<p>hey , my overrall goal in life is to not be a musician, but to be a doctor. But, I still love to play piano, and i could just as easily major in music. Is it a good idea to minor in music, or is it just a waste of time?</p>
<p>or is it possible or too strenuous to double major in pre-med and music?</p>
<p>If you are contemplating instrument study as part of a minor, studio & lesson time might be a factor in decreasing available time spent in your major course work. Additionally, instrumental study mght also require participation in a performing organization as well, further limiting "free" time.</p>
<p>Each college or university has their own definition as to how many credits and across what courses constitute a minor. Tis best to check within your specific choices of schools.</p>
<p>If nothing else, you could always use some music courses to fill other degree elective credit requirements without going as far as to declare music as a minor.</p>
<p>Typically, there is not an undergrad major called pre-med. </p>
<p>The acceptance rate for music majors for medical school is much higher than the acceptance rate for any other major including biology. Of course, there aren't that many music majors who apply to med school so it could be that sub-group is truly unique.</p>
<br>
<p>The acceptance rate for music majors for medical school is much higher than the acceptance rate for any other major</p>
<br>
<p>Wow! Where is this information from? How about acceptance rate for any other non-musical graduate schools? Do the music major usually have enough non-musical credits to be accepted to medical, law, bisiness or other non-music grad program?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.uah.edu/music/whymusic.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.uah.edu/music/whymusic.html</a>
[quote]
And according to an article in the Phi Delta Kappan Journal, 1994, physician and biologist Lewis Thomas studied the undergraduate majors of medical school applicants, indicating that music majors were most successful in being admitted to medical school. He found that 66% of music majors who applied to medical school were admitted, the highest percentage of any group. By comparison, 44% of biochemistry majors were admitted.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Keep in mind, that's a percentage of applicants from those fields. So if 6 music majors apply to med school, and 4 get in, that's 66%. And if 100 biochem majors apply, and 44 get in, that's 44%. But there are still many more biochem majors there. (I made those numbers up, by the way. Don't go quoting them. I looked on line once, trying to find out the actual numbers of each, but couldn't find them.) And there's no study to show how many actually stay and graduate. Not negating this at all; just want to make sure no one is thinking most med students are music majors. (Although I do believe it's a fact that a large proportion of doctors play an instrument.)</p>
<p>One reason for minoring - or double majoring - is from a money angle. First of all, minors and majors usually don't have to pay for private lessons, whereas non-majors often do. Secondly, majors and minors often qualify for music scholarships, whereas those just participating in the program might not, or get a lower amount.</p>
<p>Another advantage to minoring is that it keeps music a priority. When you have several tests or papers or reading assignments, it's really easy to say, "I don't have time to practice." But if you are also getting a progress or performance grade, it helps to keep music important.</p>
<p>Many music programs don't allow a music minor. The music major is a viable option for someone considering med school. It will require taking a heavy course load or an extra semester or two. The heavy course load is feasible for someone with a strong music background.</p>
<p>wait i don't get it, how is a music major helpful for getting into med school?</p>
<p>Med school is not entirely about how much biology and chemistry you can cram into your undergrad years. A major in music can teach you a lot about time management, the ability to work as part of a team, and the ability to think several steps ahead while making a series of very precisely-controlled movements with your hands, to name a few. You still need to get in a lot of work in the natural sciences, but that is what electives, a heavier than normal course load and an extra semester or two are for.</p>
<p>is it possible to double major in bio and music? seems to be really hard</p>
<p>It can be done in five years at a few schools, but the combination of lab courses (required for bio and chem) and ensemble rehearsals (required for music majors) makes the scheduling difficult because both of those tend to get scheduled in the same afternoon time slots. You really have to ask the individual schools how many people have been able to combine those two particular majors there over the last few years. In most cases that number will be very small.</p>
<p>Again, the focus on biology is unnecessary for medical school admissions. In fact you will see the above link suggests a non-science major can be an advantage. You will also see that the basic requirements are 1 year of physics, 2 years of chem and only 1 year of intro biology. I would suspect that would be a bit thin but there should be little problem meeting those requirements and adding a couple more courses. The typical music major can meet the core music requirements with an average of about 12 semester hours. That permits one additional course for an average workload and two courses for a heavy workload. Any student who cannot handle a heavy workload at least for some semesters is not likely to survive the requirements of a medical education.</p>
