A couple questions

<ol>
<li><p>On Saturday, I'm visiting UMass for a vocal audition workshop, where I'm meeting the voice faculty in the department. Should I wear anything especially nice? I'm also doing a mock audition there, so I'm planning on wearing something at least decent, but would jeans, boots, and a nice sweater be okay? If not, what would be appropriate to wear?</p></li>
<li><p>Have you heard anything about the schools I'm applying to? How strong are the music programs at these colleges? I'm planning on majoring in music education with a concentration in voice, if that helps.
College of Wooster (first choice)
Muhlenberg
UMass Amherst
Rutgers
Montclair State
University of Delaware
SUNY Fredonia</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I don’t want to steer you wrong on this, as the parameters for instrumentalists can be a bit different than vocalists, but the description of your outfit is perfectly acceptable for a visit/sample lesson.</p>

<p>May be additional insight here
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/818478-attire-audition-day.html?highlight=attire[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/818478-attire-audition-day.html?highlight=attire&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/835924-what-wear-music-school-auditions.html?highlight=wear[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/835924-what-wear-music-school-auditions.html?highlight=wear&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/658518-what-wear-vocal-audition.html?highlight=wear[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/658518-what-wear-vocal-audition.html?highlight=wear&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/351412-vocal-audition-what-wear.html?highlight=wear[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/351412-vocal-audition-what-wear.html?highlight=wear&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I’ll let the more vocally knowledgeable folks comment on the specific voice question, but a title search on each school may yield some info. They are all good choices for music ed, but pay attention to UMass, as the program has been in flux, there are conflicting reviews and opinions, and I believe there have been cutbacks due to the economy. You can try “vocal”, “voice” and other parameters. This may help <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/892168-search-tips-other-insights.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/892168-search-tips-other-insights.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Since it is a workshop, you are probably OK with that level of dress, but be prepared to be cited as an example of being under dressed for an actual audition if you show up in boots and jeans. My guess is that some attendees will be dressed a bit more upscale than that even for a workshop, particularly among the female vocalists.</p>

<p>You may want to dress up a little for the mock audition part. If male, dress pants, dress shoes with socks to match, long sleeved dress shirt, maybe a vest or sweater… If female, you’d do better asking someone else for advice.</p>

<p>I’d like to add that there is a difference in dress between classical vocal auditions and jazz or contemporary vocal auditions. For classical, you’re always better off to dress more conservative and classy (no bare shoulders and definitely no strapless, when in doubt wear simple black, pop a color somewhere if you want to show your personality, simple, elegant jewelry, and for shoes, no toes unless you have extremely beautiful feet where showing a peep toe is lovely and manicured). For jazz vocal auditions, the dress can be different: my daughter wore black jeans with heels and open toes, and a very classy Ann Taylor-type short sleeveless silk blouse (Berklee audition). No cleavage for either audition. She looked classy for jazz, but not too casual, and she was still dressed above average compared to other vocalist in the waiting area, but yet she didn’t look out of place as she might have had she dressed for a classical audition. When in doubt, read the links that violadad (my hero of all things music) posted.</p>