<p>I really love music and I've been taking private vocal lessons for three semesters at my community college. I've taken three semesters of music theory already and two semesters of ear training. I love to sing and I really have passions for it, but all of these music schools that would be worth putting my money towards are much too expensive for me to attend. Schools like Berklee, Belmont, USC (Thornton school of music), and any other school with an excellent contemporary music program I cannot afford unless I take out a LOT of loans. I just received my financial aid award package from Belmont. I received $398 in the Pell Grant...that is all. I'm considering switching my major even though I would probably not enjoy a different major nearly half as much...what should I do? I don't want to be drowning in loans by the time I graduate, but I don't want to be stuck in a miserable job!</p>
<p>Have you looked into state colleges and universities at all? Or college/university music programs that might offer some better financial or merit aid? Don’t give up. There are many ways to do this.</p>
<p>I agree with compmom that there are many ways to do this. SUNY Purchase, SUNY Stony Brook, and Western Connecticut State U (lots of New York artists travel up there), Westminster Choir College are state school possibilities with strong music programs. There are others. Since you are a vocalist, your voice is still maturing. You just need a nice ‘musical’ place to grow for the next few years. You could even consider the BA in music management at the Hartt School - University of Hartford as an alternative path.</p>
<p>Westminster Choir College is not a state school. It is private and is very expensive ($50,000 a year with room and board). The most you realistically can expect to receive is $20,000-$24,000/yr based mostly on academics. But it is a great school for vocalists, especially those who want to do music ed.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t recommend it for the OP, if he/she wants to do contemporary music. Westminster focuses mostly on classical (or musical theater if you choose the Lawrenceville campus).</p>
<p>Singing and indeed the arts in general are, in the long term, all about post-grad auditioning, work experience and contacts (and lots of hard work). The college in general doesn’t matter so much unless you have a more academic interest and you want to take it further. Its a business where you can make your own opportunities. </p>
<p>Don’t over invest in anything high risk. School or otherwise. Focus on the training and experience a college will give you over and above the ‘name’. Unemployed Berkeley grads aren’t going to be feeling any happier than the unemployed state school grad. Also, remember that some colleges have excellent clubs and societies that perform to high acclaim, including non-majors if good enough. That fellowship of like minded types at somewhere less expensive might, depending on you, be even better. The ‘name’ schools can be extremely high pressure due to the pressure the students put on themselves.</p>
<p>You can continue lessons, perform, do internships, take continuing ed classes- a variety of ways to continue music, while going to school for that, or for anything else for that matter, or even while working.</p>
<p>Many music programs, as you obviously know, are geared to classical performance so I understand why you applied to the schools you did. Many conservatories will be too expensive, actually.</p>
<p>You can try for merit aid, which can be helpful but often not enough to really help.</p>
<p>If you are in the middle group of families and your income is not low enough for a lot of aid, but not high enough to make paying possible, then, again, state schools may be your best bet. However, in general, colleges/universities will give more financial aid to students than conservatories. And some schools (like Ivies) give aid to families making quite a bit of money.</p>
<p>When you turn 23, financial aid can be based on your income. </p>
<p>Make sure you really look at music department websites at various schools. There may be some hidden gems that offer what you want. And make sure you also check on merit aid and do the financial aid calculator. College aid may surprise you.</p>