My son is about to accept and I have a few questions if anyone is available? They are:
At what level are the academics? Are they so rigorous that they take away from the primary focus which is music?
What dorm and why?
Anyone doing a double with education?
Or what double majors / minors are your students pursuing?
Do you find most double major or minor? Does this take away from the “seriousness” of the music program?
Do they really find the time to get into Chicago for performances?
Thanks so much!!! Stressed & confused mom here!
hi - my daughter was a dual degree Bienen BM VP/Weinberg BA Anthropology until the end of March (more on that later), so I can address some of your questions. First, is your son interested in a BM with a double major (this is all in Bienen) or does he want a dual degree as my daughter did? Dual degree is Bienen BM and a degree from another NU school (Weinberg, McCormick Engineering, SESP, etc.) which will likely take 5 years to complete.
- What level are the academics? They are high level but doable - and your son was accepted on that basis, so he will likely be fine! Music classes are intense and numerous (as they are at every music school). My D’s first few quarters included theory, aural skills, lessons, vocal solo class, diction, piano, language, chorus and two Weinberg classes as part of the Kaplan Humanities Scholar program. If you review the 4- or 5- year curriculum worksheets on the Bienen website, they spell out exactly how your son’s classes will be laid out. Very helpful! They even show them as “front-loaded music”, “front-loaded non-music degree”, and “equal”. (My daughter made the mistake of not noticing that she was put into “front-loaded music” when she really needed “equal”, so tell your son to watch for this.) Because she was dual degree, she has taken 2 non-Bienen classes each quarter and lightened up on some of her music classes as a sophomore. Again, as with likely all music schools, many of the classes your son will take will be required but non-credit (seems weird, I know, to see all those 0 credit classes where he still needs to do well). Some are only 1 or 2 days a week. Dean Jacobs in Bienen is a tremendous help to the students. My D found her to be very approachable and ready to work with each student to help. My D’s original schedule had her missing lunch 4 days a week and she has some gastro issues where she needs to eat regularly. Dean Jacobs was quick to help her into closed class sections.
- What dorm and why? That’s very specific to each student! Your son should check out the dorm reviews/photos in North by Northwest. Google dorm reviews. If you join the Northwestern University Parents Group on fb, you will see some discussion of this there, too. There really is no wrong/bad dorm, imho. Campus housing is divided into North, Mid and South. Bienen is closest to South campus. My D did Shepard Residential College in South Mid Quad b/c she wanted to be relatively close to Bienen and the theater facilities, and close to town, but not living 100% with other fine arts students. She wanted a variety of majors. More artsy kids tend to live further South. Bob and McCullough is the more “party” dorms and they are North. She found her roommate through the admitted student fb group. A comment about the Northwestern University Parents Group on fb: It is the nicest, most welcoming group of people! Everyone pitches in to answer questions. Right now the big discussion is “My kid has strep, what places will deliver hot chicken soup?” and “My daughter chipped her tooth - dentist reco?” and “Need summer sublet in LA - who else’s kid is interning there this summer?” We share videos of performances, too.
- Do most students double major or minor? Oh, gosh, yes. NU seems to be a hotbed of overachieving, over-reaching students (and not just Bienen students, either). It just seems to attract that kind of kid. (Not saying that other colleges don't.) Most students seem to have a major and a minor plus a maybe a certificate. So obviously it's doable, right? But your son shouldn't feel like he has to do it. He will need to find his level of comfort and he can add or subtract majors/minors as needed. The issue for Bienen (and theatre) students, I think, is that much of their learning takes place outside of class in rehearsals, practice rooms, collaborating with others, performing, etc. so that they need to become very efficient and manage their time well. They learn.
- Do they find time to go into Chicago? Absolutely. My D will go to museums and she took a Sat. acting class for 8 weeks over Winter quarter. Discount pricing for students at theaters and museums. She knows some Bienen students who go in to jazz clubs. Okay, I've got dinner plans but I'll be back!
I would encourage you to really dive into the Bienen webpages on the NU website. They are really quite comprehensive and I think you could find many answers there, too. If you want to PM me, please feel free. We can also chat by phone if you want. Please don’t feel stressed! It’s a big unknown but that’s what these kids are poised to jump into at age 18. With regard to my D - she loved, loved, LOVED her VP prof, opera coach, accompanist and classmates (frosh - grad in studio) but as she progressed through freshman year, she realized that she is a broader performer than just singing. She had several opportunities to perform in classical, opera and theatre productions and became a theatre major this month. She is double-majoring in history (it’s a double-major vs dual degree bc they are both BA degrees) and may concentrate in dramaturgy (an area she would have to develop herself as there is no definitive track).
