<p>There is no money for college. My parents lost everything in the recession, including our home. We've depleted our savings and are just getting by. Please don't judge. it's a long story starting with my dad having a massive heart attack 5 years ago at the age of 50. My family is amazing and supportive in every way. I got to the top performing arts school in NYC & manhattan school of music pre college. I'm blessed. just broke.
I am a junior. I have a 3.8 GPA. I have not taken SAT or ACT yet. I see that most music schools/ conservatories don't have NPC. so I don't know what I faced with. I'm hoping I can get as close to 100% of my need met plus maybe some merit.
I've been told to go into debt for GS not UG, so that's my plan.
I'm a soprano ( yeah, yeah, I know, I know) but it's what I am. singing is my life, my joy. I don't want to study unless it's VP.
So, I ask you all to point my in the direction of some schools that is might get into and get aid. I keep reading about casting a wide net, but I cannot visit that many schools or fly to many auditions. I've heard that there are NYC local auditions sometimes.
thank you so much! </p>
<p>If you apply to a conservatory/music school that is part of a larger university or colllege, you will be eligible for financial aid from the university or college. I am PM’ing you.</p>
<p>thanks very much. I have a friend who is a freshman at Lawrence and she got a full ride and some travel $ as she’s from NYC, too. I’m not that keen on Wisconsin, but 100% is so incredible. I need that kind of offer closer to the east coast. I liked the people I met from Vanderbilt & I hear they offer some great packages. I appreciate your PM.</p>
<p>Oberlin Conservatory offers good aid, and has a great VP program. As does Rice, Michigan, Northwestern, CCM, Indiana and many many others. In other words, don’t despair. And the stand alone conservatories have also been known to offer significant scholarships to those with financial need.</p>
<p>I love oberlin. It’s a school that many kids from my HS apply to, I just don’t think I can afford it. I did their NPC and it was depressing. I also liked the people I met from Rice. I just worry if I go to far away from NYC I’ll never be able to visit my family due to travel costs. My HS is in Lincoln Center and I pass Juilliard every day and I cannot even consider applying. I got into their Pre college, but MSM gave me better financial aid. </p>
<p>One suggestion is not to rule schools out automatically, in many cases you don’t know what they will offer. I don’t know much about the voice world, but for example, with Juilliard their admissions people said most of their decisions with aid, both financial and merit, has a need component to it, so they may do better than you think. People have mentioned some good schools, and given your situation finances are obviously really important, and you can’t eliminate programs or assume anything. The school with the heart of stone by reputation may come through, the school with the good reputation may skunk you, you don’t know. Conservatories generally are reputed not to be as good with aid as music schools in a university, for example, but you never know until you actually see what they come back with. </p>
<p>I wish you luck, keep pushing on and see what happens, in the end I am sure something will come through. </p>
<p>For music the NPC’s aren’t very helpful as the aid will increase depending on how much the school wants you. Apply broadly, and be prepared to go with the school which makes the best offer (although you may be able to negotiate offers with like programs and have them increase the offer to match a comparable school.) Many students on this forum have gone to top music programs with full tuition (or better) scholarships. So it can be done.</p>
<p>Well, you go to a great high school and Manhattan Preparatory is great training (and you got into Juilliard prep too). Don’t worry, this is going to work out. Do you have a guidance counselor? </p>
<p>It is true that you don’t know what the offers will be until you try. Is there an advantage from being from NYC of being from your school, when applying in NYC? Have you considered a SUNY (Purchase) or CUNY? Though sometimes privates can be even more affordable: it depends.</p>
<p>Manhattan, Juilliard, NEC are free standing obviously but you could see what aid they offer of either kind. Oberlin,Lawrence, Ithaca, Eastman, Peabody, Michigan, CIM, Indiana, and double degree programs (Harvard, Tufts, others ) are all possibilities.</p>
<p>Keep coming on here with questions. Some on here know a lot about voice (not me). And hope you also have someone at school to help guide you. You sound very talented. :)</p>
<p>Also. Cast a wide net so you have financial aid options. We are. The downside is writing so many essays. It will end up being 9 for my son and maybe more. I can’t tell you how many times my ds has turned down time with friends because he was writing an essay. It’s almost all done. It’s worth it and the upside is he now has clear defined goals since he’s written them a million times.<br>
We’re in the opposite category. We make too much for any aid and we did not save 50k a year for tuition. </p>
<p>Univ of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music</p>
<p>Hartt will give a full ride to well qualified applicants</p>
<p>Lamont at Univ Denver has deep pockets. Roosevelt gives good aid. Oberlin has good aid. FSU will stack talent and academic plus waive out of state tuition. Don’t despair and do not cross off schools until you get the aid package.</p>
<p>oh, you guys are so, so great. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate all the input. I really thought I was not going to have many options and now I’m seeing that I should not limit myself and just go for as many as I can. THANKS. I’m going to have a lot more questions. ha! </p>
<p>Choose carefully though, because you may not want to do umpteen applications and auditions. Sometimes you can get a waiver for application fees if that is needed.</p>
<p>Maybe apply to a range of schools, including some of those suggested here. Oberlin, Hartt, Eastman, Lawrence, SUNY Purchase, Rice, Michigan, Vanderbilt, Indiana, Northwestern, CCM, Lamont, Roosevelt, Ithaca have all been mentioned. No harm in trying Juilliard, Manhattan, Peabody, or NEC. Or applying to, say, Harvard, Vassar, other colleges where you could study music and take voice privately. McGill is good for voice. You can also look into Westminster Choir.</p>
<p>Here is a good essay on ways to study music:
<a href=“http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html”>http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html</a></p>
<p>Don’t mean to overwhelm. With the feedback here that lets you know you DO have options, do your research and apply to those who can help you grow, where you have a reasonable chance of getting in and of paying for it, and don’t limit yourself too much until you see what is offered. </p>
<p>I’m told it’s all about the teacher. How does one find ‘the teacher?’ traveling to 10-20 schools to audit or take a lesson is cost prohibitive. </p>
<p>It is a challenge. My D (voice) attended several summer programs and met teachers that way. We also planned a few vacations near schools where she wanted to audition. Sometimes you can get a sample lesson around audition time, but do not count on it as the teachers are busy.<br>
You have plenty of time to research. Take advantage of your current voice teacher. They should be able to help you make a list and suggest where sample lessons might be the most helpful. My D went to a performing arts high school and several schools came to recruit and gave sample lessons. Maybe your school will have this as well.
Also, after the acceptances are made, you can go for sample lessons to help you make your final decision. </p>
<p>my daughters school is fabulous with the pre conservatory aspect and the dual mission high academics but the guidance department/college office is a mess. it is a NYC public HS. extremely selective, but dealing with the DOE nonetheless. They have 2 conservatory consultants on had for the senior class of 700 kids, it’s not enough in a massive arts school. I will inquire with the AP regarding recruitment visits and sample lessons but I’m on the school board and I’ve yet to hear about them. sigh. </p>
<p>do conservatory applications ask for essays as well as pre screens and auditions? </p>
<p>Just because a school is a top conservatory for instrumentalists does not mean it’s a great choice for voice. Look for a fantastic teacher at an affordable school. You need to search in a very aggressive way—ask every voice professional you encounter if they are aware of great teacher at an affordable school. They are out there. </p>
<p>I agree. We aren’t looking just at top tier schools. We are looking at teachers first and then the level of other music students. I believe we’ve found the right mix.<br>
Also, what about skype? Teachers are starting to use and we plan on asking for a lesson over Skype because it is so far away.</p>