<p>I need help getting ideas for schools to look into. My big credentials for a college is that it has both top tier academics as well as a great music performance program. </p>
<p>Specifics:
I'm a classical pianist and my teacher says that I have a good shot at making it into a top tier conservatory.
35 ACT
3.98 GPA unweighted
I'll have 9 or 10 AP classes by the time I graduate
Also, I have plenty of extracurriculars + leadership positions</p>
<p>Some other things that I would like in a school:
Probably under 10,000 undergrad students
Preferably in an urban setting
If it's somewhere warm, then that would be really nice.</p>
<p>Are you interested in programs that connect a top conservatory to a top university? You will be academically competitive for some top schools that have cooperative agreements with conservatories, but no undergraduate performance programs of their own.</p>
<p>If someone is going to include Indiana, a school with way more than 10,000 students, then The University of Michigan should be included as well. </p>
<p>Rice University seems to meet all of the student’s criteria. Johns Hopkins is also excellent. University of Rochester is in cold weather, but also brilliant.</p>
<p>Just as another individual above mentioned, Rice would fit what you are looking for. Check the music forum for more ideas. Also, if warm weather is not a concern, and you don’t want a dual program, which can be difficult to coordinate, consider some high level schools with great music programs, but which do not have conservatories, such as Princeton, Brown and Yale.</p>
<p>I second maggiedog to post your question in the music majors forum and you can search old threads there, there is a lot of good information there.
You have gotten some good suggestions. UMich is a little bit bigger than you say you want, but it’s worth a look, very strong academics and a great music school. Being in the music school also gives you a smaller home within the larger university. Peabody/JHU, Eastman/URochester, CIM/Case Western are all good choices. Also Rice, Northwestern, Oberlin, Vanderbilt. You may want to consider Lawrence U and Bard- both similar to Oberlin, smaller LACs with a conservatory. NEC has dual programs with Harvard and Tufts and Julliard with Columbia. USC also worth considering. At some schools the music school is right on the campus with the college and others require a commute.
What year are you in school now?
Some things to consider- if you can you will want to have some lessons with teachers at the schools you are interested in. You need to get an idea of where you will be competitive and you want to try to find a great teacher, not just a great school. How closely connected is your current teacher to what is currently going on in conservatories and music schools? Some teachers really don’t know how competitive and high level things have gotten, so it’s important to have an evaluation from somebody who knows the level of students currently going into conservatories.
All the above mentioned schools are very competitive. Your excellent academics will not help much in getting you into the music school, it is all based on your audition. It is very important to try to identify some safety schools and this is somewhat more difficult than identifying academic safeties because of the capriciousness of music school admissions. You may qualify by your level of playing to be admitted to a school, but they not have many openings for your instrument in any given year. So be sure to cast a wide net! Best of luck!</p>
<p>If you want to consider an LAC, Vassar has Steinway pianos in all of the practice rooms in Skinner (the music building). The dorms also have Steinway’s and most times when we are there visiting our son, someone is playing an advanced piano piece in the great room of his dorm. There are probably not too many schools where this is routine. Vassar has strong music all around and if you are looking to double major - it is ideal because there are few distribution requirements. So consider Vassar if you want an academically strong LAC with a wonderful music department, a beautiful music building and many many awesome pianos.</p>