VCM vs. SWU

Should I go to VanderCook College of Music or Southern Wesleyan University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if VCM or SWU 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. Southern Wesleyan University comparison
VanderCook College of Music Southern Wesleyan University College 3 College 4
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Overview

 VCM SWU
Location Chicago, IL Central, SC
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 263 1,175
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #826
Religious Affiliation - Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu edu.
Team Colors                    

Costs

 VCM SWU
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $26,520
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $26,520
Room & Board $7,500 $9,650
Avg Net Price $12,436 $17,639
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $19,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 VCM SWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 846
Admitted 22 433
Acceptance Rate 100% 51.2%
Enrolled % 50% 34.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 4.0
Typical High School Grades B A/A+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/20 19/23
SAT Range 890/1160 1013/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 VCM SWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (66%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (3%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Psychology (3%)

Outcomes

 VCM SWU
Graduation Rate 45% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $44,800
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

 VCM SWU
% Men 43% 33%
% Women 57% 67%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 63%
% Black 8% 28%
% Hispanic 21% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 VCM SWU
% In-State 58% 58%
% Out-of-State 42% 42%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Southern Wesleyan University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (1,175 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. SWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or SWU?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 4.3% more expensive to attend than SWU for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $26,520.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.3% higher at VCM than Southern Wesleyan University ($27,670.00 vs. $26,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than SWU ($12,436 vs. $17,639)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 28.7% lower than costs at Southern Wesleyan University ($7,500 vs. $9,650)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music as Southern Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 42% larger than aid received Southern Wesleyan University ($27,884 vs. $19,636)

VCM vs. SWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SWU students have a 0.9 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than SWU (51.2%)

VCM vs. SWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VCM or SWU? 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 SWU and VCM.

  • The graduation rate at VCM is higher than Southern Wesleyan University (45% vs. 42%)
  • Southern Wesleyan University and VCM graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Southern Wesleyan University 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 SWU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 50%)

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