My daughter will be heading to Case Western specifically because the school wants this type of mix. To give you an idea you can get two actual bachelors if you want but you can also do a secondary major (different than a minor) which would be one degree and two majors under it. What is my daughter planning - mechanical engineering and theatre. When she asked she isn’t the only one and it is very typical. When we toward our guides roommate was a clarinet and electrical engineering major. I know that you can do biology and music as well since when I was applying years ago they were explaining how easy it would be. I went to Emory instead but that point is it can be done for sure. You said no south so left off Emory but as an fyi there my son is a psyche and music major. He is choosing composition but he could have chosen performance just as easily.
It isn’t. And two degrees can seldom be completed in four years.
@bridgenail raised some very good points. I knew someone who went to IU and did dual degrees in music and public policy and graduated in four years. But that person had a lot of credit coming in to college combined with a strong and charismatic personality, and this was many years ago as well. I don’t know anything about the Music and Outside Field major apart from what I saw on the website, so questioning what the program looks like in reality is definitely a good idea.
I started looking for colleges for myself at an early age, so I definitely understand the impulse to look around and see what is available. Just don’t get too attached to anything yet and keep yourself open to possibilities.
Hi Compmom. I was trying to respond on an old thread regarding Peabody. Did your student end up at the MNM. My son just had an interview and we need to wait until 12/12 to hear but at the end of the interview, they said “best of luck to you” which is making him think he will not get accepted. Wondering if your student loves the program and if you know how many get in per year and how many apply. That info is no available online. At least specific to the MNM program.
Sorry @Robyn_Carr I do not have any info on admissions there but it seems like such a good program. My daughter is older and finished PhD awhile ago. I think “best of luck to you” is encouraging. You will hear soon! I know it is hard to wait, even a week. Let us know!
This is late, but I’m posting so that if in the future someone reads this thread they have this information. Oberlin, Bard, Lawrence double-degrees seem feasible. Vandy/Blair and Rochester/Eastman seem too separate. My child has applied double-degree to the LACs but only to the conservatory side at Vandy and Rochester; similarly decided to apply to NEC but not the dual with Tufts. Gettysburg/Sunderman is also a good place for a BA in music- they don’t have a double-degree program, but there’s a lot of integration; the difference between the BA and BM is what percent of your courses are taken at the Conservatory.
Also Oberlin has a newish BA in Musical Studies with access to the Conservatory.
Bard Conservatory doesn’t just support a double degree, it requires one.
Does Bard require a double degree if you’re doing a BA in music or is it just if you’re in the conservatory?
The Conservatory
So we are going to Blair to look in a few weeks. Why does it seem too separate? Did you look at the bachelor of musical arts or only the BM performance program? Otherwise great info! S still trying to figure out what he wants to do and so appreciate your experience and info!
Only BM performance. We have a violist friend who ended up dropping to music because if you did the BM it was too intense to balance with other anything else. Perhaps some extraordinarily driven students can do it without horrid levels of stress.
So I was referring to the double-degree with performance.
My older kid applied for a mix of double degree and double major programs a few years ago. He is a college senior now (and yes, is finishing double degree w/music(VP) at a large public university) I also have a kid applying music (VP) this year. The further we get into it and I think back, the more I think applying double degree is just a different game in general. At least for very popular programs like VP. If you play harp or bassoon or something more exotic, it might be different.
My oldest was admitted to Oberlin. He did not attend, it ended up considerably more expensive than where he ended up even with just about max merit at that time. That said, if double degree is of interest at Oberlin ask faculty directly during sample lessons. We got mixed messaging on that there (and at some other schools that proudly talked about double degree in all their marketing, so ask hard questions everywhere). Also, I noticed the double degree students we spoke with added it after arriving on campus. Some faculty/departments may be really accomodating. And some may not. The other thing if you’re considering the BA music, I’d want to have had a sample lesson with someone and have a studio assignment. I’ve heard of some students being ensured they’ll fit them in somewhere and they end up being waitlisted for lessons. This is a few years ago and they did add this new program so maybe that is better now.
Blair has a unique program where you can do music and another area in 4 years. That does sound great for the right student! I do suspect in some music departments where the double degree is a 5 year program, music programs are weighing tying up scholarship money for 5 vs. 4 years. For programs where there a zillion applicants and most are qualified to attend and they have a lot of UG institutional music needs, that could play a role. At the end of the day having a supportive teacher that is excited about having you on campus is everything. I wish we would have let go of some options earlier where faculty seemed dicey on pursuing double degree.
