<p>Hi,
My DD just recently decided that she would like to audition for the NYU Music Ed program next year. We live in a very small and rural town. She has visted NYC on a number of occasions and after some thought has added NYU to her list of colleges to apply to. </p>
<p>I was just wondering if anyone has any experiences or stories to share about NYU or auditioning there. So far I have heard very good things about their committment to the students as well as to the overall quality and safety of the campus. (I have to say I worry about my small town DD living alone in the big city) Also, I was wondering how selectivity at NYU compares to that of say Julliard or Eastman. DD won't be auditioning for Julliard but will be auditioning for Eastman. However, after our All State concert was held there last fall I have to say I was not impressed visually nor was I impressed with the locale. </p>
<p>NYU is nowhere near as selective as Juilliard or Eastman. They are trying to build up their program, so the level of playing is improving.</p>
<p>Based on a very unscientific sample of the auditioners this year, i.e., other students (mostly violin) practicing around the same time as my daughter's audition, the relative level of playing among applicants to NYU ranks something like this:</p>
<p>MSM; USC
Rice
Northwestern; NYU
Temple
SUNY Stony Brook</p>
<p>As it turned, my D's audition at NYU was her best, the committee was very friendly, and that's where she's going. She likes the performance opportunities in areas other than classical music and is intrigued by the record producing program at Tisch, where she could minor, and the music business offerings.</p>
<p>In addition, music ed is often less selective than music performance. </p>
<p>I would agree with your comments on Eastman/Rochester. We saw some nice suburban areas, but downtown Rochester is bleak. Then there is the climate....cold. It is a great music school also with lots of non-music opportunity at U Rochester. My D was waitlisted so she never had to make the final decision. She was disappointed but I think also relieved. Eastman was a bit more intense than she wanted. NYU was more than a bit too "relaxed."</p>
<p>I am somewhat confused about your expectations for life at NYU. NYU has security and access control, but not much of what you would call a campus. Basically the city streets are the campus and kids are very much living in the city. From what I could tell, traditional dorm and campus life are pretty minimal. Most kids even eat at restaurants instead of the NYU cafeterias. My D has spent a lot of time in NYC, including a couple of weeks in an NYU dorm. She found the city life exciting, but also very distracting. She believed the NYU environment would make it hard for her to concentrate on college. If your D does attend, plan your budget accordingly. City life is expensive and there are endless opportunities to spend money on entertainment and shopping.</p>
<p>edad,
The extra living expenses are what we have been trying to explain to D. I didn't mean to imply that I thought there was a "campus". I guess that was a generalization on my part. From what I have heard though the dorms have decent security and housing is supposed to be guaranteed for undergrads. I definitely think that Eastman may be too intense for my DD as well. A more relaxed, urban atmosphere is what she thinks she wants.</p>
<p>hkstrpd,
Thanks for your input. Please keep me updated on your DD's experiences at NYU. I would love to know.</p>
<p>The living expenses are what killed both of my kids' abilities to attend, one in music and one in languages. Tuition at private colleges are pretty much the same across the board within a thousand dollars. The cost of dorms, food and the "walking-around" money would not have been possible. NYU's financial aid was pitiful; my kids actually went to Ivies for less. We live in NJ, so we are not as shocked by prices. The freshman are housed around Washington Square, but everyone else is scattered from the Upper East side to the Financial District, which means that subway rides or buses have to be factored in. Also, those remote dorms do not have food services. Traveling alone at night to use the cafeteria, practice rooms or the library is not fun. So, basically, you are commuting to NYU from someplace else in the city. That being said, I'm sure that the music ed grads are snapped up by the NYC school system. The problem arises when you try to pay off $225K in educational expenses on a teacher's salary!</p>
<p>I do not know much as I did not apply to NYU , but one of my best friends just got into NYU for Music Ed through the Steinhart School of Music and Education. She sings, plays flute and piano (but she auditioned on piano) She will def. be going there. If you have any questions about the music education program i could ask her and get back to you.</p>