<p>Hello All,
I am an uprising senior, interested in majoring in Music Composition. I am new to the whole college process and have done some research, but am still a bit confused on a couple of issues. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Some universities offer a major OF Music Composition (such as listed on collegeboard's website site/the website of the universities)
From what I have read, people argue that schools such as U of Chicago have excellent music comp choices... Does this mean that there is a good faculty but no way to major?
This is what I'm confused about: some schools list just music:general as their only music related major. Does this mean one would get a concentration in an area such as composition? VERY CONFUSED</p></li>
<li><p>Here is a list of schools I have been looking at. I'm going to have to narrow the list to around 7-8 once application time comes around, but please feel free to give me insight/critique my list:</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Carnegie Mellon (not that close to Texas) - BFA
Vanderbilt - Blair - BM
SMU - Meadows - BM
Rice- Shepard - BM
USC - BM
DePauw (not that close either) - ?
Baylor - BM
Oberlin (same) - BM
UT Austin - Butler - BM
Tulane - ?</p>
<p>Just to clarify any ambiguity and help understand my situation:
I am currently in the search process for colleges/universities at the moment
Make straight A's (top 3.2%)
Over 2000 for SAT
Looking somewhere (hopefully) close to Texas/South
Primarily interested in a BM or BFA</p>
<p>Good question for the music majors forum! Here is the link: [Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p>Ryantexas32 - welcome to CC. There are many threads about majoring in music composition on the Music Major forum. All of the schools on your list have been discussed at one time or another, as well as the criteria one should use for choosing a composition department, and strategies for exploring the departments and their offerings.</p>
<p>Do a Music Major specific search using the word ‘composition’ as a word in the Title and you’ll get many threads to peruse. Also look through the last three years of Music Major acceptances (go to the last page of each) and you can find posters by either composition or the schools they were accepted to, and then either look for more posts by them, or send them a private message specific to a program.</p>
<p>As for the designation of composition in the major - some colleges offer a degree in music - with a composition emphasis or path. Often those are BA programs. Usually the BM is specifically in Music Composition. However, a BA in Music (composition) is also a very valid choice - it just means that you’ll be taking a different percentage of courses outside your major, and may mean that there will be fewer opportunities to hear your pieces performed, or that, since the school probably doesn’t offer a performance major, there will be a smaller pool of musicians to draw on for performances.</p>
<p>For applying for a BM, although your grades and SAT scores will be helpful for academic admission and scholarships to the general university - it looks like all the schools on your list are ‘audition’ based (which means submitting a portfolio, and sometimes an interview, and occasionally an audition on a primary instrument) and that ‘audition’ will be the most important factor for admission.</p>
<p>Do come on over to the Music Major Forum. We’re always happy to help, and there are a number of regular posters who are parents of composers.</p>
<p>Thank You Both! I Will be over there right away</p>