<p>I am not sure if this would fall under double degree or double major so please bear with me on my terminology. My daughter wants to major in viola performance, but she is also considering a degree is something else. I "think" that something else will end up being math, physics, or environmental science. Not sure yet. Carnegie Mellon seems like a great fit (on paper and based on the college visit where the person came here, we did not go there). Where else would be good to consider? She also loves Wash U (based on a close family member who went there and has told her all about it). Wash U would be a major reach school of course. She is going to look at Rice. She has a teacher who went to Oberlin suggesting she look there. Her music teacher suggested Northwestern, but there is no interest from her there. We would love some other schools to work with on her list. She is an incoming junior. Mostly, schools where she would start out as a double major, but, if all goes well, I would guess she would probably switch and commit to one or the other. Of course, I don't really know for sure.</p>
<p>I need to add...she would likely never drop at least minoring in music. But, if the music goes very well, I could see her dropping the other major or just switching that one to a minor.</p>
<p>This idea of double major, double degree, minoring in something else, minoring in music comes up again and again. A recent thread is <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1343994-good-school-dual-degree-double-major-music-perfrmance-x.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1343994-good-school-dual-degree-double-major-music-perfrmance-x.html</a> but there are many many others if you search. Unless your daughter wants to pursue a BA in Music with a performance emphasis, rather than a BM in Performance in a school of music, she will need to pursue two separate degrees. Which is not to say double majoring for a BA at a school like Wash U might not suit her perfectly.</p>
<p>I don’t know how easy it is to get two degrees at Carnegie Mellon - others might be able to speak to that - as it’s not one of the standard schools which comes up when discussing double degrees. The schools most known for double undergraduate degrees: Oberlin, Bard, Lawrence, Tufts/NEC, Peabody/Hopkins, Eastman/Rochester, Northwestern, Michigan. Some have mentioned USC as being receptive, and perhaps Indiana. Double majoring with a BA in Music is another animal entirely and opens up just about every school.</p>
<p>One comment, all of the schools you mention are quite competitive, especially academically (I don’t know particularly about Wash U)…Carnegie Mellon is extremely competitive academically, rice academically and musically is at the top of the heap and for music Oberlin is one of the best conservatories in the country…(I don’t know how they are academically, so I am not commenting on that, though I woudl assume high) and northwestern is extremely competitive academically and musically is up there…it isn’t to knock Wash U, just saying that if that is a reach for her, the others will be as well. </p>
<p>The subject of studying things with music comes up all the time. Bard requires its students to get a degree in something along with music, it is why it is a 5 year program. BM degrees tend to be tough to get two degrees with, because of the workload with performance degrees and routinely people have said some schools, including Rice, discourage students from doing that (with Rice, you have to be admitted academically as well as musically however). From what i remember of science courses, because of the lab courses, the recitations and the like, plus the related math courses, it can be difficult to schedule that to fit in with ensemble practices, lessons, orchestra and so forth that BM people do.</p>
<p>As a violist, your D will be in demand wherever she ends up, especially if she enjoys quartet/ensemble work. There are terrific viola profs at each of the schools mentioned by SpiritManager, and we know a great violist who is doing both viola performance and composition at Carnegie Mellon (although not majoring outside of the field). </p>
<p>I’d suggest two courses of action at this point.</p>
<p>(1) Do some digging and have her decide whether she’s aiming for a BA or a BM in music. There are plusses and minuses to each. While you’re doing that, you might also begin a list of typical audition rep required at various schools so she can work with her teacher to prepare a solid program.</p>
<p>(2) Sometime, maybe in the spring of her junior year, begin to visit some of those schools, take sample lessons with viola profs, tour the music facilities and the “other major” area, and get a sense of the type of school that most appeals.</p>
<p>(This is, of course, on top of all those other regular high school activities and pre-college things that already have to happen - SAT prep etc. Welcome to the wonderful world of the aspiring music student!)</p>
