<p>Hello all,
We are looking for a school that has great academics, but also has a strong string music program. My D will graduate from an International Baccalaureate program, probably 2nd or 3rd in her class, but is a very talented violist who wants to go into Music Ed/conducting--not particularly wanting to be a performance major. She really wants to go to a school where music is not the main focus and she will be surrounded by worldly, bright students, but where she will still get the intense music component. Is there a college/university where she can thrive in both worlds? Is it realistic for her to double-major in music Ed and mathematics, which is her second love, or does she need to sacrifice one for the other? She really likes Vanderbilt so far...any advice would be greatly appreciated!!</p>
<p>Does location matter? She might want to look into Chapman University in Orange, CA. She can double major, or double minor, or triple major, etc.</p>
<p>Would a music major work or does it have to be music education? If the former, I’d suggest Williams – excellent music, excellent math, excellent overall academics. Also Wesleyan, Smith.</p>
<p>Thank you both. She prefers East Coast, but will consider West if the program is a good fit. Music major may work, we will have to research. Her high school counselors have no clue when it comes to advice regarding music as a career, so I’m learning as I go here. Willliams is on a list that I jotted down from another post here on CC. Any advice on University of Maryland or Rice?
Thanks again!</p>
<p>How about Oberlin, an excellent LAC with a music conservatory?</p>
<p>[Conservatory</a> of Music - Oberlin College](<a href=“http://new.oberlin.edu/conservatory/]Conservatory”>http://new.oberlin.edu/conservatory/)</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon. Columbia has a joint program with (I think) Julliard or could be Manhatten School of Music. Harvard has a joint program with NE Conservancy. Harvard also has excellent music extracurrs.</p>
<p>Rice is excellent. My daughter was a performance major, though, so I don’t know how it would work to NOT be one! I would check into it because we felt Rice offered just about the perfect college experience (and we had another child’s Ivy for comparison). </p>
<p>Don’t ignore Indiana. You might think the academics aren’t what you are looking for, but the combination of the incredible music school, honors programs and education school can’t be beat.</p>