<p>Cathymee, thanks for explaining that at U of Miami, the student would not have to apply directly to the program. In that case, it might be an excellent option for Audi's son. </p>
<p>MomofThree....we dropped my D off two days ago and I hope your son is enjoying it and I will be curious to hear his impressions in the coming weeks. My D loves Brown. Which dorm did he get? Last year, my D was in Morris and this year is in Goddard. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Well, I just moved our son into his NYC apartment. He graduated from Brown in May,as a MCM (Modern Culture and Media). He spent 4 years working all aspects of WBRU (including a couple of summers)-- production, promotions, and on-air, as well as doing lots of sound production, video stuff, writing DVD and electronic game reviews for the newspaper. Also had a great chance to produce concerts, lectures, and special events. He sent out 2 resumes, and landed 2 absolutely dream jobs- one with a record company, and one at cinemax. Bottom line- Brown could not have been better for my son, and from what it sounds like, yours. If you like, your S can contact mine, send me a PM.</p>
<p>There you go! Match up annelise's son with Audi's son.....yay!
Susan</p>
<p>PS...Annelise...many congrats to your son! landing two jobs in his field after graduation is quite a coup! I just moved my sixteen year old into a dorm apt. in NYC.....eek....hard for me to get used to. Good luck to your son.</p>
<p>Susan,</p>
<p>DS is in Perkins. He really likes it, partly because it is right next to the practice building and he can get to a piano easily. I sorta laugh and cringe at the same time about the stories about Perkins, like this is the dorm the most marriage come out of! In the midst of one great conversation I asked him if there were any pretty girls around, and he said "OH y..e...a...h...! !" He takes his time in this area, thank the good Lord. I think he is very happy with his "unit" or floor (what a great concept). I have been so impressed by all quirkiness of the traditions I read about Brown. There is clearly so much cleverness and humor abounding . . .which suits my son so well. I have asked about the food, ("well, it is a dining hall") about the meetings ("the loan meeting was so BORING") his meeting with his advisor (likes him a lot, though he did find out he may need a more advanced music theory course and therefore would have to opt out of the theory CAP course his advisor teaches). He loved the move-in day, was impressed by everyone's willingness to help in the move, and was stunned that students were going room to room helping people set up their computers.</p>
<p>I think his primary wish now is that classes would go ahead and start, to provide a more familiar structure. But this time to get engaged and acclimated is very important, and I am very impressed that Brown puts so much into it.</p>
<p>Thanks to you, Donemom, and others who helped give advice and counsel!</p>
<p>It sounds like your son is settling into Brown and enjoying this orientation week. I do think that the orientation week is so well done that by the time they start classes, the kids have made friends and gotten involved in campus life. The concept behind the "units" is excellent. I know that last year, my D's unit in Morris was VERY tightly bonded and that all got started during orientation week. In fact, just in the short time I was walking with her the other day on her move in day, she kept running into kids from her old unit and they were hugging and so forth. It is kinda different as a soph as they don't have this unit thing so much going on but she was pleasantly surprised that while moving into her room in her soph housing, that other kids on the hall were stopping by to introduce themselves already so I'm sure friendships will be made in the new housing too. Of course, she has friends from various things from last year as she begins this year. She is not involved in orientation events but has these four days to just enjoy being back, seeing people, easing back in. I think she went to the beach yesterday actually. She has a car this year as do several of her friends and roommate. My husband put together a loft in her room and so she was also fixing up the room, got a futon someone else was selling (I think there were sales like this that benefitted Katrina actually). I was surprised that she knew so many people when I was walking briefly with her. This campus is very friendly. </p>
<p>I think your son should just opt to take the appropriate level music theory class, rather than the CAP one. Last year, my D ended up NOT taking the CAP class she had signed up for over the summer. Other things came up that she preferred and it did not really affect her to not be in a CAP class afterall. Appropriate placement in theory will matter to your son. My kids are pianists too with solid music theory backgrounds. My younger child, in her program, will be taking a music theory placement test and I am grateful they have that because I know that she would be bored if she had to be in a class with kids without the music theory background. I am assuming she'll place out or into something higher, not sure how it works. </p>
<p>I hear ya about Perkins. I have heard those remarks about it too. I'm sure the unit will bond. It is a hike to the dining hall I suppose, however. Last year, my D did not even have to go outside to the dining hall which for her was the V Dub but this year she will be at the Ratty which is very close to her dorm. </p>
<p>I hope your son loves school....the classes, the people, the activities, the environment. From my observations, the student body seems really happy to be there and that counts for a general climate of the school. My D was very glad to be back and I could tell she was very enthusiastic and happy to see everyone. Remind your son that in the initial weeks of school, he can "shop" classes and try out several before commiting and due to that, it turns out that kids in each class are motivated and happy because they have opted to be there and are not forced to take anything they really do not like. He might have his class list made up (as my D does) but still sit in on one or two other choices to be sure he picked the "right" ones for him. </p>
<p>Take care...
