About buzzard Expertise Experienced college admissions professional who has assisted hundreds of students and their families in finding the right college. Choosing a college is not a game that only a few people can win; there is no universal handfull of "best" colleges. It is possible for everyone to find a college that is the right fit for them.
Experience 10 years as a college admissions counselor; 12 years working for a national association of college admissions counselors; two children of my own in college Frequently teach "How to Choose Your College" programs.
Question My son is a 3.74 GPA student and will be graduating in June 2005. He has no idea which college he wants to go to and is thinking about not going to college at all. His passion is music, (listening, reading, playing) and I thought maybe he could steer towards a college that would encourage him to do what he is passionate about, but I have no idea what type of college to look for. The closest I've come to is Visual and Performing Arts. There is a college in Florida called "Full Sail" but we live in Washington State. Do you have any suggestions as to which type of college we should look at. Thank you for your time.
Answer Not knowing your son this is difficult, but I would suggest that you search for a liberal arts college that has a strong music department.
If he knew what it was he wanted to do in music, if he even knew that he wanted a career in music, - perform? compose? record? teach? produce? broadcasting? a performing arts college might be a great choice, but as much as he likes music, he's unsure. Which is normal! A strong music department is going to offer him exposure to a wide array of areas, and also offer him exposure to majors like music business and music therapy.
A liberal arts school will give him a broad background and exposure to a lot of ideas and many opportunities to be involved in many things. In a year or two he may be more focused and need to transfer, but maybe not.
Try starting your search this way and see what you find. Plus, your son is an excellent student - at a smaller liberal arts college he may be able to get some very good scolarships. Also a lot more personal attention from faculty than he would at a large university.