<p>CM, Rice and Wash U. are all tough admits so if Wash U. is a major reach then so are the other two. Oberlin is a little easier if you apply binding early decision to the college but very difficult if you don’t. You can apply to the Conservatory without applying to the college and pick what courses you want to take in the college without being bound by college distribution requirements. Admission to Oberlin Conservatory is severe as is admission to Rice’s SOM. Another option to look into would be Lawrence University which has a very good conservatory with less taxing university admissions than the other schools on your list.</p>
<p>I am referring to WashU as a reach because it seems that I keep hearing of people in the top 1% of their class, 800’s on the SATs, and still not getting in. The counselor we saw thought my daughter would be great for WashU, but I am thinking she has not read some of the posts I have read here at College Confidential. My cousin (who graduated from WashU) recommended WashU to my daughter. However, the AP Physics C teacher told us that he has had students he thought for sure would be admitted, and did not get a spot. He said the person who ranked 2nd in the class applied and did not get in! It just makes me feel like WashU has perhaps become one of those “wild card” schools where you can do everything right, and put some spirit in to it, and still not get in.</p>
<p>She already ruled out Northwestern, Eastman, Peabody, and BARD. All of those except Northwestern might be worth looking at again, but Northwestern will not be back on the list. She is not so interested in Oberlin anymore either. Oberlin might re-join the equation though.</p>
<p>If she is going to be a junior in the fall, just a caution that many changes can be in store in the next two years of high school, not to mention the first years of college or conservatory.</p>
<p>I think it is good for students to pursue all options as long as they possibly can. In my daughter’s case, that meant applying to both conservatory and college and deciding on April 30th of senior year!</p>
<p>Let her continue to enjoy music, math, science and any other interests that crop up (we parents are sometimes surprised in these last years of high school) without too much premature worrying about what path to choose.</p>
<p>I am curious how she is ruling in or ruling out schools, especially so early on!</p>
<p>You might wish to visit the University of Michigan. It is such a friendly, energetic and charming place. Don’t be put off by the size. It is an ideal set-up with the music school relatively isolated on North Campus, and the Central campus a 10-15 minute shuttle ride away, with shuttles running frequently. Sorry I do not know about the viola program. The music program overall is comparable to Northwestern, as far as undergraduate level of playing. LSA academic admissions tend to be not quite as tough as NU although the stats are getting higher every year. Engineering at UM remains a tough admit.</p>
<p>It is very difficult to double major at a school with a conservatory level music program. At CM, for example, science majors cannot easily participate in higher level music ensembles because practices are in the afternoons, and science labs are also held in the afternoons. Similarly, at schools like Rochester/Eastman or JHU/Peabody, students need to take a shuttle to even get to the other campus. Sometimes it is preferable to seek out a double major at a school that has a less rigorous music program.</p>
<p>I too am curious about what is causing her to rule out some of the top music schools in the country. Has she visited? Hopefully, she will come to understand that even though her instrument is in demand, she will want to audition at several, possibly even 8-10 schools, if she is looking for a great financial package as well as admission to a top program.</p>
<p>At any rate, I also can’t speak to UMich for viola, but my son was a dual degree music major there who has now dropped to single music degree 
It’s doable, but his course sequence is so highly structured in his program that it just didn’t make sense to pursue the cognate degree as undergrad when he can instead seek a masters.</p>
<p>He is a senior this year, but if you D makes a visit, please let me know and I’m certain he’ll be happy to assist. He has a peer who is majoring in violin performance who might be able to give her the low down on strings ;)</p>
<p>PS Re: rigor – it’s starting to get quite tough to get into Mich academically, especially since they joined the common app – 41,000 applicants this year for a matriculating class of 5600.</p>
<p>However, the SOM still puts talent first and has a slightly lower cutoff. When seeking a dual degree, you do have to apply to BOTH schools and it’s possible to be accepted to one, but not the other, or vice versa, just so you know.</p>
<p>My DS graduated last year from CMU with a BS in Biology. It’s easier to do a double degree if you are in the same school. At CMU, you don’t apply to the University but to the individual school. Math and science are at at the Mellon College of Science and for a BFA (performance) you would apply into the College of Fine Arts. That’s not to say you can’t take classes within the other schools (which he did). I know that he was swamped with work with just one degree but managed to also get a Chem minor and a “concentration” in something else. They do offer the Bachelor of Science and Arts (BSA) but you have to be admitted into both schools. CMU is so competitive already that I can’t imagine how hard it would be to get into two schools!</p>