HELP!!!! Berklee College of Music or Frost School of Music (UMiami)???

College Majors Music Major
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Hi, I was accepted to both Berklee and UMiami’s Frost School of Music but I can’t pick between the two. I want to either major in composition or music education. I’m from NJ and also got into Mason Gross at Rutgers but didn’t like the string or composition department too much. Also got waitlisted by Steinhardt, but not really expecting too much from that.

Before, I was super set on Berklee and it was my dream school. I play viola and two Chinese instruments, liuqin and zhongruan. Berklee was appealing because it’s diverse and had lots of world music opportunities, and I was accepted into the First Year Abroad program in Valencia. Also, Boston has a pretty big Chinese music community so it’d be nice to still continue with that. But I’m scared I won’t be the same caliber as the other students there, the structure will be too rigid for me, and that I won’t be able to have as many classical music opportunities. I’m not too afraid to try new genres but I want to have just as many opportunities for classical as I do for other stuff. Is the school so geared towards popular music, jazz, contemporary, ect? Also how good is their music ed program compared to others? I also can’t tell if Berklee not having a university structure is a pro or con. I’d like to visit again but there’s not really any more opportunities before Decision Day…

For UMiami, I wasn’t too set on it until I did 'Cane For A Day with a MWP major/Composition Minor. It showed that Miami can be really diverse and they have lots of opportunities for performances and composers (plus the weather is super nice!) The student I shadowed (freshman) said that the first year is a lot like a high school schedule. Frost also obviously is in a University setting. The downside is that even though there’s a lot of Asians that go to UMiami, there’s not too much ethnic music there besides Latin music. Anyone know anything about their string department or their education department? The student I shadowed was a singer and I didn’t get to talk to his music ed friends too much about the major.

Which school would be a better environment? Anyone else had to choose between the two? Why Berklee or Frost? I only have two weeks to make my decision and this is super stressful :((

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Oh no @lbf0707 !! Although it sounds like you have a great problem! Two fabulous schools to choose from! Both totally different however. I think the biggest things to consider would be; 1) are academics important to you? If yes then Miami is the place, if no then Berklee wins, 2) is being on a regular college campus with athletics and other things besides music critical? Again Miami over Berklee or 3) is being in a vibrant city with a happening music scene more important? Berklee wins that hands down. Good luck! No bad choice in my opinion and I believe both schools are very diverse. One other plug for Boston, NEC is nearby and they have some really unusual music in their contemporary improv program. I know that NEC has cooperative agreements with Berklee and other schools where you can take classes so maybe that’s even possible? We loved NEC and we loved Frost. My D would be happy at either choice honestly.

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Did you apply to Frost for composition or music education? Or just for a general music degree of some sort? I don’t see how you can be undecided at this point which major you’d be pursuing, unless you applied for both?

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I applied for composition but might switch or pursue a grad degree later

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Berklee merged with Boston Conservatory recently, so BoCo will be a resource for you. It would seem to me that BoCo would actually be a good fit for you (sorry, you have two great schools, don’t mean to bring in another!). Is it possible to start at Berklee and transfer over to BoCo?

Berklee and BoCo share some of the same composition professors. Berklee is much larger and more diverse: you just have to be able to find your way.

The curriculum includes a lot of history and studying cultural contexts for various composers, which would be challenging and an interesting way to approach the “humanities” associated with music.

Also these schools are in a consortium with NEC and with Northeastern, maybe Emerson, I forget…

I happen to know some of the professors at Berklee and they are great…others on here know Frost.

Boston is a great city for undergrad, and NEC, BoCo and Berklee are just blocks from each other, with Northeastern and Mass. Art nearby. You can write for concerts, film, dance…

Even just looking at the two websites, specifically the page for composition, I have to say, I would go for Berklee.

If composition is not your focus, that might change things. If you want to compose, one word of caution: it is often a longer haul involving grad school :slight_smile:

Editing to add that your interest in Chinese music is important to consider. This is a growing field and if you pursue it, there are grad programs that will welcome that work. In Boston, not only Berklee and BoCo and the consortium, but Harvard, MIT, Tufts, BU and other schools may be a resource.

I wonder if you can do a year in Valencia and also go to China, or if you want to save your time abroad for China-???