The 3.8 is unweighted, though I have taken weighted courses. I have taken the PSAT, which I got a 1100 on, but I didn’t study for that. I have not taken the SAT, which I plan on taking in the fall, as none of the spring dates work for my parents’ schedule. My parents’ income is 120,000 a year after taxes, but that doesn’t include whatever bills have to be paid. They say they can’t pay anyway, but I don’t even know the actual amount in the savings accounts.
So - we don’t know about your rigor - will you take AP English, Calc, Sciences, how many years of foreign language….but with a 3.8 and 1100 PSAT - and your parents making $150K plus, you’re in a tough spot.
You are unlikely for full rides - but you might look at less competitive schools like East Carolina and UNC Charlotte. You won’t qualify for NY aid.
So you can find the least expensive school you can - and live at home. Cortland would be audition. Frankly, you may need to go to a community college.
Or maybe you do a minor? It seems many require an audition - but maybe you’ll pass.
So Oneonta is $25,411 to live there - just tuition, room and board. Not others. The most merit - and it doesn’t mean you’ll get it - is $5K.
So this is what you’re facing. You cannot borrow $80K +. You cannot make $80K+.
You would end up dropping out - I’m just being realistic - if you could even find someone to lend you the first year’s cost - and I don’t think you could - especially if your parents won’t be responsible (won’t co - sign). And as a music major, that’d be foolish even if they would.
Who costs less?
Likely no one - you might find a few others OOS like the PASSHE (Pennsylvania regionals) or W Carolina or with a strong ACT, some very southern schools - at a similar cost (or a bit more) - but honestly - because you have parents with money, who refuse to participate financially, you’ll likely need to start at a community college. But will they pay for that?
Otherwise, you can get a job at Starbucks and they will pay your tuition online at Arizona State - but I don’t see music listed as a major.
I’m just being realistic here.
Not everyone has the ability to attend college - and that’s sort of the predicament you are in - especially when the family earns good money - and what you described ($120K a month after taxes) is very good money - no matter the family size.
Sorry
1 Like
They do not seem to have any savings as they are struggling to pay bills as it is. I said 120K. My school doesn’t offer APs but I do take dual enrollment sciences and foreign language. I have used NPCs and it seems I will receive some aid, even when I thought my parents were making 160K (based on 2025 taxes they are not) I recieved aid on the NPCs. With my parents making 40k less than I thought they were I would receive more in aid, especially since I don’t have a job as they won’t let me get a job until I have my license and they won’t take me driving. Cortland does not offer a music program. I know I am unlikely for full rides. I never even thought about full rides, as I always thought those of for military people and sports kids, neither of which I am. My school does not offer very much by comparison of what everyone else seems to have taken.
Wait a second. Do you even have any experience with music majors?
I have wondered about this also. Community College to me seems likely to be the most affordable option. I have heard that some community colleges have very good music programs, but I would not know which ones are good specifically in New York.
I do know someone who is a professor emeritus of music. He was of course for many years a tenured professor in a music program at a very good small university. He started off teaching at a community college at the same time that he was finishing up his PhD thesis.
1 Like
Why is everybody focusing on costs? What about the aspects of actually getting into the schools? That is what I am looking for advice on. Note the title: Music schools for students without private education.
1 Like
You would need to see if the programs you are interested in require an audition. For those that do, in my experience, you are likely to be competing against students with a significant amount of prior experience, including private lessons. Studio space is limited, which is why there is often an audition component. At some music programs, there will be a pre-screen which consists of the applicant sending in a tape that highlights their abilities, and then the applicant is offered an audition spot if they pass the pre-screen. However, this is for the most-competitive of music schools, and I do not know if the ones you are interested in have this process or not. You would have to investigate and find out.
There is a music major’s section on college confidential where you can get more specific information.
I am also tagging @compmom , who always has good advice for music applicants.
2 Likes
Also, there is so much focus on costs because we have seen many posts from other students who parents will not pay at all for college, and that almost always means that the student needs to find a very inexpensive college or obtain significant merit money. It is almost impossible for a student to fund college costs themselves these days, as costs are so high and federal loans limit the amount that a student can borrow to 5,500 first year, 6500 second year, and 7500 years three and four. And most lenders won’t lend to a student without a parent co-signer, and if a parent is unwilling to pay for college they really shouldn’t co-sign a private loan because it can take a student a long time (if ever) to be in a position to pay back those loans so it’s really as if the parent has agreed to pay the college tuition whch they had already decided they couldn’t do.
So that limits the possible colleges to apply to, which in turn affects your chances in general.
2 Likes
@ariannabug2027 I am sending you a private message. Upper right, green oval with envelope.
