<p>He is at UMass Lowell and doing well. </p>
<p>Hi Pop, my D graduated with CWP, or Contemporary writing and production. In LA she plans to teach part time as she gets her connections going and it sounds like she already has started that. She enjoys arranging, writing and performing, so I will just wait and see what happens from here. She just arrived, so hasnāt even moved into her final apartment. Berklee has a great alumni office out there, so she plans to meet with them, which she may have already done by now. She is optimistic about what her options are, but it is not as straight forward as engineering or nursing.</p>
<p>Back from our visit to Saint Rose, she wasnāt thrilled but its on the list of schools sheāll at least apply to. She liked the new facilities, performing arts center, practice rooms, recording studio and campus radio station. Biggest drawbacks were that its such a small school and the classrooms looked and felt just like high school, didnāt have that higher learning feel, Albany isnāt the most interesting city, and that sheād have to study classical for the first 2 years before branching out to contemporary. I liked the senior album project, music business courses, internships, and generous scholarship opportunities. With her grades and talent it could be a full ride or significant portion of the costs.</p>
<p>Weāve got a NYC Open House next weekend with Columbia College of Chicago and weāll see how that goes. We did do the Performing Arts College Fair last week in New York and have come across some new schools, some in the UK.</p>
<p>University of New Orleans seems like they have a nice pop/contemporary program and financial aid package. We were also impressed with McNally Smith but the Minnesota location is a drawback.</p>
<p>Sheās very excited about the UK schools, and while Iām wary about the costs, they do seem to offer very focused programs on popular music. She liked the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA), Salford University in Machester and the Leeds College of Music. The latter 2 have regular on-campus auditions with major record labels that have signed students.</p>
<p>I came across this pretty comprehensive thread here on CC last year about Rock Vocal schools that seem to have a good match of schools with programs my daughter is interested in. <a href=āRock Vocals - #60 by brendansdad - Music Major - College Confidential Forumsā>Rock Vocals - #60 by brendansdad - Music Major - College Confidential Forums;
<p>Also Billboard Magazine listed their 2014 Top 11 schools to learn the Music Business
<a href=ā11 Best Music Schools: Top Colleges for an Industry Degree | Billboard ā Billboardā>http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6259155/top-music-business-schools-colleges-programs</a></p>
<p>Many of the schools are on our list, we talked to William Patterson in NJ at the college fair and definitely want to give New Jersey City University which I had never heard of a visit. Both schoolās proximity to NYC are strong pluses.</p>
<p>Positive notes about high school so far, sheās doing very well in Performing Arts School. Her choir has been asked to sing back up for āThree Moā Tenorsā at a benefit concert in New Haven. Sheās been asked to be one of only 2 vocalists to join the Jazz Ensemble next semester. And sheāll be performing 2 solo songs at a student showcase in NYC sponsored by her private vocal coach during Xmas break.</p>
<p>Sheās also applied to NYUās Future Music Moguls High School Program which runs for 12 weeks on Saturdays from February to May. If accepted sheād get to learn about music business, speak with visiting artists and work on a group project. - Please wish her luck!</p>
<p>Back from the NYC Open House with Columbia College Chicago, and we both really liked what we heard. The school seems to be a great place for creative students. She liked the ability to take many types of contemporary music, jazz, funk, rock, r&b, pop and classes in other disciplines like marketing, art, fashion, and dance. Many classes are a la cart so its what you make of it. </p>
<p>Lots was discussed of journalism, film and photography at the Open House and not as much about music which is a concern but their site lists many classes in her interest area. Chicago is mainly a beneficial selling point and the campus is very urban in the heart of the south loop. Midwestern winters however are a negative.</p>
<p>Will have to do some more research on the music program, alums and job placement but looks like CCC will be high on her list. Will have to schedule an on campus visit next year. Merit scholarships will also be a determining factor but it seems they offer them based on academics and talent.</p>
<p>Interested to hear from any alums or parents of current students.</p>