<p>DD is doing a music minor at her college. Her major (today) is biology. As she put it, music has always been part of her life, she likes her instrument (oboe/English horn), she wants to keep playing, she wants to take lessons, and music relaxes her. The music minor is worth it to her. At her school no one gets charged for private lessons, but the music majors and minors get 45-60 minute lessons while the others only get 30 minutes. Right now, DD is the only one at her college who is taking private lessons so she is getting a LOT of personal time (and they are delighted to have an oboe/English horn player in their orchestra who will be there for the next four years). I would say...if you love your music, it's worth pursuing.</p>
<p>It sounds like your D was lucky and probably also spent a lot of time selecting the right school.</p>
<p>I just love the sound of the oboe. It is also a great instrument because there is a lot of music which features the oboe. My D gave the oboe a try for about a month, but it just wasn't meant to be. I did learn that the oboe is capable of producing sounds that will curl your hair and drive you out of the house. The only instrument I heard sound worse was from a new student trying to learn to play the tuba.</p>
<p>Yes my daughter was lucky...and yes she spent a LOT of time selecting the right school. One criteria for schools was the ability to continue playing her oboe in an orchestra...and take lessons with a teacher she liked. She is very lucky to have found both, but it wasn't all that easy a hunt and she did ask a lot of questions to narrow down her schools. We like the oboe too...English horn is even nicer...a more mellow sound. DD started taking the oboe in fourth grade...at that time DH called it the "most expensive Kazoo" he had heard. Fortunately for all of us (DD included), her tone improved quickly. Otherwise it would have been a LONG time until her high school graduation!! The worst instrument I've heard from a beginner is the violin. It sounds like chalk scratching on a chalkboard.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for all the information. I think i should give some more information, the schools i'm looking at right now are stanford, jhu, and duke, and i'm seriously contemplating double major in biology and music. i'm asian, 2300 SAT, lots of sports e.c.'s , leadership, and all the other stuff. I already go to a very rigorous high school, and i'm taking a ton of above AP biology courses(vertebrate, ornithology, molecular bio, anatomy). I've won lots of competitions for piano, so is it a good idea to put music as my intended major? would it help me get into a stanford or a duke ?</p>
<p>and again, i'm not looking at a college for the music, i'm looking mainly for the academics. also, another question, how good do you have to be to be accepted to maybe a top college that doesn't have a stellar music program, like duke? i'm probably top 5 pianists in the state of south carolina, but i'm pretty sure that i have more academic strengths than other applicants, as I go to a boarding school just for science and math. Will this strength in academics help me get in for music, or do they solely base it off of your recording/audition?</p>
<p>I believe Hopkins/Peabody are separate applications and that there is a totally different one for dual degree.</p>
<p>If you are hoping your piano playing will help get you in, you need to put it in perspective. Excellent performance skills will certainly be important if you are applying to a conservatory. However, since you say that's not your interest, then you should consider how your piano skills will be a plus for the school. One high school guidance counselor I know pointed out that most schools don't have a varsity piano team, so there's no option there. Your competitions and high level of skill certainly demonstrate that you have maintained a high level of academic performance while also devoting a lot of time and efort to another interest, so that's a plus. If the school has chamber groups or other ways in which your piano playing could be an important extracurricular, then that is certainly a plus as well, but in that case, you should really contact the schools, their music departments, orchestra conductors, etc. to see whether your level of skill would be something of interest to them. For orchestra instruments, this is routinely of GREAT interest, and some conductors recruit for instruments the same way athletic coaches do,but for piano I am not as sure. Good luck!</p>
<p>Duke is very interested in classical musicians. Not necessarily to participate in their music program, but because they believe that accomplished musicians turn out to be excellent college students. </p>
<p>You don't have to audition to be a music major at Duke. If you've got the academic chops to be accepted into the University, you'd be welcome in the music major. </p>
<p>You should definitely send a CD of your solo playing -- two contrasting selections -- and submit it as supplementary material. Their music faculty listens to every CD that is submitted and makes recommendations to the Admissions Office.</p>