He graduates in about 6 weeks and has 3 acceptances and 2 that will come out on Thursday. -If he gets in- it won’t be financially practical since we are full pay everywhere. The State Flagship is the most likely choice.
Last spring he was considering music and we toured some well known schools. Indiana and Cincinnati. He changed his mind in the fall and applied everywhere as a business major.
Now he is having regret. powerful singer, great results in the HS musical. He has good stats. A- average with 5 AP classes and 33 ACT. I know some of it goes to his head and he started to have regrets.
He definitely says music now- which he could pursue at the state flagship. His HS choir said she has connections there but would could the scenario even look like?
At this point, I think he should go at start with a music minor and then pursue a major if his interest stays strong.
any other comments or support???
He can still continue to take private lessons while in school.Why not have his current private teacher recommend someone at the school he is going to attend. Plenty of people continue their singing while pursuing another major and most state flagships have very good choirs full of these students.
That is the plan to continue vocal lessons and participate in open and audition choirs. His current vocal teacher is the dean of music at our local LAC. He has been strongly encouraging his school.
There are many ways for him to continue studying and performing music. He can major in something else and do music privately on and off campus, he can minor, he can double major and some schools offer a double degree.
is the current vocal teacher mentioning merit money? Did your son apply for merit scholarhips anywhere?
Often state universities do offer a range of options for music, including a BM so a state university might be a good choice, with some flexibility after the first year. It’s tough at this age: they change a lot!
We always found this helpful: http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html
Good luck, don’t be sad, music can be in his life no matter what path he chooses 
Hmmm. If he really wants to major in music, I’d have him audition again next year. Of course, being a vocal major he has an advantage and it isn’t quite as big of a deal, but I found that my son was able to get a lot more merit with music combined with academics that were lower than your sons stats. So music helped more than hurt him. I’d call a few schools that still might make take auditions and see how it turns out.
You are full-pay and he’s not sure about his major. Sounds like a recipe for a (costly) 5-yr plan. My solution to lots of problems on CC is – Gap Year! He gets a minimum wage job and starts learning about business. Meanwhile, he auditions for community theater and above, as well as taking private lessons. Sees for himself whether he can compete.
Thank you all for saying what we have been thinking. The college dean/vocal teacher thinks he is “phenomenal” and said full tuition scholarship at the local LAC - it is a CTCL school. Teacher doesn’t even know ACT Is that high
I started to prepare DH that this may last more than 4 years. We are very money conscious so maybe 5 years with a double major is preferable over music major + grad school.
We talked to him tonight and recommended that he look for a new teacher at the future university We are close enough he could start lessons this summer
Maybe he will get there and realize a minor or participating in choirs will be enough.
Thanks all
Be aware of the difference between a double major and a double degree. A double major may not take more than 4 years, but a double degree will. Again, this is very helpful and your son might enjoy looking at it:
http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html
Just an fyi. I know one baritone and one tenor who are relatively recent MM grads from top music schools. One was an architecture undergrad and the other business undergrad. Both took weekly private voice lessons for all four years as undergrads and both kept up with music theory. Neither one double majored or did a dual degree. However they were singers from a young age and both were from musical families.Both were admitted to the best young artist programs are they are now doing very well indeed as professional opera singers.For grad school and for young artist programs, they pretty much care about how well you sing and whether or not you can read music proficiently. It’s doable, especially for in demand male voices. (For the almost impossibly competitive world of operatic female voices? Not so much.)
AND I also know of many music majors who are doing very well in the business world. So…