<p>My D is looking for a liberal arts school with a strong music program. She's considering a double major that would include music. She is at a public high school that is a music academy with a strong academic program as well. She's a vocalist and is singing in one of the top high school vocal jazz ensembles in the country. She loves jazz but is also extremely interested in folk/bluegrass/American roots music. Plays guitar and banjo. Interested in violin (fiddle). Although we live in LA she seems to be drawn to schools in the South. She'll have AP Music under her belt and I believe she is vocally strong enough to audition into a lot of excellent schools. Academics are strong but not top of the heap. She could go on to have a performing career akin to someone like Norah Jones (if she's that lucky) but she wants a real college experience so sending her to a place like Berklee doesn't make sense.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt comes to mind. The Blair school of music is very good and being in Nashville has obvious advantages for someone interested in folk/bluegrass/American roots music and if you can’t find good guitar, banjo and fiddle teachers there, you just aren’t trying very hard. I’m not sure what you mean by academics being strong but not top of the heap. Vanderbilt is not an easy admit academically, but it is not as tough to get into as some schools that are discussed on CC.</p>
<p>It is not in the south, but she may also want to take a look at Oberlin. They have both double degree and dual major programs. They have an excellent jazz department and are opening up an amazing new Jazz building this year. They do not have a specific folk/bluegrass/American roots program, but there is a lot of interest in that type of music on campus and there are a lot of student-run groups there that incorporate guitar/banjo/fiddle players.</p>
<p>You might take a look at Loyola New Orleans. And though it is not an LAC, UNT in Denton Texas. They both have VERY strong voice programs and strong jazz programs. Both towns have plenty of opportunities to gig with other like minded musicians as well as opportunities to play professionally.</p>
<p>Another that just came to mind is University of North Texas. They have an excellent music school and the tuition is affordable, even at out of state rates. It may not be the most beautiful school around, but if “not top of the heap” means a B/B- kind of average, then it may be a more realistic academic admit than Vandy or Oberlin.</p>
<p>thanks y’all. Just to clarify. My D will prob graduate with about a 3.5 GPA and 18-1900 SAT. With Vandy or Oberlin, I’d probably be looking for them to want her for talent and the above would be at the bottom of acceptable… right?</p>
<p>You know, my son was accepted at Tulane and they have an interesting music program. They have rolling admissions so it is a school she could apply to on the early side. New Orleans is a great city for jazz, early music, if Loyola doesn’t appeal to her. They offer pretty good merit aid as well, and there is no audition process.</p>
<p>I agree that those numbers would make Vanderbilt and Oberlin reach schools academically, but they are not so low as to eliminate any possibility at all if she auditions well. At UNT, her numbers would put her a notch or two above the average academically, but the hard part there is getting past the highly competitive auditions.</p>
<p>I want to second the people that have mentioned Tulane (and the very important fact when it comes to music that Loyola is literally right next door), as well as the UNiversity of North Texas (formerly North Texas State University). I would also add one more, Truman State in Missouri.</p>
<p>Tulane not only has a good music program and shares with Loyola, who is also strong in music, but obviously being in New Orleans would expose her to musical elements difficult to replicate elsewhere. Additionally, the host of the long running NPR show American Routes is on the faculty at Tulane, which presents some interesting possibilities on the academic side of her career. There is a strong draw from LA (I assume you mean in California as opposed to Louisiana) to Tulane, and I strongly urge a visit if at all possible. If you decide to do this, let me know and I can recommend some young local musicians for her to meet that can give her an idea of the opportunities available to her.</p>
<p>UNT in Denton Texas has one of the most famous jazz and music programs in the world. Their One O’Clock Band (the “top dog” of the jazz band groups) has played around the world, including at the top jazz festivals. They have excellent opportunities for jazz vocalists also.</p>
<p>Truman State is a very strong public liberal arts college, with long roots in music also. It is very affordable for OOS students. They are also very generous with merit aid, and with her stats she would get a decent package. My S is a junior there, although not in music. Biggest drawback is the location, it truly is out in the middle of nowhere, 3 hours from St. Louis and 2 hours from Des Moines Iowa. But the faculty and students are outstanding.</p>
<p>Jazz at Princeton is being expanded “grown”. My S has a friend in jazz there and he likes it very much. Not far from NYC. Lots of options and a nice place from which to have a degree.</p>