<p>Maybe someone can offer an opinion as we are very confused. S (rising senior) has changed his course of interest several times over the last few months but right now feels he is interested in music business-record producer or mangagement. S has great SAT scores and GPA (top 5% of class). Has been president of school for 4 years, Peer leader, and involved heavily in all music related things in school-plays, musicals, vocal jazz, All State, and has taken dance, voice and acting for many years. At first, he thought he may want to go the musical theater route but has changed to more of a producer/business related interest. He feels (and hubby and I agree) that he should consider a liberal arts program rather than a conservatory approach since he is still not 100% sure and may change his mind once in college.We have looked into several schools, including Berklee and NYU and while NYU has a specific program, he is not in love with its lack of campus. Before everyone starts yelling that NYC is the campus, he wants more of the green grass/quad kind of thing. We have recently looked into some IVYs and while they do not have a specific program, we feel he may still get a good liberal arts education and still be able to tailor a program around music and business.
He saw Brown and loved its campus and ability to take an open curriculum however, they do not have a real business program. They do have alot of theater opportunities, a radio station and music. We also saw UPenn and he loved that as well and at Wharton, they have a marketing/communications major which he can minor in music. They also have acapella groups, radio station and theater. So, IF he could get in, do you think a degree from Wharton, even though not in a specific music management program, would be a real plus in the business world or do you think the open curriculum for a laid back kind of kid would be better at Brown. Or should he go to a specific program for it like at NYU or Berklee, even though he doesn't love the campus and he wants something competitive like an IVY. Hoping some one can make sense of this post and offer some info.</p>
<p>If he is interested in the creative side (music producer) it doesn't make much difference where he goes. I'd say the same about theatre producer, but there an Ivy degree might look good. </p>
<p>Large record companies (and film companies and big talent agencies) can be very corporate and look favorably on Ivy degrees. . .more likely to take an intern from Wharton than from Rutgers. Add the LA unis + Stanford too, for the movie business and west coast wing of the music business.</p>
<p>You might be interested in reading this article about the music business program at USC <a href="http://www.prosoundweb.com/live/articles/debra/usc/usc.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.prosoundweb.com/live/articles/debra/usc/usc.shtml</a>.</p>
<p>Have you looked into Belmont. I understand they have a very good music management program. My D. wants to be a pop singer (not country)..we are mainly looking in NY and CA..also someone mentioned U.of Miami which we havent checked yet. We will likely look at Belmont and see if its too country or not. I understand there is a lot of music there of all types.</p>
<p>Where is Belmont? CA?</p>
<p>Nashville, TN</p>
<p>FWIW, Sylvia Rhone, the President of Motown Records is a Wharton grad with a B.S. in economics.</p>
<p>He wants to stay on east coast. We have been told about USC and Miami and may consider them but really he fell in love with Brown and UPenn (I know, some of the hardest to get into, lol). His Guidance Counselor says he should definitely apply because his SAT,GPA and EC's are good. Although the IVYs have their own standard of admission and nothing is a guarantee we are looking at these two schools first. Brown has a population of 5,000 and he loves the laid back feel, lack of core curriculum and he feels he may have time to do things he likes-theater, acapella groups, radio station etc. But, they have no communications or business major per se. U Penn has Wharton-10,000 kids, a heavy curriculum with a dual concentration in marketing and communications (you come out with a BA and BS degree from Wharton). He is not sure if he will have a life to pursue some extra curriculars which he enjoys. On the other hand, there is NYU, USC etc which has a definite program in music management, but it is very concentrated and if he decides he doesn't like it, I don't know how easy it is to transfer out. We think he may be better off at a school where he can take a variety of classes in different things but try to go towards a music producer/business/agent/talent scout kind of degree. WE ARE SO CONFUSED. To make it even worse, his chances are better if he applies ED, so we are trying to determine if we can narrow it down to a first and and second choice. Some people have told me to go Wharton-a degree from there will open up doors anywhere, others say, go to Brown where he feels he may "fit" better and he will find his "major". Any help????</p>
<p>What I read in your posts is that this kid loves Brown. So, he should apply to Brown. He doesn't really know that he wants marketing and business yet, and why should he? His involvement with the things he knows he does want -- extra curriculars involving voice and radio and theater -- counts much more at this point in my opinion. That's the kind of involvement that can lead at some point to summer jobs or internships, which might confirm or disabuse his now theoretical ideas that he might like to be in the business. You can learn real world skills at a campus radio station or organizing and promoting theatrical productions, or running campus groups. He won't be able to go back and get a liberal arts education, not to mention having the fun of being involved with other students in productions etc, nearly as easily as he will be able later to get some business training. (Besides which, the music business is changing so fast that I doubt there's a textbook around that could keep up.)</p>
<p>Just one opinion, of course.</p>
<p>In the 80s and 90s, young Brown grads were all over the TV and music businesses, as interns and entry-level hires. Why? In Hollywood Brown was known as the Ivy for creative types. Perhaps that is still the case today.</p>
