My daughter recently got accepted to Berklee, Frost’s MADE program, and Belmont. She got a little merit from Berklee and Belmont and we are waiting on Frost. Now it is decision time. Does anyone have experience and has had to make a similar decision? Would love input. My daughter wants to do performance/singer-songwriting/music business. Thank you!
Belmont will have mainly religious (Christian) students who will love that life. Less than years past but still will be there. . Is that a consideration ? If so I’d eliminate it. Obviously Belmont and Miami are traditional colleges whereas Berklee won’t. Good luck.
Berkeley is a wonderful program. Something neat about Frost that will differentiate it is that Dorst students have access to UM and everything the school has to offer. For example, my 10 year old is an actor. She sometimes does films with the film student. When she needs to do ADR work without a doubt the sound system, folly units etc will be Frost students that are taking classes not just at Frost but also through the school of communications to broaden the knowledge base.
I would post this in the music major forum. You will get good information there. I have read posts that were very positive about the MADE program but of course Berklee comes up a lot. Belmont is in Nashville but perhaps due to the religious aspect gets mentioned less often.
I have heard that you kind of have to make your own way at Berklee, but at Frost’s MADE program it is laid out in a structured way. But check with those more familiar with these schools, on the music major forum.
3 Likes
How are the costs looking for each program? What is the budget? Would you need to take on any debt for any of them?
I am most familiar with Berklee. I used to have a guitar teacher who studied there and liked it a lot. Earlier I had a different guitar teacher who started there and had to drop out because they couldn’t afford it. One daughter also took a summer program there and liked it a lot. There were some valuable “music business related” discussions in addition to the excellent music program.
I also know a professor of music who teaches somewhere else. The budget side is important for a music major.
My kid(s) would not enjoy the flavor of Christianity at Belmont. I’m assuming it fits with your kid’s worldview, though, if they’ve applied. Berklee is great, but I have heard that if kid ever changes their mind about music and wants to switch schools, they will have a hard time getting any credits to transfer. Just a consideration. Miami is fantastic, I wish my musician son had applied. Maybe for grad school.
1 Like
One of my friend’s kids goes to Belmont University. He was a National Merit Finalist with loads of AP classes and is an amazing musician (drummer). He applied to Berklee and got in but decided it was too expensive for him. At Belmont his major is sound engineering (with classes like Physics etc). I would say that the whole family is almost militantly anti-religion so I was shocked that their son would pick a Christian college in the south. He could have gone to any number of more prestigious schools and perhaps done a dual degree program.
Well, first semester freshman year, he landed in a band that needed a drummer, has performed with the band produced his first song and plays gigs most weekends. The academics have not been too challenging for him giving him loads of time to do performing. He is planning to do the study abroad program in Dublin next year.
I am guessing that there must be other students like him at Belmont (or he found a crowd elsewhere in Nashville). In any event it seems he found a good situation that fits his needs.
1 Like