Susan</p>
<p>Susan, </p>
<p>Thanks for the kind and assuring words. I will pass on to my son that it will not much matter if he doesn't take the CAP course. I think he is determined to get everything out of the college experience he can, and he really wants to be at the right level of difficulty. The good news really is that he likes his adviser. The bad news is that the theory placement exam falls at the same time he is scheduled to take Italian. He said he plans to have another advisor meeting to iron out the conflict. It is amazing that Brown is so committed to meeting and working out these issues for and with the students, and that he already feels comfortable enough to ask for help. I think the shopping period is great, and I bet he does more and more of that after this first semester. What fun to have a variety choices, ways to determine who will be good for the individual student and what might be a new interest. I am thrilled with this idea.</p>
<p>I am glad your D is able to get to food readily. S will find food, but I think I will put a care package in the mail pretty soon!</p>
<p>See ya!</p>
<p>Okay, I will toss a curve ball, Cornell offers an undergraduate business program that is located in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which means you would have an in-state college tuition instead of the higher private. I think the campus is beautiful, although it is a bit distant from LI. It is not music focused, but there are ample opportunities to be involved with music on campus, and it would allow him to change his mind or to get into a decent grad school.</p>
<p>If music was his lifes dream...I would look toward LA, but I don't know what UC, UCLA or Cal arts offers in the way of music management. Just places to look....since so much music comes out of that City.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the imput. We think at this time, we will be going back to visit a few of the schools as we visited over the summer and the climate is much different when students/classes are in session. He is saying that because he is so confused, his 2 favorite schools, Brown and UPenn, are so different but it is hard to compare them because he likes things about each one, that he may just go RD and see what happens. It means waiting until April to hear, but the decision may be made for him. After our 2nd tour, we hopefully will have a different perspective. Mr. B, we were told that Cornell has a good business school and there is alot of acappella groups and theater opportunities, but he is not in love with Ithaca. His grandfather went there and has already tried to give him the "sell" but it doesn't seem to be one of the favs. Thanks for the advice though!</p>
<p>Audi,</p>
<p>You are probably wise to wait for RD since there is no clear favorite. Your son sounds like a great kid; sometimes there really isn't a one perfect school for a kid with lots of gifts. Hope that makes the choice easier later, but sometimes it does not. It was my son's experience that he was "on the horms of a dilemma" till two days before May 1. I hope you will keep us informed if you feel like reporting later!</p>
<p>Best wishes!</p>
<p>Audi.... a couple things....
