<p>So I never thought that I would be the kid to transfer....here's my story</p>
<p>Throughout high school I wanted to be a music major. I was in every single band possible, I did all-state and regional competitions, I took extra classes about music, but my parents kept trying to steer me in other directions. So when it came time to apply to college I thought I would make them happy by applying for chemistry schools. I was pretty good at chemistry and it is a major that tends to have more job stability and higher salary. My entire family was thrilled when I got a full ride to Purdue University, my parents were proud and I thought I was doing the right thing. </p>
<p>Purdue has no music major.. And I have realized that this is not where I want to be. Music is more than just a hobby for me, I want to study it intensely and become a music teacher. When I told my parents that I wanted to transfer to a place where I could pursue this, they flat out said no. They said I would be throwing my life away, that I would regret transferring.</p>
<p>I can't seem to find a way to explain to them that I will regret not going for my dream. But they don't want me to give up a full ride even if it means not being happy.</p>
<p>They are worried about finances, but I have scholarships that carry over, and I will recieve federal aid. The rest I am willing to work for and take out loans for on my own. My parents will never pay a cent for my education, I am doing it all myself.</p>
<p>I just want to be able to at least get them more on my side, they are making me present my case to them when I go home in a few weeks for a visit. </p>
<p>Has anyone had this happen to them? Students or parents?</p>
<p>If you are paying for it all yourself, your parents don’t get a vote. I can see why you might just want their approval, but you don’t need it. It’s your choice to make. Do you want to study music so much that you are ok with your parents’ disapproval? Would you rather be unhappy studying Chemistry and not upsetting them?</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t think living your life to make your parents happy is a good plan. If you know you love music and are sure that is the future you want, then do it.</p>
<p>You actually won’t get any argument from this parent, especially since you are willing to teach and not just perform. But I do wonder:</p>
<ol>
<li> What school are you considering transferring to?</li>
<li> How many of your credits will transfer/how many years will you have to go to finish your undergraduate degree? Your scholarships may not take you beyond four years.</li>
<li> How much do you think you need to take out in loans? There are limits to how much you can borrow yourself as a student (financial aid forum is a good spot to discuss this).</li>
</ol>
<p>You may also want to post on the music majors forum for information about the transfer and audition process. Music Ed. is a time consuming degree program that requires a semester of student teaching in most states. You should be prepared to spend 4 more years in school if you transfer. You may be able to do it in less time, but just to be prepared.</p>
<p>In terms of loans, the direct loan limits for undergraduate are approximately 5500 for freshman year rising up a bit each year to 7500 for senior year. Most other loans will require you to have a co-signer. </p>
<p>My career is in the arts, so I do not share the above to discourage you, just to communicate the information.</p>
<p>I am currently out if state and applying to an instate and an out of state. So one will be much cheaper than what I am paying now, and the other is about the same</p>
<p>Most of my scholarships cover 5 years of college and almost all of my credits should transfer.</p>
<p>thank you all for your input! it is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Hopefully I will not need to take out loans above the amount mentioned, but if I do I think I have a few other adults that would be willing to co-sign if my parents wouldn’t do it.</p>
<p>How close are you to graduating? If you are fairly close, then I can see your parents wanting you to finish before basically starting over. Does your school offer a music minor?</p>
<p>I am currently a freshman, I will be transferring for next fall which would be the start of my sophomore year. They do offer a music minor, but, no offense to some people, it is a minor that any person could complete. There is no real study of music, its about 4 classes to complete. So that is not what I want. </p>
<p>And as for credits, most of them should cover general education requirements, and I do have a music history, and theory class which should count towards the degree requirements.</p>
<p>I’m a music major too! Yeah it can be a tough major to justify to people who don’t understand because of the competitiveness of the field, but if you are passionate about it there is no option. This is what I recommend though: Instead of transferring to a school that specializes in music, transfer to a well respected university that happens to have a music major. Many of them won’t even have auditions, because they care more about your academics than your performance skills. Explain to your parents that you could still go to graduate school for a non-music related major, such as law, so your options are still open. When it comes down to it, you will regret not pursuing your passion a lot more than momentarily disappointing your parents. It may take them a while, but they should understand. Also, if you are still interested in chem, you could double major, although that would be a lot of work. Anyways, good luck! I’ve been in your situation, I know how it feels.</p>
<p>I am going to double major at a university with music majors, I only posted about the music part because that’s the part my parents are against.</p>
<p>TempeMom: I have wanted to be a music major since freshman year in high school so it is not really a sudden change, it is just that I have finally decided to do what I want rather than what my family wants me to do.</p>
<p>At the very least, try to double major in something that’ll get you employed as a backup (sort of). You don’t want to take out all those loans, accumulate interest, and risk being unemployed.</p>
<p>My D’s voice teacher got his BS in Electrical Engineering. He worked in that field for 4 or 5 years and realized he hated it even though he was making a lot of money. He returned to school and got a degree in piano performance and a masters in vocal performance. He teaches privately out of his home, is the music director for a very large church, and does a lot of piano accompaniment on the side. He loves his life and sets his own schedules. His parents could not believe he abandoned his EE career but now acknowledge it was the right move. If you love music, go for it!</p>
<p>My niece graduated in music ed from UNI about two years ago. She was advised to choose an additional field to study so that she could be certified in more than one area. If I recall correctly, she took enough courses for certification in a foreign language in addition to completing the requirements for both voice and instrumental music. She worked as a substitute teacher near her hometown while finishing all of her Praxis and state licensing exams and paperwork, and found a HS teaching job about a year after graduating.</p>
<p>I’m in a similar boat. I was accepted to a school I really wanted to go to, but my parents sent me to a different school, completely ignoring what I worked so hard to achieve. Now I am taking such difficult classes that transferring will be difficult - if not impossible. I can’t stand thinking about the next four miserable years of my life. That being said, I had my parents come to the school and I had a long, long talk with them. </p>
<p>Parents often forget that we are independent people, not just an extension of themselves. It is not uncommon for parents to disagree with what you want because THEY want YOU to want what THEY want for you. </p>
<p>I would say that you should make sure that presenting your case to them is something that you want to do - not something they are making you do. You need to make sure you are telling them why you want their support, not asking for permission. </p>
<p>I do have to ask, how are you getting financial aid on your own? I have been told that financial aid is only given to parents based on their income to help them pay for their children’s schooling.</p>
<p>I have scholarships, a few grants, and then i took out two small loans on my own. My parents did not take out any loans on my behalf. The only way they are involved is to calculate my EFC ($0) so that I qualify for federal/state grants.</p>