<p>Once a student has a list of musical schools they're interested in (based on academics, musical talent and reputation, location, social scene, and faculty) how do they decide where to visit? I have narrowed down an official list to about 25, and at this point in my high school career and college search with my counselor it's only going to get smaller. I certainly don't have the time or the money to go and visit 25 schools, but they all are strong possibilities and the only way to narrow down now is to actually visit and take sample lessons? Any advice? </p>
<p>Also, when is it the appropriate age to visit? Most kids at my school begin visits Junior Year and finish visits and apply beginning to mid of Senior... Would Sophmore year be inappropriate to visit?</p>
<p>Do you really have a need to go to a 2,000 miles away? 1,000 miles away? 500 miles away? 250 miles away?</p>
<p>If you have a perfectly fine state university in your state, should you really be considering paying out of state tuition at other states’s state universitities (that are no better than yours)?</p>
<p>Personally I don’t see anything wrong with a sophomore visit, but maybe it should be an unoffical one. Just to see the campus, the facilitites, and the area. </p>
<p>You still have a while to go, don’t get your heart set on one school. You need to feel emotionally free to change your mind and major in the future.</p>
<p>Good morning Limcba, Having 25 colleges on your list sophomore list is fine at this point. over the next year, you will learn more about yourself and what motivates you, so the list will naturally change. Some will come off and other will land on it. As you visit during your sophomore year, don’t be surprised if you feel like you’re not getting as much attention. Most students do their visits to colleges in their Junior year and Fall of their Senior year, not counting campus visits in the Senior Spring for accepted students. I would suggest that you and your family work college visits into travel that you already plan to do … sometimes you’ll want to drive through a college and not do a tour, and other times you think you’re going to do a drive by and you realize that you must get out and walk around or do an official tour. You likely won’t end up visiting those 25, but you should visit enough in your junior year to get an idea of what you prefer in location, size, vibe and academic fit. In the end, the right colleges will be a great fit for you … academically and location-wise as well as peers. As you take part in summer programs (highly recommended) you’ll get a sense of what mix works or doesn’t work for you. Enjoy the whole process, don’t rush it, and don’t do too much too soon, as students can burn out in the college process.</p>
<p>Thanks for you advice everyone. I know I can only do so many things at this point, my school is just a college prep place so things start early. Thanks though.</p>
<p>You’re doing fine! My D’s prep school was the same, and actually only allowed two “official” days to be spent on college visits which was not realistic for music performance majors. She did a couple of visits in her sophomore year and we were able to eliminate a couple of schools that way. I would not suggest that you take any sample lessons this year because you’d like a prospective teacher to see you in the best possible light, and you will certainly make more progress in the next year.
You should narrow your list by “reaches”,“good fits” and “almost-safeties” and then start to decide how far away from home you would like to be (factor in transportation costs too!) and the size and type of school you prefer.Then consider teachers and programs. In that process, a good half of your 25 schools could move to the “negative” column. Make use of web sites and on-line tours too; of course schools are going to show you the shiniest and best facilities, but again, at least you can get a feel for some of the looks of the campus (for instance, if you detest palm trees, then looking at a school in Florida, California or Arizona might be out, while if heavy snow and cold aren’t your thing then skip schools in the NE and Great Lakes area!).
If you questions about specific schools, ask on the CC site as many of us have kids who attend and can offer opinions or put you in touch.
You’re beginning an interesting journey!</p>
<p>limcba, Mezzo’sMama gave some excellent advice. In your screening process, you may want to do some preliminary telephone interviews. This will help you to rank your choices. Make sure you have a list of questions that will give you some direction. Ask about auditions. Ask who will be teaching you. Ask about ensembles that may interest you and what it takes to get a spot. If there are colleges close to you, drive by and see if you like the setting. Also, do a google for student reviews of the college and teachers.</p>
<p>I agree with using your time in Sophomore year to do some preliminary work, including emailing various professors/teachers with your questions. One important question that we asked was “What do your students do when they graduate”? We got one response which was very terse and unwelcoming, and we promptly crossed that school off our list. Another response from a professor was thorough but filled with overly basic adivce, which made me wonder about the overall expectations of that teacher. The best responses were the teachers who actually sent their cell phone numbers and said call anytime! </p>
<p>I would advise reading BassDad’s essay “So you want to be a music major”, which you can find by searching. Another helpful thing to do is to look on the master lists of final acceptances from years passed, and see if you can pm people who will be familiar with the schools you are interested in. I was so grateful this year to the people who responded to me when I asked.</p>
<p>Sophomore year is ok to visit a school, but just remember that your impressions can change a lot between Sophomore and Senior year. If you decide as a Sophomore that you don’t like a campus, you might want to wait and revisit before you completely cross it off your list. Keep in mind that information and requirements for admission can change a lot in 2 years. Also, I agree that you should not do a sample lesson in Sophomore year except possibly your “safeties”. Your teacher should be consulted on this one.</p>
<p>Last but not least, don’t forget to ask your parents what they think. </p>