First, again, I think if he REALLY wants to do ED, it is imperative to go back to the two first choices by early October and do an OVERNIGHT at each. Make appointments with professors, students he knows, students who run organizations he is interested in, observe classes, and so forth. This might help determine a first choice. </p>
<p>I still think that he might want to opt out of ED and just look at all options and see what happens in April. My oldest D did all her college visits in junior year. Then, in fall of senior year, we let her go back to the two schools which at the time were tied for "first" in her mind, for an overnight. This was to help decided about a possible early application. She opted to do the one of the two that had EA as it was not a commitment. The other had ED. This left options open. What happened was that she was deferred at the EA school (Yale). Even if admitted, I am pretty sure she'd have kept some apps in but just not done as many (like not the safeties, etc.). She could have then opted to do ED Round 2 at her other favorite at the time, Tufts, but chose to keep options open. Did not know what would happen with the Yale deferment and she really just wanted to see. During the winter, Brown was tied for "first" as a favorite with Yale and Tufts. So, what has happened? She got into Tufts but when she went back to three faves in April for accepted student events/overnights....went back to Tufts (third time), Brown (second time), and Smith (second time) to help decide (got into others like Penn but narrowed it in April to three faves of her acceptances). And where did she end up? Brown! So, if she had done ED to Tufts, she never would have ended up at Brown which became tied in her mind as winter wore on for first/fave and then at the April open house for accepted students, "won" out as her favorite of all. Ironically at the VERY beginning of junior year when she JUST began to peruse college directories, to make a preliminary list to look into, Brown was a favorite. It has come full circle but NOW she KNEW FOR SURE she wanted to go to Brown and she is VERY happy there. Had she done ED at another school, she may never have ended up at Brown which turns out to be pretty perfect for her. </p>
<p>Second D....hardly any of her schools (BFA in Musical Theater) offered ED but one of them did, NYU/Tisch. She had wanted to go to NYU/Tisch since she was much younger. She figured she would apply ED but at the time, had truly not looked fully at other schools. Because she opted to graduate one year early (after junior year), we had only gotten one college visit in during tenth grade (prior to the fall application season) and it was to NYU. Before applying ED, we felt it was important that she at least visit and overnight at another top choice on her list and so in Sept. of the application year (her junior year) she visited the program at UMich and loved it very much, as much as NYU and so opted to NOT apply ED to NYU and just go the RD route everywhere. We subsequently saw all 8 of her schools (had to audition at them) and she came to like many of them. As it turns out, she ended up at NYU, also coming full circle like her sister (going to the early favorite at the start of the college search process) but this time she knew for sure that it was her first choice after exploring all others and having the year to really come to such a decision. My other D made her decision of where to go right AT the accepted student overnight event. I feel both really knew for sure they wanted to be where they ended up. </p>
<p>Right now, your son is not at that point. That could happen before late October if he does two thorough overnights. But I also think he may benefit from waiting until RD (even though the wait is longer). Things change. The more he sees the programs, the more his mind may oscillate. Also, he recently chose this career/study focus and he has understandably changed it a bit over the past year (I recall he once wanted to direct, for instance) and so to make a decision of his school based on the possible major at this point might not be solid enough (ie., to choose a business school like Wharton). I think to apply DIRECTLY to a program (like my younger D did with a BFA program in Musical Theater), you really must KNOW without a doubt that that is what you want to do. Otherwise, a more liberal arts program that has the offerings he is looking for (akin to my older D who wanted a liberal arts school that had architectural studies but not a professional BArch program) would be the way to go. </p>
<p>Good luck!
Susan</p>
<p>Thanks Susan. I think your advice is VERY good. He needs to go back-in Sept or Oct and do an overnight. He needs to see the kids and school in action and definitely sit in on a class. If this doesn't solidify a decision, then he needs to go RD. We were just hoping that he may have a favorite and then his chances may be increased because ED sometimes improves one's chances. I think he is more interested in Brown at this point. He was just intrigued by UPenn-he liked the campus and liked the communications and marketing classes that they offered-Brown didn't really have anything like that. I am also concerned about the second choices-he needs to have some backups in case he doesn't get into his first choice and that is just as hard and important. We have seen several schools now and he has some idea of what he likes and doesn't like but I want him to spend some time considering the next level of colleges in case the primary one falls through.
