So while S24 is away I am trying to do some more research on low match/safety programs. He is intrested in BA music programs. After hearing about St. Olaf a ton on this page I looked at it a little more carefully and it looks like a great fit. I think it would be an academic safety/low match (he has a 4.0uw/4.6w, 1560 SAT, right at the border for our state NMSF last year, precollege for his instrument since 7th grade). Anyone have info about either the BA or BM performance there?
Hi! Iām applying for mostly Vocal Performance and a few MT programs. Iām double majoring in either Journalism or Creative Writing. Iāll also probably have Acting as my second choice major if I donāt get into VP or MT. I was wondering if anyone could give me feedback on my list and also if anyone knows when I could start hearing back about prescreens from some of these specifically. Thanks!
Just Vocal Performance:
Arizona State University
Boston University
Binghamton University
UCLA
Florida State University
SUNY Fredonia
University of Miami (also auditioning for Creative American Music Songwriting minor)
Northwestern University
Penn State University
SUNY Potsdam
SUNY Purchase
Eastman School of Music (URoch)
University of Southern California
Syracuse University
Just MT:
Emerson College
New York University
MT and VP:
Baldwin Wallace University
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Michigan
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SUNY Purchase only has Vocal Performance (Opera) and NO Musical Theater. It is a small conservatory with 2 performances a year so lots of opportunities to work on acting and singing. You CANNOT double major.
I might add Bard! I toured Oberlin over spring break and unfortunately didnāt connect with it 
I had a lot of hope for it but just wasnāt for me!
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@nysings My son and I toured both Florida State (FSU) and University of Michigan. Though we were there for composition, we got an overview of the entire music programs/facilities. One question, is there are reason you arenāt also considering MT at FSU? My impressions of FSU are that they have a LOT of money. The out of state tuition is so reasonable, and for music majors, Iām almost positive they told me acceptance into the program came with an automatic 50% tuition scholarship. The campus is GORGEOUS; the music department facilities were amazing. However, when we were there in February, it was my observation that the students across campus werenāt smiling a lot, didnāt seem overly friendlyā¦I donāt know, it was just a vibe I picked up on. It is a GIANT campus, too. If you go and plan to take the campus tour, it is literally two hours (maybe even longer) of solid walking. The music department tour was much more personalized, and I imagine the theatre department would be similar.
SMTD at Univ. of Michigan was equally as impressive, though I donāt think they have the $$ like FSU does. In terms of impressions, just as FSU is in a warm climate and Michigan is cold, the facilities were like that as well. FSUās were warm and inviting in a way; SMTDās were more institutional and certainly more dated. Admittedly, we didnāt tour all of the MT facilities. They had lots of performance spaces, though, which I thought was a bonus. Our tour guide was either VP or MT major, and when asked about double majoring, he basically said he didnāt see how it could be done, and certainly not in four years. It sounded like their MT program is very demanding and time-consuming.
I guess one school that I donāt see on your list which we toured and had an AMAZING MT department is Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. We had a tour of the entire conservatory, and I was super impressed with the MT side of things. (As a side note, their set and prop design shop and projects blew me away!!!) In fact, one of the things that turned my composer kid off from CCM was how much priority it seemed the MT side of things received. So, if you havenāt checked that program out, I would encourage you to do so. It is a part of University of Cincinnati, so itās possible you could double major.
Hopefully, some of this helps. 
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OH, sorry to hear that, given how prestigious it is in both of your areas of interest! Hopefully Bard will connect better for you, but you have loads of options on your list.
Best of luckā
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I asked my vocal teacher abt CCM and she advised that their heavy grad population might mean lack of opportunities
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In re FSU I actually donāt know a lot about their MT program; Iāll be sure to look into it! Thanks!!
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Completely random but for VP def take a look at Miamiā¦It was on my sonās list for Guitar Performance (jazz) but was SO impressed with all the music programs there in generalā¦and he has met some GREAT vocal professors from there. It became his second choice but REALLY impressive and a def choice for a Masterās program
That is very interesting. No one on the tour asked questions about that. Iām sure that is a big factor when deciding on schools for VP and MT.
that is one of the most important questions to ask at all the schools you visit or are applying to. If you want to learn your craft by being on stage for undergrad you definitely want to know if you are competing with grad students.
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Agree 100%. It was my S22ās number one priority to apply only to schools where undergrads were not competing with grad students for opportunities. It definitely limited the number of choices he had (to 3), but he is very happy with the outcome.
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UMiami is my second choice right now!
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@RussianMom this is it!
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I am going to follow your journeys and cheer! And also learn as I have a rising junior.
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Anyone feeling slightly daunted about how much their DC has to do over the next few months? Probably feeling it as DD24 is away most the summer, but has a first application deadline of 31/8 and a first audition on 24/9, as well as our national orchestra Final auditions early September. I think i am going to do the big wall planner thing or a shared virtual one as i am not sure she has these early deadlines in her head yet. I am so busy at work etc this autumn i need to get us in good shape i think as much as i would like her to do it all herself!
Yes! I have actually spent the last few weeks doing things that he should be doing since the list is so long and his summer program is device free. So glad he seems to be having such a wonderful and transformative experience at Kinhaven but the few weeks before school starts (which includes a 10 day trip to europe) are going to be such chaos! Thankfully he told me is working on his audition pieces and his concerto for precollege concerto competition. EA/ED applications are due along with supplements on 11/1 and it is going to be tight!!
Yes good point - thankfully the thing i am not worried about for once is practice at this point as a lot seems to be happening and a lot of lessons and classes! Itās all the other stuffā¦.
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Yes, it is shocking! They seem to practice 3-4 hours a day in addition to all of the lessons, I didnt think there would be so much time for solo pieces so glad that it is happening! I have two spread sheets, one for auditions/prescreens/supplements and one for deadlines, essays and merit scholarships. He will have to look them over and add to them when he gets home, it is unfortunate that i have to do this for him but when school starts this has to be finished and the process started.
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So weird question and donāt know where to ask it. S24 is at kinhaven where they have no technology at all. He will be back second week of august. We have a tour at an LAC when we take my older one back to school 2 weeks later. We generally reach out to the music department before to see about a tour of the music building and meeting with someone. Do I wait until he comes back? Do I reach out? Which is more polite/appropriate. I am a bit unsure. He is very interested in this school and would do a trial lesson but since it is the summer it seems very unlikely.