When comparing the music department between Yale and Princeton, which would you say is better and why? Also, which school would you say has better opportunities if a student is interested in things like musical theater, a cappella groups, improv, vocal lessons etc.?
Yale is generally better known for their performing arts and humanities, and they have a top notch graduate performance program. I don’t think they have an undergrad performance degree, but I’m sure you could take lessons with graduate students. Princeton might not have as many music resources as a whole, but there is a very good music department that offers an academic major as well as a minor in performance. Princeton will fully subsidize private lessons with (often renowned) teachers from the surrounding area, if you’re a music major/minor. There are also many well-established acapella and theater groups, though I don’t know how the performing arts scene compares to Yale’s.