<p>My daughter's been accepted to Berklee and Florida State music school and is focused on voice performance and commercial music. FSU is in-state and so a lot less money and close to home, and I understand it's a respected program, but I wonder if she'd be missing the once in a lifetime type of opportunity from what I've heard of Berklee. Any insights appreciated.</p>
<p>rbobcat,</p>
<p>There are others with more knowledge of those schools who will, hopefully, answer your question. Meanwhile, I have included the FSU and Berklee acceptances over on the <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1045522-master-list-music-school-acceptances-fall-2011-a-53.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1045522-master-list-music-school-acceptances-fall-2011-a-53.html</a></p>
<p>If you have any other acceptances to report or are willing to share information about any scholarships received, please let us know and we will add them to the list.</p>
<p>Thanks, BassDad. Looks like you’re pretty involved in this site, eh? I just found it and already am finding the discussion really helpful.</p>
<p>BassDad – I just reviewed your Master List and wanted to clarify, my D’s acceptance to FSU is for a BA in music, I believe it’s called voice principal, but it’s not the classical voice performance BM.
thanks</p>
<p>Got it, thanks.</p>
<p>rbobcat, My daughter is a current vocalist at Berklee; she just transferred there in January. I can answer some questions, but don’t know much about your other option. PM me if I can help.</p>
<p>While I know little about FSU, my D is a jazz vocalist who has been accepted to Berklee. As she makes her decision, there are things about Berklee that I find attractive and scary from my perspective as a parent.</p>
<p>Attractive:</p>
<p>Berklee is a large school so they can offer a wide variety of classes in all aspects of music that you simply won’t find in a smaller school.</p>
<p>Since there is a wide range of talent at Berklee, she should always be able to seek out better musicians with whom to collaborate and learn. There are many strong musicians who did their BM at Berklee and went on to other conservatories for their MM. </p>
<p>The atmosphere at Berklee is one of high energy and creativity, not to mention that it is situated in a beautiful section of Boston.</p>
<p>Berklee is very commercial and has a great reputation in the music industry. Someone in the industry (and not affiliated with the school) went as far as to tell me that Berklee gives you instant credibility.</p>
<p>Scary:</p>
<p>You need to fend for yourself to maximize your opportunities so it’s important to keep yourself motivated and be self-sufficient. Will be easy to get lost in the crowd or get stuck in mediocrity?</p>
<p>The academic challenge at Berklee could be too low. Will it be fun without all the pressure or will it be too easy where she becomes bored and is tempted to slack off?</p>
<p>I know everyone figures it out but the housing situation to me is a little scary.</p>
<p>Other:</p>
<p>On the cost side, remember the mantra in this CC forum is “follow your dream but do not go into serious debt for music school” because you don’t want your D to be encumbered with a mountain of loans in all the uncertainty of the music business.</p>
<p>Thanks, SnowflakeVT – our D has mentioned the idea of starting at Florida State and possibly seeking to transfer to Berklee in a couple of years if she’s still on track to be a professional musician or otherwise work in commercial music. It seems like a couple of years of continuing training and development here would be an asset. FSU has a fine reputation, although not geared historically to commercial. And we think the tremendous financial pressure on D and us in starting at Berklee as a freshman could sort of sap the joy and excitement. I’d be very interested in what your D’s experience was leading up to transfer to Berklee. Thanks.</p>
<p>rbobcat, Short history of my D transferring to Berklee is that she chose pre-med over music when she was a senior because she didn’t have to confidence to go for it, even though Berklee was the only music school that she applied when in HS and she was accepted. After being at Boston U her freshman year, and still doing fine academically, she realized that in her heart she was a musician. She was having a great time with her a cappella group, but it wasn’t enough for her musical brain. In the summer after her freshman year she re-applied to Berklee and got in, but this time with a scholarship, which was icing on the cake. She attended BU in fall semester, but only to take pre-requisites that would either transfer to Berklee (music history, art history) or prepare her for Berklee (music theory). She would have gone to Berkee even without the scholarship at that point, but it sure made the transfer easier to explain to all the relatives and friends (and parents!) who thought she was on track to be a doctor. </p>
<p>In hindsight, I just don’t think she understood that not everyone has a gift for music like some of you. So, she still has all her friends from Boston U, as it is right up the street, but now she gets to study music with amazing peers. Academically, she said her liberal arts class is interesting, and the teacher is great, but her music classes (theory, ear training, arranging, advanced backup vocals, etc.) are intense. She said she has never worked so hard, even compared to bio and chem at BU. The difference this time is that she knows where it is going and she loves the journey. By the way, there are many people in her boat that transferred from somewhere else. Two of her new bandmates also transferred into Berklee in January … one was from a school in Florida, but I don’t know which school.</p>
<p>Great story, SnowflakeVT ! I’m glad for your D and wish her well. Hearing about transfers being a normal part of the picture helps a lot. Obviously no guarantees to be accepted again later but also sounds like you’re not shunned for having opted out the first time. Thanks for the insights.</p>
<p>Thanks LGSMom – your thoughts on Berklee pretty much echo what we’ve been feeling. Sounds like an extraordinary atmosphere of real musicians and top quality instructors and visiting professionals. Less of the “college experience” perhaps but in exchange for an actual sink or swim test of the student’s talent and ambition. One big concern here is that the pressures associated with the cost will really dampen the joy and excitement for our D as well as us. We could do it, but it would take a toll. And we have a “top 5” type program practically in our back yard and at almost no cost. Two excellent choices and we feel lucky to be having this debate. D’s happiness and chance to thrive is of course primary. I get hung up on the idea of possibly passing up the “big chance” at Berklee in the interest of our pocketbook and her having regrets about that later. I wish you and your D well with the decision and hope to hear more.</p>
<p>It’s nice to be in the position to have some great programs to choose from! Good luck to your D as she decides!</p>
<p>Snowflake - glad to hear your D is thriving at Berklee. Her story is inspirational and we love your real world experience.</p>
<p>Our D is in a similar situation. Lives in Michigan, accepted to FSU for voice, really wants commercial. Likes the campus and the “real university” environment, accepted to the Music Living Learning center for housing. Concerned that after two years only some of the students get accepted to the “Commercial” track. She sings classical beautifully - but not what she wants to do with her life. FSU is cheaper than Berklee with the out of state tuition assistance being offered to music majors this year. Not too excited about the city.</p>
<p>Berklee - went to camp there last summer, loved it! Certainly a great place for commercial music, but she is not competitive, not sure if that is good or bad? Also great city, but expensive - and we are wondering how good is the instruction, and how serious is the environment and how good will the education really be? </p>
<p>I think in her heart she wants to go to Berklee as a once in a lifetime opportunity. Of course, you can defer your Berklee acceptance for one year, and try FSU first - but if you get "comfortable: at FSU - would you really ever make the effort to switch???</p>
<p>One risk to starting at another school for music and then transferring to Berklee or anywhere else, is that the music classes may or may not transfer. My D was so sure she needed to transfer that she took the risk, and fortunately, Berklee took most of her core liberal arts/science/math classes from Boston U (other than music theory). If you are taking music classes at your first school, they will help you prepare for placement auditions, and you could end up getting placed higher in ear training, theory and/or arranging as a result. If you plan to stay at another music school for more than 1 year, you may want to look up Berklee’s transfer credit policies to make sure you and your D understand how it works.</p>