Here we go help!

College Majors Music Major
1

<p>Well, I've finally at the end of the road in terms of acceptances, and I've narrowed it down to three choices. As of right now I am completely up in the air, so maybe all of you can throw in some advice for me. I would be forever in your debt.</p>

<p>The schools I'm deciding between right now are:</p>

<p>Tufts/NEC (either jazz studies or contemporary improvisation)
Brown
Princeton</p>

<p>I am ecstatic that I have the opportunity to go to any of these places. For awhile, I thought that Tufts/NEC was my absolute top choice, after all, great music, great academics, etc... what could go wrong? Well, I woke up a lot this year when I applied to these schools, auditioned, waited, thought about it all for awhile... and now I just can't seem to find priorities in my life. See I've always played guitar and I've always loved doing it - but I don't know if that's what I want to do with my life. I want to become a fantastic musician, but at the same time, I know I would feel, on the whole, unsatisfied with a "just music" job. I love so many things right now that my path is very unclear. One of my deepest passions besides music is theater. Over the past year, I've felt that I've grown so much as an actor and singer, and really want to pursue that at a high level too. But then comes the problem - with all the practicing I'd have to do to keep up with the kids at NEC, plus NEC and Tufts classes, I might not have the opportunity to do theater. This really scares me! </p>

<p>But at the same time, turning down Tufts/NEC seems like throwing away an amazing chance at being a greater musician. I know that great musicians go to Brown and Princeton, but let's face it - the level of music still won't be comparable to NEC. I really like all the music going on at NEC; it's definitely the type of music I'd like to be playing. I have to be realistic, though, and remember that the kids at NEC are there to become professional musicians. My reasons for going there would be less clear. </p>

<p>I know I can't make a bad choice here, because they are all amazing schools, but they are definitely different choices - I've heard great things about the music at Princeton, and great things about theater at Brown. </p>

<p>Any thoughts?</p>

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

<p>-Clayton</p>

2

<p>Princeton is a terrific school, and you will find musicians there who declined admission to major conservatories so that they could have the experience of a Princeton education. While music is not the total purpose of Princeton's existence, like NEC, it has a strong commitment to the arts and musicians. I know very little about Brown and its offerings in the arts. Good luck to you.</p>

3

<p>It sounds as if you have a lot of passions, which is great. And, since you are 17 or 18, taking the time to explore them is a wonderful idea. It sounds as if you are multitalented and smart, so you should take time to explore everything. If you can find a fabulous jazz teacher in the Princeton or Brown areas, you will be fine. There are amazing musicians among the students at Princeton and Brown. No, it's not the same as a conservatory, but many kids at the four year colleges end up doing advanced degrees at conservatories. In the meantime, they've gotten a great education, explored other interests and kept their music at a competitive level. My advice: go to the school you like the best. Go to the admit weekends and visit the music departments. Find jazz teachers and talk with them. Good luck!</p>

4

<p>The Tufts/NEC program combines the strengths of very strong music and very strong academics. It can be a tough program for even the most dedicated, and historically logistics/travel have been a concern.</p>

<p>Princeton has the academics, a solid music program but you may have to make many of your own ensemble opportunities without having the depth of the NEC conservatory.</p>

<p>You mention Brown for theater, and I have no knowledge of that program. The academics are top notch.</p>

<p>You've got great alternatives, but do ask yourself how thin can you spread yourself and still do everything at a high level.</p>

<p>Good luck in whatever you decide.</p>

5

<p>Just my two cents, but if you are interested in doing jazz guitar at high level, no matter what you will ultimately do with your life, and also get a first-rate education, Tufts/NEC is quite the ticket. Princeton is clearly the most prestigious of the schools on your list, but it is famously demanding (grade deflation, junior and senior theses); it is possible to take a full load there, in a competitive environment of go-getters, with few really serious musician peers, and still go on to graduate school in music performance -- but realistically, that is rare. You should also be sure you find the social environment at Princeton to your liking; visit if you haven't. I don't know much about Brown -- though I do know a talented musician there who takes lessons at NEC (I don't know how often) and is having good time -- but is not going to go on in music performance.</p>

6

<p>Jazzguitar,</p>

<p>You have some great options. I can certainly sympathize with the difficulty in choosing. Our son (also a Tufts/NEC DD admit) also has some great choices but Tufts/NEC definitely outshines the other options for him. He too has numerous interests but feels like the Tufts/NEC serves him best because it allows him to go full bore at both music and academics without having to choose at 17. It preserves the option of moving in either direction for grad school. Because his proposed major at Tufts requires a double major (Environmental Studies), he felt he needed to scale back his music ambitions somewhat by applying just in composition rather than composition and violin performance. He's now busily trying to figure out whether/how soon he can add violin performance back in.</p>

