<p>Okay so my senior year is coming fast and I have yet to choose the schools I want to apply to.
I am currently applying for all kinds of schools, but I'm still pondering whether I should go for a music conservatory (like julliard or curtis) or a regular university (considering that schools like northwestern has an exceptional music program)
However, although I do care about the standards of the programs, I have heard that student social life is way different in music conservatories than in regular universities, considering the difference in campus size, numbers of student bodies, etc.
Are social lives that different or is it about the same?
While I do want to succeed in my music career, I wish to experience the same social life as in a regular university.</p>
<p>Some prior thoughts here <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/623241-social-life-conservatories.html?highlight=social+life[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/623241-social-life-conservatories.html?highlight=social+life</a></p>
<p>Can you be more specific by telling us what you mean by “social life”? There is a lot of diversity of social life within universities… Do you mean Greek Life?</p>
<p>Kind of a nebulous question, to be honest. Assuming with social life you mean things like parties, student clubs, greek life, etc, then my observation would be you might find that even with access to sports teams, greek life, parties, clubs, etc, it may not matter much where you go. I suspect with music students on a performance track at a top level program, that they may not have a lot of time for those activities, given how a typical day is spent on practice, classes, performing group rehearsals and the like, and for the ones I have seen that tends to be something that goes on most days…and by the time they have down time, I suspect a lot of them might want to get extra sleep or whatever, that ‘party hardy’ may be too much of a stretch…plus a lot of music students also do ‘gigs’ on the side, or play in outside music programs, both to pick up some money but also for experience. </p>
<p>That said I am not saying music students are monks, or should be, just that the life of a music student tends to be different then ‘regular’ college students from what I can tell (and as always, this is my observation). Having looked at the level of competition, looked at the intense nature of performance training, I would be very surprised if it weren’t different. I will add that someone going to Juilliard, for example, has quite a social scene in the whole city, but I have also heard the music practice rooms are booked pretty solid even Friday and Saturday nights…</p>
<p>DS went to a major university for undergrad and a conservatory for grad school. He has wonderful friends from both places. The reality was that at his university, he spent most of his time with his music major buddies, in the practice rooms or socializing with them. His dorm floor for two years was primarily music majors (who were his friends), and he lived off campus for two years…with music majors. He felt his social life was just fine.</p>
<p>It was about the same for grad school…most time spent in the practice rooms…and with his music major friends. </p>
<p>I guess what I’m saying…if you plan to major in music, you will need to have a commitment to practicing, and performing. This takes time regardless of whether you attend a conservatory or a university. But this doesn’t preclude having a social life.</p>
<p>Just a tip: per DD, brass players throw the BEST parties.</p>
<p>^ My son said he always had the most fun with the brass players as well.</p>
<p>I didn’t ask.</p>
<p>Some things you just don’t need to know.</p>