Hi @laurasti and congrats on your S’s acceptance! My son is a freshman double bass performance major at Bienen.
Academics - the level is high, but if they accepted you I wouldn’t worry about it. They know how to pick kids who can handle it. It did take my son a quarter to realize that now music is #1. For so long it was “Keep your grades up and then practice.” But now practicing IS keeping your grades up, and a B in a non-music class is no big deal. At least in our world. 
Dorms - S lived in Allison this year. He wanted south to be near Bienen, and he wanted a cafeteria in the building. He liked living there. Next year he is moving to Plex so he can be with his suite of friends with another group of friends in the suite next door. He really wanted Kemper or Lincoln, but wasn’t able to get into those. He wanted north for access to the gym.
Double major - S connected with three different professors in RTVF, engineering, and music tech to create his own ad hoc second major. He just started this quarter, but I don’t foresee any problems with keeping up. He’s also playing intramural soccer with a Bienen team, works for Concerts at Bienen, and has played in the pit for the theatre department a couple of times. He is busy and tired, but managing everything. Quite simply, he loves it.
When we visited, one of the students told us the joke is no one at NU does just one thing. It seems to be true. NU doesn’t just allow other degrees/majors/minors, it encourages them and offers assistance in making them work.
S has been into Chicago a few times, but probably not as much as he would like. First quarter I"m not even sure he went. He’s been more since Christmas break.
OH! Each year all the students at NU read a book over the summer, and there is programming around it for the year. They also do a special event for freshman around the theme of the book. This year they read “Our Declaration” which was really interesting. The freshman event? They all went to see Hamilton. Can’t wait to see what your son’s class will get to do!
Also, be on the lookout for pre-orientation programs (POP). S did an 8 day backpacking trip with a group of other incoming freshman (not just Bienen). He totally loved it. It was a great way to get ready for school and to meet other students. They do several types of trips - outdoors, community service, etc. One word of advice though - auditions for placement happen during orientation, and the POP programs prevent you from practicing the week before, (though, if you are voice, you can probably practice while on a POP trip). Anyway, try to do as much practicing before your POP trip a possible, if you choose to do one.
Welcome to the NU and Bienen family. Your son will love it. It’s just a fabulous school and experience!
@momzhood I have a musical theatre kid, too (not at NU). Will your D audition for the MT certificate program? It’s very highly regarded in the MT world. When we were there for Family Weekend we saw Company - it was phenomenal!
@momzhood thanks for sharing your D’s story. It shows how students grow into themselves in college. It’s hard to predict the path even the summer before freshman year. But in almost all cases if you just let your kid spread their wings the first year, do the hard work of engagement at a university they will find the right path.
I think VP can be tough bc kids have been singing for only a few years and often have a theater/MT background. When you get deep into college study however the art forms are quite different. My D still prefers the theater creative process to that of opera. But she loves the classical music. There were 2 students in my D’s class doing a BS VP with theater as the “other area of study”. My D in the end made opera her primary focus and only did theater classes. The guy quit opera auditions and only did theater audition jr year on…but ensemble requirements in the music school did curtail his theater participation. Still I think they were both happy with their choices. It was not the more even split or free flow back and forth I had imagined (and it did create some frustration) but all is well that ends well.
Chicago is a great town for theater! I wondered for years if my D should have been a theater major. But I know now she made the right choice and now she enjoys auditioning for both (but of course with the emphasis on music and always protecting her voice…if you know what I mean).
Wow - thanks for all of the detailed writing! Will reread later & see if I have questions.
@BassTheatreMom, My S, who is looking at grad schools visited this week. He loved it there, and is excited to apply. He was able to attend a friend’s bass recital as well as have a private lesson. Do you know how many MM’s in bass are in the program? Thanks.
I think either 2 or 3, but I’m not 100% sure. I’ll ask my son tomorrow when we chat. Let me know if you have any other questions. The bass group is very tight knit at NU. My son really loves it there.
@BassTheatreMom , I think bassists in general are all really tight. They all seem to be good buds.
HI @momsings That’s very true - they generally do get to be very close. My son says there were 3 grad students this year and he thinks three for next year (2 graduated and 2 new are coming in, one is still working on his degree). He says there will be sixteen total, undergrad and grad, in the studio.