<p>Definitely read through violadad’s linked threads. A wealth of information.</p>
<p>My son is a sophomore at Northwestern. VERY definitely an academically challenging and exciting school for him. If you are strictly a voice performance major, be aware that the first two years, MOST courses are in music (music theory, aural skills, keyboard, diction, music history, vocal solo class with the whole vocal department, ensemble, voice lessons, Alexander technique, sophomore practicum, opera workshop), so it could be a little frustrating at first. Freshmen and sophomores are not allowed to audition for lead roles in operas, which could be frustrating, too, but being in an opera chorus (also auditioned) is great fun. I’m guessing that the first-two-year focus on music classes is purposeful, as it encourages people who are not entirely sure that performance is their thing to switch majors early on. S has a few friends who switched out of performance to non-performance MUSIC majors (there are several–music education, ethnomusicology, etc). It’s very easy to do at Northwestern. But the next two years, he’s got lots of opportunity for non-music classes.</p>
<p>Because Northwestern is on the quarter system, you can take more classes per year overall than with a semester program–or so I’m told!–so quite a few people double major. In fact, the music department quite openly promotes various double majors The music department website lists all the various combinations of music-plus-whatever combinations, and there’s a handbook you can download. </p>
<p>It’s definitely an academically challenging school. My son came from a very large and competitive New England school and he says the Northwestern kids are very intense–but very friendly, too. I’ve mentioned this in several other posts, but the number of student-run productions, from music theater to classical music to theater to dance, is mind-boggling. There are many opportunities to sing for class and and to sing outside of academics (and, as S found out last spring, to sing too much!), what with grad students who compose or conduct and ask you to sing in their productions. (S has found the grad students to be friendly once they work with you!) It is not a small school: 8,000 undergrad, I think, but this allows for the many, many student-run productions. I’d say Northwestern definitely fits the music plus academics mold.</p>