1 Like
Fredonia or Crane may be a possibiility. With income under $125,000, you’d qualify for the Excelsior scholarship from NYS, which pays tuition. You could take the federal loan for $5500 in your own name and then you’d have to cover about $10,000 each year for the remaining room and board costs. (My understanding is that merit aid doesn’t usually cover room & board). So you’ll need to come up with a plan to earn $10,000 a year. It’s not impossible, but would probably require you to work summers and during the school year while studying.
1 Like
You do not need a school that is “good for music.” In fact, in some cases, as a BA student, you might want to avoid schools with conservatories, schools of music, BM degrees because money and faculty attention as well as performance opportunities may go to the BM students.
You can major in anything (Including music, but anything) and do music extracurriculars and electives. Some schools fund lessons (and some give credit too).
You need to find the most affordable path. Community college for two years, then a SUNY or school that gives merit. After community college you could even consider an adult learner/degree completion program, and do school part-time while working. Once you are 24 your own income is used for financial aid so at that point things may be more possible. See below.
You also need to be aware that even PhD’s in composition don’t make much money generally, via composition. VP can be iffy too. Under no circumstances should you take out loans, in my view. I have seen so many struggle after graduating.
If you are under 24 by Dec. 31 of the award year, you are generally considered dependent for federal aid, meaning your parents’ income is used in the calculation US News. However, there are other ways to be considered independent without meeting the age requirement, such as:
Being married
Being a U.S. veteran
In active duty military service (not training)
Being an emancipated minor
Being a foster care or dependent ward of the court after age 13
Being a parent providing more than half the financial support for a child US
3 Likes
I am not a music parent but you say you don’t have private lessons so I’m assuming you’re not going to blow away auditions - to the point they will throw money at you.
Then the only way to get money is need or merit. If your parents earn before taxes less than $125K, you might qualify for in-state tuition. Or you might get some need aid at schools that offer it - but for the tippy top, your stats are unlikely to put you in that position.
Then there’s merit.
Either way - why am I focused on money? Because you said no one is contributing so how would you then attend college?
Do you go to McDonalds and buy a Big Mac and just walk out the door?
Colleges are businesses - they have costs - and someone needs to pay them.
Lenders are businesses - they don’t just give money to 18 year old kids with no credit history and no perceived ability to pay back a loan.
So the reality is, you have to factor in the costs.
And to borrow that much for any degree, most especially a music degree, would have you twisted financially for life.
This is the reality - not for an 18 year old but for you and 28 and 38, etc.
Sorry - but it’s how it is in 99.9% of cases.
You will get into many schools. Whether or not you will for vocal performance may depend upon if they have an audition. You may crush the audition - I don’t know.
Muhlenberg doesn’t require an audition for music (I believe) - but they do for music merit.
Either way, it will always come back to $$.
But if you find a school - a UNCC, an East Carolina and more that have full ride hail mary type scholarships - and there’s many out there - Wash & Lee, Davidson, UVA, UNC - the odds of you getting are slim to none, especially with a low SAT but - you never know.
So yes, $$ matters more.
Most colleges will accept you. There’s a supply / demand imbalance.
Getting into college isn’t the issue.
Getting into music likely will be - but if you crush the audition it won’t or if you study something like music business.
But getting into college - you’d probably get into 80% plus of them.
Good luck.
Thank you. Most schools I am auditioning for do not have a prescreen except for IC, which is my dream school. I am not applying to any full-on conservatories, and all the degrees I am looking at is for a BA degree.
I am applying to Crane, which a lot of people have told me to do, and I like the school, and the prospects.
Merit aid does cover room and board as long as it is on campus at the college you are going to, especially if it is from the college you are going to.
You need to investigate teachers, classes and performance opportunities for BA students at programs that have BM programs. As I wrote before, you might be better off at a liberal arts college that has a music department that only offers a BA (1/4+ classes in music). For instance Colleges that Change Lives ctcl.org I have no idea what chances are for aid or merit.
If you want a BM (3/4 classes in music) that is a different matter.
On what basis do you think you might receive merit aid? We don’t know enough about your talent, your grades, your extracurriculars so we have to trust what you perceive as reasonable to expect.
1 Like
My school has given me an unweighted GPA and I have PSAT, but that is it. I have concurrent enrollment classes in science (about 15 credits by the end of senior year according to my class selections for next year), and foreign language credits (9 credits by the end of the year for Spanish 3,4, and 5), and three credits in math for Algebra 2.
If you are auditioning maybe @bridgenail would be helpful here.
1 Like
I’m always happy to give “advice” to other parents…about being a parent to a music student.
For a student , however, I would highly advise them to work with their music teacher(s) to develop an appropriate college list along with tips on auditioning. As for money, I would hope that a guidance counselor would help this student.
3 Likes