<p>Audi...it's late and I got back from dropping my D at Brown today. I know your son wrote my D an email with some questions and she answered him before she left for school. From reading your post and what I know so far, I would say Brown is an excellent choice. Your son's "major" is not truly firmed up...he has changed his mind a few times and I agree with you that doing a conservatory or even something like Clive Davis program at NYU is too limitting and too much of a commitment to allow for change. Brown, with its open curriculum, independent study options, internships, and create your own major possibilities, PLUS the many performing and creative arts active on campus, will allow your son to pursue these interests in a liberal arts setting where he does not yet have to commit to a major and he won't get professional training per se, but he can pursue business school, for example for graduate school if he goes in that direction. At Brown he could be active, for example, in the Musical Theater Forum, the student run musicals group. I think I told your son that an alum from SDM is a senior there now and he has not only written his own script/score, but produced it, and is in one of the many a capella groups there. There are ways to study what he wants but also to explore various interests as an undergraduate. Perhaps he can intern in the music industry in summers. If he wishes to return to do an overnight, please get in touch. Lots of possibilities at this school, plus lots of creative things going on. Might be an excellent fit. He really does not HAVE to apply ED...he should only go that route if absolutely certain of his choice. My D applied RD...plenty of kids get in that way and there is time to change and mull over the various choices as the year progresses. I think your son should visit while school is in session and talk to professors and students (you went in summer which is not ideal). The student body is very friendly....as witnessed by me today ;-). </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>The program at Wharton isn't good for anyone who might be unsure. It's a very rigorous program with kids who are very serious and sure about their plans. FWIW, from the way you are framing this, it sounds like Brown is the better option for your son. If he were to change his mind midway through Wharton he would probably be miserable. Wharton is top ungergrad business program in the country....but those kids work like mad to get in,and then work like mad to stay in. It's fiercely competitive. Any waiver in his focus should be a warning to look elsewhere.</p>
<p>As an aside, I wouldn't worry about Penn having 10,000 kids. The schools within Penn are broken out so that you are part of the group that is your college, not the larger "UPenn" as a whole. The kids from the various colleges do room together, so there's good opportunity for cross-college sharing. But, things like advising are broken out by college. </p>
<p>Brown is a wonderful choice and has a very nice "vibe" to it.My son, like yours, was drawn to both Penn and Brown. In the end, a large urban setting and research opportunities won him over and he applied ED to Penn. But, Brown was on THE final list and I know he would have been happy there, too.</p>
<p>Rochester is Brown-like with only a freshman english requirement. No undergrad biz, but good vocal performance opportunities.</p>
<p>Advise he reads Quincy Jones autobiography. The Dude was a musician first, and the biz stuff was necessary to hold his big band together.</p>
<p>You would be remiss not to be considering U Miami seriously for your son and his interests.its a perfect fit and the music business major is taken very seriously there.</p>
<p>Cathymee, if I may....I don't know the program at U Miami but if it entails applying directly to it (like one has to do with a recorded music major at Tisch or with Wharton at Penn), I would advise against it for this particular boy. I think professional type training programs that you must declare and apply directly to are best for those who feel quite certain that they want that particular major. For instance, I have one child who is about to start a BFA degree program in Musical Theater which means knowing she wants to do that ahead of time, auditioning/applying directly for it, and then studying a specialized program that is a terminal degree. I have another child who is interested in architecture but could not have said at age 17 that she for SURE wanted to go into that and devote a bulk of her undergraduate education to that field of study. Thus she opted to NOT apply to a five year BArch program, but instead to liberal arts degree colleges that had architecture as a major (not applied directly to or declared until end of soph year) which will now require graduate school should she decide for sure to go down this path. She was not ready to make that commitment at the time of application. From what i know of Audi's son, he is uncertain too. He enjoys theater and music and is considering the field of being a producer or business person in the music industry. He once told me he was interested in directing too. I think a liberal arts program that has offerings in these interest areas, along with a very active music and performing arts scene would suit him well. A college that has flexibility with majors would also work well......Brown is one example where you can even create the major. U Miami or NYU might be very good if he was ready to commit at the point of the application process. I don't fully think that is his situation. I think he could get a solid preparation to go into this field, along with internships and then consider grad school once his focus is more defined or a commitment is there. That's why I would counsel him to go the way of a BA degree in a school where he does not have to commit to the dept. at the time of his application. Again, not sure on U Miami's deal with admissions to that program but am with regard to Wharton or Stern or even Steinhardt or Tisch. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Susan..
Part of the reason I recommended Miami was the fact that it is NOT a specialized admit like the NYU program.The college can accomodate a change of interest easily.But at the same time,they run their own record label at the U in a hot hot hot music town.</p>
<p>Just a few words about Wharton and Penn... yes, Wharton students are ambitious and goal-oriented, but most of them come in having no idea what they want to do. They just know that they are interested in business and feel that a business education will be useful no matter what they do.</p>
<p>Also, Wharton is not "fiercely competitive." I hate it when people make Wharton sound like a cutthroat place. As I said, the students are ambitious and goal-oriented, but Wharton emphasizes so much team work that students can't afford to be fiercely competitive or cutthroat.</p>
<p>Also if your son is in Wharton and realizes it's not for him (few people do this), he can apply to transfer to the College. He just needs to do well his first year (a 3.40). </p>
<p>If he is not ready to make a decision before the ED deadline then he shouldn't. If he needs to explore more, then he should. If he is in love with a school now and knows without a doubt where he wants to be, then he should apply early.</p>
<p>Penn and Brown are very different schools - it's also important for him to consider the fact that Penn is in a city and Brown isn't. That's a HUGE difference.</p>
<p>Audi,</p>
<p>Another positive about Brown is that it has a wonderful radio station, completely run by students, which ranks high on Princeton Review (for what it is worth) . . .and Brown is considered to be a "liberal arts" environment. My S1 just started there. He is thinking of doing a music major, but is not yet sure. He is amazed by the opportunities available and talents of the students he has met. It is a great place.</p>
<p>momofthree, My son, a high school senior, is interested in majoring in music and loved his visit to Brown. While there, he dropped by the Music Dept and heard about the various ensembles although there is no music performance major. Is it okay for me to PM you? Thanks.</p>
<p>3boysnjmom</p>
<p>Sure! I'd love to hear from you!</p>