<p>My D is a current junior with a 3.5 and 1650 SATs. She has a decent amount of ECs, mostly leadership and theater- related. She has performed in regional theater professional productions and attended BAA in summer 2012. We are trying to make a REALISTIC list and there is very little information on some of the school websites about what they want for the non-audition requirements.
Help :)</p>
<p>Most schools use the audition as the biggest factor for getting in. Two that I know of that require excellent academics in addition to the audition are University of Michigan and NYU. </p>
<p>Yep, it’s almost more a question of finding the (relatively) few schools that DO factor in academics. However–and this has been said by a lot of people, so apologies for being redundant–her academics will probably help with financial aid. If she can bear down a bit on those SATs and get a higher score in the fall, it’ll help. But as AsstToTheMT says, for most places, the audition will be the deciding factor. </p>
<p>I agree…get that SAT score up, most scores don’t include the writing section not so much for admission but for aide.</p>
<p>The SAT is being revamped…the writing part is going away and so is the vocabulary…Also try the ACT…sometimes kids do better with that test…</p>
<p>I thought the writing wasn’t going away, but becoming optional, and scored separately.</p>
<p>Elon is a strong academic school.and if your D has a lot of leadership experience look into their Fellows program. If selected she could get additional $ towards tuition.</p>
<p>I am so relieved to hear this. It would be great to get $$ but it is wonderful to know that the auditions really are what matters. Stressful but also good! I think she will take the ACT. Unfortunately for my D the SAT is not being revamped until 2016.</p>
<p>Just be aware that many schools have never taken the writing section seriously anyway–the other two matter more! :)</p>
<p>With a 3.50 GPA, depending on her SAT, your D could receive an academic merit award at Coastal Carolina University.
<a href=“http://www.coastal.edu/financialaid/scholarships/merit.html”>http://www.coastal.edu/financialaid/scholarships/merit.html</a></p>
<p>Austinmtmom, I was just about to say that. </p>
<p>My D just got accepted to Coastal and graciously accepted. She has a 3.6/1610. She received a merit scholarship which could be replaced by a larger talent scholarship. She has also applied for several application based scholarships (thanks to your info Austinmtmom) and the cost of attendance is reasonable for us out of state families. </p>
<p>She is also applying for several outside scholarships and we will use the payment plan to finance the rest (albeit painfully), hoping to avoid loans. </p>
<p>James Madison University is another school where academic are taken into account as part of the decision making. It is an auditioned BA. </p>
<p>A non-auditioned program you may want to look at is Muhlenberg. </p>
<p>LOVE JMU and hoping for good news from them in the near future :)</p>
<p>Those academic stats would not preclude Rider or Pace, but obviously audition is critical for both.</p>
<p>Raam1012… RD notifications should be going out from JMU around the last week in March. Possibly a little sooner. So, soon!! :)</p>
<p>OP – I forgot to mention that I think that Muhlenberg is test optional. </p>
<p>@evilqueen, if you ask me, the only school that we ever talk about here that is probably out of her reach for admission is Northwestern. She has plenty of time to retake the SATs, take a prep class if she hasn’t already or try the ACT … some people do better on that one. I would not rule out NYU nor U Mich with her stats as long as she is capable of doing good work. It’s not just about getting admitted. She will need to be able to meet the academic challenges at schools like that once she is there. I don’t see anything in what you are reporting that suggests she can’t.</p>
<p>I’d tell her it is hers to win. If she finishes this academic year strong and continues to do good work next year, she looks in the range for a number of excellent programs to me. Same message for encouraging her to prep and re-take the SAT (or take the ACT). It’s all hers to win. Some kids really step up when they realize that.</p>
<p>PS: you have the April and June ACTs right in front of you. Give them a whirl just to see where she ends up. She might be pleasantly surprised.</p>
<p>KatMT, have the EA notifications already gone out for JMU? If so, guess D has one more she can cross off her list which would be a big bummer, she really liked the program!</p>
<p>@evilqueen Love your name! Evil Queen is my alter ego! 
</p>
<p>My S is looking at a 3.2 UW with a 22 ACT (will re-take). We’ve already marked a couple choices for auditions off the list. It is so frustrating that so much grant/scholarship money is tied to grades/test scores. I sat in our parlour tonight listening to him play piano… teaching himself something new entirely by ear… and not just melody notes, either… full two-handed multi-note playing. There are so many people who can’t do what he does, but his Lit and Math grades will penalize him financially. Boo. More money for artistry, creativity and musical abililty, I say! </p>
<p>Thanks so much everyone! I would never have thought she could consider Pace or Rider with her stats. When I read CC everyone seems like a superstar with 2000+ SATs and 4.0s, and she just isn’t a great test taker.
I have to say I am grateful that more schools aren’t out of reach for her with stats that would take her out of lots of non-audition programs. If it really is 50% audition I think that makes it more fair than many programs where you don’t get a chance to show your talents outside of the traditional stats.</p>
<p>@MTmom2015 nice to have another evil queen around ;)</p>
<p>cellomom51… was she accepted academically to JMU? I believe that you said she was in an earlier post. If so, she should have gotten a letter via snail mail letting her know if she was admitted, waitlisted, or not admitted to the program. Letters went out to students admitted academically EA to JMU between 2/27 and 3/4, but with the weather it seems like mail has been delayed and some have just gotten letters from us today, even though we put them in the mail a week or so ago. Tell her to email me at <a href=“mailto:arecchkm@jmu.edu”>arecchkm@jmu.edu</a> and I can look into it. We are on spring break this week, so faculty and staff is out of the office, but we will try to get back to her ASAP. </p>