I know what you mean when you say sometimes they don't even like their first choice after viewing many. Matt was so sure he wanted NYU and nothing else-he loves NYC and spent a summer at NYU. Then we went to visit a few schools with campuses and he realized that he liked that better. Had we not visited these schools, he would have gone ED to NYU. He may ultimately wind up going there after all, if all his other possibilities pan out, but it is funny how he changed his mind after seeing a school with grass. It is imperative to expose them to many things and let them decide what they like and dislike.</p>
<p>Audi, sounds like a good plan. I'd love to hear the rest of his list. I know there is some focus right now seeing if he wants to do ED and if so, firming that up (I still think he seems like a better candidate for RD overall). But in any case, he needs to focus on the match/ballpark schools and developing the safeties. Schools like Brown or Penn are just too unpredicatable to count on even for the very qualified kids. Just difficult odds! </p>
<p>Also, you have already witnessed first hand how he wanted NYU until he saw some other schools so you would not have wanted to rush to a decision for an ED school. If he ends up at NYU, it would be better AFTER he had fully explored the options, including overnights. </p>
<p>And remember, should he opt to go back to Brown or NYU, I've got my two at these schools and it helps to talk to current students on visits. </p>
<p>He may want to find a school where there are many student run productions that he might be able to help produce or direct. As mentioned, Brown has this but many other schools do as well and so seek that out, not just the academic programs, per se. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>To the OP
I think Annelise's post is very instructive..about her S moving to NYC (good feat by the way,how did he get an apt that he can afford LOL)
The important aspect is that he spent 4 years...and summers... working for the radio or TV station (sorry Im not sure which it is) at Brown.You can be mighty sure thats what got him his amazing job offers.Its all about the practical experience..what you know and who you've met along the way.</p>
<p>I agree with Cathy.....you can examine these schools and what the academic offerings are but for what he wants to do, it will be equally important to get that experience....so if he were to head the student-run theater groups or the radio station plus do internships in summers, these experiences, along with networking will lead to the field.
Susan</p>
<p>Cathy- you won't believe it-- but S. is living in the apartment I moved into right after I graduated--- we had bought it in the early 80's and have been renting it out all these years!!
You are right about the jobs and internships- encourage them to build an actual experience-based resume.</p>
<p>My son is a senior at Northwestern in School of Communications which houses Theatre and Film majors. He is specializing in sound design and has done the sound for students' film and play projects. He also did a sound design internship in LA during the winter and will be working at a production/post production company this year in Chicago. There also is a loosey-goosey multidisciplinary audio program between A&S, Music, Film & Engineering. It's been perfect for my kid but he started out with a passion for film and secondarily for sound.</p>
<p>3boysmomnj
Sounds like your S will have a great resume to present to potential employers.So great he's been able to follow his passion.
Annelise
Your S is so lucky you decided to keep that apt all these years.I'm from the area (suburban LI) and know how outrageous housing costs are..D was discouraged from applying to NY grad schools due to housing costs..she wound up in the midwest where shes renting a perfectly acceptable 1 bedroom apt for $550 a month (heat included) w/o the need for a roommate..doable on her fellowship w/o the need for loans just to live.
On the value of practical experience...it seems to me this is of utmost importance.I know two boys newly graduated from business programs at large state U's.Neither required an internship to graduate..aren't they at a disadvantage? S (HS senior) is looking at programs in Sports Management most are now requiring an internship as part of the curriculum.</p>
<p>All excellent advice. I do believe that networking, interning and just making yourself available to explore and try different avenues will all be advantageous, and my son is that kind of kid. We do intend to go back and do overnights and sit in on several classes for atleast the two top schools on his list. I have a friend who just came back from dropping off her child at Brown. The boy's #1 choice for months was Wesleyan UNTIL he did an overnight. That experience turned him off to the school for various reasons so the moral is to explore and research any school past the scripted campus tour (especially one we attended over the summer where the climate is vastly different).
At this point, as "backups" he is also considering NYU, Tufts-he loved the campus etc., Yale (not really a backup, but high on his list too), U of Miami, USC ( I don't particularly think he will want to go to Ca in the long run-too far) and maybe BU. I think NYU would be his next favorite if he didn't get into his two top choices at the moment.</p>
<p>Thought I would pass along:
Note from a Berklee College letter to my son after completion of the songwriting workshop this past summer:</p>
<p>"Here at Berklee we eat,drink and sleep music......we understand that music is a passionate undertaking and our goal is to support and encourage you in pursuit of your passion whether it be performing,music business,songwriting or a career in music technology".</p>
<p>Damien S. Bracken, Director of Admissions</p>
<p>IMHO, I think this pretty much says what Berklee is all about.</p>
<p>JH has an audio engineering program associated, if I remember correctly, with the Physics department. Check it out.</p>