<p>@PopPrincessPop My son graduated from CCC back in 2009. He was in the Audio Arts & Acoustics program, and really took advantage of the connections he could make through the professors and the program, so that heās been working in the field full time since graduation. He made lots of connections with music and film students there and found it a vibrant environment - very creative. It really is one of those places where putting in the effort can yield wonderful results.</p>
<p>I wasnāt thrilled about the ācity campusā but for my son, it was exactly what he needed. My preference would have been a more traditional, academic type of environment but he did his research and knew what he needed. </p>
<p>Thanks for the context @stradmomā. My daughter is a city kid at heart so the urban campus is a big plus and Iām ok with that too. My biggest concern is the quality of the vocal music program at CCC because the recruiters at the open house didnāt talking about it. </p>
<p>I did find a Facebook page for the Contemporary, Urban, Pop major that promotes student albums, concerts, music videos and performances so it seems thereās a lot going on in the department.</p>
<p>Great to hear your son is working full-time in his field. There seem to be a lot of connections and internship possibilities through the school, students need to be aggressive about pursuing them.</p>
<p>Suffice to say, she and I both like the school from what weāve heard and it might be a good choice for her! Too bad its not in a warmer climate!</p>
<p>Hi SnowflakeVT! My first postā¦here it goes. My D is a high school senior who has an audition next month at Berklee for songwriting in Chicago. I think Iām more nervous than she is. Any tips at all??? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Best of luck @ambitionsmom - let us know how it goes. Iāll be looking for tips as well for next year!</p>
<p>Parent tips for the parent ā¦ Pretend like you donāt know your kid at the audition unless they talk to you. 
they are trying to be the adult, so drive them thereās pick them up, but if you wait for them in the waiting room, sit away from your student so they donāt look like a mamaās boy or girl. When they get called in to audition, they will go to a warm up room first and then they will do their audition.</p>
<p>For your student, I canāt be of specific help as I didnāt follow my D in there. For my D, she was confident in her audition song (a jazz standard) and she also played them a short bit of a song she had written. If you have a skill that is high, show it. My D accompanied herself on piano as she sang, because that is what she does. They also did different kinds of rhythm and pitch matching things until they saw what your capabilities were. The audition mood is very supportive, as they want you to be your best version of yourself that day.</p>
<p>On the dress ā¦ Donāt dress in something an opera star would wear unless that is the image you expect to have as a professional. My D was more jazz, and she wore black jeans, heels, and a nice dressy top ā¦ Something you might wear to a casual jazz venue, at least in Vermont. Most students had on nice clothes, like dress pants and a button down, and several guys had on jeans or khakiās with a button down shirt, but no ties. Even though my D auditioned in August, no one wore shorts at the audition, so it was casual, but not that casual. Of the girls there, half wore a skirt or dress and half had on pants.</p>
<p>Good luck! </p>
<p>Thanks PopPrincessPop! I will let you know how it goesā¦my intention was to not be anywhere near my D during her audition. It makes me nervous! I figure Iād take a book to keep me occupied. How did you like Columbia? I figured since we were in Chicago weād check out Columbia and Roosevelt. I like these because they are closer to home (Michigan) but I do want her to go where she is comfy, even if itās far away. SnowflakeVT, thanks for the tips.I may me making much out of nothing but Iāve read all these comments about private lessons and teachers getting you ready for your audition and we just donāt have the means to do so. Sheās going for songwriting sooooooā¦hopefully they will see her talent and potential. </p>
<p>If she is going for songwriting, she should bring her catalog or portfolio of songs, or at least her best ones. My D also did arrangements for her HS and college a cappella groups and she brought those to show them some addāl skills and perhaps another view of her interest in music. </p>
<p>We both really liked Columbia CC @ambitionsmom, its definitely on the list of schools to apply to. Best of luck to your daughter in her audition and continued search. </p>
<p>University of New Orleans and Loyola popped up as good options that offer good scholarship opportunities, does anyone have opinions about those schools?</p>
<p>Also looking at Colorado - Denver, anyone know about their program? It was in the Billboard article and looks like they also have a cool summer workshop. May try to get her out to that one for the workshop itself and of course sheāll have an opportunity to check out the school. </p>
