<p>Please Rank the colleges in order to the best of your knowledge according to their music program. 1 being the best and 10 being the worst.</p>
<p>Boston College
Boston University
Dartmouth College
University of Pennsylvania
Tufts University
UC Davis
UCLA
UCSB
UCSD
Washington University in St. Louis.</p>
<p>BU is the best, without question. I don’t know anything about the UC programs, but the others you have listed aren’t really known at all for their music.</p>
<p>If you go to Penn you can take lessons at Curtis.</p>
<p>Of the schools you listed, BU has the best music department. The other schools have music programs, but they are not as extensive as the one at BU which really is a conservatory within a large university. </p>
<p>Vieux is correct about taking lessons if you attend Penn…but that is a little different than having a music department in your school if that is what you are looking for.</p>
<p>BU by far. Do the other schools have a performance major? Is performance what you want to pursue?</p>
<p>Yet you can study music in any of these places, I’m guessing, if you aren’t looking for a BM (but I’m no expert, just the mother of a singer who is still weighting BMus versus BA, music major). My son has a good friend at BC who went there because of a piano teacher (this kid is a fabulous jazz pianist). At first he didn’t like BC because it wasn’t quite as laid-back and artsy as he is, but he’s since found some friends who like his kind of music and he is doing well, not to mention he’s in a great city for music of all kinds.</p>
<p>What’s your instrument?</p>
<p>I both play the saxophone and sing. I’m hoping to pursue Music Education while still majoring and biology. Northwestern was probably going to be my top choice, but since I got rejected I don’t know that much about the music programs of the other schools. I really only know the academic side.</p>
<p>Out of your whole list, I think Boston University, UCLA and Northwestern are the only ones that have a Music Ed major. Since that is a pretty specific and career-oriented field, there may not be much in the way of Music Ed classes of any sort at a school that does not offer it as a major.</p>
<p>Vieuxtemps5 and Thumper1: Are you sure that Penn Students can take lessons at Curtis? I specifically asked about this (perhaps not phrasing the question correctly) and was told that Curtis students could take classes at Penn, and Penn Music Composition students could have their works performed by Curtis students. Is it a question of lessons v. classes? My son is interested in vocal performance, would that make a difference? Any info would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Hat</p>
<p>I’ll echo BU is your best overall music option within that list. And BassDad is correct, only BU, UCLA and Northwestern have a Mus Ed program.</p>
<p>Hat…I don’t believe there is a vocal performance major at Penn. Re: private lessons at Curtis…I believe the teacher has to agree to take you as a student. You just don’t “sign up” and poof…you’re in. Vieux can probably clarify this better.</p>
<p>dhlee, are you in state for the UC’s. I’ll offer my “free advice of the day”. BU has a great music department (DS is a grad). However it is a mighty pricey place to go for a music education degree. I would suggest that you go to one of your instate universities that offers music education…just a thought. It’s more modestly priced.</p>
<p>dhlee7570- I’m a bit confused. Are these the schools that you’ve been offered acceptance to?</p>
<p>The reason I ask is that most music ed programs are auditioned based, and may include interviews with music ed department and supplementary essays and/or supplementary applications. Did you apply anywhere (and receive acceptance) as a music ed major?</p>
<p>I realize some institutions allow you the flexibility of not declaring a major till end sophomore/ beginning junior year status.</p>
<p>Music ed is typically not a program that will allow this option, as the course sequencing is pretty predetermined, and can wreak havoc with staying on track. Prereqs are normally offered in an semester A only. If you miss A, you can’t take B untill the next year. In some cases, courses may only be offered every other year. </p>
<p>Thumper’s right. A state institution is often the most cost effective means of obtaining a music ed degree. If you are looking for a certain level of high academics in additional discipline, I understand on how that may skew your selection of schools.</p>
<p>UCLA has a great vocal program and has some great teachers and if you’re looking for music ed they’re department of music, which by the way is turning into the Herb Alpert School of Music at UCLA either next year or the following year is really quite good. Not to mention they just recieved a large endowmennt I believe so everything will be upgraded most likely. AT least that what it seemed like when I was speaking to Juliana Gondek, vocal department chair.</p>
<p>UCLA is an small and competitive audition entry and must audition for music education, too. If you have not already done the audition it is not an option for this coming year. If you have been accepted to UCLA and want to try to get into music ed next year you should talk to them about it. I don’t know that you can minor in it there.</p>
<p>You can’t “minor” in music education anywhere so far as I know. Music education is a very comprehensive program.</p>
<p>Agree, it’s a comprehensive program and I’ve never seen a mus ed minor offered anywhere. It MAY be possible to take a couple of courses within the major as a non-major, depending on the school and department but these would be at the most rudimentary entry level. Most of the mus ed programs I’ve seen/investigated do not allow participation by non-majors.</p>
<p>There will be cross-over requirements between performance, mus ed, general and other music degree disciplines, but these are the basic courses involving music history, theory, aural skills, piano etc.</p>
<p>It may well be possible to audition into the program as a matriculated student, but given the sequential nature of the coursework, it may involve an additional semester or two as an undergrad to fulfill all degree requirements.</p>
<p>From my perspective, it seems like the OP may not have done enough background research in music ed options before applying. The comments, questions seem like afterthought in my opinion.</p>
<p>To violadad: I would have to agree that I may not have done an inadequate job in terms of research in the field of Music Education. I didn’t really consider the major until I completed my application to Northwestern (the last one for me to complete). Perhaps it is too late now to pursue that path…</p>
<p>dhlee- If you do decide to attend Northwestern, read through the audition requirements and talk to someone in the department. You could try and audition into the program as a matriculated student next year.</p>
<p>If you are serious, look at the core/required curriculum, and take whatever general requirement courses you can this year. It may make your transition into the program a bit easier next year.</p>
<p>I’m assuming that you still intend biology as your primary focus? If so, you might want to look at some course work that fufills requirements for both discipline.</p>
<p>With those two disciplines as majors, and possibly entering mus ed a year “behind”, I would venture to say you may well have a five year path in achieving both degrees. Figure the cost of that additional year in making your decisions.</p>