Northeastern/Northwestern Music?

College Majors Music Major
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<p>First off, it'd be really great if you guys could chance me at the following thread (it'd give you a better idea of me as a person, too):
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/708438-music-schools-chances-admission.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/708438-music-schools-chances-admission.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Hokay, so I'm looking at both Northeastern and Northwestern's School of Music in addition to all the schools I've listed in the Chances thread. I am interested in their Music Technology departments. My goal is to get involved in video game scoring after college for a bit and then move on to law school. Which school's Music program is better?</p>

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<p>I don’t know about video game scoring, but Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music is one of the finest and most selective in the country. However, a 3.2 GPA and a 2000 SAT might be a big stretch for NWU’s tough academic admissions standards.</p>

<p>Northeastern is not particularly known for their music. It’s probably not even amongst the top 5 music places in its own city. Berklee, NEC, BoCo, Longy, BU, Harvard, Tufts, MIT are all places I would recommend before NEU.</p>

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<p>Chances? Chances? WE don’t do no stinkin chances, at least in this forum. (Personally, if I saw “chances” in the thread title, I would have reported it and requested it moved to whence it belonged.)</p>

<p>Anywho, it’s Monday, after a miserable rainy weekend, and looking at a week full of rain. I’m not in the best of spirits, but I’ll venture some input.</p>

<p>stephmin is right, Northeastern is not normally on a list for serious study in composition. Having said that, looking at their Music Industry and Music Technology offerings might be better directed at what you are looking for.</p>

<p>Northwestern tends not to bend academic standards even for top flight performance candidates with marginal stats. I doubt they will for a music tech major.</p>

<p>NYU and USC Thorton are arguably the two “best” schools for film scoring. NEC is often a choice for serious composition study. (Look for part post by MahlerSnob, a comp undergrad at NEC. You may want to initiate a dialog via pm.) The rest on your list are viable options. You may want to look into Oberlin’s TIMARA and the program at Drexel; maybe Belmont and UDenver (Lamont) are worth a look.</p>

<p>If you haven’t already, please read this <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-familys-experience.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-familys-experience.html&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p>While not all is pertinent, it will give you an overview of what you will need to know and balance in selecting and applying for music admissions. The parameters will vary (often widely) by institution, and weight of audition (or portfolio submission) and academic record
are considered jointly, separately, and have differing weights based on a specific institution’s criteria.</p>

<p>Additionally, some of these will require audition on voice or instrument, and while performance candidates are held to a higher standard, you need to know if your abilities are competitive within the audition pool for that institution.</p>

<p>Also, you speak not of cost. NYU, NEC are notoriously and historically tightfisted in doling out scholarship monies, and aid in general. They are expensive. Additionally, your stats are not at the point that may put you in the best place for academic merit aid. Just something to consider in looking into programs, unless you and family are blessed with abundant resources.</p>

<p>Finally, consider the academics, as you mention a potential pursuit of law school. NEC and Berklee being conservatories have minimal academic requirements, and many would not call them stimulating (or even adequate). The others will offer vary levels of opportunity to explore music business, arts admin coursework as well as general academics for potential LSAT prep. From my understanding, law school admits are all about the undergrad grades and test score. The major matters not.</p>

<p>Hope it helped. Good luck. And remember, ANY audition based program is a crapshoot. There are NO musical safeties. There are far too many variables, many of which you cannot control.</p>

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<p>Neither USC nor NYU offer undergraduate courses in Film Scoring, which is why Berklee is looking so appealing to me.</p>

<p>I will definitely be applying for need based financial aid because my family is not very well off.</p>

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<p>You are right, the programs are at the grad level. Mea culpa.</p>

<p>The poster PamelaMaeSnap has a d at Berklee in composition/songwriting. You may want to pm her for input. Berklee’s Presidential scholarships are full ride, and are reserved for the extreme talent. Beyond that, I don’t know the level of the talent money distribution. Some schools have the policy of handing out large amounts to the top candidates, with minimal awards to the rest, some seem to spread the largess a bit more evenly. I’d put NEC in the first category, Oberlin in the second.</p>

<p>You may want to look here and see what if any Berklee awards were reported <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/458851-music-scholarships-fall-2008-2009-a.html?highlight=2008[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/458851-music-scholarships-fall-2008-2009-a.html?highlight=2008&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Academic criteria have virtually no bearing on a Berklee admit, but the audition parameter is set at a very high bar. Again, expect minimal options in academic course options.</p>

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<p>Violadad:</p>

<p>Well, it’s good that academics won’t play a huge factor, since my GPA and SAT score aren’t exactly solid gold, but how bout my extracurrics? I have some extracurrics that are really good that I’m INCREDIBLY passionate about, and I’d be sad if they didn’t make much of a difference. Right now, Berklee is by absolute DREAM school because of its appreciation for contemporary music, its offering of a Film Scoring major, and proximity to the game industry, and I think I’d be absolutely crushed if I didn’t get in. I’m not saying I’d have a terrible audition, just that it’d be my first time auditioning for something using voice, and I’d have relatively very little formal training compared to many others that would be there.</p>

