<p>think hard about the type of program you want. Listen to a LOT of jazz, and look for programs that have the most variety. I was in your position (liked jazz, but hadn’t been playing it for all that long) last year and I did not realize how much my tastes would expand after a year at school.
Id recomend that you stay away from schools that push straight-ahead jazz (the kind of stuff they play at jazz at lincoln center and what many people who think jazz stoped evolving in 1965 consider to be jazz) at the expense of other styles. Consider that its not 1965 and, that while playing straight ahead jazz (and more, knowing tons of standards and being able to comp well, swing and play the changes in a bebop-oriented manner) is an extremely important skill, it is not where the music is today and is not what the great players now adays are playing. Basically, when looking at schools make sure that, if you seek out a good education and practice you will be able to play more traditional tunes in an authentic straight-ahead style (which means you will be transcribing like crazy) but at the same time, not make you stay stuck in the past (meaning it does not shun modern repetoire, inside/outside type playing or modal playing). Also make sure you will be taught sight reading and the notes on your fretboard–if you don’t already know them cold-- (chord charts and single note lines). Just because a school doesn’t make you sightread at the audition doesn’t mean they don’t teach and vice versa.
A list of schools to begin looking at would probably start with Berklee, as well as more competitive places like UNT, indiana, miami, USC, NYU and the new school for jazz.</p>