Hi, I’m currently a junior in a high school. I’ve always known that I’ve wanted to be a musician and have fully devoted myself to learning as much as I can about the field. I love to communicate as well, so teaching would be a good position for me. I want to go on to get a Masters and PhD, so it’s important that I go to an established undergrad program so I can go to one of the big name grad schools. I’m from northern NJ but I’m looking to go to school out of state. Ithaca College is my number one pick, mainly because I love the location, clarinet professor, and ensemble opportunities there. I’ve always done really well in school, however, and my parents are convinced that there are other schools with a better academics and a music program that I should be considering instead. The schools that they cite tend to be kind of borderline regarding music. I don’t think they understand that no matter where I go, my studies will be music-based - it won’t matter if the school is considered to be a conventionally “high achieving school” if I’m not taking those classes. I also have SUNY Potsdam and Fredonia, NEC (for the music in education concentration, but that’s iffy), and Eastman on my list. Are my parents right in thinking I should be looking at different schools, or is IC as established as I think?
@thethirdchorus This isn’t the right sub-forum for this question. Nevertheless, have you given a look to Berklee College of Music (Boston) or Manhattan School of Music? I know almost nothing about music schools, but have heard good things about both from other people.