<p>Thanks @PopPrincessPopā! Itās coming sooner than I thought! Sheās a little stressed out right now. We just missed Columbaās open house so we plan to just do a school tour until the spring open house.</p>
<p>Great parent advice from @snowflakeVT ! </p>
<p>We had to go to London (from Rome) for our sonās Berklee audition, which was super nerve-wracking, but in the end I think it worked out for the better. Because he was in a completely unfamiliar place he was so focused on only the audition with no outside distractions. The audition was tough and kind of severe, but he got in and it absolutely loving his first year at Berklee so far. </p>
<p>GOOD LUCK!! </p>
<p>Hollywood Reporter just published their list of the 25 Best Music Schools. Worth a read to glean info.</p>
<p><a href=āThe Hollywood Reporter Unveils the Top 25 Music Schools 2014 ā The Hollywood Reporterā>http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hollywood-reporter-unveils-top-25-745732</a></p>
<p>The Hollywood Reporter list seems completely random! And I say that even though (or maybe because) my sonās school is on there.</p>
<p>I still say you canāt mix contemporary or jazz with classical in music school comparisons. The focus and culture can be so different. A voice that is great at jazz improvisation in a small venue may not be the perfect voice for opera or classical choral singing, and an instrumental person planning to play in a professional orchestra may find a contemporary music school not right for them. Of course, if you are going to be a studio musician you may need both, but you really canāt directly compare a Berklee or a USC Thornton with a Julliard if you are specifically going for opera, or specifically going for R&B or jazz. However, as a Berklee parent I am always pleased when my Dās school shows up on these things.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting the Hollywood Reporter list @uskoolfish , I agree it does seem to have some apples and oranges on it. Started to look at some of the schools and will have to give CalArts some consideration, I like their individual focus description and ability to study multiple genres but not sure how much they offer on the business aspect.</p>
<p>Excited because she got invited to interview in a couple of weeks for the NYU Future Music Moguls High School Program and weāre crossing our fingers. Super proud of her, she got all Aās at her Performing Arts School and Aās and Bās in her core academics for the first quarter. She made CMEA (state choir) Regionals with the opera song she studied, and has a NYC student showcase with her private vocal coach right after Christmas. I put together a website for her as well to start building her portfolio. Iād love to hear what you think. <a href=āhttp://www.siennabarlow.ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā>http://www.siennabarlow.ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā </a></p>
<p>Trying to group schools for consideration and hoping to visit as many as we can. Sheās less excited about visiting Tennessee now but wants to check out McNally Smith, UNO and Loyola in addition to Columbia Chicago this coming Spring Break. Weāll have to see if we can fit all those in.</p>
<p>Right now weāve got a pretty long list but this is what it looks like:</p>
<p>Top Choices:
- Berklee
- Columbia College Chicago
- Miami - Frost
- The New School - Eugene Lange College Contemporary Music
- McNalley Smith
- Univerisity New Orleans
- Loyola New Orleans</p>
<ul>
<li>LIPA - Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts - UK</li>
<li>Leeds College of Music - UK</li>
<li>Salford University - Manchester UK</li>
</ul>
<p>Considering:
- Middle Tennessee State
- NYU - Clive Davis School of Recording Arts (sheās not yet convinced she can do vocals and business)
- Drexel
- Five Towns College
- College of Saint Rose (her safety school at the moment)
- University of New Haven
- Colorado - Denver (hope to get her to their Summer Music program)</p>
<p>Looking into:
- Syracuse (Iām making her look at this one, she says its too āsportyā, but weāll there in April for her little sisterās gymnastics meet)
- New Jersey City University - in Billboard Magazine Article
- William Patterson - in Billboard Magazine Article
- Cincinnati
- Cal Arts
- Cal State Northridge</p>
<p>USC - Thorton is unfortunately off the list based on cost, its super expensive and doesnāt offer music scholarships in the contemporary program!</p>
<p>Great list ā¦ I am surprised that USC Thornton doesnāt offer scholarships. Maybe they do for the ones they really want but donāt advertise it that way? The program looks really good. I also love the idea of a school in the UK ā¦ Maybe she would come back with an awesome accent.</p>
<p>USC offers academic scholarships, and financial aid to meet need - Thornton offers small musical merit scholarships - but perhaps the Popular Music program doesnāt. The music merit scholarships are generally a tiny part of the overall package. But there always is an overall package - unless one truly has no financial need.</p>