergraduate degree is earned. Students must maintain a minimum of 15 hours of coursework per semester. The National Merit Semifinalist Package cannot be stacked with other TU funding or scholarships…
  • Tier I Housing (upgrades are available at your expense)
  • Tier II Dining (upgrades are available at your expense)
  • Standard Student Fees
  • Textbooks (all incoming students receive free textbooks for the entirety of their undergraduate years)
  • Secured spot in Leadership TU led by President Brad Carson
  • A minimum $750 scholarship for National Merit Finalists from the National Merit organization. Renewability is based on the type of National Merit funding received.
  • $6,000 monetary gift per year (funded by the Oklahoma Regents or the TU Board of Trustees)

** A portion of your supplemental scholarship paid for by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and Oklahoma State Regents will be applied to your student account within the first six weeks of each semester.*

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You are correct but I said an admission and financial safety.

The OP should pursue their love schools - and if Vandy and Chicago work, that’s great. I’m guessing a more realistic shot like a Connecticut or St. Olaf may not. OP mentioned Oberlin - and have no idea there - but it’s strong in both music and social sciences.

OP - I mentioned many schools - I mention Bama because the auto merit is so easy to understand. But there are lots of schools - some are 100% gonna be under 45K - and some are going to “likely” be.

You noted regionals - and you have plenty - all the UNC branches, etc. and others closer to home.

You just need - let’s call it two - just in case.

So you have your UNC where you think he’s likely, your high end privates you think you can get a waiver, maybe a few others, and then two ultra $$ and academic safeties - and you’d be golden!!

But yes, you have to visit those safeties - because the worst is - well I got in but have zero desire to go - so visit b4 you go. It’s why my kid (and others) ended up at Bama. he was going to Purdue for engineering and after going to Bama because friends invited him - flipped that day. WUSTL and Purdue were out (he didn’t get into WUSTL anyway - was WL and not pulled off).

Speaking of Purdue - might be worth researching. COA is under $42K with tuition and food/room and board at $38K. They haven’t raised cost in forever - and I surmise it’s be more a safety than UNC. Of course, your extra expenses like travel or musical instruments or lessons etc. could add cost. You might check the music offerings.

FSU shows under $40K all in - but your son likely gets an OOS waiver - which if costs holds, take another $13K off.

So the point being - there are “schools” that can work - but yes, I use the easiest one to describe those type opportunities - for $50-60K all in. But your budget is $180K - and those type of schools exist in that cost too!!!

Again, if you land on one, then focus on music. The psych isn’t gonna be an issue.

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@mamasupport my younger child was an excellent and state ranked musician on her endangered instrument! She, like your son, wanted to continue to play in college. She did not want to major in music but did contemplate a minor that didn’t work out either.

She researched colleges with strong STEM programs (that was her interest), and sent emails to many many music department chairs to find out what opportunities were available for those who were not majoring in music. This was THE hardest criteria for her to fulfill.

Her second choice college was University of South Carolina. She wasn’t nearly as strong a student as your son, but she got a HUGE scholarship there. At the time (2005) any student on campus could audition for all ensembles. My kid even had a private lesson with the applied teacher in her instrument. This might be worth checking. At the time, they had many ensembles…I have no idea what the status if that is now.

Point being…your kid should reach out to music departments at schools of interest to see what they have to offer students like him.

For Oberlin…if he wants to double major…he has to get accepted to both the college and conservatory separately. Conservatory requires an audition.

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One can check which Profile schools require the NCP info here:

https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx

Always verify this information with each school.

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What was her first choice college? This is exactly the situation my son is in although he prefers psych.

Regarding psych being an easy to match criterion, there is the consideration that there must be opportunities for research at the undergrad level if he is to remain competitive for grad school (and he’ll need to attend grad school if he keeps his interest)

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Good point. Oberlin doesn’t require the NCP CSS, but that’s really a technicality because they have their own form. Vanderbilt doesn’t require. Confirmed.

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Look at Case Western.

@AmyIzzy

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Name a school that doesn’t have research opportunities? I know kids who did it for four years - just for asking.

One just has to reach out to a professor of interest, get on the department email list, and not to be shy.

Also, a student like yours will surely (if they have to go to a lesser pedigree school) - may be in an Honors college. Or in a special program - again just throwing out the name because I know it but others will have.

And with grad school - who’s paying - you have to plan for that too.

But I think your comment is inaccurate. The student will find research opportunities most anywhere. I think these schools have a lot more firepower than your son is giving credit for. They are brining in smart kids - amongst the most National Merit Scholars in the country - so they have to be ready for them. It doesn’t sound (or you haven’t said) that your son is a NMS - but if so you’d have an opening to schools both big and small at a great price.

Randall Research Scholars Program – honors.ua.edu | The University of Alabama

Undergrad Research & Experience - Department of Psychology (ua.edu)

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Looks like your kid may wind up as an NMF. If so here was a discussion of Tulsa you might find of interest. It also provides context for another low cost option UA.

If considering UA you should be aware the school boasts the “largest Greek population” of any college with a 12,000+ student Greek Community.

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UNC Chapel Hill isn’t going to be a safety…perhaps a match, but class rank may hurt - they really like top 10%. I don’t think mine knows anyone outside the top 10% who was accepted, and she knows a few inside of it who weren’t. Are you in Wake County? How would he be in the hundreds with that GPA? Test score will definitely help, and activities are strong.

All the other UNC schools should be a given, and they’d get merit at the others (not NC State).

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