<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>So, I am seriously considering Rice (HS Soph. here). I've visited the campus, and absolutely LOVE it. The setting really appeals to me. I am fairly confident I can get in, at least to the regular university, and am thinking of majoring in chemistry.</p>
<p>My dilemma here, is, I also would like to continue to study bassoon, as a music performance double major/dual-degree student. I hear the teacher, Ben Kamins, who is quite famous, usually only takes grad students though. In addition, I have heard that some of the teachers at Shepherd do not take double degree students. </p>
<p>So, basically, does anyone here know much about dual-enrolling at Shepherd and one of the other divisions of Rice? Has anyone done it? And finally, does anyone know if Prof. Kamins would even take an undergrad double-major?</p>
<p>I am sorry to bombard you all with so many questions, but this is really stressing me out.</p>
<p>You cannot “dual enroll” in the music school unless you enter Rice as a music major. Unlike Rice, where you apply to the university as a whole and then select your major (engineering, humanities etc.) the music and architecture school is different. You need to apply to the Shephard school of music. </p>
<p>Once you get in, what you do with your free time, is up to you. You can choose an additional major like Chemistry and double major. However, music will be what you came to Rice for initially. </p>
<p>As for Prof. Kamins, I do not know. The easiest and most accurate way to find out is to email him directly. </p>
<p>Cheers!</p>
<p>Additionally, chemistry is a time-consuming major. Unless you will have lots of AP credit (which will be used to fulfill distribution requirements), you’re going to have a tough time double majoring from Shepherd. Not saying its impossible (I actually remember a guy who was a senior my freshman year and was a piano major going to med school), it’s just highly likely that, to fulfill this wish, you would take only maybe two to three classes at Rice outside of your chem and music requirements.</p>
<p>Kamins actually does take undergrads… sometimes. For example, in the studio of eight bassoons, there are three undergrads: a freshman, a junior, and a senior (who is actually triple-majoring in bassoon, medieval studies, and art history, but NOT chemistry) . So for the class of 2013, no undergrad bassoonists were accepted. Also know that his studio is one of the most competitive bassoon studios in the country.</p>
<p>If you do want to study music seriously here, you have to audition as a music major. If you are accepted, then you can pursue a double degree. As for double majoring, it would be incredibly difficult to do with the areas of study you are proposing. Personally, I feel like being a music major is incredibly time-consuming. I would go so far as to say that adding an almost equally difficult major like chemistry would require a fifth year if you don’t want either of your majors to suffer. Plus, the teachers here at Shepherd are looking for extremely dedicated students. I’m not saying that you aren’t dedicated, I’m just saying it’s hard to be dedicated to two things like that at once, and the Shepherd teachers expect you to put music first. Since you’re a sophomore, you still have a bit of time to consider your choices. I have plenty of music major friends who until their senior year were dead-set on other majors. However, the opposite is also true.</p>