<p>Posted this on Bowdoin thread...as a parent shoud I be concerned about academics vs. music programs?? How important/useful is it to have a conservatory close by? Reasonable access to it vs. only for conservatory students? How does Oberlin academics stack up to Bowdoin, Wesleyan, JHU?</p>
<p>"Parent of son who's passion is MUSIC -- popular/jazz/electronic composition, recording, performing. Plays sax, guitar, piano, etc., plus vocal. At Lawrenceville School, jazz ensemble lead sax and guitar, lead baritone in vocal group Laurentians. He is and would be a regular at the local Coffeehouse, etc. Plays in bands/ensembles and has numerous original compositions/recordings ranging from acoustic pop to hard rock electric, jazz and electronic (think Trent Reznor!!) on net.) This past year, he discovered musical theater, too!! Academically, VERY strong...you get the idea. I rally think liberal arts makes sense with a music concentration vs. a conservatory (he visited Juilliard and pursued a more academic route...)</p>
<p>Waitlist Columbia (#1 choice) and accepted Bowdoin, Wesleyan, Oberlin, JHU, NYU Honors, and Rochester...</p>
<p>He visited Bowdoin and really liked it, recognizes strength of academics, loves the house system (similar to Lawrenceville) but it appears his concern is the perceived weak Bowdoin music program...</p>
<p>Can anyone weigh in on Bowdoin music vs. say Wesleyan, Oberlin, JHU?</p>
<p>More importantly to a parent, can anyone provide insight as to how important the music program is to the "quality" of the overall liberal arts academics??</p>
<p>Oberlin is certainly strong in academics, probably more so in the sciences. There’s a report published by F&M College about the total number of graduates of all the LACs that went on to earn Doctoral dgrees. From 1920-1995, a total of 4400 Oberlin graduates went on to earn PHDs and other doctoral dgrees, the most among all LACs. Swathmore, ranked 2nd, had 2529 graduates who went on to earn PhDs.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about the music program, but my impression is that (correct me if I’m wrong) compared to Bowdoin, Wes and Oberlin have a more lively music scene.</p>
<p>Perilous, the Music Major forum would be a great place for you to ask your questions. There is a wealth of knowledge there about all these schools. My $.02 would be that Wesleyan purportedly has a good music program/scene where a non-major would have access to the program. While Oberlin no-conservatory students do have access to music classes, I hear they are definitely first-come, first-served to the Con students. Don’t know about casual performance opportunities. Again, get thee to the Music Major forum!</p>
<p>I don’t think there’s any reason to assume Oberlin is stronger in the sciences than in other divisions–it’s strong across the board, fully the equal academically of Bowdoin and Wesleyan. (JHU is of course a university, so comparison to any LAC is difficult.)</p>
<p>As a parent, my perception was music is a big deal at Oberlin. Not only in the courses, but in the social circles. Music is all over the place there. My daughter was not a major, got to take great instruction classes in her instrument. Then pooped out. But opportunities for her to play were probably all over the place. Though probably not complete access to all resources of the Conservatory.</p>
<p>My D found strong programs at Oberlin in various departments, most of them really; I don’t know that sciences were thought to be any “better” than the others.</p>
<p>Which is not to say that the college offered the breadth and depth of course selection that a large research university offers, in virtually any area.</p>
<p>Socially, I perceive Bowdoin students as being somewhat different personality types than the others. Fit with campus culture can be an aspect of some significance when considering liberal arts colleges with finite social circles, you might check into this.</p>
<p>Also, is not Bowdoin considerably smaller than the others? This would magnify not only the social issue, but also the issue of upper-class course selection in potential areas and sub-areas of interest, down the road.</p>
<p>JHU and NYU are research universities in cities, which are very different environments. They would offer far larger course selection, but larger classes and less intimate environments- for better or worse, depending on the person.
It’s partly about fit, at this stage.</p>
<p>JHU and NYU have separate schools and divisions which make it difficult for a student to decided midstream to major in music, for example.</p>
<p>If it were my child I would definitely select music if it is a PASSION. S’s very gifted violin teacher went to Oberlin as a bio major and switched into the Conservatory her sophomore year. Her identical twin went to Williams and became a doctor.</p>
<p>My S attends Williams. He went in a music major but has become a classics major. The music scene was fine for him, but music theory sunk his boat. I wouldn’t have said music was his PASSION. it’s one of his great loves, but so is Virgil so all is well.</p>
<p>With varied interests I think a student fares better at a LAC or small university, for example the Ivies. At Columbia, for example (if he gets off the waitlist) music performance and science are part of the same division. Not so at NYU.</p>
<p>perilous: Oberlin has under construction what will be the finest Jazz “conservatory” in the USA. It’s going to rock. If your son is into ANY kind of music, none of the colleges yo listed can stack up to Oberlin, and Oberlin is equal academically.</p>
<p>Here’s a current Oberlin student talking about Jazz on campus. By the way, he mentions that in Maine (he’s from Maine) he was lucky to find one decent Jazz concert a year. Isn’t Bowdoin in Maine?</p>
<p>Fun fact: the upcoming Oberlin Jazz Studies building will be the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold-certified music building.</p>