Could you suggest academically solid colleges with strong chamber music on the east coast?
She prefers urban or lively suburban settings.
SAT 1520,UW GPA 4.0, Weighted 4.30, 10+ APs by graduation, competitive public high school
She is a serious pianist with pre college experience and summer festivals, but doesn’t want to go to a conservatory or major in music performance.
Major undecided but most likely NOT engineering.
At this moment, her college list includes
the Ivies
NWestern
UMich
Tufts
Case Western
NYU
No financial aid needed.
Any input is appreciated.
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@Violin87, If your daughter’s preference for an urban/suburban setting is negotiable, then I’d suggest that she look at Williams. Superb academics across the board plus a vibrant music program, offering non-majors a wide range of performance opportunities via two orchestras and multiple ensembles.
About 40% of the student body have double majors.
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Thank you for your suggestion.
I love Williams, which is my husband’s alma mater. I have been trying to convince my daughter to apply there.
I visited there twice, and I saw many beautiful practice rooms.
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She is applying there, of course👌
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What are her match and safeties?
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State school will be one of the safeties.
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You can also post this on the music major forum, which can be very helpful. There is a good essay entitled “The Double Degree Dilemma” under the “Read Me” thread that might be interesting for her to read. It is really about the different ways to study or continue music.
I know many musicians who are actually working in the music field one way or the other, who did not even major in music. She can continue lessons and perform as an extracurricular or off campus. Or she can double major, major/minor, double degree.
She should definitely submit a music supplement to the common app with a recording/video, music resume, and letters of recommendation (2 is fine) from teacher(s)/director. Music can enhance admissions chances even for non-majors.
Some of the “little Ivies” are already on your list (Tufts, Williams) and I would add Amherst, which also benefits from the Five College Consortium with UMass, Smith, Mt. Holyoke and Hampshire.
Of course Tufts and Harvard have a double degree with NEC. Harvard and Yale’s double degrees are BA/MM and Tuft’s is BA/BM. Princeton has an exchange program with the Royal College of Music.
I might add Vassar, maybe Barnard. Bard is pretty rural but has a “low wall” between conservatory and college as does Oberlin.
Some of the schools on her list have schools of music on campus. You have to check whether that means all the best teachers, opportunities and resources go to the BM students. In some cases a school without a BM program can work better, but not always.
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If East coast is negotiable, Oberlin and St Olaf.
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You don’t have to major in music at Yale to have access to terrific undergrad ensembles. In fact, the performance degree is a masters program. Yale has tons of student ensembles. And many talented musicians as well.
Of course, getting accepted to Yale should not be viewed as a given.
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Thank you.
I have read so many of your informative posts when my son is/was a violinist and auditioned for conservatories (now at one of the Ivies).
(I wish there is a function on CC to read all the past posts of particular posters - like you!)
I myself like Amherst but it is too rural for her, even with UMass Amherst nearby.
I will look at Vassar.
I have a gut feeling that colleges WITHOUT BM work better for her because there won’t be a clear separation between students majoring and not majoring in music. I am telling her if she ends up at colleges like NWestern, she won’t get the best teachers or ensembles.
My daughter doesn’t like to go to an all-girls college, Barnard, unfortunately. I know Barnard students participate in Music Performance at Columbia.
I know— She is picky that drives me crazy. I am telling her she has to be ready to compromise even though she can dream to have everything she wants.
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Yale SCEA rejected my violinist son who had a higher SAT score, likely better writing skill, but slightly lower GPA/ rigor.
I know the college admissions is almost like a lottery after certain level - so she will give it a try.
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I know several serious musicians from our area went to Oberlin, but my daughter will need a city life on the east coast. (NWestern is an exception but she loves that school)
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If she can consider the Midwest, St Olaf should be on her radar - conservatory quality but not a conservatory. A plurality of students there are solid musicians studying anything and doing music on the side. If she expresses interest early and auditions for their music scholarships, it’d be a safety (and she’d get high-caliber music + strong academics/serious students, though obviously not Yale-level). Located in college town south of the Twin Cities (easy drive, less than an hour).
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Oberlin is 30 minutes from Cleveland and since Case is on the list I thought I’d throw it out there.
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Forgive my ignorance!
I will look at Oberlin again, thank you.
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Since you have Case on your list….what about University of Rochester?
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No worries! Thumper1’s Rochester is a good recommendation too!
It’s easy to find the reaches but a bit harder to find the matches ; )
Have you considered Lehigh? Not big city but we were pleasantly surprised by Bethlehem. They offer music merit scholarships for non majors.
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I visited U of R with my violinist son. We found the conservatory is too far away from the other campus, and the weather too depressing. If my son didn’t like the location, my daughter will unfortunately hate it.
But I love the music faculty at Eastman though💕
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From Wikipedia, sorry! “Barnard is officially one of four undergraduate colleges of Columbia University, but has legal and financial autonomy. Students share classes, clubs, fraternities and sororities, sports teams, buildings, and more with Columbia , and receive the Columbia diploma that is signed by both Barnard and Columbia presidents.”
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