Can't get into a mus ed program to save my life.

College Majors Music Major
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<p>I have an additional idea for you. You’re already at Freedonia now, and you’re not exactly of “one mind” with your current teacher, who wants you to take a gap year. </p>

<p>Why not find a private vocal instructor AT FREEDONIA. Go ahead and pay for private studio (you’re already paying private instructor) but use your time with the new teacher to learn both what you’re COMPARATIVELY presently weak on and what his/her expectation and adjudication of applicants really is. If you can swing it, it should give you both great insight and great training ;)</p>

<p>Your goal is to teach choral at the HS level. Having instruction in voice from a prof at the program you were trying to get into will likely help you in terms of connections, and possibly even help you in a year or so if it is possible to extend a fifth year to create a double major with the later being in music ed certification (because you’ll already have 32 credits and just need to add the performance studio and upper level theory). </p>

<p>Just seems like a win-win, so see if it’s doable.</p>

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<p>That music minor will not get you certified to teach music in NY. If you want to teach in NY you’re gonna need a music ed degree. You need piano, and you need student teaching. Your best bet is if you’re at Fredonia talk to one of the professors in the vocal program and find out if they can give you lessons or a grad student to get you good enough to get into the program. That’s really your only choice. I’m a teacher in NY with certification in 3 areas one being music k-12.</p>

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<p>I don’t dispute that a music minor alone will not get the OP certified to teach music, but apparently it is still possible for someone to get a music teaching certificate without having a music education degree…</p>

<p>When I googled “New York Music Education Certification” I found 4 options available for certification.</p>

<p>One of the four options only required 30 hours of music classes plus passing a “Content Specialty Test (CST) in Music”, another required 30 hours of music plus 18 hours of “pedagogical studies” - (both required already having a teaching certificate).</p>

<p>Unless I am misinterpreting it the worst case for the OP would be that he would have to complete his certification for teaching Social Studies, then take an additional semester of MuEd classes. It’s not impossible that one or two of the MuEd classes may fit into the regular education curriculum as a elective education class.</p>

<p>One of the colleges that my son considered only offered a BA in music, but they had a 5 year BA/MAT program that would complete the requirements to teach music in our state (not NY). Something like that may also be an attactive option for the OP.</p>

<p>Also, we are all sorta assuming that the OP is getting rejected from the BM program because of bad auditions. That may not be the case. </p>

<p>Since the OP went to a community college first, it is possible that the faculty just feels that getting a BM may not be the best option since the OP would be significantly behind in achieving a BM as opposed to other degree programs. If the OP could get a different degree on only two year, but may have 3 or 4 more years to get a BM, the college might feel that they would be doing the OP a disservice to admit him into the BM program.</p>

<p>The guidance councelors at my son’s high school have been encouraging every student to attend our local community college for two years and they to transfer to a four year college. Doesn’t matter what your major is, they tell everyone the same thing. While that is great advice for many students, that’s terrible advice for others. A BM student really needs to start in his BM degree program from the get-go at the college he plans on recieving the degree from.</p>

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<p>Again OP if haven’t already look at the requirements from the state on NY Ed website. The things posted here aren’t what is required by NY state. Things in the state are really tough and new teachers aren’t getting jobs. Also remember that each year hundreds of music students leave Potsdam, Fredonia, Ithaca, and Eastman with teaching certificates. If you want a chance at a job you need to be attending one of those colleges and you are. Find out what it takes to get you into the music ed program.</p>

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<p>I believe that what I posted IS what is required by NY State. The information I posted came from the states web site, I don’t know why bigdjp would think anything else.</p>

<p>Does anyone have any information to the contrary?</p>

<p>OP does need to look it up for himself though.</p>

<p>Of course if the competition is so tough in NY, maybe the OP should consider certification in a different state.</p>

26

<p>Sorry for the late reply. I’ve been really busy the last few days.</p>

<p>@Trumpet57 - I apologize for getting so defensive. You’re right, I didn’t fully explain my situation in my original post and that was my fault. </p>

<p>@Momofbassist - Hahah I had a very similar experience in 11th grade. I sang “It is enough” from Elijah by Mendelssohn, and apparently at some point during the piece, I clenched my fists. The judge docked me 5 points for that… And I’m not so sure I could go back to violin. It’s been YEARS since I’ve had private instruction, and my ability has certainly slipped. I only wonder where I could be right now had I not switched to voice…</p>

<p>@MezzoGirl - the problem with my voice teacher is that I can’t tell if he’s just giving me routine praise. He claims he doesn’t. He claims he gives the cold, hard, honest truth… but I just can’t help but wonder. I also live in an area that is relatively devoid of music teachers, so there’s not even anyone local I can go to for a blind assessment on my voice.</p>

<p>@kmcmom13 - That’s pretty much my plan. Once I get up there in the Fall, I’m going to seek out a teacher immediately. As for now, I’m continuing with my current teacher. I’ve been trying to get some kind of feedback from Fredonia, but any emails I’ve sent have been unanswered, which is slightly disturbing.</p>

<p>@bigdjp - I respectfully disagree. There’s an alternative track to certification which requires 30 credit hours of a subject, plus a teacher certification in a different subject area, plus a passing grade on the CST.</p>

<p>@imagep - from what I’ve heard, once I get certified in a subject in NY, it can be transferred to (almost) any other state. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s what I’ve been told.</p>

<p>–</p>

<p>Anyway, I really wish someone at Fredonia would get back to me. It’s funny… emails pertaining to questions that I’ve sent in the past were answered within 24 hours. Now that I’m inquiring about my audition, they’re silent… </p>

<p>I have a lesson with my private teacher coming up on Saturday. I’m going to discuss all of this with him and see what he thinks. I feel like a chicken with its head cut off - a million different possibilites, but no idea where to go.</p>

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<p>Not terribly surprising that you are not hearing anything from Fredonia right now: first exams, then graduation and now, a lot of faculty are on vacations before they begin teaching in summer sessions or heading to camps/festivals during the summer. E-mails can “go missing” at this time of the year.
Also, from what I’ve heard, many schools are not willing to talk to students about their auditions because things they say can be misinterpreted. Right? Maybe not, but it’s their choice.</p>

28

<p>Hi,
You are probably already at school and have made a decision, but if you attend Onondaga Community College (near Syaracuse, with dorms) and complete their required music AA courses for transfer, you are automatically accepted into Buffalo State as a Music Ed major.</p>

<p>There is an audition required for OCC, but it is easier then other schools, to put it bluntly. Also, if you don’t pass this audition, and you REALLY want to teach music, take some time off and work and pay for excellent, consistent private lessons. You can do this. If later you still can’t pass the audition, your career is elsewhere.</p>