My D has been accepted to this program. She would study VP at NEC and Anthropology at Tufts. She has tried to find students in the program to talk to, but the contacts forwarded to her by Tufts have not panned out (one transferred to the Harvard/NEC program, etc.). We’ve read all the background information we can find on CC and she will be talking to NEC when she re-visits, but does anyone have personal knowledge of the program’s strengths or weaknesses or know a student who has done it? Thanks in advance.
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I know a few students who’ve done the program and were very happy with it. Both composers, but one also added violin and music theory. His mom was on this forum a lot a few years but she doesn’t seem to be around much here anymore. And I can’t remember her screen name properly! Maybe someone else can? Your daughter will need to be organized and dedicated as there’s quite a bit of scheduling and travel involved.
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Hi,
My son is about to graduate from NEC but he has known many Tufts/Nec students over the years and also I attend another school that pairs with Tufts, the School of Museum of Fine Arts. Most students in the dual degree programs seem to be extremely happy. Almost all of them impress me with their commitment, intelligence and determination to succeed in the arts. The biggest challenge and probably the main challenge I hear from these kids is the commute. Most who are admitted have the skills to succeed and navigate the Tufts joint program. And most are quite happy. There is a shuttle that is pretty dependable that runs between the campus in Medford and the campus in Boston. And there is always the MBTA as well (it takes about 45 min) on the T. And this winter when the weather was mild the commute was annoying but not problematic. The year before when we had the nightmare winter it was a disaster and students missed classes and ended up frustrated. But everyone was frustrated that winter.
If you want to hear some music from a Tufts/NEC alum whose voice I adore check this link out. You can google her to find more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSr3aX-i9-Q
Sami did a semester abroad in Paris.
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@StacJip and @SpiritManager - thanks for the insight. We hope to learn some more on an upcoming visit to Boston.
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Spirit Manager and I both remember the same family and perhaps can find a way to connect you. I have heard it is rigorous but wonderful for the student for whom it is a fit. It is a small group but dedicated 
The shuttle goes back and forth, and for the T, it is a short walk from Tufts to the Red Line, followed by a bus down Mass. Ave. There is traffic on Mass. Ave. going to NEC at some times of day. There is also a subway stop at Symphony, but that means Red Line to Park and switching.
The real question, in my mind, is whether the double degree program is the best way to achieve your daughter’s goals. Tufts itself has a wonderful music department. Your daughter could do private lessons, and major in music or anthropology or some combination of the two at Tufts itself.
The performance aspect would be different: there might be opportunities in extracurriculars at Tufts or opportunities through the teacher or in the city itself. That part I would not know much about.
(I know a jazz sax player who didn’t do the double degree program but has done science with some music at Tufts and then gigs in the city. But voice is quite different…)
Some say it is hard being part of two campuses but not entirely at one or the other. That would depend on the kid.
It’s early yet, but does your daughter envision herself going to grad school or other training after undergrad? Or going into performance? If so, is the double degree program important in making any of those things happen?
Is she considering doing just conservatory or it that not in the arena of choices?
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From what I have seen of it, the complaints I have heard is the commute between campuses, the time it takes, and in synching courses between the two programs, the complaints I have heard is that neither school makes it particularly easy to synch schedules. If you add in commuting time between campuses, that could cut into time for things like practice (I realize that voice has different dynamics then instrument majors in terms of practice time they can do), and I could only imagine if they have to go back and forth more than once during the day…
The one thing I have heard from people in joint programs and dual degree people is the lack of time, that it really, really stretches them. Again, from what I know Tufts and NEC don’t necessarily make it easier, for example, do they allow people in the dual program any relaxation in terms of core courses, will stuff done at NEC fulfill Tufts requirements and so forth? (I don’t know, just asking). My S goes to NEC (not joint program), and his days there are very, very filled, between lessons, classes, ensemble playing, practicing, and outside things he does, at times he gets really overwhelmed, and that is just with the one program.
In the end it will boil down to your D and her motives for doing the program, and that is up to her. If she really wants the academic environment along with the conservatory (and there are a lot of kids like that, who don’t want the conservatory alone) then it makes sense…this would be especially true if she had a passion for something (in her case, Anthropology) that she wanted to study. One thing, if the dual program is worries over having a BM degree and what you can do with it, it would likely be the equivalent of a liberal arts degree from Tufts in terms of the job world, I can tell you that for liberal arts degree a BM would hold as much weight as a BA in a liberal arts field, if that is the reason for the dual degree, and it may not be worth the extra effort to get the BA if the idea is it is worth “more”…
I wish the OP luck, let us know what she decides:)
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@musicprnt and @compmom - Thanks for your thoughtful comments. D understands the commuting logistics. It seems that most work their schedules so that they spend two/three full days at each campus rather than dividing up a day. Both are wonderful institutions and meet her musical and academic needs. I think the time factor and feeling divided between learning communities are the biggest concerns. She has pursued several dual degree programs because she wants a conservatory setting and performance degree (as opposed to a music department) and she has broader academic interests in liberal arts (thinking anthro for now, also loves history and writing). She also feels that additional studies in history, anthro, etc. better informs her singing. She isn’t pursuing a second degree as a back-up to music. We learned that 15 students were accepted to the program this year and NEC has put her in touch with a current freshman, so we’ll see what she can learn! Thanks again.
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I know a singer who followed conservatory up with a master’s in Medieval Studies in the UK 
I am surprised we didn’t post this on your thread http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html
It would seem your daughter is an Alexander (you will understand if you read it). One of the rare birds with true commitment to music and to liberal arts.
Though travel and scheduling logistics may be challenging at times, Tufts is a really great school and NEC is tops so I hope your daughter is reassured by the NEC contact! John McDonald at Tufts is a great person to talk to (he teaches composition and other music classes) if that helps.
Good luck to her, very exciting.
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@momzhood:
That is really, really cool to hear, and I agree that music is not lived in a vacuum, knowing history can only help inform her singing:). As Charlie Parker said, you can’t put it through the horn unless you have lived it:). I can appreciate wanting the depth on the LA side, my S has said that he wished there was more of that in a conservatory curriculum.
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