<p>DS is high school senior applying to study jazz guitar at the following:
Berklee
UNT
Peabody
VCU
Duquesne
Montclair
Towson
Hartt</p>
<p>Would love to hear from anyone who has experience as a student/parent at these schools. I have found out quite a bit about Berklee and UNT (of course) but would love to know more about the others. Thanks!</p>
<p>ZappaMom, welcome. My son is an '07 Hartt BM performance grad. While I can't speak to the jazz aspects, I've posted impressions, campus info and numerous tidbits previously. Try searching this forum for Hartt threads or posts, or search by my username.</p>
<p>PM me if you have specific questions.</p>
<p>I don't know anything about guitar in particular...but UNT has one of the most reknowned jazz programs in the country. The campus is a bit...well...flat and not so pretty. BUT the music facilities are top notch. It's about 45 minutes drive from Dallas.</p>
<p>Here is one of my posts from last fall about the montclair jazz program. Hope it helps!</p>
<p>Actually, I made that post last spring! Time sure flies! In two weeks S will start the audition process, one audition a week for five weeks -- GAH!</p>
<p>Of the programs you listed, I think Hartt and UNT are standouts. UNT has one of the best jazz programs in general with a reputation for straight ahead jazz. My son applied to Hartt last year, really liked the guitar teacher--it's a nice small department, about 12 guitarists overall. Hartt really shines for classical music, I think jazz suffers a little there because there is not much of a jazz scene in Hartford. But the guitar professor seemed very talented and to be a good guy who liked young people.</p>
<p>I know many students who go or have gone to Towson--but they were all business majors!</p>
<p>One more thought: if you are applying to Montclair, have you looked at William Patterson? It has a well-established and well thought of jazz studies program. Their application deadline is later than most--I believe Feb. 1. One of the serious jazz guitarists we met while visiting schools had applied only to William Patterson, New School and Manhattan School of Music, and that pretty much sums up the top experiences for jazz guitarists in the NYC area. I assume you are looking for a jazz studies program within a college from your list, though.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the input, everyone. Unlike most of the families on this thread we are all fairly new to this game so we appreciate all the advice we can get. Our HS counselor has been absolutely no help - not all her fault, her caseload is several hundred students and I don't think she's ever had anyone apply to music schools before. </p>
<p>Jazzlib, the thread you started was what got us thinking about Montclair to begin with. Where is your son auditioning? We're off to UNT next weekend and Duq on the 30th, then the final four are Feb. 13-17! By then he'll know about Berklee, Towson and UNT, so he may drop a few off the list along the way depending on how those results look.</p>
<p>Jazzzmomm, my son considered WP but was really put off by the fact that they only take recorded auditions. He didn't do well with some prescreens and knows he is stronger in person. </p>
<p>thumper1, we lived in Texas for five years, so my son knows about hot and flat - actually the weather is great during the academic-year months, so that would be a plus. Oh, and that really affordable tuition...</p>
<p>violadad, any tips on where to stay or eat when visiting Hartt?</p>
<p>ZappaMom, I can't be too much help as we were "local", an hour and a half at most by car. We never stayed overnight, but there's a list of recommended lodging at the UHartford site here Local</a> Hotels</p>
<p>As for dining, our trips coincided with son's performances and based on performance and rehearsal times his preference was to eat lightly before a performance. </p>
<p>His choice when he wanted to be fed was for us to hit the Hometown Buffet on Kane Street in West Hartford, a short easy drive from campus. It was all you can eat, with a varied menu, casual and inexpensive. In the same plaza was Prospect Pizza, with later hours and a very good inexpensive menu of standard Italian fare, with oversized portions one cannot finish. This worked out nicely, as they would pack the leftovers, and he'd have one or two meals left to take back with him. </p>
<p>His last year he was in an off campus studio, and we would normally come up with a cooked meal of one of his favorites, and just reheat it in his apartment. </p>
<p>Sorry I couldn't be of more help.</p>
<p>We stayed at Homewood Suites when my son had his Hartt audition. It was not good. There was no hot water in the morning and I ran around trying to get him a hot shower before he woke up, trying to keep everything smooth, thinking any stress would throw him off! I'm sure I overreacted, but I sure didn't want to look back and say, "if only he had had a hot shower..." Anyway, they were not running well--it seemed understaffed and poorly managed.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tip. We'll avoid Homewood. Sure don't want to have the lack of hot water ruin my son's career!</p>
<p>I recommend the following hotels when visiting Hartt. Do not forget to ask if they have a University of Hartford rate:</p>
<p>Hilton Hartford Hotel-nice pool and work out facilities
315 Trumbull Street
Hartford, CT 06103
860.728.5151 </p>
<p>Marriott Downtown-nice pool, spa services, and work out facilities.<br>
200 Columbus Boulevard
Hartford, CT 06103
860.249.8000 </p>
<p>Residence Inn Downtown-Large rooms, no room service, attached to City Steam Brewery (City</a> Steam Brewery Cafe - a spectatular 7 level restaurant, brew house with over 12 styles of ales and lagers and a comedy club)
942 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06103
860.524.5550 </p>
<p>I also recommend Max Downtown for any meal:
Max</a> Restaurant Group | Max Downtown</p>