<p>My daughter has had a very involved elementary - high school orchestsra experience. She took part in all region, but never state, and was hard working officer and president in a very large orchestra program. She entered college as a prenursing major, but was unhappy with her major and her school. She transferred to another school and began last week as an education major.
This week one of her classes was in the music building. She walked in and felt like she was home. She called and felt like she wanted to change her major again to music education. She felt like she finally found what she wanted to do. Her former director confirmed her decision and thought she should have done it all along. She spoke with a music adviser.
Obviously, she cannot just walk in and change her major to music education. She has to wait until spring and audition, so if accepted, she can't begin the course sequence until fall - 7 semesters of ensembles and instrument instruction, as well as the required courses, which take 4 years to complete.
She just informed me that she just can't stomach the cost to make the change.
She has one large loan that will be forgiven if she finishes her degree in four years with a B average, so she would lose that if she has to go for 5-6 years. She can't do that if she changes to music.
She is also very close to having too many extra hours now, because of the change in majors. If she continues this year to take education classes and then changes next year, she will have too many excess hours, and she'll have to pay out of state tuition.
She is very sick that she waited until now to figure this out, but
I think she has finally found EXACTLY what she wants to do and is well prepared, talented, and qualified to do, but feels she can't do it because of the huge cost. The change in majors might be 35,000 - 50-000 extra debt, depending on the extra hours.<br>
I'm sick for her and wondered if anyone has suggestions as to her situation.</p>
<p>Can your daughter finish her BA at this college, and study music education at a different college?</p>
<p>She has just begun to study elementary education at a top music school. Part of her thought in choosing that school was that she could enjoy the atmosphere of music and going to great concerts while in school.
I’m not sure that going to a different school is in her scope, but do you have one in mind that would add on a degree more quickly than four more years?
Also, I was told that she could get an all level music certification added on to her teaching degree by exam - she’s in Texas, which could make her technically hire-able,
but I don’t think anyone would ever hire her over someone who has a 4 year music degree. Am I right?</p>
<p>I just looked at the admissions requirements for the one year MAT degree offered by Longy School of Music of Bard College:</p>
<p>Program applicants must have received a bachelors degree from an accredited institution with a major (or equivalent) in music or music education, or have received a bachelors degree in another discipline with a concentration in music. Students with other credentials or life experiences will be evaluated on a case-by- case basis. Students must have completed core courses in music theory and music history prior to the MAT. Students are accepted into the MAT Program on the basis of an assessment of various components: records of academic achievement, evaluations in the letters of reference, musical and performing ability in a video recording, and personal and professional goals in an interview and personal statement.</p>
<p>This particular degree gives one a California teaching credential (the program is in LA in conjunction with the LA Philharmonic based on the El Sistema philosophy.) Perhaps there is a similar one year credential program in Texas, if that is where she’d like to teach? Maybe at North Texas?</p>
<p>Just to add to that last post, we visited Longy and were very impressed with it. They are incredibly flexible in their programs, their students seemed very focused, and it’s an overall friendly atmosphere.</p>
<p>I’ll check into that. She still plays her instrument well, and studied privately for years with a PhD studio instructor at a large state university in our city - sure wish that could give her credits! Letters of reference and a recording would be no problem, and she’s got an outstanding academic record. I’ll check into any such abbreviated program and maybe she can still pursue music. I guess it would be a state by state, or possibly district by district credential consideration in the end, but maybe there exists such a program here!</p>
<p>Wow, thanks! There is are 3 El Sistema programs in high need areas the state. Here is a current ad listing qualifications -</p>
<p>Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Texas teaching certification.
Have strong communication, interpersonal and organizational skills to achieve the goals, objectives and mission of the school.
Knowledge of the Texas Essential of Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
Highly qualified in Fine Arts as shown by a passing score in the TSxES or ExCT exam.
Required general and content knowledge of curriculum and instruction.
Ability to work well with students.
Additional Preferred Qualifications:</p>
<p>Minimum of 3 years of successful teaching experience in a Texas public, private or charter school.
Bilingual (English-Spanish)</p>