<p>Below is my transcript/resume if it’d help you critique me any more:</p>

<p>School: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (#1 public high school in the US, US News and World Report)
GPA: 3.2 unweighted
SAT score: Predict ~2000
Honors: All Honors Classes
APs: APUSH, AP AB Calc, AP Music Theory, AP Government, AP English Language</p>

<p>Principal Instrument: Voice
Formal Instruction: 6 months
Music Education:
AP Music Theory - A (predict 3 or 4)
Choir, Principals of Composition next year
Current enrollment in Choir (A)
Past enrollemtnt in Band (Symphonic B+, Jazz WP)</p>

<p>Music/Technical Extracurricular:

  • Founder/director/arranger, Manchoir - men’s a Cappella
  • Arranger, TJ Class of 2012 String Quartet
  • Authored Music Technology course proposal/curriculum
  • Commissioned arranger, Langley High School Orchestras
  • Coordinator/Producer, TJ G@ME video game music concert (cancelled one month prior due to scheduling issues).
  • Student Government Association Tech Coordinator
  • Member, TJ Madrigals (sophomore year)
  • Proficiency with Finale and Sibelius
  • Proficiency with MIDI composition (Logic Pro, sample libraries)
  • Proficiency with non linear audio-video production software (Premiere Pro, Soundbooth, etc.)</p>

<p>Other Extracurricular:

  • TJ Class of 2010 Council (Freshman year)
  • Coreana (Korean Culture), founder/president (Sophomore year)
  • TJ Drama (sophomore, junior year)
  • English instruction to elementary students (summer)</p>

<p>Others instruments played:
Trombone: 5 years, school band
Violin: 2 years school, 1 year self instruction
Piano: 3 years private instructor, 1 year self-instruction
Guitar: 1 year self instruction</p>

<p>Portfolio:
Preparing a full orchestra + choir piece, a small ensemble Eastern piece, and a piano piece; all MIDI sample orchestrated.</p>

<p>Recommendations: All positive (predicted) from AP Music Theory/Choir instructor, Leadership instructor/Principal, and Communications Systems instructor. Along with a supplementary recommendation from a professional composer that I am acquaintances with.</p>

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

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<p>Lencias, I saw your stats and background from the link in your op. You’ve done much of what a typical music undergrad would do, yet what appears to be lacking is formal training and instruction, and a progression of increasing higher level summer immersion, ensemble and performance participation.</p>

<p>Now, having said that, you’re looking at a major that is more closely related to composition than performance, yet many of the experiences are overlapping. I hope some posters with similar experiences to yours will add to what I tell you. My own experiences with son were from a classical performance standpoint.</p>

<p>One of the reasons I directed you to BassDad’s thread was to give you an overview of the processes and intricacies involved in music school admits. It’s not all grades and stats. </p>

<p>Take a look at the Berklee application page, and the audition requirements. While not specifically stated, it APPEARS that entry to the film scoring program is contingent upon an audition, which in your case is voice. Read through the requirements. It’s conceivable that the standard for this MAY be less stringent than what Berklee might require in a candidate for a vocal based performance degree program, there is no way of knowing this without specifically inquiring. Perhaps there is a portfolio submission for this major as well, that may carry weight. I would urge you to check with Berklee directly. Perhaps some of the current Berklee admits from the Master Acceptance list thread <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1062479427-post841.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1062479427-post841.html&lt;/a&gt; might weigh in with their own experience at auditions. You may wish to pm some directly. </p>

<p>I’d suggest you begin private instruction with a quality professional versed in the genre and technique suggested under Berklee’s audition rep, but would also caution you that limiting yourself to this specific type of rep might limit your prep at other schools on your list that may require more classical audition repertoire. I’m not qualified or knowledgeable enough to begin where to begin for vocal instruction. Others here are, and might suggest alternatives to my advice. By all means heed it.</p>

<p>One of the issues you face is knowing if you are in fact competitive. This is an issue many aspiring music students face. It’s impossible to assess talent via an internet forum, but in the case of instrumentalists, vocalists, and comp aspirants, often by looking at the years of private study, competitions, ensemble/performance experience and types and competitiveness of summer immersion programs, it is far easier to gauge a RELATIVE level of both skill and talent. Exposure to a wide base of peers on a regional and national (and international) level is often a fair indicator of current ability and future potential.</p>

<p>Now having said that, there are those that are self taught, with limited experience and formal training that are exceptionally talented. You may or may not be in that category. Just be aware that you will be facing tough competition.</p>

<p>Go through the admission and audition criteria of the other schools on your list, and some of the alternatives offered. Get a feel for what each requires from an audition (or submission) standpoint. Target your choices based on your own experiences, and don’t put all your eggs in one basket.</p>