I actually think plenty of LACs, especially near metros, will have very strong music faculty and could be a great place to land.
Great post @KaylaMidwest !
When we did our virtual Oberlin tour, my son asked about how hard it was to do the double-degree thing. He was told that in the past it had been really difficult and many people ended up only getting one degree, but that was no longer the case, and that most people who start in the program stick with it and still having time for some other campus activities. He decided he was only applying to programs where it is the same school granting both degrees without commutes between campuses.
I agree with @KaylaMidwest that LACs are great places to perform and get solid training while getting a BA rather than BM. When I went to college, my school didn’t even give out BS degrees, everyone got a BA no matter what the major. So you could have a BA in biochemistry, for example. These people still got to work in labs and got into med and grad schools.
It’s true re: Oberlin double degrees. A full third of the music school is pursuing a double degree- they all plan to stay for 5 years. My son is with many of them and he says they are busier than he is but not overwhelmed. My understanding is that the music classes weigh a bit heavier in the beginning years and then it reverses a bit in the later years. The school is very open about the double degree program and the curriculum is designed for it to be doable if desired.
I’d just make sure to ask faculty directly in your sample lessons about double degree (or major). Ask them how many students in their studio they have that do double degree and what that is like for them. Watch for teachers to step it back or discourage it. You want/need a teacher who supports your academic goals that has some flexibility.
We would go from an info session that was very pro double degree, talked to a students on a panel, etc. And then a very different vibe on it in some sample lessons. That would be tending super positive until double degree questions came up at the end. At one school, a faculty member said directly “I don’t take double degree students in my studio”. Another school that had advertised double degree program. So weird. These were VP teachers. His first instrument was piano, he never got negative reception from piano teachers on double degree actually (he was pondering path early in the process for him). Maybe caution from one. Small sample size though I have been watching music admits for years in our metro and it has been interesting and an education. Both my kids did auditioned regional instrumental and vocal programs. If something is important to you, it’s worth asking the hard questions
I certainly hope that music departments are growing to be more flexible in this regard! At the end of the day, the faculty is your first line to admissions and are gate keepers to the program. If you don’t have a positive vibe from that sample lesson, maybe it’s worth passing on. That has definitely been our philosophy this second go about anyway.
A seasoned parent’s response. All very true and relevant.
Double degrees can work. But you need to dig a bit. Music admissions can be very positive about double degrees (they are the sales people)…while teachers can have different opinions. So check. The more honest, authentic and articulate your kid is…the better.
Thanks! I wrote this a while back, and now I’m thinking I’ll just apply as a bio major and a music minor and if I think I have the time for it, I’ll switch to a double major. My current plan is to go to med school (not set in stone though), so I’d rather just do music as a minor and keep my GPA up and have time for some fun than do a double major and have my grades and mental health suffer for it. I love music but ultimately I want to go with what will be easier to make a career out of and I’m too scared and not confident enough in my music abilities to try music lol. Plus, I love science too. If I do a double major, I think I’ll do a general BA in music or a composition major, not a performance major. But, I’m still trying to find schools where a double major is feasible! I’m a junior now so I’m thinking about colleges more seriously. I have a 4.0 still and a 35 ACT (1 ap 5 honors classes freshman and sophomore years and 5 AP classes this year) so I think I could probably get into some pretty good schools. The problem is money, so I’m shooting for scholarships and hoping the music helps. But if I’m being honest with myself, my academics are stronger than my music skills. I could maybe get into Vandy or Rochester for academics, but I really doubt I could for a music degree. My music skills could be more even with academics, but I’ve let music take the backseat to school this year and towards the end of last. That has been part of what made me decide to focus more on science in college; I’ve been fine focusing on school at the expense of some time spent on music, even if it is a sacrifice. Anyway, thank you for your input!
You don’t even need to minor in music to progress, if you choose a school with quality lessons (often funded, often for credit) and extracurricular performance- and continue to practice. If you go that route, you might consider avoiding schools that have a BM program entirely since the best teachers and opportunities might go to those students. Or at any rate check this out. There are plenty of schools with no BM degree program, where you can get a degree in science and still do high enough level of performance.
ps composition is not an easier path!
Thanks! I’ll look into that. Do you know of any off the top of your head? I would assume a lot of LACs are like that (except ones like Oberlin). I’ve been looking into some of the Claremont colleges (because of the consortium) and a few others, but I don’t want to go somewhere with fewer than 2000 students.