<p>Our situation was the same as Bassdad. NEC was the only admit that offered DS NO merit aid…not a nickel. AND they only accepted three students on his instrument that year…not like it was an easy admit.</p>
<p>My D got a substantially higher merit award from BoCo than NEC. So far BoCo hasn’t come up with the rest of the financial package and we’re STILL waiting for any numbers from Eastman.</p>
<p>Well NEC denied our appeal but IU came up with another $5K further widening the gap between them and making it very tempting to us parents. Still my daughter contends that she prefers the setting at NEC. Her private instructor also feels that the bassoon studio at IU is less stable than the one at NEC even though they are hiring a new person for next year. I guess my main problem is that our loan debt is going to be substantial with NEC and it sort of scares me that in the end, there is no guarantee of employment. Though I guess if she were a history major at a top tier school we would be in the same boat. Her private teacher says that we need to think of it as an investment in her happiness, not an investment with a guaranteed outcome. So I guess its NEC for my daughter and as for me - would anyone like to buy a kidney? :-)</p>
<p>Posted on another thread that you should appeal the scholarship decision at NEC but see that you already have…sorry it didn’t work out…</p>
<p>So what is stingy??? DD’s friend …Soprano was offered $14K… DD might have applied if she knew they would give that much.</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about the bassoon, but I would hate to see anyone turn down IU and go into debt. I just can’t see that any undergrad school is worth a lot of debt for music when grad school is in the wings. I would go for IU over NEC for voice, regardless of money, but I can’t comment on the bassoon.</p>
<p>Not a good idea to go into debt for an undergraduate music degree. IU is a fine school and her education would give her more options. Good luck.</p>
<p>cartera45</p>
<p>Couldn’t agree with you more…That is one of the reasons we are seriously considering Queens College in NY…It is affordable and DD has found a teacher there she really likes who also happens to be head of the voice program…Not a well know program…very small BUT has some excellent faculty (DD voice coach personally knows 3 of them)…So for us if she does decide to go…We should be able to pay without incuring any debt…By far best present we could give her I think (knowing she would also receive excellent training).</p>
<p>It’s pretty much down to 2 schools for us at this point…Won’t even be accepted into the college portion of Queens until after that all important May 1st deadline. Won’t that be fun to turn everyone else down and not have a definate spot at the college??? Could life with an artist be anymore fun??</p>
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<p>Did you ask the teacher if he is willing to make a contribution? :D</p>
<p>It’s a tough call, but the common wisdom is to limit her max undergrad debt to the four year Stafford limit. If you can cover the rest from resources, or a manageable loan, that’s your choice and prerogative. Jacobs is a great program. Without knowing the actual package differences, I’d save the money for grad school.</p>
<p>josoon, I’m going to indicate NEC as a “final” on the Master threads. If this changes, please let one of us “dads” know.</p>