VCM vs. OC Comets

Should I go to VanderCook College of Music or Olivet College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if VCM or OC Comets is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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VanderCook College of Music vs. Olivet College comparison
VanderCook College of Music Olivet College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 VCM OC Comets
Location Chicago, IL Olivet, MI
Setting Large City Distant Rural
Enrollment 340 973
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu olivetcollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 VCM OC Comets
Tuition (In State) $28,640 $32,694
Tuition (Out of State) $28,640 $32,694
Room & Board $7,500 $11,886
Avg Net Price $16,601 $23,533
Avg Grant Aid $22,249 $22,602
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 VCM OC Comets
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37 1,417
Admitted 36 1,376
Acceptance Rate 97.3% 97.1%
Enrolled % 47.2% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 -
Typical High School Grades B -
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 18/23
SAT Range 890/1160 910/1120
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2026

Academics

 VCM OC Comets
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (15%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

 VCM OC Comets
Graduation Rate 45% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

 VCM OC Comets
% Men 32% 2%
% Women 39% 2%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 75%
% Black 8% 13%
% Hispanic 21% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 VCM OC Comets
% In-State 58% 92%
% Out-of-State 42% 8%

Campus

 VCM OC Comets
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Olivet College is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (973 students vs. 340 students)

VCM vs. OC Comets Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or OC Comets?

  • Olivet College is 14.2% more expensive to attend than VCM for in-state tuition ($32,694.00 vs. $28,640.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.2% higher at OC Comets than VanderCook College of Music ($32,694.00 vs. $28,640.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than OC Comets ($16,601 vs. $23,533)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 58.5% lower than costs at Olivet College ($7,500 vs. $11,886)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music as Olivet College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Olivet College students is 1.6% larger than aid received VanderCook College of Music ($22,602 vs. $22,249)

VCM vs. OC Comets Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, VCM or OC Comets? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between OC Comets or VCM .

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 176 points higher than at OC Comets (931)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at OC Comets (20)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than OC Comets (97.1%)

VCM vs. OC Comets Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VCM or OC Comets? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between OC Comets and VCM.

  • The graduation rate at OC Comets is higher than VanderCook College of Music (46% vs. 45%)
  • Olivet College and VCM graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Olivet College and VCM graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OC Comets students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/