<p>I have until May 1 to make my college decision about where to go for music ed., and I've narrowed it down to Rutgers-Mason Gross or The College of New Jersey. They're about the same distance away and the same cost. TCNJ offers a smaller campus, individualized attention, and after several years of putting much energy into academics, I'm attracted to it because it is a more selective school academically. Rutgers's smaller campuses offer a comparable feeling of community, though, and its academics are certainly not lacking. While I prefer TCNJ for many reasons, I would gladly go to Rutgers if the Mason Gross music program is superior. Both schools have 100% placement for music ed. students. I hope to go on to a masters in vocal performance, though, and so would like to find out which school would best prepare me not only to teach, but to perform as well. TCNJ's smaller department might offer more opportunities, but could that mean more limited artistic training? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks!</p>
<p>Indecisive-
Two great choices in NJ!
I agree with all the points in your post. The schools have wonderful placement rates for their graduates but are quite different, as you noted.</p>
<p>Our son is a second year music ed major (instrumental) at TCNJ, considering a transfer for next year. He has been accepted to Mason Gross and Manhattan School of Music (for performance).</p>
<p>He has enjoyed TCNJ and has progressed incredibly in his two years there. The academics are challenging and he loves that too. But the program is small and the ensembles are limited by the size of the dept.
He has studied with a private lesson teacher that has gone way over and beyond to support him in his studies. Not sure you find that in larger schools too often.</p>
<p>Mason Gross has a graduate program as well. So, some students will be more advanced by definition. Also, many more ensembles.</p>
<p>Have you visited the schools? It might be that one will feel like a better fit to you. Good luck!</p>
<p>Have you had a "sample" lesson with a teacher at either campus? If performance is your goal, do not go blindly into that selection. Be sure what and who you are getting.</p>
<p>We visited both schools and were most impressed with TCNJ. The Rutgers open house was not very welcoming, and their presentations seemed to focus more on what you couldn't do there than on what you could. Attitudes like that tell me that the school operates as a boondoggle. They provided no tours of their facilities or dorms.Their campus was nice, but located in a place where a student without a car would be stranded. Their info packet highlighted the food chain restaurants on the nearby highway as places for the students to hang out.TCNJ, on the other hand, couldn't have been more welcoming, with a personal tour of the entire music facility for just our family, a personal meeting with the department chair and a 45-minute lesson with the professor who taught my daughter's instrument. We came out of there feeling great. The campus is beautiful and well-cared for. Unfortunately, it's also not in a place where you can forego a car. Ultimately, she did not apply to TCNJ, but her HS teachers all love the programs there, and she does have friends that love it too.</p>
<p>Although I am an oboe player and am pretty familiar with the instrumental offerings at TCNJ and Rutgers, I am also involved in my choir at school. In the past two years, we have had 2 wonderful student teachers from Rutgers. Rutgers has a much bigger music department and therefore has more opportunities to perform with an orchestra (Mason Gross has a stronger string program). I don't know much about the vocal program at TCNJ, but with the people I've seen come out of Rutgers in vocal music education, I would definitely recommend it.</p>