<p>Have you explored the theater opportunities at Tufts? Do they look interesting/sufficient? Once you've got a year of the DD program under your belt and adapted to the competing demands, you may find that you can squeeze in yet another passionate interest.</p>

<p>Good luck in your decision. Not that our vote counts, but we'd love to see another multi-talented, passionate and musical kid in the Tufts/NEC program</p>

7

<p>jazzguitar, since I have one kid at Brown and one going to NEC, I see at tleast two of your choices up close! Go to the admitted students program at Brown, the one called ADOCH. I would be glad to give you my son's email if you would like to speak with someone about music opportunites at Brown. He is active in the Ghanian drumming classes; I would say there is opportunity for learning and playing ethnic and world music there, and if you are interested in the CI major at NEC, you must have those interests.
Surprisingly, the theatre life at Brown is very strong. He has been in more plays this year than he had time for, and has been taking playwriting and getting all kinds of really interesting theatre experience, and he, at the time, was a geology major! There is a graduate playwriting program there, and they tap the undergraduates for producing their plays.
Though no one seems to think the Music Dept is strong there, the kids themselves are amazingly musical and all over the place open to different kinds of music. My son, like you, cannot imagine life without music, but has too many other interests to focus on than just that. Brown is an incredible place with incredible opportunities. As to music specifics, try to go to ADOCH because it is a very well-run program, and let me know if you want some musical students to contact, just pm me.</p>

8

<p>Just want to mention another option: going to Tufts alone and majoring in music there. At least, at the start. It's possible you could later add NEC if you wanted, after you have spent a year gauging demands on your time.</p>

<p>The music department at Tufts is pretty good (they have an amazing new facility). For the other poster, concerning composition, there is a teacher at Tufts who is phenomenal, and the seminar at Tufts is for both undergrads and grads together. He brings in top-notch visitors, holds student composer concerts maybe 5-6 times/year and hires professional musicians to play student pieces. For you, I know personally one of the guitar teachers (he plays for my other daughter's dance classes) and he is a gem, and very talented.</p>

<p>Our son goes to Brown (In fact, he helps run the ADOCH program). He loves it there! He is a computer science major, but also does theater tech. The theater there is great. Our daughter is a musician, and did not choose to apply there, however. The music dept. did not impress her versus conservatories, but we know kids who are doing music at Brown and are very happy. </p>

<p>Brown's atmosphere, not to generalize (!), is sort of creative and funky. Tufts seems a little more conservative in its atmosphere, but the music and theater depts. are hopping and very popular. Can't speak for Princeton, but I think the atmosphere there is still a little old-fashioned "Ivy", so to speak, which you might like or not.</p>

<p>We know someone at Princeton who composes, sings, plays the piano, and in her freshman year, directed a musical. It seems like she is thriving.</p>

<p>Are you visiting these schools in the next two weeks? Attending classes or concerts or plays?</p>

<p>Our sympathies. Our daughter is trying to decide between Harvard, NEC, Harvard/NEC, or Oberlin Conservatory. At least the bus trip form Harvard Square is a little quicker than the ride from Tufts! She also has done theater, and loves history and poetry and other things, but is strongly drawn to the depth of a conservatory. Tough choices for you guys, but choices to be grateful for! Good luck...</p>

9

<p>And now a plug for Oberlin (which my kid chose over top academic-only choices): a hotbed of music, with wonderful coaches/conductors (Tim Weiss is a favorite), innumerable master classes and concerts, and a vibrant, supportive, and friendly academic environment (described by my son as like being a kid in a candy store). Good theater too!</p>

10

<p>Thanks for all the information. I'll be sure to keep it in mind. I suppose most of it will come down to viewing the schools again, talking with students, etc... I'll let you know how it turns out, and good luck to everyone in a similar predicament!</p>

11

<p>Clayton,</p>

<p>Congrats on your acceptances. There's no wrong choice here. The obvious question is do you know who your guitar teacher would be at each school? If so, contact them, try to set up a lesson, at least email to get a feel for what studying with them would be like. As a guitarist, there will be too many performace oppurtunites at any of these schools, not too few: if you played bassoon or viola, it'd be a no-brainer to say go to NEC/Tufts. </p>

<p>Also, don't worry about the 'just music' question. Many, many conservatory students wind up happily doing other things than music. Some non-music majors wind up in music. I'm nearing 50 and still am not sure that 'just music' is the way to go.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>